Not only is travelling by train a more relaxing, scenic option compared to plane travel, it's more eco-friendly too – a recent report by the think tank Intergenerational Foundation suggested the UK could cut its aviation fuel emissions by a third if it banned short-haul flights in favour of rail routes. From iconic experiences like riding Japan's bullet trains, which can travel at speeds of up to 225 miles per hour (360km/h), to TGV's swift services, here are the finest high-speed routes to get inspired by.
Japan is famous for its network of high-speed bullet trains, known as shinkansen, and the Tokaido line is its most popular. Trains on this line reach speeds of up to 177 miles per hour (285km/h) and connect Tokyo with the popular tourist hotspots of Yokohama, Nagoya, Osaka and Kyoto. It was Japan's first ever shinkansen line and the first in the world, created in 1964 for the Summer Olympics.
In 2020, the Japanese rail operators introduced a brand new train to this line: the N700S. With the ability to reach speeds of up to 225 miles per hour (360km/h) it's one of the fastest trains in the world and connects Tokyo with Osaka in less than two and a half hours. Thanks to its lithium-ion battery self-propulsion system it's also able to run during power outages, so it can be used to ferry passengers to safety even during an earthquake.
If plans remain on track (pun intended), the first section of the line is expected to open in 2024, connecting the Red Sea city of Ain Sokhna to the Mediterranean ports of Marsa Matrouh and Alexandria. When full completion is reached, supposedly in 2027, you'll get to speed through the sepia Egyptian desert with endless sandy views. The project is set to create 15,000 new jobs in the region and the contract with Siemens Mobility is estimated to be worth £3.4 billion ($4.5bn).
Flying between Milan, Venice, Rome and Naples is old news thanks to Trenitalia's network of high-speed trains. Its fastest is the Frecciarossa, a vehicle capable of up to 186 miles per hour (300km/h), which can transport you from Rome to Venice in under four hours, or Milan to Rome in less than three. Not only is it more convenient than flying, the onboard experience is far superior too.
There are four classes on a Frecciarossa train, the top being Executive Class, where you'll find just eight (or 10 on a Frecciarossa 1000) passengers in leather recliners, served complimentary drinks and a two-course meal (plus a snack) by their own steward. Its cheapest class, Standard, is still a more pleasant experience than flying economy, with free wifi, power sockets and plenty of baggage space (upgrade to Premium for a complimentary soft drink on boarding).
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There are three classes on the Fuxing Hao trains: economy, first and business, which all offer internet access, reading lights for individual seats and plug sockets for charging your devices. Plus, the trains are extra intelligent, with automatic braking systems that initiate if a fault is found within the train.
It's estimated the railway carries 60 million passengers per year, with capacity significantly increasing during the Hajj pilgrimage. In 2022, the Saudi rail company made waves when it advertised 30 roles specifically for women to become train drivers on the Haramain line – women have only been permitted to drive cars since 2018. Over 28,000 applications were made, and the 32 new recruits joined the workforce in January 2023.
What's more exciting than a high-speed train? How about a high-speed train that travels beneath the sea? The Eurostar's e320 trains, which connect London St Pancras with Paris, Lille, Brussels and Amsterdam, are exactly that. Travelling at a top speed of 200 miles per hour (320km/h), trains descend into a tunnel beneath the English Channel between Folkestone in Kent and Sangatte, near Calais.
It takes just two hours and 15 minutes to reach Paris from London, and it's just short of four hours to Amsterdam, where you can explore the canals by bike or fill up on some of the best bitterballen (meatballs) you'll ever taste. Stop in Lille for a small-town vibe French city, or head onto Antwerp for a Belgian beer extravaganza.
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An essential network of high-speed trains, Thalys connects 17 great European cities, including Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels, Cologne and Dortmund in Germany. The trains travel at speeds of up to 186 miles per hour (300km/h) and it takes just short of five hours to get from Paris to Dortmund, the longest journey on the network. Tickets start at around £51 ($63) for this leg.
Africa's first high-speed train launched in 2018 to connect the Moroccan port city of Tangier to Rabat and Casablanca. Served by trains travelling up to 186 miles per hour (300km/h), the service has become an essential for Moroccan business travellers and tourists alike. On these double-decker trains, it takes around two hours to get from Tangier to Casablanca and costs around £30 ($37).
The trains have two classes, first and second, and a café-bar car where passengers can purchase soft drinks and snacks. From Casablanca, it's possible to change trains to the mainline, slower services to reach Marrakesh, one of the most popular cities for tourists in Morocco, where you can visit leather tanning plants, beautiful gardens and marvel at pretty tiled mosques.
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India has long been famous for its vast network of railways, but it didn't join the high-speed revolution until 2019. Now, the Vande Bharat Express semi-high-speed train zips across the country at speeds of up to 99 miles per hour (160km/h). It used to only run between Delhi and the holy city of Varanasi on the River Ganges, but these days operates 18 routes throughout India. In 2023, the trains got a makeover, switching out their original blue and white paintwork for new orange and grey livery.
