Train Hour Part 2: Amazing Train Journeys

Summary

All Of It – Train Hour Part 2: Amazing Train Journeys

Host: Alison Stewart
Guest: Tom Hall, Vice President and Editor, Lonely Planet
Air Date: January 14, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode of "All Of It" celebrates the unique magic and enduring allure of train travel, shifting from nostalgia and cultural context to practical, inspiring recommendations for 2026 and beyond. Host Alison Stewart welcomes Tom Hall from Lonely Planet to discuss unforgettable train journeys around the globe, highlight iconic routes, and share listener stories that capture the romance and adventure of exploring by rail. From the Rockies to the Rhine, sleeper trains to slow travel, the conversation explores what makes train journeys stand out, offers expert advice, and gathers community experiences all in one engaging hour.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Timeless Romance and Experience of Train Travel

• Nostalgia and Modern Appeal:
  • Tom notes that the "romance of traveling by train is timeless," rooted in the historic golden age of railways, but still alive in today’s travel experiences.
  • He highlights how stations like Grand Central and classic train names (“California Zephyr,” “Orient Express”) evoke both history and magic.
  • Quote: "A lot of people want to take a train for the experience, which isn't something you hear people say about a flight very often." – Tom Hall (01:46)
• Distinctiveness vs. Planes and Cars:
  • The conversation centers on the slower pace, relaxation, and unique landscapes afforded by trains:
    • "Taking a train is a great example... to see the landscape go rolling by in a very relaxed way." – Tom Hall (02:29)
    • The journey itself becomes part of the vacation, rather than just “wasting a vacation day.”

2. Listener Stories: The Joys and Wonders of Great Train Rides

• The show intersperses recommendations with evocative listener calls and texts:
  • The Trans-Siberian Railroad: Marshall describes traveling from Beijing to Moscow via Mongolia and Lake Baikal in 2008 – “just seeing parts of the world that most people I know have never been to.” (04:24)
  • Banff to Vancouver (Rockies): Bill recalls a 1977 adventure across the Rockies, sharing tales of labor issues, “beer and Cracker Jacks in the observation car,” and spectacular scenery. (05:05)
  • Northeast Regional: Katie treasures her annual NY-Chicago holiday ride for solitary reflection and scenic winter views by the Great Lakes. (10:47)
  • Peruvian Andes: Dan fulfills a dream by riding atop the Andes, sharing oxygen at 15,600ft: "People on the train literally passing out... A doctor going around with a bag of oxygen.” (12:28)
  • Train + Bike in Europe: Inez recounts how Europe’s rail system saved her transcontinental cycling adventure, allowing easy transitions and scenic sightseeing. (17:20)
  • Mexico City to Oaxaca: Dwight details a moonlit journey on a retired Amtrak train— “arrived in Oaxaca in the morning and didn't realize my face was covered in soot.” (18:30)
  • Switzerland's Alps: Sakita praises the Swiss dedication to premium, "picture postcard" train experiences and the power of slow travel. (21:57)

3. Expert Picks: Unforgettable Train Journeys for 2026

Tom Hall presents Lonely Planet's must-try routes, explaining what makes each one distinctive:

California Zephyr (Chicago to Oakland) – [05:58]

• A three-day, 2,500-mile cross-country odyssey via prairies, deserts, and mountain gorges.
  • “Some of the most spectacular mountains that you'll see from any train anywhere in the world... made better by the observation car.” – Tom Hall (06:25)
• Recommended section: Denver to Glenwood Springs, through “roadless wilderness” and “deep, narrow gorges.”

The Deer Stalker (Caledonian Sleeper: London to Fort William, Scotland) – [07:57]

• Tom’s personal favorite: Depart London at night, wake in the Scottish Highlands.
  • Experience “a malt whiskey nightcap” and possibly spot deer at dawn.
  • Explains sleeper cars: now often “private cabins, en suite... you just snooze your way through to breakfast.”
  • “Nothing more exciting for a child than falling asleep in one place... and waking up in another location entirely.” (09:45)

Rocky Mountaineer (Vancouver to Banff) – [12:57]

• Premium, 37-hour, 550-mile journey.
  • “All at once a geological field trip, a sightseeing adventure and a wildlife safari... some of Canada’s most breathtaking landscapes.”
  • Includes gourmet food, onboard guides, and break for the night, culminating in Banff National Park.

