The Oldest Vintage Trains Around The World You Can Still Ride Today

Today, we think about trains the most when we hope they'll be on time for our morning commute. But dating all the way back to 1550 when Germans operated the first railways, trains have been helping people and industries move forward in then-unprecedented ways. That hit a highlight in the 1880s when steam trains were built, which moved people and freight alike during the "The Golden Age" of railroads through the 1920s. However, the era of the train came to an end once cars and planes were invented and became the preferred and more efficient means of transportation.

Many trains fell into disrepair and abandonment after that, but all over the world, historic railroads are keeping the wonder of the train alive through scenic railroads that take people everywhere — from the Rocky Mountains to India — via vintage trains that have been restored to their former glory just as they were in the late 1800s and early 1900s. If you're a history buff or you just want to see beautiful scenery from a relaxing train car seat, check out the oldest vintage trains around the world that you can still ride today. Getting ready for your next big train journey? Don't forget these must-pack items for your train trip. 

It doesn't get much more vintage than the 1880 Train, which runs back and forth from Hill City to Keystone, South Dakota. Eighteen eighty is the longest-running train for tourists in the United States. Visitors can take 2-hour, 20-mile rides on the company's steam or diesel trains, including one that's more than a century old. It all started in the 1880s when steam engines began to be used in the Black Hills area to support the budding mining industry, which saw a boom at the time after gold was found in what is now the city of Custer. About 60 years later, former railroad employee William Heckman started his own tourist steam engine railroad in the Black Hills, reminiscent of 1880s steam trains, to honor that history. However, it was quickly lost to memory as diesel engines became the trains of choice.

Visitors can purchase $39 adult tickets and $19 child tickets to enjoy a round-trip ride mostly along Battle Creek through the lush Black Hills, which are filled with woods, meadows, and canyons. Through their journeys, passengers will see the mines that were once the epicenter of the Black Hills industry and also hear the train's steam whistle. The ride is also narrated, so visitors can learn about the train as well as what they're seeing outside their windows.

The Black Hills weren't the only place where steam engines helped keep the mining industry alive. The same situation occurred in Blue Ridge, Georgia, where the tracks of what's now the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway were laid in 1886 in order to support mining in the area. Once called the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, the area boomed after the train became operational, which only compounded once the train depot was built about two decades later. That came to an end in 1951. However, about 40 years afterward, several Blue Ridge residents banded together to bring the train back to its former glory for visitors looking to authentically experience history. These days, about 78,000 people ride the train every year, traversing its original 26-mile route to McCaysville, Georgia, and Copperhill, Tennessee, running parallel to the Toccoa River.

To experience the train and also see the area's rivers and forests from a train car, book a two- or four-hour tour for $60 to $75 per adult or $46 to $53 per child. Visitors on the four-hour tour will also have time to explore Blue Ridge, which is known as the antique capital of the state, as well as McCaysville and Copperhill, which are home to plenty of galleries, restaurants, and shops. Passengers will also see the street allowing visitors to be in two states simultaneously.

Unlike some of the other railways on this list, the Cass Scenic Railroad in West Virginia offers a plethora of train ride options, all featuring historic steam engines. Riders can choose between a ride to Whittaker Station, which runs along Cheat Mountain on the Cass Bald Knob Trip; a ride with amazing mountain views and a bridge on the New Tygart Flyer; or a ride along the Greenbrier River that's home to tons of animals on the Greenbrier Express. Tickets start at $61 to $81 per person, which can also be upgraded on some rides, thanks to parlor cars, which feature individual tables per group, panoramic views, wine, and comfortable seating. Basic tickets include a sandwich bagged lunch. Or, for a special experience, guests can snag a seat on one of the limited rides, like a murder mystery wine train, Christmas trip, or rare caboose journey.

The Cass Scenic Railroad got its start in 1901 so Shay locomotives could bring lumber to the city of Cass. For more than 50 years, these trains helped to keep the city alive, and today, Cass is where people can find the biggest collection of Shay trains on the planet, including the #5, which is the oldest working Shay train in the world. Even the passenger cars that today's visitors ride in are nostalgic, as they are former logging cars that have been given new life on the Cass Scenic Railroad.

There's no better way — or more acclaimed way — to see the Rocky Mountains than with a trip on the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad, a 64-mile track that weaves in between New Mexico and Colorado nearly a dozen times before it reaches a height of more than 10,000 feet. This rail journey has been named the No. 1 Scenic Train by USA Today readers several times, and it's also a National Historic Landmark. Running at just 12 miles per hour, visitors on this train can see the stunning canyons, wildlife, trees, and flowers of the area, some of which can't be spotted any other way other than by rail. For a seat on the train that runs from spring through fall on Tuesdays through Saturdays, buy a ticket ranging from $40 to $275 per person, depending on the season and car you choose.

