Places I Remember with Lea Lane
On this monthly award-winning travel podcast, host Lea Lane shares travel memories and travel tips with passionate travelers, travel experts, and savvy locals around the world. Lea has traveled to over 100 countries, is the author of nine books, a blogger at forbes.com, and a contributor to dozens of guidebooks. Smart. Fun! Over 100 episodes!
Places I Remember with Lea Lane
Train Travel: Unforgettable Journeys
Train travel enchants with its unique blend of scenery, experience, and connection, as illustrated by Railbookers’ offerings around the world. Frank Marini and Gareth Jones explore top train journeys, eco-friendly travel, and essential tips for maximizing rail adventures.
• Train travel combines both scenic beauty and cultural richness
• Railbookers offers tailored vacations for diverse budgets and preferences
• Popular routes include scenic trains in Switzerland and easy connections in Ireland
• Trains are a sustainable choice for modern travelers seeking greener options
• Key tips include early booking, proper planning, and enjoying the journey
• Highlights a 59-day extraordinary global train trip with luxury experiences and exclusives.
Frank Marini and Gareth Jones are executives at Railbookers.
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Podcast host Lea Lane has traveled to over 100 countries, and has written nine books, including the award-winning Places I Remember (Kirkus Reviews star rating, and 'one of the top 100 Indie books of the year'). She has contributed to many guidebooks and has written thousands of travel articles.
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Our award-winning travel podcast, Places I Remember with Lea Lane, has dropped over 115 travel episodes! New episodes drop on the first Tuesday of the month, on Apple, Spotify, and wherever you listen.
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Are you a train lover, Then this episode of Places I Remember is not to miss. We'll find out about popular routes, insider info and tips, and then focus on probably the world's ultimate train trip. We're going to talk to Frank Marini, president and CEO of Railbookers Group, and Gareth Jones, director of Product Development, behind their Around the World trip. It's fun to talk about this, even if we never take this ride. So welcome, Frank and Gareth, to Places I Remember.
Frank Marini:Thank you, Lea, Great to be here. Thank you.
Lea Lane:Lea, let's start by talking about Railbookers, your company. What does it offer travelers who want to travel by train?
Frank Marini:So at Railbookers, we offer train travel worldwide. We go anywhere, any place, for any length of time. If the train goes there, so do we. So we offer train travel, hotel sightseeing and more and everything from luxury trains to national train systems all over the world.
Lea Lane:So you can be a budget traveler and use Railbookers as well, or is it luxury-focused? (Both ends of the spectrum, so whatever anyone's looking for, I read that you're the largest selection of carefully crafted, independent rail vacations there is.
Frank Marini:That's correct.
Lea Lane:You get knowledge from the experts. So if you come to say I want to go somewhere, you have someone helping you create your trip, your custom trip.
Frank Marini:That's correct. The one thing with train travel is the infrastructure, and trains i already there all over the world, but most people don't know where the trains go, which way they go, what's the best route, how to get there, especially multi-country or connecting. Make that easy for our customers. So if they're looking to go.
Lea Lane:What do you do? For example, how would you make it more simple?
Frank Marini:Sure, we'll know the best routes in the best way. So let's say someone's looking to go to Switzerland and Italy, we'll guide them to say, well, do you want to go over the mountain, around the mountain, through the mountain, where best to sit on the train? Or if you don't want to go backwards for seven hours, or where to sit to see the best sites, things like that that you wouldn't think of, that's what we do. I'd like to say we speak train.
Lea Lane:Yeah, Anyone who loves a train knows what that means. I mean it is daunting when you think about it to try to not miss the train. That's the first thing. Well, this is very helpful. You also do hotels and sightseeing and transfers.
Frank Marini:With all of our products, and everything can be customized. So, wherever again our customers are traveling to, we'll know, based on their budget, what they're looking for from what level of hotel they'd like to stay at. As far as transfers from the station to the hotel, sightseeing activities, whether that's more culinary or more cultural that they'd like to do, we can incorporate any and all that in any of the cities that we go to.
Lea Lane:What about cruises? Do you tie that in as well?
