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The Wild West Meets ‘Game of Thrones’ on This New Mexico Railway

Travel
Trains

Dragons and wolves ride the rails through the desert to Santa Fe.

By Cheryl Maguire

Published on 12/8/2022 at 12:37 PM

Sky Railway’s dragon train by night | Sky Railway

Darley Newman, host, creator, and producer of the PBS show Travels with Darley, was waiting for the train. She stood in the depot in Lamy, New Mexico, wearing cowboy boots and jeans, ready for the Wild West adventure she planned to film for her show. As her ride pulled in, she admired its vintage cars, which were covered with splashes of draconic graffiti. “The train looked like a dragon rolling through the countryside. I really hadn’t seen a train quite like that before,” she says. The paint job might seem out of place for a historic railroad, but one key detail explains it: George R.R. Martin co-owns the train.

In 2020, the 141-year-old train then known as the Santa Fe Southern Railway was on the brink of extinction and looking for a savior. The railroad had first been built in 1880, and in the years since, it had carried presidents, Manhattan Project scientists, and other notable individuals, connecting Santa Fe, New Mexico with the rest of the country. But by the time the railway’s owners asked Bill Banowsky, founder of Magnolia Pictures and Violet Crown Cinemas, if he was interested in purchasing the train, the line had ceased regular operations and was facing an uncertain future.

The railway was once an important connection between Santa Fe and the rest of the country. | Sky Railway

Banowsky was initially hesitant to take on the project, but that changed when he spoke to his friend and Game of Thrones creator Martin. “George got super excited about owning a railroad and said, ‘that would be such a fun thing to do,’” he recounts. “So we decided that day that we would investigate the possibility of acquiring the railroad.” When they finally purchased it, they did so alongside bestselling mystery author Douglas Preston and five other Santa Fe investors.

Thrillist TV

Vines and views in the historic Verde Valley.

Sky Railway’s route comes with views of the Galisteo Basin | Sky Railway

As part of the railroad’s revival, Martin used his creative talents to design an original immersive experience for passengers. It wasn’t the first time the novelist had branched out into crafting IRL adventures—he is, after all, co-creator of Meow Wolf—and his vision for the revamped train, now dubbed Sky Railway, combined history and fantasy into something totally unique. He enlisted local graffiti artist Jorael Numina to paint one train like a wolf and the other as a dragon, giving passengers like Newman that intriguing first glimpse of the train as it approached the station. “He wanted the wolf to ‘howl’ and the dragon to ‘roar,’” says Banowsky.

Graffiti artist Jorael Numina painted the trains with images of a wolf and a dragon. | Sky Railway

According to Newman, the theme continues on the interior of the train cars. Once on board, she noticed plenty of historic details, along with some updated Game of Thrones-themed ones. “My armrest was a wooden dragon,” she says. “It’s important to keep those historical touches so it’s old, but they then updated it in a way that is still tasteful to the past. So that was cool.”

Each train car also has a local musician playing tunes and a bartender serving drinks.“We have curated a great group of local artists who we’ve kept busy on these trains,” says Banowsky. “It’s like going out to a little pub and listening to music and you get to watch the scenery pass by.”

“We have curated a great group of local artists who we’ve kept busy on these trains,” says Banowsky. | Sky Railway

Speaking of the scenery, “This is a train line that doesn’t go super-fast and you get to see this really Southwestern type of high desert environment,” Newman says. “You’re passing through communities and then you’re literally just in nature and seeing the mountains rising in the distance.”

Santa visits, holiday lights, and… cocktails?

You can watch nature and distant mountains go by through the windows. | Sky Railway

The experience goes far beyond drinks, music, and views for those who want a more engaging adventure, though it’s possible to book a peaceful scenic ride. As part of his creative role, Martin has designed a series of adventures for passengers. These are sometimes seasonal, like the current Pablo’s Holiday Train, which features a recounting of how Santa helped Pablo the Dragon save Christmas and the requisite mugs of hot chocolate, as well as a recent sold-out Halloween experience. “We had actors that appeared to be buried in the ground,” describes Banowsky. “George owns a lot of movie sets, so we took one of his graveyard sets, and we put it out there in the middle of nowhere. We stopped the train and these actors came out of the grave in various scenes.”