Rhine Route (Cologne to Mannheim, Germany) – [15:38]

• Travels “down the River Rhine,” a route passing through medieval castles, wine regions, and fairytale towns—“ancient Europe, medieval Europe, and modern Europe all in front of you.”
• Noted for flexibility: “So easy to just stop and start, break your journey where you want to.” (16:45)

Bergensbanen (Oslo to Bergen, Norway) – [19:37]

• Six hours, cutting across canyons, rivers, ice fields (including sites from “Empire Strikes Back”), with clockwork Norwegian efficiency.
  • “Covers the broad spectrum of Norway's natural splendor... climb through canyons, cross rivers, burrow straight through mountainsides and cross giant icescapes.” (20:00)
  • Plug for Norway in a Nutshell Tour and the scenic Flåm line.

Bangkok to Singapore (via Thailand & Malaysia) – [21:08]

• Three-day trip by a series of trains; not a direct service, but intentionally “better to take this one slowly.”
  • “Steamy, tropical, the food is incredible, everything is intense and it's a really great and very safe way to travel.” (21:51)

4. Local Gem: Metro North Hudson Line – [22:41]

• Tom’s surprise NYC-area pick: Grand Central to Poughkeepsie.
  • “Leave the city behind... small marinas, bucolic river towns... high cliffs, even a castle—Bannerman Castle—you can spot on the way.”
  • “Spectacular in fall. 90 minutes from the center of New York.”

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Defining Slow Travel:
  • “We talk a little bit at Lonely Planet about the idea of slow travel, about letting the journey unfold itself, about taking in the sights, the people that you meet along the way.” – Tom Hall (02:29)
• On Sleeper Trains:
  • “Sleepers are either a lie-flat room of your own, or in some places in Europe you would still share with other people. But increasingly, it’s a private cabin... you just snooze your way through to breakfast when the guard will bring you what you’ve ordered.” – Tom Hall (08:43)
• On Meeting Fellow Travelers:
  • “Some of these are just wonderful places to meet people... see the landscape go rolling by in a very relaxed way.” – Tom Hall (02:29)
• On Train Names:
  • “Trains are often named historically by the company that originally set them up... those names have stuck around and people still call them that. So a bit of marketing and a little bit of magic dust, I think.” – Tom Hall (07:15)
• Listener Dan, on Peru:
  • “At the time, it was the highest train ride in the world... people on the train literally passing out, a doctor going around with a bag of oxygen.” (12:28)
• On Swiss Trains (Sakita):
  • “The Swiss have like perfected train travel... first class and they really know how to travel beautifully. The picture postcard valleys, happy cows... you really felt like you were in the moment.” (21:57)

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Important Timestamps

• 01:46 – Tom Hall on the romance of train travel and its enduring glamour.
• 04:24–05:48 – Listener stories: Trans-Siberian and Rockies adventures.
• 05:58–07:53 – Deep dive: California Zephyr, train names and marketing.
• 07:57–10:00 – The Deer Stalker/Caledonian Sleeper in Scotland; sleeper car explanation.
• 10:41–12:43 – More listener calls: personal traditions and extreme train rides.
• 12:57–15:32 – Rocky Mountaineer and its luxury features.
• 15:38–17:14 – Scenic Rhine route in Germany, European train network culture.
• 17:20–19:20 – Listener maxi-adventures and the North American/Mexican train nostalgia.
• 19:37–21:01 – Norway’s Bergensbanen and the “Norway in a Nutshell” experience.
• 21:08–21:51 – Bangkok to Singapore by train, savoring the slow, sensory journey.
• 21:57–22:41 – Listener on Swiss trains; Tom’s Hudson Line local recommendation.

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Conclusion

"All Of It" surfaces the depth and diversity of train journeys as more than traversal—they’re immersive cultural and personal experiences. Tom Hall’s expertise and passion, together with the voices of listeners, create an inspiring case for making train travel a highlight (not just a means) of a trip, whether you’re seeking breathtaking landscapes, classic hospitality, slow travel delights, or a distinct window onto the cultures and histories of the world.

For more of Lonely Planet’s train journey picks, check out their book "Amazing Train Journeys."

Transcript

[A]

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[B]

This is all of it on wnyc. I'm Alison Stewart. We continue this hour with a focus on trains, real ones this time. Trains are a great way to travel. You can go from Chicago to San Francisco, New York to New Orleans, from Bangkok to Singapore. With me now to suggest some train trips for 2026 is Tom hall, vice president and editor of Lonely Planet. You can see more of Lonely Planet's train ideas in their book Amazing Train Journeys. Hi.