Frank Marini:Great question. We don't do cruises per se. We do have one rail and sail product, we call it in Alaska and the Canadian Rockies, but in general we don't do cruises. But we do a lot of pre and post cruises and pre and post river cruising. Where someone's doing a river cruise, let's say in Europe, and they'll finish maybe in Basel, Switzerland. We don't do that portion, but Basel, Switzerland, we don't do that portion. But then they'll call us to say, hey, I'm finishing in Basel, I'd love to. What can I do next? And go down to maybe St Moritz for a few days or go down to Lake Como for a few days. So we handled that portion of their vacation. That was great.
Lea Lane:What do each of you think makes train travel so special? How would you define that?
Gareth Jones:I'll take this one, Frank. For me it's part of the vacation, if you'd say you know, boarding the train between Venice and Florence, for example. It's an hour and 45 minutes. It's amazing scenery. You could take a bottle of wine on board, you could take some snacks on board, just enjoy yourself. It's relaxing, it's sociable time as well. Get to meet other passengers, other travelers on board. You haven't got to worry about the check-in procedure as you would at an airport.
Frank Marini:From my perspective too, to add what Gareth is saying, you know the journey really begins when you get on board. You know, if you think about air travel versus rail travel, air travel is a point to point and the sky looks the same and clouds look the same no matter where you are. But when you get on the train, your journey now begins and the things you can see, the things I find to make it special you typically can't see in many cases by car. So you're seeing things, whether it's wildlife, scenery that just bring a destination alive.
Lea Lane:I love looking at the houses along the tracks. You know you peek in as you go past all the lives and you think of who lives there and all this sort of thing. It's very good for the imagination. What are some of the most popular routes that you offer?
Gareth Jones:Switzerland has a wealth of scenic train journeys, of course, something like our Best of Switzerland itinerary, which is nine nights traveling around Switzerland. You've got the famous Bernina and Glacier Express, the famous red trains, which are breathtaking scenery they really are, but some of the mountain excursions as well, going up to the top of the Jungfrau, the highest train station in Europe, where you can see as far as France and Germany on a clear day. Mount Titlis with its revolving cable car going to the top as well. Ireland's really popular for us as well at the moment. I think customers are really surprised and amazed at how easy it is to get from the city centre to city centre. Dublin, Cork, killarney and Galway you know these sort of amazing destinations that have so much heritage for guys coming over from the US, but the trains are so convenient and so easy as well.
Lea Lane:Are there other special train trips that travelers might not know about? I could use a pun and say sleepers, but one each. Maybe that I've been on the Switzerland one.
Gareth Jones:It's magnificent, and then along the coast of Norway.
Lea Lane:I mean there's these gorgeous something that maybe we wouldn't know, that you'd say, yeah, that's one of my favorites.
Gareth Jones:The scenic train that goes down the Ligurian coast, from Genoa down to the Spezia as well, through the Cinque Terre. I mean it's literally on the cliff side, the cliff edge, you know. It's beautiful scenery, it really is, and we could also make sure that clients stay in the Cinque Terre itself as well. So experience the train journey up and down across as well. One of my personal favourites is coming from Paris to the south of France, so it's very kind of high speed TGV down to Marseille, but then the final sort of hour, an hour and a half journey from Marseille across to Nice and Cannes and even across to Italy. There you're following the coastline across.
Gareth Jones:It's beautiful, it really is. The scenery is gorgeous. Switzerland, again, it's famous. The Glacier and Bonino Express, but not many people know about the Golden Pass Line, which goes from Montreux up to Interlaken as well. It's got some amazing new luxury seats on board for the prestige class, but also at one point during each day it runs the Belle Epoque carriage, which is a very old vintage style carriage as well. So it's kind of the high end luxury, but also the more vintage side of things.
Lea Lane:I went on a little part of the Orient Express from just as a tourist, you know, on a press trip from London to the coast.
Gareth Jones:The British Pullman, that would have been, absolutely yeah. Down to Folkestone yeah, I mean again the beautiful British countryside, and you get a nice high tea on board, etc. It's a lovely way of traveling, yeah.
