On December 26, 2012, the high-speed line The longest train route in the world is the Trans-Siberian Railway, which spans approximately 9,288 kilometers from Moscow to Vladivostok in Russia with 135+ stops. At the time, its trains reached a speed of 140 km/h (87 mph). The Trans-Siberian Railway departs from Moscow to Vladivostok, a city located next to the Sea of Japan.
This technological prowess made it possible to reduce the journey time from 22 hours to just 10 hours but since then, many other lines of this type have opened and China is not the only place that welcomes long train journeys.
Today, let’s take a few minutes to check out the top 10 longest train journey in the world in 2024. Feel free to give us article ideas in the comments. Let’s get started right away with the longest train lines.
Top 10 Longest Train Journeys in the World 2024
10. Adelaide-Darwin Line
- Distance: 2979 kilometers
- Time Taken: 3 days (4 days between April and October)
- Starting Point: Adelaide, Australia
- End Point: Darwin, Australia
We start quite quietly with a 2979-kilometer line that crosses Australia from top to bottom or bottom to top, as you prefer, with trains that can be taken in both directions. This line runs from the city of Adelaide to Darwin; thus, this line also called the gon, crosses the aboriginal territories It begins its route in the hills of South Australia.
Reaching the red center while passing by the famous cities of Alice Spring and Katherine. The trip is thus over a period of three days but it will take an extra day if you use this line between the months of April and October. The line includes a stop in the town of Mangori, which is known for its opal mining.
For those wondering, the name “The Ghan” has an exceptional origin; it’s an allusion to the Afghan cameleers who, in the early twentieth century, helped explore and build infrastructure in the country’s less traveled lands.
9. Moscow Express
- Distance: 3215 kilometers
- Time Taken: Varies
- Starting Point: Moscow, Russia
- End Point: Paris, France
We tell you right away that you can expect to see Russian records in this article for the moment. There is a Russian line in the 9th position, and it is the Moscow Express connecting the Belarus station in Moscow to the Guerre de Leste in Paris. It is the longest express train line because it extends over 3215 kilometers, and yes, it is one of the longest trans-European journeys.
Luxury sleeping cars have been added since 2011, years after the route was put into service. However, the train crosses through Belarus, which is not part of the European Union; thus, you will need a Belarusian visa to take this route, as well as a visa to enter Russia.
However, a little drawback makes this excursion immediately less accessible. The train crosses through Belarus, which is not part of the European Union; thus, you will need a Belarusian visa to take this route, as well as a visa to enter Russia
8. Southwest Chief
- Distance: 3645 kilometers
- Time Taken: 40+ hours
- Starting Point: Chicago, USA
- End Point: Los Angeles, USA
Let us change the air and travel to the United States. The Southwest Chief is a train line that departs from Chicago to reach Los Angeles. This line includes two trains, the Texas Eagle and the Sunset Limited, which began circulating in 1971 and have served the 31 stops on the line ever since.
Travelers boarding the Southwest Chief cross seven states: Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California. Unfortunately, the pandemic significantly impacted the attendance of this train, with the number of passengers decreasing by more than 40% from 2019 to 2020.
7. California Zephyr
- Distance: 3924 kilometers
- Time Taken: 2 days
- Starting Point: Chicago, USA
- End Point: San Francisco, USA
We continue our journey in the United States with another destination. The route covers an enormous area and runs through the cities of Denver, Salt Lake City, Reno, and Sacramento. This mythical train connects Chicago to the Bay of San Francisco over 3924 kilometers.
Known as one of the most scenic train journeys in the United States, the California Zephyr is a true emblem of the 17th-century era of the West, passing through the Colorado River, the Rocky Mountains, and the Sierra Nevada Range. The journey takes a bit more than two days.
6. Vivek Express
- Distance: 4219 kilometers
- Time Taken: 82 hours (3.5 days)
- Starting Point: Dibrugarh, India
- End Point: Kanyakumari, India
Head to India with the Vivek Express, specifically the Dibrugarh-Kanyakumari route. The Vivek Express designates a rail service made up of four trains, all with different routes numbered 15955. The train that interests us leaves from the northeast of India to the south of the country. This train only runs once a week, so you better not miss it.
The express line crosses nine Indian states and is the longest train ride in the world, covering 4219 kilometers. Opened on November 19, 2011, the line has 58 stops in total. With an average speed of 52 kilometers per hour, you will require 82 hours of travel, or more than three and a half days, to accomplish the vast crossing.
5. Indian Pacific
- Distance: 4352 kilometers
- Time Taken: 3 days
- Starting Point: Sydney, Australia
- End Point: Perth, Australia
Crossing Australia from top to bottom is impressive, but you also have to be able to cross it from east to west. The Indian Pacific is one of Australia’s most iconic train lines, operated by the luxury rail company Journey Beyond. Inaugurated in 1970, this line connects Sydney and Perth over 4352 kilometers.
The journey equals a total of 75 hours or a little over three days. The Indian Pacific smashes the record for the world’s longest straight line of railway, covering a section of 478 kilometers above the Nullarbor Plain. The journey also offers the scenery of the woods and waterfalls of the Blue Mountains.