[C]

Tomorrow hello there. Thank you for having me, listeners.

[B]

We'd like to hear from you. Do you like traveling by train? What's the best train ride that you have ever been on, either in the US or internationally? Call us or text us now. 212-433-WNYC 212-433-9692. What makes a train ride stand out from traveling by plane or car? Any activities that you love to do on the train? Our number is 2124-3396-9221-2433 wnyc. So at a certain point in history, train travel, it was, it was the common way to travel. How much is that history and that sense of nostalgia for this past era factor into the way that trains can be fun today?

[C]

I think that some of the romance of traveling by train is timeless. It does go back to those early days of the railway when, you know, when it was first established, it was the only way really to get from A to B. I think some of that still survives some of the glamour of what you might think of the golden age. I know I'm, you know, talking to people in a city where you have probably the most beautiful train station in the world in Grand Central. And I think that that atmosphere still exists today. Certainly a lot of people want to take a train for the experience, which isn't something you hear people say about a flight very often. Yeah.

[B]

When you think about train travel versus planes or cars, what makes a trip by train special?

[C]

I think that the first thing is there's an, there's an element of relaxation. We talk a little bit at Lonely Planet about the idea of slow travel, about letting the journey unfold itself, about taking in the sights, the people that you meet along the way. Sometimes that means just going to a particular place and immersing yourself in it, but it can also be how you get there. And taking a train is a great example of that. I think some of the routes that we're going to talk about are just wonderful places to meet people as well, to see the landscape go rolling by in a very relaxed way.

[B]

So we shouldn't think of the days in the train as wasting a vacation day.

[C]

I think it's a, it will, for a lot of people, be a highlight of the vacation, you know, depending on where you go. And, you know, look, trains can be prone to, to being delayed sometimes all over the world, in the US In Europe, you know, everywhere. But so are other forms of transport. And I think one of, one of the differences is that you have the chance to stretch out, to look out of a nice big wind window, look at the landscape going by, and maybe take a stroll up to the, to the cafe car or the dining car and get yourself something to eat. So there's a lot to be said if you're slowed down slightly while traveling on a train.

[B]

I'm speaking with Tom hall, vice president and editor of Lonely Planet. We're discussing some of his favorite train rides and destinations to travel by train. We're also hearing from you. What's the best train ride you've ever been on? What makes a train stand out from traveling by plane or car? Or maybe you have a travel plan this year and involves a train? Tell us about it. 2124-3396-9221-2433. WNYC. Let's talk to Marshall who's calling in from Brooklyn. Hey, Marshall, thanks for taking the time to call, all of it.

[D]

Hey, how are you? Can you hear me?

[B]

I hear you great. Where did you go?

[D]

Yeah, so in 2008, I took the Trans Siberian Railroad from Beijing to Moscow, and I went through Mongolia, went around Lake Baikal. It was an amazing train trip.

[B]

What made it amazing?

[D]

You know, just seeing part of the world that most people I know have never been to.

[B]

Thanks for calling in. Let's talk to Bill from Seaford, Long Island. Seaford, excuse me, Long Island. Hey, Bill, how you doing?

[D]

Good, thanks. Thanks for taking my call.

[B]

Where'd you go?

[D]

Can you hear me?

[B]

Yeah. Where did you go?

[D]

I went across the Rockies from Banff, Alberta, to Vancouver, B.C.

[B]

And what made you. Yeah, what made you take the train?

[D]

Just a friend of mine was real good at researching places to go, and that was a spectacular trip through the mountains. So many things I can talk about, but it was, there was a little bit of problems with the food because it was labor. Labor problems at that moment. 1977. So I had a beer and some Cracker Jacks in the observation car, which was like spectacular.

[B]

Thanks. Thanks for the memory. Let's get into your list, Tom. California Zephyr. All right, where do we start? Where do we end up?

[C]

California Zephyr. We, we had to start with, I think, one of the iconic cross country American trains. And this is a real classic three day journey from Chicago to Oakland, California. In doing so, it travels nearly 2,500 miles, crosses prairies, deserts, some of the most spectacular mountains that you'll see from any train anywhere in the world and ends up on the shores San Francisco Bay. It sounds pretty good to me.

[B]

How long does it take?

[C]

Roughly, roughly three days in my experience. Did this train a few years ago. It can be delayed, but it's also very magical. It may well be both things at the same time. If three days sounds like a long time, you can obviously do sections of this train. And I think probably the element from Denver, Colorado to Glenwood Springs up in the Rockies is the one to go for. The train travels through, you know, a roadless wilderness, going through some deep, narrow gorges of orange rock. And it really is a stunning journey made better by the observation car that you can take in the views into full effect.