Adventures like the recent Wild West experience keep passengers on their toes. | Sky Railway

Other adventures aren’t seasonal at all. Banowsky relates the theatrics of a Wild West experience previously offered by Sky Railway, explaining, “The train stops and then someone gets on the train and says, ‘Oh my gosh it’s bandits, everybody hit the deck,’ and then horses ride up and the train stops.” The train’s current and upcoming offerings include Jazz Under the Stars, Murder on the Lamy Line, the Stargazer Train, themed ‘60s and ‘80s trains, and more, all of which leave from either Santa Fe or Lamy. Newman chose the Lore of the Lands from Lamy adventure, during which a docent shared the history of the train and surrounding landscape.

On Sky Railway, she explains, “you get the history and knowledge, but you do it in a different way. This is an example of how the travel industry has evolved over the years and how people are offering really unique things out there.”

Grab a bite or drink at Legal Tender Saloon—just don’t expect George R.R. Martin to show up. | Travels with Darley

If you’re wondering what to do after a ride on the train, you could take a page out of Newman’s book and hit up the Legal Tender Saloon, whose structure was originally built in 1880—the same year as the original train line. She describes it as a typical Old West saloon, with different rooms, decorations, and memorabilia. In Newman’s case, she was there to interview Martin about the train for her show—“He’s into preserving history from what he relayed… he thinks it is an important thing to do,” she says—but you can simply take a seat, grab a drink, and reflect on the day’s adventure.

Hours after deadly train crash, Greece agonises over what went wrong

[1/7] Rescuers operate at the site of a crash, where two trains collided, near the city of Larissa, Greece, March 1, 2023. REUTERS/Alexandros Avramidis

ATHENS, March 1 (Reuters) – Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis called it an unspeakable tragedy but questions are being asked whether the fatal collision of passenger and freight trains on Tuesday night could have been prevented.

Nearly 24 hours after the two trains collided in central Greece, killing at least 36 people and injuring dozens, survivors and relatives of victims were still in the dark on who was responsible for Greece’s deadliest train crash in living memory.

Carriages travelling in opposite directions on the same track smashed into one another some 220 miles north of the capital Athens, at speeds some media reports put at up to 160 km (100 miles) an hour, reducing the passenger train into a mangled mass of steel.

There have been widespread media reports electronic signal software was not working, meaning signalling was done manually. Labour unions complain of chronic staff shortages.

OSE, the country’s state-owned operator for rail infrastructure, did not respond to calls requesting comment nor did it issue a statement. The transport minister, who earlier Wednesday burst into tears while visiting the disaster site, tendered his resignation.

Within hours, Greek police had arrested the station master at a provincial train station, accusing him of death through negligence. The 59-year-old denied the charges, attributing the accident to possible technical failure.

Parts of Greece’s rail services were privatised in 2017 under a multi-billion euro bailout package from the European Union and the International Monetary Fund. Hellenic Train, a unit of Italy’s Ferrovie dello Stato which acquired passenger and freight operations, said it was working with authorities on the investigation.

Labour unions said the collision had highlighted some chronic deficiencies: lack of staff and resources, broken lights and a patchwork of modern and outdated facilities.

“It’s still very early but more than two factors are needed for an accident like this to happen,” said Nikos Tsikalakis, head of the workers union’ at the Greek railway infrastructure operator OSE, in apparent reference to human error and a technical fault.

Tsikalakis said that about 750 workers were currently employed, down from at least 2,100 people that were initially expected to be employed for the railway system to operate effectively, according to a state-approved game plan.

Another unionist, Yiannis Ditsas, said only part of the signalling system from Athens to Thessaloniki was complete, with the rest handled manually.

“We had reported it, have done for at least the past 25 years,” Ditsas told state TV.

In announcing his resignation, Transport Minister Kostas Karamanlis said he had taken over infrastructure “not fit for the 21st century” when he was appointed in 2019, and then said he would strive to improve it.

“These efforts were not enough,” he said.

Writing by Michele Kambas; Editing by Nick Macfie

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Trains and planes: passenger rights you don’t know about

Photo tkgorod.ru

Almost everyone rides trains or planes, but few are aware of all their rights, which are written in numerous rules in small print. But they can help save on services and make travel more comfortable. We tell you who can place suitcases under the bottom shelf of the compartment, whether it is possible to charge the phone on the train, whether the toilets at the station are paid and what minimum non-obvious services a client of Russian Railways can expect. In addition, you will find out if air passengers can carry more luggage for free and when is the best time to return tickets for the intercity bus.

