Train Journeys – Galle to Colombo

The final rail journey of my March-April trip was from the glorious southern town of Galle back to the capital of Colombo. A distance of around 114 kilometres, there are several trains you can take a day from express trains to local commuter trains. So obviously the trains can vary muchly in time taken, from …

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Train Journeys – Jodphur to Delhi

The final train journey in India for me this time round was the 611 kilometre, 11 hour journey from Rajasthan’s blue city Jodphur to the Indian capital, Delhi. I took the Salasar Super Fast, Train number 22422 in 1AC, a class I didn’t remember booking and one I had never taken before. This was the …

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Train Journeys – Jaisalmer to Jodphur

From the town in the desert to Rajasthan’s Blue City, this trip on Indian Railways was perhaps not as memorable as others I’ve taken. Why? Well, I was asleep about five minutes after we left, the scenery was mostly arid, and I’d already done this 301km segment of rail before. Mind you – I hadn’t …

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Train Journeys – Ekanterinburg to Moscow (Final Leg Trans-Mongolian)

My final journey which completed my trip from Beijing to Moscow began early morning in Ekanterinburg. Luckily my hotel was just opposite the train station, and I was there around 7am in the morning, an hour before the train left. In all cases I was advised to get to the station an hour before the …

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Train Journeys – Irkutsk to Ekanterinburg (Trans-Mongolian Leg 3)

After three days in Irkutsk it was mid-afternoon and I was back on the rails again headed roughly due west towards the city of Ekanterinburg, the city which saw the demise of the last Tzar of Russia, Nicholas the Second. Again, it was realrussia.co.uk through which I got my ticket for this train. 180 pounds …

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Train Journeys – Beijing to Ulan Bataar (Trans-Mongolian)

Okay. Well here I am ready to start reviewing the four segments of my journey from Beijing to Moscow, around 8000 kilometres away, via Mongolia. The trip to the Mongolian capital of Ulan Bataar was 1426 kilometres, crossing the border at Erlian (China) passing through Jinignan, Zhurihe and Dzamynude and other towns that perhaps I …

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Train Journeys – Cusco to Machu Picchu

There are a few ways to get from Cusco to Machu Picchu. If you’ve a mind to it, many like to brave the trek over the mountains, the Inca Trail – there are several versions of it. There is apparently some back way in via road but you have to go a long way out …

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Train Journeys – Thazi to Inle Lake (Myanmar)

Hello, get aboard that train again because today I’m reminiscing about a wonderful train experience in Myanmar. Today’s journey is from Thazi, in central Myanmar, to the stunning if touristy Inle Lake further east. Thazi was a sort of midpoint for me between Inle Lake and Bagan, being slightly closer to Bagan but with no …

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Train Journeys – Almaty to Semey (Kazakhstan)

Ahhh yes I’m taking you Central Asia today for today’s train journey. The journey northward from Kazakhstan’s cultural capital Almaty to the somewhat Russian Semey in the north is certainly a long one, and although a good portion of it is overnight, it’s still rather a special time to spend on the rails.   An …

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