Lea Lane:Good speed as well. It's not going anywhere. It was a journey.
Gareth Jones:That's it. You're enjoying the journey. You're on the train to enjoy it.
Lea Lane:Just for the journey. It was a few hours, but it was delightful. It was one of those things that anybody can do if they like trains.
Gareth Jones:That's right, no one's in a rush, you're just enjoying the ride and enjoying the scenery as you go. That's it.
Lea Lane:Let me ask you about green travel. That's obviously a big consideration today. Why are trains considered green travel?
Frank Marini:But what? Traveling by train is obviously one of the most sustainable ways to travel outside of walking or bicycle tours. It is one of the most sustainable ways to travel in terms of emissions. Obviously, more and more popular than important. That customers are looking for is it's city center to city center travel too, so you're not, let's say, flying from one city or one location or country to another city and then having to then transfer into the city. It's a straight shot in most cases, whether you're in London to Paris or into Italy. So it is getting more and more important for everyone as a way to travel. Most of our customers also don't like the hassle of having to try to drive in another country or where am I going to park, and things like that, so that almost adds to it as well.
Lea Lane:We talked about trains on episode 61 and we got some tips. How about a few handy tips from you guys? Just a couple train trip tips?
Gareth Jones:Train trip tips. That's a tricky one, isn't it? One big one. For me it's get to the station early. Make sure you leave plenty of time to get to the station. Stations across Europe. ou've got to find your platform, of course, but they've got plenty of places to pick up some lunch and some snacks to take on board as well. So go to the station nice and early, don't rush it.
Lea Lane:What is nice and early.
Gareth Jones:Half an hour, I'd say a good half an hour before departure. That's fine. Yeah, that's fine. There are a few places like London, for example, some on the Eurostar where you have to check in with your passports etc.
Frank Marini:But mainland Europe again that's one of the great things about traveling by train is you don't have to worry about passports or anything. You know, yeah, and I think I would say too, you know for train trip tips, because that journey you can get up, walk around. It's not like a plane or just point-to-point transportation. So, whether you think about bringing a book, an iPad, what you want to listen to, Gareth mentioned at the station, picking up a snack or bottle of wine, it is your whole journey, maybe a journal to take notes. As you're seeing, it's much more than just point-to-point transportation, it is the journey. Sometimes people forget that. The other thing I would say too is, depending on the length of the journey, bringing a plug in an adapter so you can charge your phone, your iPad, things like that.
Lea Lane:You mentioned earlier about sitting backwards. That's not for everyone. Is there a way to https://daytrippingroc. com/our-favorite-places-to-take-a-walk/? make sure you don't do that when you book.
Frank Marini:So we'll know that, based on the train, based on the route, based on the train configuration to know and we'll ask that questions to our guests because we'll know where you'd want to sit on the train, based on the site you'd see, and also if you don't want to sit backwards for eight hours. We have that in mind and we go over that with our customers when they book or they're planning their journey.
Lea Lane:I would also say obviously get a window seat, but that's silly right.
Gareth Jones:I think one important thing we should put there as a tip as well is book early, book early. There's limited space on those trains, so best to get in there, to put those holidays early, to get the best choice of seats you know.
Lea Lane:Now in your company you can book two years ahead, I read is that correct? That's right.
Frank Marini:That's really early.
Lea Lane:Is that safe?
Frank Marini:Yeah, well, you know, we see a lot of people that do book that early, and it tends to be in conjunction with a river cruise. So they'll book their cruise early, so they'll have their cabin set, but then they're like, okay, I want to get my train set up for the extension. So a lot of that's driven on the pre and post cruise side as well too.
Lea Lane:How many of your trains are ultra fast trains? I guess it depends where you are in the world, but what percentage of trains are now high speed?
Gareth Jones:Great question, I'd say coming into mainland Europe 70 to 80% are high speed. Now, yeah, there's still the smaller regional lines. We mentioned, the ligurian coast, for example. The uk does it struggles, but again some beautiful scenery along the way. But wouldn't consider it high speed as comparison to italy and france, for example. 70 to 80 percent at the moment, but it's just increasing as well how high are we talking? Oh, over 200 kilometers an hour, absolutely at the moment, I think, think it's Italy who hold the record.