Trains

Changes

On a long-distance train, you can make a stopover for up to 10 days, and extend the ticket other needs not related to the implementation of entrepreneurial activity).

You can leave earlier than the time indicated on the ticket (if there are free seats) – p. “h” art. 13 Rules.

If you could not be given exactly the seat indicated on the ticket, you may be offered another one, including a higher or lower class (without surcharge or with a refund of the difference, respectively). If these options do not suit you, you can leave by another train or return the ticket, having received the full price for it (clause 31 of the Rules).

Being late

Missing a train is not as bad as missing a plane. Within 12 hours, you can return the ticket or rebook the trip for another time. In the first case, the money will be returned minus the cost of the reserved seat, in the second, the reserved seat will have to be paid extra (this is the “service” part of the ticket, which may be a larger or smaller part of it). The same rule applies to illnesses and accidents, but here, in order to return or exchange a ticket, 5 days are given (clause “e” of article 13 of the Rules).

Before trip

Before and after the departure of the train, passengers have the right to use the infrastructure of the station. These are not only waiting rooms, but also toilets, where they should be allowed free of charge upon presentation of a travel ticket (clause 39 of the Rules for the provision of services for the carriage of passengers on railway transport, as well as cargo, luggage and cargo luggage for personal, family, home and other needs, non-business activities). For how long depends on “local conditions and the technology of the station.” The same rule, by the way, applies to bus stations.

Employees of the carrier and the owner of the infrastructure are required to help disabled passengers move around the station, check in or receive luggage, get on or off the carriage, including into a high carriage from a low platform. According to the Passenger Service Standard STO RZD 1.04.001-2007 (valid by Russian Railways), elderly people and those traveling with children can count on assistance with boarding. And “at the request of the passenger and if possible”, the conductor helps to load things into the vestibule (clause 5.3 of the Standard).

It happens that neighbors in a compartment argue over who and where will place their belongings. In this case, the Rules for the Transportation of Passengers, Luggage, Cargo Luggage by Rail establish priority: the lower compartment is used primarily by the passenger traveling on the lower shelf. And the one who rides on the top can take the top (“third”) luggage rack (p. 112).

Traveling

On the train, a passenger can charge a mobile phone without additional payments (clause 6.1.7 of the Standard), get brushes for clothes and shoes, board games (checkers, chess, dominoes), printed publications (and they, if available, are already on a paid basis) . You can ask the conductor to wake you up at the appointed time. The conductor reports about the arrival at the destination station in an hour, and he can be asked to warn at another time or again (clause 7 of the Standard).

The conductor can be contacted with non-standard requests. If you are ready to pay for them, and the conductor has the opportunity to help you, he will meet halfway (clause 8.1 of the Standard). For example, he can be asked to put medicines in the refrigerator or heat food in the microwave (the conductor’s compartments must be equipped with a microwave oven and a refrigerator).

Often the guides ask you to drop off your bed linen at the end of the journey, but in fact it is the responsibility of the staff to collect it. In addition, with the consent of the passenger, they cover it and change it for a fresh one for a fee (6.2.1 of the Standard).

Aircraft

Being late

Missing a flight in most cases threatens to lose money, because most of the economy class tickets are non-refundable. But in some cases, you can return the ticket without surcharges or get a new one. For example, if the flight was delayed or not performed according to schedule (clause 41 of the General Rules for the Air Transportation of Passengers, Baggage, Cargo and Requirements for Passenger Service, Consignors, Consignees). As for being late for a connecting flight due to the fault of the airline, it all depends on whether there is a single ticket and the carrier company. If there is only one ticket and the company is one, it must choose another option for the passenger, says Managing Partner of the Starinsky, Korchago and Partners Bar Association Vladimir Starinsky . If the ticket is the same, but the companies are different, it means that there is an agreement between them, which says who is responsible for finding the flight, the lawyer says. And finally, the passenger who bought tickets from different carriers is responsible for his own delay. However, according to Starinsky, in this case, the airlines can meet halfway and provide seats on another flight.

Another less obvious reason to get everything paid for the ticket is a late boarding due to airport services, which unreasonably delayed the inspection of the passenger and his luggage.