[B]

Some of these trains have great names like California Zephyr. It's Zephyr. Random question. How do trains get named?

[C]

Do you know quite often? Well, trains are often named historically by the company that originally set them up. So you talk about California Zephyr, the Orient Express Express would be another one. And I think we're going to talk about the Deer Stalker, which is a sleeper train in the uk. Very often they get these names as a way of marketing them originally. And even though those companies may not still run them, the Orient Express actually doesn't exist in its original form. It's a completely different thing. Those names have stuck around and people still call them that. So a bit of marketing and a little bit of magic dust, I think.

[B]

All right, I need to know about the Deer Stalker since you said it.

[C]

Okay, so the Deer Stalker is. I think this would be my contender for my favorite in the world. It's a, it's a train which, which leaves London in the dark from London Euston Station and it rattles up through the north of England. And passengers wake up in the Scottish Highlands in absolutely magnificent scenery on their way to Fort William in the. In the shadow of Ben Nevis, which is the, the highest mountain in the uk. It's the sort of train where you can go to the lounge car and have a, you know, a malt whiskey nightcap and then you, you know, you fall asleep. And as I say, you might see deer, you might see other wildlife from the train when you wake up. It's, it's a really wonderful, very, very civilized way to travel.

[B]

So explain the sleeper car situation to me.

[C]

Okay, so maybe lots of people are thinking, sleep on a train, does that mean I sleep in my seat? A little bit. Like if I, if I was on an, on an airplane, there are seats on a lot of TR through the night. But, but sleepers are either, you know, a lie flat room of your own or in some places in Europe, you, you would, you would still share with other people. But increasingly it's a private cabin. It certainly is on the, on the Deer Stalker, on the Caledonian sleeper train, and indeed on the California Zephyr that we were just talking about in the case of the, of the train to Scotland. This is a very modern service. You get a, you know, a card a little bit like you're checking into a hotel. You go into your room, you close the door, lots of rooms are en suite, and you just snooze your way through to breakfast when the guard will bring you what you've ordered overnight, whether that's a porridge or maybe it's a lawn sausage roll or something like that. So typical Scottish food you're getting into as well. Absolutely lovely experience, whether you're an adult or indeed if you take your children on these services, as I have done. There's nothing more exciting for a child than falling asleep in one place on a train and waking up in another location entirely.

[B]

We are talking about train travel with Tom hall, vice president and editor of Lonely Planet. We'll take your calls after the break. This is all of it. You're listening to all of IT on wnyc. I'm Alison Stewart. My guest is Tom hall, vice president and editor of Lonely Planet. We are discussing his favorite train rides and destinations to travel by train. We're also hearing from you, Tom. Let's take some calls. Let's talk to Katie in Brooklyn. Hi, Katie. Thanks for calling all of it.

[E]

Hey, thanks for having me. I'm excited to talk about trains with y'.

[F]

All.

[B]

What train are you going to talk about?

[E]

Yes, I'd love to talk about the Northeast Regional. I take it every year from New York to Chicago. It takes about 19 hours. I get a sleeper. And it's one of my favorite holiday winter traditions.

[B]

Why is it a favorite?

[E]

Yes, I love seeing the country. You ride past the Great Lakes, and especially in the winter, all the leaves are gone, so you can really see the water. And it's a great moment to just take some time for myself, spend about 20 hours alone with my thoughts and knitting and favorite podcasts. It's a great way to just, yeah. Find a moment of quiet.

[B]

Love it. Thanks for calling, Katie. Dan is calling us from Mountain Lakes, New Jersey. Hi, Dan, how are you?

[D]

I am great. Thank you for having me. A treat to talk about train travel. So I've been. I've been a train buff all my life, but in 1980, a cousin, an older cousin of mine, shared a dream that he had to go to Peru and see the Amazon. And I said to him, well, my dream is to ride the train over the Andes. So we put our heads together and the next thing you know, we're traveling off to Peru. So there was three great train rides there. The train to Machu Picchu, which many people have experienced. The train to Lake Titicaca from Cusco, which is a very beautiful ride. But the train over the Andes topped everything. Okay. At the time, it was the highest train ride in the world, going over the andes, something like 15,600ft. To such an extent that you see people on the train literally passing out, putting their head down, passing out, a doctor going around with a bag of oxygen. That was an experience. Okay. It's no longer the highest train ride in the world. I think now the Russians built one.

