Trains

(First of two parts)

Traveling 16 miles between the towns of Lillooet and Seton Portage in British Columbia, the 2-car, 30-passenger Kaoham Shuttle (Site 3, Box 76, Shalalth, B.C., V0N 3C0, Canada; 866/259-8227 or 250/259-8227, http://tsalalhnet/shuttle.html) is said to offer Canada’s “greatest hidden rail journey.” 

I traveled to the Dutch Island of Texel (pronounced “Tessel”) in September 2012 to do research for a book I was writing. 

Texel is the site of an unusual battle in which troops fighting under Hitler turned on one another and continued a vicious battle, even after Germany’s unconditional surrender ended World War II in Europe.

My sister-in-law, Maryann, and I purchased Eurail Spain passes for use in March-April 2014 — valid for six months and good for one month after the first day of travel.

With most Eurail passes, “six segments” represents six days. However, with the Spain pass, “six segments” means six trains.

A new high-speed rail link has opened between Istanbul and Ankara, Turkey’s capital. The 409-passenger trains run at a maximum speed of 155 mph, completing the 331-mile journey in 3½ hours, three hours faster than conventional trains.

Six trains per day depart from Istanbul’s Pendik Station and Ankara Central Station. A one-way ticket is priced at TRY70 (near $32) or, for seniors, TRY35. Purchase tickets at the station or online (https://yolcu.tcdd.gov.tr [in Turkish]).

Severn Valley Railway, based in Bewdley, Worcestershire, offers rides on the company’s restored steam train. The 16-mile route follows the Severn River and crosses the 200-foot-high Victoria Bridge.

Train rides are available on weekends October to April and every day May to September. Holiday-themed rides are available in December.

For timetables, contact the Severn Valley Railway (The Railway Station, Bewdley, Worcestershire, DY12 1BG, U.K.; phone 01299 403816, fax 01299 400839, www.svr.co.uk).

Departing from the Royal Livingstone Hotel at Victoria Falls, the antique locomotive Royal Livingstone Express offers a 6-course dinner aboard and chances to spot elephants, buffalo and other wildlife on a 12-mile, 3-hour trip along the Zambezi River and through Mosi-Oa-Tunya Game Park in Zambia.

The train has a lounge car, an observation car, a kitchen car and two dining cars with wooden interiors plus tables with damask linens, crystal glassware and silver cutlery.

 11 days/9 nights in SWITZERLAND, ITALY and AUSTRIA.

The new Flexible 4-Day Hokkaido Pass from Japan Rail Hokkaido allows travel on any JR Hokkaido train on any four days within a 10-day period. The railpass costs ¥18,000 (near $171) for an ordinary car and ¥25,000 ($238) for a first-class car.