The longest and highest steam railroad on the continent was born in 1880 to serve the silver mining industry in the San Juan mountains. But after the Sherman Act was repealed in 1893, the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad went mostly unused, except for a small stint during the World War II natural gas boom. Finally, that changed in 1970 when a group of preservationists joined forces. Colorado and New Mexico bought the line before tourists could begin enjoying it in all its glory from inside nine steam engines.

Another railway National Historic Landmark not far from the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad is the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, which offers tons of ways to enjoy an authentic and historic train just as it was more than a century ago. History buffs can spend three-and-a-half hours riding through the San Juan Mountains on the same route that operated in 1882 to Silverton, which was once a center of mining activity. On your trip, expect to see amazing views of the San Juan National Forest, Animas River, and the Rocky Mountains. Tickets range from $62 to $205 for kids and $97 to $279 for adults, depending on if you opt for the steam train or diesel train and which class of car you choose.

The Durango & Silverton railways were completed one after another from 1880 to 1882 to move passengers as well as gold and silver from the San Juan Mountains. It's thought that over time, a whopping $300 million in gold and silver was moved thanks to these lines. But due to a slew of obstacles, including natural disasters and economic problems, the railroad suffered until it all came to a head in 1947, when it nearly closed for good. Luckily, a group of enthusiasts worked together to save it, and then, the railroad became the setting for several well-known films like "Around the World in 80 Days" and "Ticket to Tomahawk," thus cementing its future.

With the Essex Steam Train & Riverboat based in Essex, Connecticut, visitors can pair two historic trips for one unique, two-and-a-half-hour day out. It all starts at the 1892 Essex Station, where a steam train and vintage cars take passengers a dozen miles through the Connecticut River Valley past towns like Deep River and Chester. Tickets range from $29 to $34 for a train-only trip or $49 to $65 for a combined journey. You can even make a meal out of it on the Essex Clipper Dinner Train, which serves a four-course meal inside a restored 1920s Pullman hauled by a diesel train for $120 per person. Or, have your nuptials here, as the train also hosts weddings for a one-of-a-kind celebration.

The Essex Steam Train & Riverboat operates four cars, including the Colonial Hearth, which was built in 1953 to serve hot meals to the U.S. Army; the aforementioned Essex Clipper; the Wallingford dining car, which was built in 1927 and was once a first-class train, and the Meriden, which was built in 1924 and was once a drawing room parlor car. The Valley Railroad Company has been helping people experience the wonder of these trains since 1971 when it began buying and restoring them.

It doesn't get any more vintage than the Fairy Queen that runs from Delhi to Alwar, India. That's because this steam train is the oldest working steam locomotive on the planet, dating back to 1855. A Guinness World Record holder, it ran till 1908 before being restored as a tourist attraction. Now, train enthusiasts can ride it on the second and fourth Saturdays of the month from October through March, as the high temperatures of the summertime in India make it too hot for the train to run. If you book one of the 60 seats on this high-end train, you'll enjoy colossal views of the Indian countryside and food and drink from the pantry car. For a round trip, it costs ₹6,804 per adult and ₹3,402 rupees per child, which amounts to about $81 and $40, respectively.

Long before it was a vintage train, the Fairy Queen was an East Indian Railway train that ran on the Howrah-Raniganj and Bihar lines after being built in Leeds, England. It was used to transport mail and construction materials before it was retired and displayed. But after it was declared a national treasure by the Indian government, the Fairy Queen was restored and put back to work for visitors. Passengers can also accentuate their ride by stopping at the Rewari Railway Heritage Museum, which is home to the 10 oldest steam trains on the planet.

The Ghan, which is derived from its former name, The Afghan Express, got its start in 1929. But age has nothing on its luxurious train. Passengers can travel from Darwin to Adelaide to Alice Springs, Australia, in style, as packages include two-course lunches, four-course dinners, champagne, turndown service, and more. Choose anything from the platinum to gold premium packages, the latter of which features a private ensuite, priority check-in, and more. But it'll cost you; prices start at $5,025 for these multiple-night journeys. If you plan to embark on this excursion on your own, here are some tips for a successful solo train trip. 

