Travelling by train opens up a whole world of rewarding and enriching exploration. Here, the journey becomes part of the holiday, with the chance to sit back, relax, eat and drink at leisure, and enjoy ever-changing views of the passing landscape. Train routes offer a feast for nature- and plant lovers, often offering access through areas that cars cannot reach, and a with a wealth of opportunities to hop off and explore.
The immersive nature of rail travel is slower, greener, and infinitely more relaxing than being behind the wheel of a car. From short city hops to mountain railways and routes that span continents, there’s a whole world of opportunities to take.
Here are five of our top rail routes for nature- and garden lovers.
The Tamar Valley line
What: a hidden gem on the boundary of Devon and Cornwall, this 24km branch line is a delight at any time of year but is at its best in February and March, when the Tamar Valley becomes a feast of spring blooms. Over a hundred years ago, this once-bustling market garden region was renowned for its cut flowers. The flower fields were cleared to grow wartime food but the bulbs thrown onto hedge banks continue to thrive today. This means wildflowers are complemented by a feast of daffodils. The National Trust’s garden at Cotehele has wonderful displays of historic varieties and holds an annual Daffodil Festival in March. Why not jump off at Bere Ferrers, Bere Alston, and Calstock (for Cotehele) to explore?
Runs from/to: Plymouth to Gunnislake. Travel to Plymouth on the Great Western Railway main line that runs from London Paddington to Penzance (less than four hours from London)
Best time to go: February to May
Journey time: up to 45 minutes
Cost: £8.30 off-peak day return
Book tickets: gwr.com
The West Highland line
What: discover the sweeping landscapes of the Scottish Highlands on the journey from the city of Glasgow to the coast of western Scotland. There’s a choice of destinations to either of the two ferry ports Oban or Mallaig, both jumping-off points to the many beautiful islands of Skye, the Small Isles, and the Inner and Outer Hebrides. Leaving the city and the industrial landscape of the River Clyde behind, you’re surrounded by mountains, valleys and lochs, fringed by heather moors that become a sea of purple in summer. Beyond the Highland town of Fort William and the jumping-off point for Ben Nevis, the UK’s highest mountain, the route passes over the spectacular Glenfinnan Viaduct, which was made famous in the Harry Potter films, travelled by the Hogwarts Express. Along the route there are many opportunities to disembark and explore – the region is a paradise for hillwalkers and nature-lovers alike. Hop off at Arrochar or Tarbert to enjoy a cruise on Loch Lomond, or wander the beautiful beaches and loch shores around Arisaig, famous as the location for the film ‘Local Hero’.
Runs from/to: Glasgow to Mallaig or Oban
Best time to go: late spring to autumn
Journey time: to Oban, 3 hours 20 minutes. Mallaig 5 hours 30 minutes
Cost: from £33.40 (single)
Book tickets: scotrail.co.uk
New Zealand’s TranzAlpine train
What: the Southern Alps form a rugged spine to the South Island of New Zealand, and this incredible 229km route runs right across the centre of the island, offering breathtaking scenery. Starting from Christchurch, the train runs across the Canterbury Plains to the mountains, along the snow-fed bright blue Waimakariri River that first forms a spectacular gorge and later opens to a wide vista of braided channels with the mountains behind. Crossing bridges and viaducts, and running through the 8km long Otira Tunnel, this route is a wonder of engineering. If weather permits, move to the open-air viewing carriage for a truly immersive travel experience. The mountain station of Arthur’s Pass gives access to splendid hiking and the chance to see New Zealand’s mountain flowers, many of which are endemic – meaning they are found nowhere else on Earth. The last section of the route passes through lush alpine beech forests and descends to terminate at the old mining town of Greymouth on the rugged west coast.
Runs from: Christchurch to Greymouth
Best time to go: late spring to early autumn (December to March)
Journey time: 5 hours
Cost: from £108 (single)
Book tickets: railnewzealand.com/train-services/the-tranz-alpine
Slovenian wildflowers by train
What: nestled between Austria, Italy, Croatia, and Hungary, the country of Slovenia is just the size of Wales but packs in a marvellous variety of scenery, from sparkling lakes and emerald rivers to the dramatic mountains of the Julien Alps. The flora is extraordinarily rich and diverse, from traditionally managed hay meadows to abundant mountain wildflowers. Head to the region of Bohinj, famous for its botanical abundance and diversity, celebrated in the annual International Wildflower Festival which offers a programme of tours, flower-based events, and culinary experiences, over two weeks in late May and early June. Travel by train from the charming pocket-sized capital city of Ljubljana. International trains to Slovenia offer several options, with lines running from Zurich, Stuttgart, Vienna, Venice, and Trieste. For a flight-free trip that takes less than 24 hours from the UK, take the Eurostar from London to Paris, change for Stuttgart and take the sleeper train to Ljubljana.
Route: Ljubljana to Bohinjska Bistrica
Best time to go: May-July
Journey time: approx. 2 hours
Cost: from £8.35 single
Book tickets: potniski.sz.si
The bulb fields of the Netherlands
What: Each spring millions of visitors from around the world are drawn to the Netherlands to marvel at the fields of tulips and other spring bulbs that cover vast expanses of land, along with numerous floral displays in cities, towns, and gardens. Bulbs have been grown in the Netherlands since the 17th century and continue to be produced on a grand scale today. The epicentre of these few blazingly colourful spring weeks is Keukenhof near Amsterdam, a magnificent showcase for the bulb industry that is replanted each autumn with an incredible seven million bulbs. The Netherlands has an efficient network of public transport, so you can enjoy the shimmering colours of the bulb fields from the comfort of your seat, then alight to explore beautiful bloom-packed gardens in picturesque towns and cities. Travel by Eurostar from London St Pancras to Amsterdam in under four hours.
Route: from Amsterdam Central Station, take train 52 to Europaplein then change to the KeukenhofBuzz bus. Other nearby towns with easy access to Keukenhof are Haarlem and Leiden.
Journey time: Under 1 hour
Best time to go: April-May
Cost: from around £35
Book tickets: keukenhof.nl
