Chewy Eleven countries, eight time zones, 10566 miles in just 327 hours, how does that sound? Theoretically, it’s possible to travel 11 countries by train in just two weeks. All the way from Portugal, Spain, France, Belgium, Germany, Poland and Belarus, to Russia, Mongolia, China, and finally Vietnam. Are you up for the challenge? I suggest you buy phone credit online before you leave first, since you will be away for a while!
The Eurorails
Travel from Europe to Asia while making the longest single uninterrupted train journey in the world. Starting in Porto, Portugal, it is relatively easy to travel to the Polish capital Warsaw. In just 40,5 hours you’ve covered this part of Europe by using the Eurorails. Once in Warsaw, hop on a train heading for Moscow during the evening. This train ride surpasses two time zones, and it will take you 26,5 hours to get there. It’s wise to plan a sightseeing trip through Moscow beforehand, since there will be an 18 hour layover before boarding the infamous Trans-Siberian railway.
The Trans-Siberian
You will follow the legendary Trans-Siberian Express from Moscow via Perm, Yekaterinburg, Omsk, Novosibirsk, Krasnoyarsk, and Omsk up until Ulan-Ude. Here you should transfer from the Trans-Siberian Express to the Trans-Mongolian railway. This train will transport you from Ulan-Ude to Beijing. Welcome to China! This comfortable ride will take you six nights to complete.
Heading further South
Time to start the last part of your journey. Hanoi, here we come! Quickly rush to Beijing-West to catch the train to Hanoi. Traveling south via Zhengzhou, Guilin, and Nanning you will arrive at the Vietnamese border. From here, it is only an estimated four hours to Hanoi. Take your time and enjoy the Vietnamese capital, since you will have to wait eleven hours to hop on the next train. Ho Chi Minh city will be your final destination. It takes a 33-hour train ride to travel from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh city.
If you haven’t had enough of train rides yet, check these other six incredibly long train journeys and allow yourself to be amazed.
– Travel from Chicago to Los Angeles in 65 hours, while covering a distance of 2727 miles in the US.
– Travel from Dibrugarh to Kanyakumari in 82 hours, while covering a distance of 2633 miles in India.
– Travel from Moscow to Vladivostok in 178 hours, while covering a distance of 5753 miles in Russia.
– Travel from Toronto to Vancouver in 86 hours, while covering a distance of 2775 miles in Canada.
– Travel from Guangzhou to Lhasa in 54 hours, while covering a distance of 3094 miles in China.
From Europe to Asia on the longest train ride in the world. Visa’s, money costs, and the lack of sleep aside, it sounds like quite an adventure! Don’t take the usual route, but follow your own path (or train rail, for that matter). Who knows what you might find. If you ask me, this train ride of a lifetime provides a solid start! Add a bit of creativity plus a healthy dose of commitment and it’s possible.