If the delay is due to the fault of the airline, art. The 99 General Rules for Air Transport provide for a number of responsibilities. From the very beginning, she must provide mother and child rooms to a passenger with a child under 7 years old, as well as organize luggage storage. Those who wait more than two hours for a flight are entitled to refreshments, as well as two phone calls or two emails. After four hours, the company feeds hot meals and then every six hours during the day or eight at night. Free accommodation in a hotel (and, if necessary, transfer there and back) can be claimed by those passengers who are waiting for a flight for more than eight hours during the day or six hours at night.

Luggage

Usually, unless otherwise established by the carrier, it is allowed to carry on the plane at least 10 kg of baggage per passenger, in accordance with Art. 122 general rules of air transport. For baggage in excess of the established norm, airlines usually charge extra money. You can pay for it not only at the airport, but also in advance, on the website. The latter option is not only easier, but sometimes cheaper. But if plans have changed, and there is no need to carry bulky luggage, the money must be returned (clause 125).

It is known that free baggage allowances are summed up if a family is traveling on the same flight. But not everyone knows that the same rule applies simply to companies that travel together on a trip or business trip (Article 127). In this case, baggage is issued for each individually.

In excess of the established allowance, you can carry a handbag or a briefcase, a folder for papers, an umbrella, a cane, a bouquet of flowers, outerwear, printed materials for reading in flight, baby food for a child in flight and a cradle for him, telephone, camera, video camera , a laptop computer, a suit in a suitcase, as well as crutches and a collapsible stroller that allow them to be placed in the cabin (Article 135 of the General Rules for Air Transportation). These items are not weighed and carried with you (in the cabin).

If baggage is lost and then found, the carrier must notify the passenger and deliver it free of charge to the address indicated by the passenger.

Intercity buses and taxis

Delays and changes

If you managed to return the intercity bus ticket at least two hours before departure, you will receive 95% of the cost, and if later, but the bus has not left yet, – 85%. If a passenger is late for the bus, within three hours after departure (or within three days due to illness, accident) he can return 75% of the price or issue a new ticket for another time with a surcharge of 15% (paragraph 1 of article 23 Charter of road transport and urban ground electric transport).

You can return the ticket to the ticket office and get the full fare in cases where the bus is delayed for more than an hour or the passenger was not provided with the seat indicated on the ticket, and he does not agree to a replacement.

Taxi

For those who use a taxi, it is useful to know that the driver not only can, but is obliged to choose the shortest route, unless, of course, there are instructions from the passenger in this regard (clause 109 of the Rules for the Transportation of Passengers and Luggage by Motor Transport and Urban Surface Electric Transport).

What to do if they refuse

Sometimes knowing one’s rights is not enough, one must be able to defend them. If a passenger is denied a legal right, Starinsky advises immediately writing a claim, in which you indicate the response time, after which you will be forced to go to court, and the carrier will face even greater costs. “Now the attitude towards them has changed, carriers are trying not to bring conflicts to court,” the lawyer notes. According to him, ordinary employees cannot always know all the rights of passengers. “But the management of the company, having received a justified complaint, will most likely satisfy your requirements,” Starinsky concludes.

Passenger rights, Air travel, Consumer rights, Airlines, Courts and judges
RZD

How to travel around the world by train: a list of railway carriers

Sites where you can plan your trip and buy tickets:
Europe: Raileurope, Railpass, Eurail, Loco2
Worldwide (different modes of transport): Rome2Rio

Sites railways in Europe:

CIS countries:

Russia – rzd. ru. You can buy tickets online.

Ukraine – uz.gov.ua. On the site you can study the schedule, reserve and buy a ticket. Many destinations already have electronic tickets that do not need to be changed at the box office. Sale of tickets for 45 days.

Belarus – rw.by. Now there you can not only see the schedule, but also buy an electronic ticket. True, in most cases, it will have to be additionally changed at the ticket office of the station.

Estonia – elron.ee – website of Estonian railways. You can get to Estonia from Moscow by train for 1,900 rubles using this method.

Latvia – ldz.lv/ru – Latvian railway website.

Lithuania – litrail.lt – website of Lithuanian railways. You can get to Vilnius from Moscow by train for 1,600 rubles using this life hack.