Lea Lane:I went to Shanghai and I was 400 kilometers.
Gareth Jones:Well, forgive me, You're absolutely right. You're absolutely right. China holds the record.
Lea Lane:I think Do you go as far as the Far East.
Gareth Jones:At think.. think.. moment. We do a little bit in Vietnam. We're currently working on China at the moment, just as it comes back into the market. Yeah, that's something else. When you're on those trains, you tilt, absolutely, absolutely, yeah, and you're literally hovering over the track rather than being on the track. That's right.
Lea Lane:Well, let's talk about maybe the dreamiest train trip I've ever heard about. It's a once in a lifetime journey for a few lucky travelers, but it's lots of fun for all of us to hear about. So, Gareth, you're train journey of this season.
Gareth Jones:Okay, you ready. Strap in, strap in, okay. Okay, we're starting in Vancouver with the Rocky Mountaineer Journey through the clouds so you get to see the amazing Rockies.
Lea Lane:How long is it in total?
Gareth Jones:Yes, of course. 59 days in total, seven luxury trains. I've lost numbers on my fingers in terms of the actual destinations in there.
Lea Lane:At least 20.
Gareth Jones:Okay, at least 20, absolutely, and five continents.
Lea Lane:Oh wow. And you go to World Heritage Sites, iconic cities. You just go for broke on it. I shouldn't say broke, because it's expensive, it's once in a lifetime, as you said.
Gareth Jones:That's right. Yeah there's some amazing experiences, kind of along with the trains as well. So private tours of the Verona Arena, for example. Of course, a fantastic evening at the Moulin Rouge. Private exclusive experiences in the Colosseum and Vatican in Rome, private game drives of two game drives in.
Lea Lane:South Africa as well. Let's go back to Vancouver. I got it your way there, but you start with the Rocky Mountaineer. I have been on it, rocky.
Gareth Jones:It's an amazing scenery, of course, but the service on board is award-winning as well. The joys of staying in the Fairmont hotels in Banff and Lake Louise of ocky course, as well. To get that true luxury experience, over to Scotland for the Royal Scotsman Western Scenic I loved it.
Lea Lane:Yeah, Rocky amazing, it really is.
Gareth Jones:That's right. That's right. This one explores the rough west coast of Scotland, malague, for example. Out there, fly down to Romeome, and from rome we're going to jump on the very brand new and exciting la dolce vita or an express train, which is the venice and portofino route as well. Get an amazing experience in venice, where you have a private dinner in an ancient palazzo as well. Cross over to verona. We take the northbound venice, simple on art express up to paris, as mentioned. There we get an evening at the moulin rouge and a private tour of the louvre gallery. Of course, from venice it's the vswe again, but this time crossing europe to istanbul. That's three nights on board the train, but you also overnight in bucharest and budapest as well. So two amazing hotel experiences in those two cities. Istanbul, of course, explore Istanbul, have private tours across the board there, but then fly from Istanbul to Delhi for the Maharaja Express, which I've got to say is my personal favourite out of the trains.
Lea Lane:It's an amazing it's just breathtaking.
Gareth Jones:The food on it's is true Indian cuisine. It really is award-winning Indian cuisine. But every day the train stops you get just an off-board experience. It's otherworldly to see the the raj of jaipur's home. Effectively, you explore his home. He's got photos there of king charles now he was at the wedding, etc. The red carpet is rolled out everywhere you go. You get an amazing early morning experience. That the taj mahal.
Lea Lane:It's just I'm glad you said early morning because I have you guys there afternoon. We don't want to go. You really need to get early you avoid those crowds.
Gareth Jones:You avoid, avoid those crowds absolutely. You visit Varanasi to have a private boat tour of the Ganges as well, down to South Africa next.
