12 stunning train rides you should take before you die

Photos of the best scenic train rides around the world

The views from the Glacier Express are outstanding (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Whether you're writing the great American novel or taking a romantic getaway, a scenic train ride is one of the best ways to get around.

The August/September issue of National Geographic Traveller rounds up images of the best train trips in the world, according to one seasoned rail rider. It's available on newsstands now.

Here are 12 of our favourites.

The Belgrade to Bar railway takes passengers over 435 bridges and through 254 tunnels from Serbia's capital to the shores of the Adriatic in Montenegro, in about 10 hours.

There's no better way to see the heartland of America than the California Zephyr, a railway that climbs the Rockies and the Sierra Nevada before descending to the Pacific Coast.

The 5 California Zephyr Amtrak train in Holdrege, Nebraska (Joshua Lott/Reuters)

Passengers of the Canadian spend three days watching golden prairie fields, rugged lake country, and picturesque towns pass by their dome cars from Toronto to Vancouver.

Royal Rajasthan on Wheels is a luxury resort aboard a train — complete with a spa — that takes riders past India's temples, forts, and Taj Mahal on a seven-night passage.

​The Glacier Express connects two major mountain resorts in the Swiss Alps, giving riders a whirlwind tour of Switzerland's snowy peaks, mountain meadows, and storybook villages.

For views of some of Europe's most dramatic scenery, head to the Swiss Alps to join the Glacier Express (Alamy) (ALamy)

The Train to the Clouds follows zig-zag tracks across the rugged Andes on its way from Salta, Argentina, to the Chilean border. It's one of the highest train rides in the world.

Passage aboard Africa's best affordable railway, the Shongololo Express, includes pit stops in wildlife reserves and craft markets across Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.

The Trans-Siberian Railway offers a 14-day excursion through Russia, from Vladivostok to Moscow, that passes by endless grasslands and Lake Baikal, the deepest lake on Earth.

A bridge over Lake Baikal, southern Siberia (Golden Eagle Luxury Trains)

The Ghan takes riders through the fiery red centre of Australia, offering access to the dramatic scenery and indigenous sites that are off-limits by other modes of transit.

The century-old Orient Express transports riders to the golden age of rail travel, with its four-course dinners and black-tie glamour. It runs from London to Venice in two days.

In New Zealand, the TranzAlpine lets riders take in the epic vistas and awe-inspiring plains between Christchurch and Greymouth. It covers 139 miles in just under five hours.

The Belmond Grand Hibernian brings a “shimmering world of indulgence” to the Irish countryside. Its cushy observation cars offer pristine views from Dublin to Cork or Belfast.

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