4. Shanghai-Lhasa Line
- Distance: 4373 kilometers
- Time Taken: 2 days
- Starting Point: Shanghai, China
- End Point: Lhasa, Tibet
We move on to China with the Shanghai-Lhasa Line, which is 4373 kilometers long. This line leaves from Shanghai to reach Lhasa, the capital of the autonomous region of Tibet, in two days. The trains borrow the plains of deep China and subsequently reach Tibet across the Himalayas.
More than 80% of the train line is at a height of at least 4000 meters. It is estimated that half of this train line was built on permafrost, which is soil that never thaws.
3. Canadian
- Distance: 4466 kilometers
- Time Taken: 4 days
- Starting Point: Toronto, Canada
- End Point: Vancouver, Canada
The Canadian makes a transcontinental crossing of Canada,
On December 26, 2012, the high-speed line The longest train route in the world is the Trans-Siberian Railway, which spans approximately 9,288 kilometers from Moscow to Vladivostok in Russia with 135+ stops. At the time, its trains reached a speed of 140 km/h (87 mph). The Trans-Siberian Railway departs from Moscow to Vladivostok, a city located next to the Sea of Japan.
This technological prowess made it possible to reduce the journey time from 22 hours to just 10 hours but since then, many other lines of this type have opened and China is not the only place that welcomes long train journeys.
Today, let’s take a few minutes to check out the top 10 longest train journey in the world in 2024. Feel free to give us article ideas in the comments. Let’s get started right away with the longest train lines.
2. Trans-Siberian Railway
- Distance: 9288 kilometers
- Time Taken: 7 days
- Starting Point: Moscow, Russia
- End Point: Vladivostok, Russia
The longest train route in the world is the Trans-Siberian Railway, which spans approximately 9,288 kilometers from Moscow to Vladivostok in Russia. The Trans-Siberian Railway departs from Moscow to Vladivostok, a city located next to the Sea of Japan.
Built between 1891 and 1916 at the request of Emperor Alexander II, the train crosses seven different time zones. The Trans-Siberian Railway is known as the second-longest train in the world.
The trip spans a week, crossing diverse landscapes from the Ural Mountains to the gigantic forests of Siberia. The Trans-Siberian path also passes through Lake Baikal.
1. Moscow to Pyongyang Railway
- Distance: 10,267 kilometers
- Time Taken: 8 days
- Starting Point: Moscow, Russia
- End Point: Pyongyang, North Korea
Moscow, Russia is 10,267 kilometers from Pyongyang, North Korea, making it the longest train journey in the world. The trip takes about 8 days.
The longest train route in the world is the railway connecting Moscow to Pyongyang in North Korea, operated mainly by the Korean Railways. This line has 157 stops, covering a path of 10,267 kilometers. You also check out the top 10 oldest Languages in the World.
It takes no less than eight days to complete the crossing from start to finish. Unfortunately, due to the health situation and relations between Russia and North Korea, train service has been suspended.
Which route are you most interested in? Would you do one of these trips? Tell us your view in the comments. If you appreciate this article, thank you for checkout to the end, and see you soon in our new films.
Top 10 Longest Train Ride in the World 2024 Detailed Table
According to July 2024, these are the longest train journey in the world 2024.
| Rank | Train Journey | Distance (km) | Time Taken | Starting Point | End Point | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Moscow to Pyongyang Railway | 10,000 | 8 days | Moscow, Russia | Pyongyang, N. Korea | Longest train route, service suspended due to health and political reasons |
| 2 | Trans-Siberian Railway | 9288 | 7 days | Moscow, Russia | Vladivostok, Russia | Crosses seven time zones and diverse landscapes |
| 3 | Canadian | 4466 | 4 days | Toronto, Canada | Vancouver, Canada | Scenic views of the Rockies and Canadian wilderness |
| 4 | Shanghai-Lhasa Line | 4373 | 2 days | Shanghai, China | Lhasa, Tibet | Crosses the Himalayas and high-altitude regions |
| 5 | Indian Pacific | 4352 | 3 days | Sydney, Australia | Perth, Australia | Crosses the Nullarbor Plain |
| 6 | Vivek Express | 4219 | 82 hours | Dibrugarh, India | Kanyakumari, India | Crosses nine Indian states |
| 7 | California Zephyr | 3924 | 2 days | Chicago, USA | San Francisco, USA | Scenic route through the Rockies |
| 8 | Southwest Chief | 3645 | 40+ hours | Chicago, USA | Los Angeles, USA | Crosses seven states |
| 9 | Moscow Express | 3215 | Varies | Moscow, Russia | Paris, France | Crosses through Belarus, requires visas for Belarus and Russia |
| 10 | Adelaide-Darwin Line | 2979 | 3-4 days | Adelaide, Australia | Darwin, Australia | Crosses aboriginal territories and famous cities like Alice Springs |
FAQ’s
What is the longest train route in the world?
The longest train route in the world is the Trans-Siberian Railway, which spans approximately 9,288 kilometers from Moscow to Vladivostok in Russia
How long is the longest possible train ride?
The journey on the Trans-Siberian Railway takes about 7 days to complete.
How much is the longest train journey in the world?
The longest train journey in the US is the Texas Eagle, which, when combined with the Sunset Limited, runs from Chicago to Los Angeles, covering a distance of 4,390 kilometers (2,728 miles) and taking approximately 65 hours.
How much is the longest train journey cost?
The cost of the longest train journey, the Trans-Siberian Railway, can vary widely depending on the class of service and time of booking. On average, it can range from $1,200 to $2,000.