Despite its high-end status, the Ghan didn't get its start that way. When the steam train first began transporting passengers, flash flooding and extreme heat often got in the way of its journeys. It's said that one time, it was stuck in one place for two weeks, and the resourceful conductor resorted to killing wild goats to keep his patrons from going hungry. Later, it was used to transport World War II soldiers, as well as produce and mining materials. Today, passengers can travel nearly 1,864 miles along its tracks, seeing the epic views of the Australian outback on the journey. Here are even more surprisingly luxe train trips. 

Seeing the glory of the Grand Canyon is a quintessential American adventure, but what if you got to it Western-style via train? That's what the Grand Canyon Railway offers patrons — from Williams, Arizona, to the canyon. It also presents unobstructed, beautiful views of the outdoors and entertainment from musicians and cowboy characters, making for an ideal family activity. Choose from the classic, 1923-style Pullman cars for $70 per adult and $36 per child, all the way up to the adults-only luxury parlor with its own private bar and rear platform with a one-of-a-kind view for $240 per person. It takes the train about two hours to reach the Grand Canyon, and then, passengers have three hours to explore it before heading back. Here are some more popular national parks you can head to on a scenic train. 

The Grand Canyon Railway has been a passenger train since 1901, and many important American figures, such as Theodore Roosevelt, William Taft, Franklin Roosevelt, and Dwight Eisenhower used it to see the wonder of the Grand Canyon. The train was later employed to transport construction materials and lumber for Grand Canyon Village. But about 70 years later, cars nearly put an end to the Grand Canyon Railway. In 1989, two entrepreneurs joined forces to restore the train.

Nearly three centuries ago — making it the oldest working railway in the world — the Middletown Railway was established as a way to bring coal from the Middleton Colliery to Leeds, England. Today, visitors can experience it for just a few dollars, as it only costs £8 (about $10.51) per adult or £4 ($5.25) per child to ride the railway, which is 1 mile long, making the journey about 25 minutes. But this isn't the only train ride priced incredibly affordably. The Amtrak California Rail Pass is shockingly cheap and may be the best way to view California's beauty. 

The railway began as a wagonway that hosted horses that pulled coal to Leeds, but by 1812, the railway was assisting steam trains to do the same job, making those trains the first in the world to be commercially available. However, the trains chugged along for the last time in 1835. But in 1960, they were back to the rails, moving metal and then people, thanks to a volunteer organization that got the trains functioning once more. Since then, the trains have been a staple of Leeds, and its operators now offer a visitor center with a small museum.

Steam engines are strong — just ask the Cog Railway. On this railway that dates back to 1869, steam trains hike to the top of the tallest mountain in the Northeast in a three-hour roundtrip journey to Mount Washington. At nearly 6,300 feet up in the air — and after venturing through three different climate zones — visitors can see amazing views, the Mount Washington Summit sign, and a former hotel (believed to be the oldest mountain hotel in the world) that's now a museum. But bring your jacket, as the top of the mountain is known for having the worst weather on the planet. Looking for more killer views? Check out the most scenic train rides in the U.S. 

The Mount Washington Cog Railway was created by then-retired businessman Sylvester Marsh, who was a New Hampshire native, after he one day decided to hike to the top of Mount Washington. But after a storm nearly claimed his life, Marsh decided to create a railway that would make it easier for people to get to the top of the mountain safely. Although the mountain has an average steep grade of 25%, which even hits 38% in some areas, Marsh used innovative technologies to bring his dream to life. Today, visitors can ride the Ammonoosuc, built in 1875, or the Waumbek, built in 1908, to reach the top of the mountain just as Marsh always hoped that they would.

From the beginning, the Orient Express was known as a luxurious train that, in 1883, took passengers throughout Europe, including from Paris to Istanbul. It also unlocked a new level of fame from Agatha Christie, who published her novel "Murder on the Orient Express" in 1934. More than a century later, the Orient Express is still bringing the high life to train travel. Today's Orient Express was created with inspiration from 1920s train travel combined with luxurious details like room service, fine furnishings, onboard Italian restaurants, and more. The company operates two trains, La Dolce Vita Orient Express, which travels through Italy on eight different itineraries, and the Orient Express, which utilizes 17 original Orient Express cars that were used in the 1920s and 1930s.

Prices to ride the Orient Express or La Dolce Vita Orient Express vary depending on which route and cabin you choose, but they generally cost €3,530 for a twin cabin to travel from Albertville to Paris to €22,360 for a grand suite to travel from Paris to Budapest. These are some of the most upscale trains in the world, with some rooms having their own unique, ornate décor as well as personal butlers who convert the rooms each day from bedrooms to lounges. But try not to stay holed up in your room, as the trains also offer bar cars with vaulted ceilings and dining cars featuring seasonal menus and curated wine lists.