Lea Lane:Now you say you fly what airlines, and I assume business at least
Gareth Jones:It should be business. We're not including the flights because we appreciate that everyone has their own different affiliations with airlines etc. So we leave that up to clients to take care of the flights for themselves. But we pick them up, of course, from the airport, take care of them everything whilst they're on land. South Africa we've got a private game drive, the Pennsburgh game drive, just outside Johannesburg. Then they're on board Rovos Rail, which I was lucky enough to take last year Three nights going up to Victoria Falls. On board there they get an amazing game drive as well. I was lucky enough to see four of the big five just on that one game drive alone. And again, the service on that train is spectacular, it really is.
Lea Lane:You obviously have a private area.
Gareth Jones:You have a private cabin and the great thing about Rovos Rail is on board that train,. ll the cabins are en suite as well. It's all handmade. Effectively. It's amazing craftsmanship shower, toilet facilities, all private to your cabin as well. From Cape Town, where you eventually end up, after a flight down from Victoria Falls, which we have got covered, fly over to Singapore for your final journey on board the Eastern Oriental Express, the Wild Malaysia, which they currently run, two routes that they're changing to one. Wild Malaysia. You go into the jungles of Malaysia. You get opportunity to see some tigers at a tiger reserve there. The wildlife you see off these trains is fantastic. It's not just life on the tracks. Yeah, so that's it: 59 nights in total
Lea Lane:Well, are you filled up?
Lea Lane:that's it 59 nights in total. Well, are you filled up?
Gareth Jones:That's it. I think so, I think so. And again, if clients wish you can break it down into smaller combinations as well.
Lea Lane:If someone wanted to just go on part of it, that's okay.
Gareth Jones:Absolutely yeah, we have all the trains individually running as well. One of the most popular combinations we have is that Venice to Paris, Paris to Istanbul combo, which is a truly unique and luxurious experience.
Lea Lane:Green nce in a lifetime. Well, the name of the podcast is Places I Remember, so would you please each share a personal memory of your train travels. I think you probably had some of the best anywhere. Who wants to go first, Frank?
Frank Marini:There's been so many of them and I've been very lucky. Last year my wife and I got a chance to do the Canadian from Vancouver right to Toronto and that a four night, four day trip on the train and we were lucky enough to go into prestige class. But the thing that really surprised us both and we've been on a number of different trains, the amount of wildlife we saw along the way and then did you say that I'm curious we saw everything from buffalo, bald eagles, wild goats, I mean, all along the way.
Frank Marini:The amount of wildlife and then the terrain, completely different. So coming out of Vancouver to the mountains of the Rockies, to the plains of Saskatchewan, to coming into Ontario and the beautiful forest coming through and the deer, we were just blown away. How beautiful and there's just something very special on, you know. . How beautiful and there's just something very special on early morning risers, having coffee in the observation car while seeing all the wildlife with the sunrise.
Lea Lane:Oddly enough, it went by very fast, did you stay at some of those fabulous lodges that were built so long ago.
Frank Marini:I have in the past. On both ends we stayed in the Fairmont Unbelievable.
Lea Lane:Nice to hear Closer to home. For some listeners it sounds great. What about you, Gareth?
Gareth Jones:I think I would be in trouble if I didn't say the Bernina Express in Switzerland. So 16 years ago, it's the train journey that I met my wife on board. It's got a special place in my heart. I can't say it's an experience that everyone's going to have on the train. So she had ordered a coffee and she was sat over from from b minute but then she'd realized she didn't have any money to pay for the coffee, so I stepped in and bought her a coffee.
Gareth Jones:But there we go. So we enjoyed coming over the Landwasser Viaduct, but it was have a place in my heart.
Lea Lane:Not everyone could do that. T That's another reason to go on a train. You're with people for a long time. You get to talk to them.
Gareth Jones:Yeah.
Lea Lane:Well, it sounds delicious, delightful and enlightening. It's fun to talk trains, whether our listeners are train buffs or never took a train trip. It was fascinating to hear about the options available nowadays. I know I'm ready to go all aboard somewhere in the world, especially with the help of Railbookers. So thank you.
Gareth Jones:Frank Marini and Gareth Jones for sharing with us. Thank you really appreciate it it's been great fun.
