5 scenic fall foliage train journeys around the world

There’s something very satisfying and interesting about train journeys, when all the time in the world seems to come to a standstill, and one gets lost in the landscape. These journeys are actually a delightful way to experience a place. However, during autumn, train journeys become altogether interesting as they take you through spectacular scenery, with most of the places adorned with lush greenery, and when you can just sit back, and enjoy the ride.

Here are some of the most scenic train routes that you can take to experience leaf-peeping at its best.

You can catch the Sagano Scenic Railway from the Saga Torokko Station, which is just 15 min outside of Kyoto. Aboard, you will enjoy a 25-min train ride through the Hozukyo Ravine, which is dotted with Japanese maple trees that turn orange and red every autumn. So, the next time when you are in Japan, don’t miss this train journey for sure.

For scenic views of the Adirondack Mountain foliage, you should opt for a roundtrip from Utica to Thendara for the best of experience. After you board the Amtrak Adirondack at New York’s Penn Station in the morning, you will be spending the next 10 hours chugging through the Hudson Valley and up into the train’s namesake Adirondack Mountains.

When you take this train ride, it transports the riders back in time to a Victorian era when people used to dedicate their Sunday for some exclusive leisure dining car experience. Further, the Napa Valley Wine Train, which is just an hour from one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United States, exudes the essence of the wine country into a single day of dining, wining, and riding via the countryside on an antique train. This three-hour train journey will be a boozy way to experience the scenic West Coast’s foliage.

The Blue Ridge Railway, constructed in 1905, chugs through Georgia and parts of Tennessee. When on board this train, passengers get the option of riding in open-air cars, while gazing at the near-blinding colour scheme. This 26-mile train trip will take you on a ride for four hours, during which you will be enjoying a two-hour stop in McCaysville, Copperhill, Georgia, and Tennessee for lunch. Best time to experience the prime foliage touring via the Blue Ridge Railway is from September 20 to November 11. Plan your trip beforehand, as tickets can get sold out.

The experience of riding through the red, gold, and orange leaves of the Smoky Mountains is an altogether different and unique experience. You can board the steam train that will take you along the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad. You can even opt for open-air gondolas or luxury first-class cars to enjoy the foliage on this route. You can even board the train in Bryson, North Carolina, which is not too far from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.