[G]

Across Tibet, but it's very, very close.

[D]

So that ride, it was a day going up and a day coming back. And you had to hope that they were running the train the next day. So it was a real adventure.

[B]

Sounds like it. I have to tell you. Thank you so much for giving us a call. I want to get back to your list, Tom. We're going to go up to Canada. You've selected a train ride called, I love saying these names, the Rocky Mountaineer.

[C]

Yes. I am absolutely blown away by the amazing trains that your listeners have been on, by the way. You know, this is like a whole new to do list for me. And the Rocky Mountaineer is a. Is another train that I think will be on a lot of people's to do lists. It is an absolutely amazing way to travel. From Vancouver on the British Columbia coast to Banff in Alberta. That's quite a long way, this journey, 37 hours, 550 miles. But an absolutely amazing adventure. The railroad itself, you know, we describe it in amazing train journeys as all at once a geological field trip, a sightseeing adventure in a wildlife safari, and just a fantastic way of describing it. You can throw into that some of Canada's most breathtaking mountain landscapes. But the thing that I think really makes the Rocky Mountaineer special is that it, it is a, it is a pretty premium service. So you get extremely high quality food and beverage and also guides along the way. You spend the night in Camloops, you break the journey on route and, and it feels like a really, you know, premium experience all round. And by the way, there is also a Via Rail Canada National Rail that operates along the same route if you want a regular passenger service. But the Rocky Mountaineer is really a once in a lifetime experience. You know, as you, as you come towards the end of the journey, as you get further into the Rockies, it just gets better and better. Culminates by rattling past Lake Louise and then arrives in Banff National Park. And I think for me it's probably, you know, the most aspirational train that I think you could pick to do. A wonderful thing to try.

[B]

This text says the train to the clouds from Salt to Argentina to the Chilean border. It's a tourist train, but still a marvel of engineering. This text says the best journey I've taken is from Fairbanks to Denali national park in Alaska. The scenery was majestic and it was unforgettable. I did that train ride and it was so much fun. And the conductor said if you see a moose, you yell moose. And everybody should run over and check out to see if they could find the moose with their, with their glasses, with their binoculars.

[C]

Apparently, on the, on the, on the Rocky Mountaineer, moose sightings happen. Bear sightings are much rarer and you need, you know, a very good telescope or telephoto lens to spot one of those. But what a wonderful way to pass the time on any journey.

[B]

You've also did a trip in Germany. Tell us a little bit about this. From Cologne to Mannheim.

[C]

So any of your listeners who've traveled in Europe will know that Europe's railways are extensive. There's lots of high speed networks and many of the trains connect up some of the most scenic areas of each country. This route that we're talking about runs from Cologne in Germany to Mannheim and it passes down the River Rhine, you know, one of the iconic and broadest waterways, one of the longest waterways of Europe. But just taking this train is such a fascinating experience because you have ancient Europe, medieval Europe and modern Europe all, all in front of you in, in just a few hours. The Rhine is a busy waterway. There's a lot of boat traffic. There are, there's. The railway is very busy and the roads are quite busy going alongside it. But it's also a wine growing area. There are medieval castles that you can spot. You can spend the night in medie castles. Depending on where you break your journey along this route and you feel like you're in a sort of deepest Europe, there is a rock, Lorelei rock, which features very strongly in Germanic mythology that you pass on route, these beautiful little fairy tale towns that you see. And it's so easy to just stop and start, break your journey where you want to. There are intercity services, but there's also lots of little regional trains that pass along the Rhine. And if I sound excited, I can put my money where my mouth is because I'm taking my family there this summer. And I promise you, they're in for a real treat.

[B]

Let's talk to Inez from Astoria. Hi Inez, thanks for calling, all of it.

[G]

Hello Allison, thanks for having me. I just wanted to talk about my epic bike camping trip or bike race. Last year I was participating in a bike race from Bari, Italy and finish point is in Amerogen, Netherlands. However, I couldn't finish and knowing that it's Europe, there is a very vast train network. So I basically from Bari, I bike as close to Rome as possible. And then I took the train from Rome toward Verona, take a break, sightsee, and then bike some more. And then from Verona toward where was I basically in Zurich, and then got to ride the Rhine a little bit and then took the train, overnight train to Amsterdam and then finished the rest of my bike ride to the finish line and meet up with all the cyclists that actually did the race. But it just turned out to be a lifesaver with the whole train system.

