Cover a lot of ground (without lifting a foot) by buying a ticket for a bus or train ride. A great way for travelers to move quickly without the hassle of driving or the inflexibility of plane travel, buses and trains go almost everywhere in the world. Whether you’re looking for a romantic, long-distance rail journey or the best booze bus to take you through Napa’s vineyards, Travel + Leisure has the scoop on the best bus and train travel trip ideas.
Travelers can dine aboard a private tram that navigates the cobblestone streets of Rome, for example, or hop on board one of Amtrak’s vintage train cars for the fall’s best New England foliage. (We’ll even help you hack your regular Amtrak trips with tips about Red Cap service, flash sales, and more.)
For something more exotic, there are trips that take travelers through the Andes on South America’s first luxury sleeper train — and South Africa’s Blue Train, a 31-hour route that provides 24-hour butler service. Explore one of the longest rail journeys in the world (the century-old Trans-Siberian railroad), or one of the steepest: up a 5.5 percent gradient on Norway’s Flam railroad, which takes passengers from sea level to nearly 3,000-feet on the top of the mountain plateau of Hardangervidda.
In addition to dreamy photos of luxurious train cars and jaw-dropping routes, Travel + Leisure’s coverage of bus and train travel includes the nitty gritty information travelers need to know, too.
Learn why you should book bus rather than train travel in Bulgaria, and discover the ins-and-outs of a Eurorail pass. Remember to arrive early (seriously, we mean it) to catch your train in Germany. We can even help you find the New York City to D.C. bus with the best value.
Sometimes, bus and train travel is just plain odd. Get a closer look at the Chongqing Rail Transit No. 2 train line in Chongqing, China, that passes through several apartment buildings — and check out the bus stop in Japan that’s designed to look like a giant apple.
Whether you’re interested in reliving Murder on the Orient Express (but without the murder) or in finding the perfect tour bus for your trip to the Ring of Kerry, T+L has the latest news on all types of bus and train travel.