Azerbaijan – addy.gov.az, Georgia – railway.ge, Armenia – ukzhd. am

Inside the Transcaucasian countries, the most convenient mode of transport is a car. Trains are convenient for moving between countries. Comfortable night trains Baku-Tbilisi, Yerevan-Tbilisi run. There is no communication between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
In Georgia there are comfortable trains from Tbilisi to Batumi and Kutaisi.

Kazakhstan – railways.kz – website of Kazakhstan railways. There is a Russian version. Trains to Kazakhstan from Russia can be bought on the Russian Railways website.

Uzbekistan – railway.uz – website of Uzbek railways.

Kyrgyzstan – kjd.kg – website of Kyrgyz railways.

Tajikistan – mintrans.tj – Tajik railway website.

Turkmenistan – railway.gov.tm – website of Turkmen railways.

Bulgaria – bdz.bg – website of Bulgarian railways.

United Kingdom – nationalrail. co.uk – British railway website. At any branch of British Rail, you can purchase a single ticket (Brit-Rail Pass), which gives you the right to travel from 4 to 30 days on all routes. You can also buy a Flexipass ticket, which gives you the right to travel for 4, 8 or 15 days within a month.

Hungary – elvira.hu – Hungarian railway website.

Germany – bahn.de – German railway website. You can buy a ticket online. Railway map at the link.

Denmark – dsb.dk – Danish railway website.

Spain – renfe.es – Spanish railway website.

Italy – trenitalia.com – Italian railway website. Gives a detailed timetable for rail links between cities, along with ticket prices and possible fares.

italotreno.it is a private carrier with high-speed trains. Tickets are often cheaper than on trenitalia.com.

Ticket prices are dynamic and should be purchased as early as possible.

Route map italotreno

Macedonia – mzi.mk – website of Macedonian railways.

Norway – nsb.no – Norwegian railway website.

Netherlands – ns.nl – Dutch railway website.
By train in Holland: instructions.

Poland – rozklad-pkp.pl – website of Polish railways. You can view the timetable, as well as buy tickets online for TLK trains.

Portugal – cp.pt – website of Portuguese railways. We recommend traveling from Lisbon to Porto and vice versa by train.

Romania – cfrcalatori.ro – website of Romanian railways.

Serbia – serbianrailways.com – website of Serbian railways.

Slovakia – slovakrail.sk – Slovak railway website. You can buy e-tickets.

T Turkey – tcdd.gov.tr – Turkish railway website. You can book and buy online. It is worth noting that buses are much more popular in Turkey.

Finland – vr.fi – Finnish railway website. On the website rzd.ru you can buy a ticket for the Allegro train connecting St. Petersburg and Helsinki.

France – tgv.com – French railways, voyages-sncf.com – another French site where you can buy train, bus, plane tickets, find accommodation.

France-Belgium-Netherlands-Germany – thalys.com – on this site you can view the timetable and buy tickets for trains that run between these countries.

Paris – Venice – thello.com – a site where you can buy a ticket for the Paris-Venice train.

Czech Republic – cd.cz – website of Czech railways.

Sweden – sj.se – Swedish railway website.

Asian railway sites:

India – irctc.co.in – information about rail traffic in India. You can also book railway tickets in India here — makemytrip. com/railways.

Nepal. There are no trains in Nepal. There is only one line of 59 km connecting Janakpur and Jainagar in India. But, apparently, the line was closed in 2015.

Sri Lanka – railway.gov.lk – site of Sri Lankan railways.

China. CTrip.com is the largest travel agency in China, which will help you with booking railways, air tickets, hotels in China. china-railway.com.cn/en is the English version of the Chinese railway website.
An article about the return and exchange of tickets in China.

Taiwan – railway.gov.tw – Thai railway website.

Japan. If you travel to Japan, you will need to buy a Japan Rail Pass. This is a Japanese Railway Pass that will save you hundreds of dollars. You can only buy it outside of Japan. Read more here.

Israel – rail.co.il – Israel Railways website.

Syria – used to be a great travel country with good rail links. Now there is a civil war 🙁

South Korea – korail.go.kr – Korean railway website.

North Korea – you can get into the DPRK only as part of an organized group. And everything will be explained to you there.

Trains to North Korea run from Russia and China. Coming to South Korea by train from Beijing is a good way. You can look out the window at a part of the country that you can’t see otherwise.

