As
has become the norm, rail travelers enter this year regretting
some losses but happily anticipating some gains.
In the loss column is the decision by Montana Rockies Rail
Tours, operators of the Montana Daylight train, to suspend
service for 2005. American Orient Express, which expanded
to two trains in 2002, is back to one.
Operating on slightly tighter schedules, Amtrak's high-speed
Acela trains between Boston, New York and Washington continue
to log more riders, as does Amtrak nationally. Its decision
to exit the mail and express business will improve timekeeping
on some routes. Recent storms have disrupted service on some
lines.
In Canada, passenger trains are set to roll once again on
BC Rail's scenic routes in British Columbia, but not until
2006, when Great Canadian Rail Tour Co., operator of the Rocky
Mountaineer, will run the Whistler Mountaineer between North
Vancouver and Whistler as well as a train from Whistler to
Jasper.
Here are contacts for selected trains around the world. (Note:
Some numbers are for U.S.-based agents that have booking contracts
with the lines, but most trains can be reserved by any travel
agent.) |
| Helpful
Web Sites |
| TrainWeb |
A general information and
link service for rail travelers and train buffs. |
|
Railroaddata.com
|
Links to major train lines
around the world. |
| Thomas
Cook Time Tables |
Thomas Cook's overseas timetables
are an invaluable for serious rail travel abroad. |
| National
Assn. of Railroad Passengers |
Informative newsletter and
a chance to be counted as a supporter of passenger rail. (202)
408-8362 |
| Railroads
Around The World |
|
United States
|
|
| Amtrak |
(800) 872-7245 |
|
California
Metrolink
|
(800) 371-5465 |
|
Africa
|
|
| Linkrail
Africa |
Links to railroads throughout
Africa. |
|
Rovos Rail
|
Luxury rail tours in South
Africa with historic coaches; for bookings, 011-27-12-315-8242;
for information, call Warren Green of Kartagener Associates
in New York, (800) 524-7979 |
|
Australia
|
|
|
Great Southern Railway
|
Operator of Austrailia's
coast-to-coast Indian Pacific (Sydney to Perth), the Ghan
(Adelaide to Darwin via Alice Springs) and the Overland (Melbourne
to Adeliade); (800) 423-2880, (310) 643-0044 or internationally
011-61-8-8213-4592, fax 011-61-8-8213-4490 |
| Rail
Australia |
(310) 643-0044 |
| Queensland
Rail |
The Sunlander and Outback
services in Australia; 011-61-7-3235-1133 |
|
Canada
|
|
| BC
Rail Passenger Services |
(604) 986-2012 No service
until 2006 |
| |
|
|
VIA Rail Canada |
(888) 842-7245 |
|
Europe
|
|
| Britrail |
Train service in england,
Scotland and Wales; (877) 677-1066, fax (877) 477-1066 (both
toll free) |
|
Eurostar |
High-speed passenger train
linking London, Paris, and Brussels. (800) 387-6782 or 011-44-20-7928-5163
|
|
Rail Europe |
Source of all European rail
passes (including Britrail and eurostar) as well as schedules,
individual tickets and reservations; (888) 438-7245. |
|
Railtrack Online Journey Planner |
A booking and information
service. 011-44-20-7557-8000 |
|
TheTrainLine.com |
Information on train times
and tickets on mainland routes in Britain. You can book and
pay online. |
|
Eurail |
|
| European Railway
Server |
|
|
European
National Railways and Timetables
|
|
|
France
|
|
|
Train a Grande Vitesse
|
French high-speed railroad. |
|
Italy
|
|
|
Italian State
Railways
|
(800) 248-7245 |
|
India
|
|
|
Indian
Railways
|
011-91-11-578-2636-4244 |
|
Israel
|
|
|
Israel
Railways
|
011-972-3-577-4000 |
|
Japan
|
|
|
Japan Rail
|
Four decades of the Shinkansen,
or bullet Train, and more; (310) 618-1181 or through Japan
Airlines, (800) 525-3663 |
|
Mexico
|
|
|
Mexico
Rail Travel
|
Train explores Copper Canyon.
(800) 666-4778 |
|
Western
States Train Rides
|
|
| Rail
Travel Center |
Offers a variety of rail
tours in North America and abroad; (800) 458-5394, fax (802)
387-4350 |
| Society
of International Railway Travelers |
Rail tours worldwide, newsletter;
(800) 478-4881 |
| Trains
Unlimiter, Tours |
Adventure rail travel, emphasizing
Latin America and steam locomotives; (800) 359-4870 |
|
Luxury
and Cruise Trains
|
|
Al Andalus
Expreso
|
"Hotel" train that
tours southern Spain; (800) 223-1356, fax (212) 686-0271 or
(818) 755-9333, (these two agents also book El Transcantabrico,
which tours northern Spain) |
|
American
Orient Express
|
Operates one train on nine
itineraries: "Rockies & Sierras," between Denver and San
Francisco, is new; (800) 320-4206 or (630) 663-4550 |
| Blue
Train |
Southern Africa's luxury
train, recently refurbished and more luxurious than ever,
with four routes (800) 768-9020 |
| Palace
on Wheels or India
Rail |
Tour India like the maharajahs;
(800) 421-5643, fax (818) 990-9762, (U.S. sales agents.) |
| Rocky
Mountaineer |
Daylight tours between Vancouver
and Jasper or Banff and Calgary, Canada. (800) 665-7245 |
| Rovos
Rail |
Luxury rail tours in South
Africa with historic coaches, spacious accommodations; (800)
524-7979 or 011-27-12-315-8242 |
| Royal
Canadian Pacific |
Elegant excursions in the
Canadian Rockies with refurbished, plush cars once used by
railroad execs; (877) 665-3044 |
| Royal
Scotsman |
Super-luxury, country house-type
experience; (800) 323-7308, 011-44-131-555-1344 |
| Sierra
Madre Express |
Train tours to Mexico's Copper
Canyon; (800)666-0346 |
| Venice
Simplon-Orient-Express |
Besides the London-Paris-Venice
trains, the company's family of trains includes the Eastern
& Oriental Express through Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore
and two day-excursion trains in Britain; (800) 524-2420 |
| Rail
Day Excursions |
| Algoma
Central Railway |
Operates Ontario's Agawa
Canyon Tour Train, a scenic route from Sault Ste.Marie to
northern Ontario, and other service; (800) 242-9287. |
| Cumbers
& Toltec Scenic Railway |
Spectacular steam-powered,
narrow-guage railway in Colorado and New Mexico; (888) 286-2737 |
| Durango
& Silverton Narrow Guage Railroad |
Cousin of Cumbers and Toltec
Scenic, a splendid steam-powered ride through Colorado's aminas
Canyon; (888) 872-4607 |
| Grand
Canyon Railway |
From Williams, Ariz., historic
train to heart of the national park; (800) 843-8724 |
| Napa
Valley Wine Train |
Probably the best of the
"dinner train," serving fine meals, excellent wines;
(800) 427-4124 |
| White
Pass & Yukon Route |
Diesel and steam round-trip
excursions from Skagway, Alaska; (800) 343-7373 |
| Private
Railway Cars |
| American
Assn of Private Railway Car Owners |
Want to charter a private
railway car? This is the source; (800) 856-6876 or (202) 547-5696 |
|
|
|
|