[B]

Sounds great. Let's talk to Dwight in Canada. Hi Dwight, thanks for calling, all of it.

[C]

Hey there.

[H]

Two quick stories.

[D]

You got me.

[B]

Yeah, do it real quick.

[D]

Okay.

[H]

So Canadian Montreal or Montreal, New York, often along the Adirondack line. Wonderful. You know, estimated time 12 hours, could be 13 or 14 takes you to Penn Station. Great. But prior to that, in the late 90s, I took a trip from Mexico City to Oaxaca and it turns out this is a train that was retired from Amtrak from Chicago. I met the engineer on this train who explained me the history and it was an overnight trip. So wonderful. All the doors were open between the adjoining Cars. And it was so fascinating. Moonlit night. I arrived in Oaxaca in the morning and didn't realize my face was covered in soot.

[B]

From all of the. Because all the doors were open. That's very funny. Thank you so much for calling. I want to get to your recipes, your recommendations. Tom. Tom hall is the vice president editor of Lonely Planet. All right, we're going to go to Norway. I'm going to let you pronounce the name.

[C]

I'm going. I'm going to recommend to you what. What is known in Norway as the Bergens Bannen and known to the. To the rest of us as the Oslo Bergen Railway. Oslo being the capital of Norway and Bergen being the second city on the west coast. If you look at the map, this looks like a curvy line linking those two cities and it just doesn't do it justice. Takes six hours to travel 300 miles on this trip. It covers the broad spectrum of Norway's natural splendor. And Norway is just a breathtakingly beautiful place. You'll climb through canyons, cross rivers, burrow straight through mountainsides and cross these giant ice scapes where, for instance, the Empire Strikes Back film was filmed. If you're familiar with the Ice Planet scene on that. This train is also incredible because it runs four times a day with clockwork type efficiency no matter what the weather is. So it really is a wonderful addition to any European itinerary. One thing to think about as well, there's a stopper en route called Murdal. I will have mangled the pronunciation on that. And you can take a detour on the historic Flams Banner Line to reach Bergen via a different route. And that's part of something called the Norway in a Nutshell Tour, which is just, you know, a brilliant alternative as well. So just a great trip. Can't recommend it enough.

[B]

And our last moments. You want to go from Bangkok to Singapore. What train should you take so you.

[C]

Can go through in about three days from Bangkok to Singapore via a combination of trains. There isn't a through service, but it is better to take this one slowly. As you go through Thailand, you'll be wanting to pause and go off to various paradise islands on route crossing into Malaysia, you'll travel through thick jungle, thick rainforest, some really interesting historic towns. You can get to the island of Penang, Raisli and the colonial city of Ipoh, and then travel down to Kuala Lumpur, capital of Malaysia, and on into Singapore. It is as it sounds. It is steamy, it's tropical, the food is incredible, Everything is intense and it's a really great and very safe way to travel.

[B]

I think we have time for one more call. Sakita, you're our last call. Where did you go? What did you see?

[F]

Thanks. Thanks so much for having me. This fall, during peak fall foliage, I went to Switzerland and I traveled exclusively by train to the Swiss Alps. It was remarkable. The Swiss have like perfected train travel. We, it was a premium experience. We, we traveled first class and they really know how to travel beautifully. The picture postcard valleys, happy cows. It was just remarkable. Everything we saw was so, so beautiful and you really felt like you were in the moment. Tom was talking about slow travel and you really experience it going to Switzerland.

[B]

Thank you so much for your call. And in our last minute, you're going to suggest something right here. Metro North Hudson line. Tell us why.

[C]

I'm very nervous about this one suggesting to new because, you know, not being one myself. However, I have ridden this trainer, discovered it by accident. I just wanted to take any train from Grand Central. I ended up traveling up to Poughkeepsie. Apologies again for my pronouns.

[A]

It's okay. We gotcha.

[C]

Yep. But I just love the way you, you leave the city behind. The sense of suburbs and industry give way to small marinas, bucolic river towns and, you know, just this, these wonderful river views, high cliffs. There's even a castle, Bannerman Castle you can spot on the way. Lovely at any time of year. Spectacular in fall. 90 minutes from the center of New York. I just thought. Wonderful. Sign me up for another ride.

[B]

Tom hall is a vice president and editor of Lonely Planet. Thank you for joining us to talk to train travel.

[C]

Thank you for having me.

[B]

There's more, all of it on the way.

[A]

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