From the Hogwarts Express to the Orient Express: 5 Movie-Inspired Train Trips You Can Take in Real Life
With the prevalence of Uber and the promise of commercial space flights in the near future, the idea of traveling on a train may seem a bit antiquated. Seeing a country or continent from a club car used to be one of the most luxurious ways to travel, and thanks to iconic scenes in classic films—the steam rising from the engine at platform 9 3/4 in the Harry Potter movies or a glamorous Lauren Bacall dressed up in the candlelit dining car in Murder on the Orient Express—the train endures in our imagination as a magical and romantic way to see the world. In real life, there happens to be several ways to experience these on-screen journeys, through rail itineraries that are as indulgent as they are thrilling. Here, five sensational train trips straight from the big screen.
The Jacobite
The 84-mile round-trip route of the Jacobite train between Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in Britain, near Fort William, and Mallaig in Scotland was used in the Harry Potter films during many of the sweeping scenes of the Hogwarts Express. The ride offers stunning views—the green, hilly countryside seen while crossing the Glenfinnan viaduct and the water of the deepest freshwater loch in Britain, Loch Morar. The traditional locomotive was built in 1949 and has first-class and standard-class coaches (you can even book a compartment where the children in the movie sat). The interiors of the train have not changed much since the ’50s and ’60s, with first-class carriages featuring cushy, upholstered seating; proper table lamps; and tieback window shades.
The 84-mile round-trip route of the Jacobite train between Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in Britain, near Fort William, and Mallaig in Scotland was used in the Harry Potter films during many of the sweeping scenes of the Hogwarts Express. The ride offers stunning views—the green, hilly countryside seen while crossing the Glenfinnan viaduct and the water of the deepest freshwater loch in Britain, Loch Morar. The traditional locomotive was built in 1949 and has first-class and standard-class coaches (you can even book a compartment where the children in the movie sat). The interiors of the train have not changed much since the ’50s and ’60s, with first-class carriages featuring cushy, upholstered seating; proper table lamps; and tieback window shades.
Maharajas’ Express
Sadly, the train taken by Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody, and Jason Schwartzman in Wes Anderson’s The Darjeeling Limited doesn’t actually exist. There is, however, a much more luxurious route to travel if you’re itching to see India on the rails. The Maharajas’ Express lives up to its regal title, with luxuriously outfitted carriages inspired by the country’s royalty. There are 14 guest cabins with one presidential suite that includes two bedrooms, a dining/living room, and bathroom with a tub. All rooms are carpeted and furnished with precious antiques, and if the views aren’t enough for you, there are also LCD TVs in each space. There are five journeys that depart from New Delhi or Mumbai, some eight days and some four, all with specially tailored activities, like seeing an elephant polo match or local artist performances in the sand dunes.
Sadly, the train taken by Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody, and Jason Schwartzman in Wes Anderson’s The Darjeeling Limited doesn’t actually exist. There is, however, a much more luxurious route to travel if you’re itching to see India on the rails. The Maharajas’ Express lives up to its regal title, with luxuriously outfitted carriages inspired by the country’s royalty. There are 14 guest cabins with one presidential suite that includes two bedrooms, a dining/living room, and bathroom with a tub. All rooms are carpeted and furnished with precious antiques, and if the views aren’t enough for you, there are also LCD TVs in each space. There are five journeys that depart from New Delhi or Mumbai, some eight days and some four, all with specially tailored activities, like seeing an elephant polo match or local artist performances in the sand dunes.
Venice Simplon-Orient-Express
The Murder on the Orient Express is perhaps the most famous train film of all time starring Lauren Bacall, Anthony Perkins, and Ingrid Bergman. The real Orient Express train service was actually created in 1883, the routes of which changed throughout the years, but the original ran from Paris to Istanbul. Today, the European luxury train is called the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express and offers trips like the original Paris to Istanbul, as well as Venice to Paris to London and Berlin to Paris. The cabin interiors reflect the 1920s and ’30s style of the original “golden era of travel” trains, with dark wood paneling and mosaic-tiled bathrooms.
The Murder on the Orient Express is perhaps the most famous train film of all time starring Lauren Bacall, Anthony Perkins, and Ingrid Bergman. The real Orient Express train service was actually created in 1883, the routes of which changed throughout the years, but the original ran from Paris to Istanbul. Today, the European luxury train is called the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express and offers trips like the original Paris to Istanbul, as well as Venice to Paris to London and Berlin to Paris. The cabin interiors reflect the 1920s and ’30s style of the original “golden era of travel” trains, with dark wood paneling and mosaic-tiled bathrooms.
Golden Eagle Luxury Trains Silk Road
The Golden Eagle train journey on the old Silk Road route from Moscow to Beijing is one that mirrors the rail journeys seen in the 1965 film Doctor Zhivago, except much nicer. (In the movie, Victor Komarovsky kidnaps Lara Antipova on a private, trans-Siberian train.) The company’s Silk Road adventure lasts 21 days and chugs through the Karakum Desert, Bukhara, and Xian among others. The train cars feature king-size beds, en suite bathrooms with heated floors, and a well-stocked minibar. For an especially old-school train ride experience, retire to the bar car in the evening for a piano player at the on-board baby grand.
The Golden Eagle train journey on the old Silk Road route from Moscow to Beijing is one that mirrors the rail journeys seen in the 1965 film Doctor Zhivago, except much nicer. (In the movie, Victor Komarovsky kidnaps Lara Antipova on a private, trans-Siberian train.) The company’s Silk Road adventure lasts 21 days and chugs through the Karakum Desert, Bukhara, and Xian among others. The train cars feature king-size beds, en suite bathrooms with heated floors, and a well-stocked minibar. For an especially old-school train ride experience, retire to the bar car in the evening for a piano player at the on-board baby grand.
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