Five great rail journeys

1. Rocky Mountaineer

The route
The Rocky Mountaineer train travels from the beautiful coastal city of Vancouver or the ski resort of Whistler across country and through the Canadian Rockies to either Jasper, Banff or Calgary.

Why go?
The two-day journey captures the romance of rail travel as it follows the historic route constructed over 100 years ago. The entire train ride takes place during daylight hours to ensure full enjoyment of the glacier-strewn lakes, majestic mountain ranges and ferocious rivers.

How to book
Rocky Mountaineer offers trips from £779 per person.

2. Trans-Siberian Railway

The route
The main Trans-Siberian line runs from Moscow to Beijing on one of two branches - the Trans-Mongolian line or the Trans-Manchurian line. There are two direct trains a week from Moscow to Beijing, one via Mongolia and one via Manchuria.

Why go?
A rail journey for the adventurous, the Trans-Siberian Railway takes you from Imperial Russia, across the land of Ghengis Khan and through the nomadic steppes of Mongolia. Traversing 10 time zones and two continents, the train trip takes travellers through the weird and wonderful, where you can meet the locals and visit sights like the Great Wall of China.

How to book
Trans-Siberian Experience offers trips from £509 per person. A cheaper option is to buy a ticket yourself at the station in Moscow, however, spaces are not always guaranteed.

3. Marrakech Express

The route
Most visitors jump aboard the Marrakech Express in Tangier, from where it snakes across Morocco taking in Rabat, Casablanca and the Atlas Mountains before reaching its final destination, hypnotic Marrakech.

Why go?
Travel across the soaring Atlas Mountains, soak up the romance of Casablanca, explore Fez's ancient medina and hit the colourful souks of Marrakech.

How to book
Great Rail Journeys offers trips from £2,895 per person.

4. PeruRail

The route
The spectacular rail journey runs from the beautiful city of Puno, on the shores of Lake Titicaca, to the staggering Inca ruins of Machu Picchu. The first half of the journey sees the train wind through the magnificent Andean mountains and deep valleys of the Huatanay River. The rolling Andean Plains then stretch out before you, where the endless vista is only broken by the roaming alpaca.

Why go?
PeruRail is the only way to travel to the heights of Machu Picchu without walking the Inca Trail. With valleys and colonial churches giving way to the barren altiplan and snow-capped peaks, this rail journey offers unrivalled cultural lure in the luxurious and elegant surrounds of a 1920s Pullman train.

How to book
PeruRail offers various trips long the route from as little as £35.

5. Eastern and Oriental Express

The route
Travel from frenetic Bangkok through luscious Thailand, to the infamous River Kwai and onwards to Malaysia, colonial Georgetown and Fort Cornwallis, before crossing the causeway over the Straits of Johor to the elegant city of Singapore.

Why Go?
Awake in the splendour of the classical train and marvel at the views en route from Wang Po as the train crosses the hair-raising wooden viaduct beside a towering cliff. The trip includes a guided tour of the River Kwai Bridge station and a river cruise. As the train makes its way down to Singapore, dense rainforest and towering mountains frame remote golden temples and villages, all of which can be admired whilst relaxing on the open-decked Observation Car.

How to book
Orient Express offers trips from £1,110 per person.