As we rush off to holiday
destinations from crowded airports
on budget airlines, it is easy to
forget that the journey itself can be
a romantic, luxurious part of our
holiday, not just a way of getting
from A to B as quickly as possible.
The golden era of steam trains may
be over but there are still some
amazing train journeys that you can
take. Here are just three.
50
5.3
GREAT RAILWAY JOURNEYS
READING AND VOCABULARY
WORDS FROM THE TEXT
1
a
Look at the photos and guess where
these rail journeys are.
1
b
Read the article quickly and check
your predictions.
2
Scan the article and find the following.
1
ten cities
2
four countries
3
a desert
4
the largest freshwater lake in the world
5
a pass
6
a mountain range
7
the longest railway
8
the highest railway
9
the most luxurious railway
3
Read the article again and answer
the questions.
1
What sort of people travelled on the
Orient Express?
2
How are the passengers on the Trans
Siberian Express different from those
on the Orient Express?
3
What would be the advantage of
starting the journey to Lhasa in Xining,
Qinghai?
4
What recommendations does the
writer make for each railway?
4
Find the words in the box in the
article. Then complete the sentences.
era nostalgia nerve-wracking altitude
cuisine impeccable terminated
opulence
1
She was exhausted after the
drive over the icy mountain pass.
2
We were impressed by the
manners of the smartly dressed porters.
3
The age of the railway brought an
of prosperity.
4
He was struck by the
of
the Blue Train, with its elaborate
furnishings and en-suite bathrooms.
5
Breathing becomes more difficult at
high
.
6
I enjoy Indian
because I like
spicy food.
7
The train we were on
in
Brighton and we had to continue our
journey by bus.
8
He had always felt a certain amount of
for his life on the railways.
5
Identifying attitude
What is the
writer’s attitude to these journeys?
Underline words and phrases which
convey his attitude.
The Orient Express took wealthy
passengers on a three-day journey
from Paris to Istanbul. It offered
elegance and opulence for royalty,
film stars and diplomats. The
train’s greatest years were the
1930’s, a time when passengers
could choose a northern route, via
Munich, Vienna and Bucharest,
a southern route through Milan,
Venice, Belgrade and Sofia or
a third route that terminated in
Athens.
The official Orient Express finally
went out of service in 2009 but
we managed to enjoy the same
luxury and impeccable service on
the privately-run Venice Simplon
Orient Express which takes
nostalgia lovers between Venice
and London once a week. The
carriages have been restored to
their 1930’s grandeur and the train
has delicious cuisine prepared by
the train’s chef. The experience
is definitely one not to be missed.
Why not fly out to Venice, spend a
few days in that stunning city and
then return in style?
The Trans-Siberian Express is
probably the most famous long
distance train journey in the
world. There are two routes
from Moscow. One takes you
to Vladivostok in the far east
of Russia, a distance of 9198
kilometres, which takes seven days
to complete. The other route turns
south to end in Beijing, the capital
of China.
Highlights of my journey included
the capital of Mongolia, Ulan
Bator, the empty spaces of the
Gobi Desert, Lake Baikal, the
largest freshwater lake in the world
and, of course, the vast, endless
Siberian plains and frozen steppes.
I was able to break my journey
twice and spend some time
exploring.
The Trans-Siberian Express is not
run for tourists. The majority of its
passengers are people travelling
much shorter distances. First
class compartments are modern
and comfortable but I would
advise travelling second class to
experience the friendliness and
hospitality of the Russian people.
It is a truly unforgettable journey
and a wonderful way to see this
incredible country.
The train from Beijing to Lhasa,
the capital of Tibet, takes nearly
two days (although you can
reduce the time by 19 hours by
starting in Xining, Qinghai) and is
a fascinating experience. At first,
the landscape is flat, with rice
fields stretching out in front of you.
Soon, though, it starts to climb.
For a while, I couldn’t stand up
because of altitude sickness but
an attendant brought an oxygen
mask that helped, although I still
felt dizzy and had to miss supper.
From Golmud to Lhasa, you travel
on a railway line that was thought
to be impossible to build. It opened
in 2006, replacing an exhausting
and nerve-wracking bus journey.
The railway goes over the Tangula
Pass, 5000 metres above sea level,
and the views of the Himalayas are
unbelievable.
One word of advice. You need
permission to enter Tibet. I
finally succeeded in getting all
the correct papers stamped but
I would suggest using a Chinese
tour company that can organise
train tickets, accommodation and
permits. It makes life much simpler
and will leave you relaxed and
ready to enjoy a truly remarkable
journey.