It takes around eight hours to reach Varanasi from Delhi on this line, and while it's not the fastest of high-speed trains, it's still a far more enjoyable ride than flying and is significantly cheaper at around £17.50 ($22) for a one-way ticket. Sit back, relax and watch the Indian countryside pass you by, and don't miss a cup of sweet, spicy tea from the chaiwala on board.
Perhaps one of the most controversial railway projects in the world, the British HS2 line was originally set to connect London with Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds. The project was divided into three phases. Phase One would connect London and Birmingham. Phase 2a would extend the line to Crewe and Phase 2b would complete the line to Manchester. However, in October 2023, the British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced that only Phase One would be built.
The ambitious project was originally launched in 2009 and was greeted with much uproar regarding the time, cost and impact involved in the project. Environmental campaigners are against the construction of the line, citing concerns over damaging areas of natural beauty and CO2 emissions. And the cost of Phase One alone has spiralled from an initial estimate of just over £19bn ($23.3bn) to £50bn+ ($61bn+) when it is (hopefully) completed by 2033. When completed, the journey time between London and the Midlands is expected to take just 36 minutes.
Amtrak, America's train operator, isn't exactly known for its fast, reliable railways. Timetables are often disrupted by cancellations and trains regularly get delayed by freight trains taking priority on the tracks. But when it's not disrupted, the Acela Express is the fastest train in the USA, travelling at speeds of up to 150 miles per hour (240km/h). It's set to get even faster by the end of 2023, with 28 new-generation Acela trains being readied for service.
These new express trains will run at up to 160 miles per hour (260km/h) and join the line that connects the city of Boston to Washington DC, stopping at New York City and Philadelphia on the way. There's currently a non-stop Washington DC-New York City service that takes just short of three hours and will see you delivered from city centre to city centre, cutting out the faff of getting to and from the airport, and the entire line's route between Boston and Washington DC takes around six and a half hours. Tickets can cost as little as £59 ($73).
It might surprise you to learn that Spain has the second-longest high-speed rail network in the world, after China. Its more than 2,000 miles (3,200km) of tracks connect the capital, Madrid, to many of the country's key cities. Its trains run at up to 190 miles per hour (310km/h), meaning you can get between Barcelona and Madrid in under three hours.
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One of the latest high-speed trains to hit the network is a new AVE route between Madrid and Seville, which takes around two hours and 20 minutes from end to end. While flights between Barcelona and Madrid typically cost around £50 ($65), the train can be as little as £13 ($17), making railway king in Spain.
The journey between Tokyo and Osaka should take just 67 minutes, a significant reduction on the two and a half hours it takes today. Construction of the line began in 2014 but isn't expected to finish until 2037. When it's finished you'll be able to use a JR Railpass to board the shinkansen, making exploring Japan's most enticing cities easier than ever before.
In 2022, the train operator unveiled its futuristic-looking new models which will take to the rails in 2024. While they won't go any faster than current models, they are designed to accommodate more passengers, containing over 100 extra seats and roomier carriages. The new design has also been streamlined to improve energy efficiency, with 97% of materials used being fully recyclable. There will also be accessibility improvements, including a lifting platform for wheelchair users and a sound system for travellers with visual impairments.
As the high-speed Laos-China Railway (LCR) trains race past vast farmland, through deep valleys and backed by impressive mountains, you might just find yourself wishing the journey would take longer. Spanning 262 miles (422km), this impressive new railway line runs between Vientiane, Laos’ capital city, and Boten on the border with China. The train also stops at six Laos stations including Vang Vieng and Luang Prabang, worthy of visits in their own right. Then, the railway crosses into southern China, where the majestic landscapes of Kunming (Yunnan province) await.
Gaze at the green-clad rural views from your first-class, second-class or standard seat as the train reaches top speeds of up to 99 miles per hour (160km/h). While a bus journey from Vientiane to Luang Prabang takes around six hours, these punctual LCR trains get you there in less than two. You can purchase tickets up to two days in advance, either via the official LCR Ticket app or in-person at the modern railway stations; a one-way fare between Vientiane and Luang Prabang costs around £22 ($28).
This new multi-billion-dollar line will be Indonesia's first high-speed train link, connecting the capital of Jakarta to the west Javan city of Bandung in just 36 minutes, with maximum speeds reaching 217 miles per hour (349kmh). The same journey by road can take up to three hours, and there are plans to extend the network in future to Surabaya too, which is a gruelling 10-hour car journey from Jakarta.
The Jakarta to Bandung stretch of the railway has been under construction since 2016 and is expected to ferry up to 44,000 passengers during its first year of service. After the COVID-19 pandemic hampered construction of the line, which was originally expected to complete in 2019, paying customers were finally welcomed onto the carriages in October 2023.
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