Riding the Orient Express Hiram Bingham train to Machu Picchu
Named after the famous American explorer that brought Machu Picchu to the worlds attention in 1911, the Hiram Bingham Train is considered one of South Americas greatest train rides. Operated by Peru Rail and backed by the British Collection Orient Express Hotels, Trains & Cruises, the lu
The world's longest high speed rail journey
The world’s longest high speed rail line is the Beijing-Guangzhou rail route which opened last month. Now you can experience the speed and luxury of a Chinese bullet train, at speeds of 300 kilometres per hour. This is the equivalent of 80 metres every second and had a reduced a journe
Top 5 things to do in Yangon
If youre heading to Burma, the chances are that youll be beginning your trip in Yangon: Burmas former capital city and former stronghold of the British Raj. Though it is by far the largest city in Burma, Yangon remains much quieter and less developed than most Southeast Asian capitals. It ha
3 of the best high
The name Shanghai conjures up all kinds of images, and visitors are rarely disappointed. What few foreign visitors realise is that, with the recent development of a fast and efficient high-speed rail network across China, Shanghai is now well connected with some exciting options. Here we des
4 unusual things to do and see in Vancouver
In Vancouver, British Columbia, most visitors head to the renowned Granville Island with its public market, restaurants, and boutique stores. Others stray from the roads most traveled and are surprised at Vancouver’s many attractions. Trolleys and trains, primeval (but passable) forest
The other 'miracle' of the Japanese bullet train
Trains running along Japan’s network of high-speed railway lines known as the Shinkansen are widely referred to as bullet trains thanks to their incredible speeds of up to 150-200 miles per hour. But 200 mph is only their maximum operating speed – test runs of an even more amazin
Europe's most breathtaking train ride
Switzerlands, if not Europes, most spectacular train ride, the Glacier Express departs the chic and wealthy resort of St Moritz and around seven hours later arrives in Zermatt, perhaps the worlds most complete ski resort. And what a day out it is too. It is a day trip through virgin mountain
Interview with Tim Bewer, Founder and Director of Isan Explorer
Originally from Wisconsin in the USA, Tim has lived full-time in Khon Kaen, Thailand since 2007. After a short stint as a legislative assistant, he gave up the 9-5 to become a travel writer-photographer and has since written or co-written over two dozen guidebooks for Lonely Planet and other
5 reasons why the North of England is awesome
Theres been a lot of talk lately about divisions between the North and South of the UK and, even though Scotland has made up its mind, England still has a North-South dilemma of its own. On this note, Virgin Trains have launched a new campaign which is all about Arriving Awesome to your dest
A smooth landing: 5 tips for timesaving at airports
One of the most tiring elements of air travel, particularly for frequent fliers, is the ‘getting there:’ You’re landed and taxied and fresh off your 12-hour trip from Europe; you’re keen to catch up on some much needed rest or simply to dash off to your destination, but the queue snaking off into th
Europe’s top 10 scenic rail journeys
Give thanks to the engineers who built railways across Europes most difficult terrain, their hard work has translated into some of the worlds most picturesque journeys – in Scandinavia along icy rivers to fjords, in Germany, Switzerland and Italy through carved valleys in the Alps, along the swirlin
The train less taken: riding Siberias BAM
Branching off from Tayshet, a junction town on the Trans-Siberian railway, the BAM (Baikal-Amur Mainline) stretches for 3140km through Siberia, culminating in the port of Sovetskaya Gavan, across the Tatar Strait from Sakhalin Island. A hugely ambitious project originally conceived in the 1930s to a
Riding Ecuador’s railway in the sky in style
Anyone for the Avenue of the Volcanoes? How about traversing the Devils Nose? They might sound intimidating, if not downright risky, but Ecuador’s Tren Crucero, or Cruise Train, passes both as it winds its way from Quito high in the Andes to Guayaquil down on the Pacific coast. Since the service sta
Adventure machines: 12 of the worlds most incredible transport restorations
To mark Lonely Planet’s sponsorship of the iconic 1917 Curtiss JN-4 ‘Flying Jenny’ Biplane’s commemorative air tour this summer we’re exploring aviations history and continued impact on travel. You can find out more about the Jenny’s progress around the USA, and the history of this beautiful plane a
Celebrating 50 years of Japans Shinkansen bullet train
It wasn’t the world’s first high-speed train, but when the Shinkansen debuted in 1964, its sleek, futuristic design and to-the-second punctuality resulted in it being coined ‘the bullet train’, making Japan’s railways the envy of the world.Half a century later, travelling Japan by rail remains a joy
Saint
“No one is ever satisfied where he is,” says the railway switchman to the little prince in Antoine de Saint-Exupérys celebrated 1943 novella. The famed French writer and aviator should know: he saw more of the world in his 44 years than most see in a lifetime.Born in Lyon, France, Saint-Exupéry went
Rocked by the rails: Canada’s amazing train trips
Canada’s railway links the east and west coasts of this massive country, so it’s not surprising that its national rail treasure – the Canadian – is featured, along with the Rockies, on Canada’s $10 bill. The Canadian’s route, from Vancouver to Toronto, is considered by many as one of the world’s bes
How to pack for the Trans
Watching thousands of miles of snow-kissed forests fly past your window, alighting in remote cities across Russia – it’s no wonder that travellers are captivated by the Trans-Siberian Railway. Planning a train journey from Moscow to Vladivostok or Beijing is easier than ever, but packing the right g
Shakes on a plane: remote, unusual and downright scary airports
To mark Lonely Planet’s sponsorship of the iconic 1917 Curtiss JN-4 ‘Flying Jenny’ Biplane’s commemorative air tour this summer we’re exploring the history of aviation and its continued impact on travel. You can find out more about the Jenny’s progress around the USA, and the history of this beautif
Oslo to Bergen: Europes best train journey?
Were somewhere on the Hardangervidda plateau, on one of the worlds highest stretches of railway tracks, and we appear to have stopped. I say that with no great certainty because were in the middle of a white-out.Having just left Norways most elevated train station, the Oslo to Bergen train may or ma