Thailand – railway.co.th – Thai railway website. Thailand has one of the best rail systems in Asia. Tickets can be bought online from agents like 12Go.

Iran – raja.ir – Iranian railway website.

Pakistan – railpk.com – Pakistan Railways website.

Bangladesh – railway.gov.bd – Bangladeshi railway website. There is a service for buying online, but it only works with Bangladeshi cards. More information here.

Vietnam – dsvn. vn – Vietnamese railway website. You can buy tickets online, but most likely your card will not work 🙁

Cambodia – royal-railway.com – passenger services began in 2016 and operate only between Phnom Penh and Sihnukville.

Myanmar (Burma) – no office. website, agency websites – yangonow.com and myanmarmtetours.com. The train schedule is available on the website of the Ministry of Transport. Tickets can only be bought in cash in the country.

Laos . Vientiane, the capital of Laos, is connected by railways to Bangkok and Hanoi. Learn more about how to buy tickets and train schedules at seat61.

Malaysia (ktmb.com.my) and Singapore (smrt.com.sg) – trains conveniently connect the cities of Malaysia (Johor Bahru, Kuala Lumpur, Penang), Southern Thailand and Bangkok and Singapore. More information on the seat61 website.

Southeast Asia train map. Source: seat61. com

Indonesia – kereta-api.co.id – website of Indonesian railways. pelni.co.id is the ferry operator. It is possible to buy tickets online, but the site only accepts Indonesian cards. Alternative – tiket.com

Indonesia Railway Map

Philippines – pnr.gov.ph – Philippine Railways stopped operating in 2012. It seems that the authorities promised to restore transportation by 2020. Updated information can be found here.

Australia
In Australia the rail service is poorly developed. It is well developed only in the agglomeration area:
greatsouthernrail.com.au – connects Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane.
transwa.wa.gov.au – Western Australia.
queenslandrail.com.au – Queensland
vline.com.au – Victoria
nswtrainlink.info – South Wales

Australia train map

New Zealand – long distance trains – kiwirailscen ic.co.nz; ferries – interislandline. co.nz; Auckland commuter trains – maxx.co.nz; Wellington commuter trains – tranzmetro.co.nz

New Zealand train map

American rail websites:
USA – Amtrak.com – rail in the US is not the most popular mode of transport, but in the Northwest of the country it is a fairly relevant way to travel between cities .

Canada – viarail.ca – website of Canadian railways.

Mexico. After the privatization of the national railways in the late 1990s, passenger service stopped due to unprofitability. Commuter trains currently operate in the greater Mexico City area and on the Chihuahua-Los-Mochis line in the northwest of the country, there are special tourist express trains.

Cuba – Cuban railways do not have office. site. There have been problems with rail connections in recent years, but as of June 2016 there are trains from Havana to Santiago and Matanzas. Tickets must be bought at the stations. Not earlier than 5 days before the departure of the train and only from the station from which you are leaving. Foreigners pay more for tickets than Cubans. A trip from Havana to Santiago will cost about $30. For up-to-date information, see seat61.

In South America, the predominant mode of transport is the bus. Trains are rather underdeveloped.

Brazil. Passenger: vale.com, serraverdeexpress.
In addition, tourist sightseeing trips on steam locomotives of the early 20th century are developed – abottc.com.br

Argentina – sofse.gob.ar – Argentina once had one of the world’s largest railway systems. In 1993 the system was privatized and has been in decline for 20 years. Since 2012, the railway has been nationalized again.

Now the railway connects Buenos Aires with Rosario, Cordoba and other cities. The schedule can be viewed here.

Chile – efe.cl

Colombia – there is only a tourist train. From Bogotá to Zipaquira (turistren.com.co).

Ecuador – in recent years, the authorities have taken up the restoration of railway communication. trenecuador.com – Ecuadorian railway website.

Peru – perurail.com – Peruvian railway website.

Rail South America is a tour operator that organizes tours in South America by train: Machu Picchu and Titicaca, Colombia and Ecuador, from Buenos Aires to Lima.

Africa railway sites:
South Africa – shosholozameyl.co.za – South African railway website.

Namibia – transnamib.com.na – Namibian railway website.

Map of railway directions of South Africa and Namibia

Ethiopia and Djibouti – erc.gov.et – website of Ethiopian railways. The train linking Addis Ababa and Dire Dawa is no longer running. But there is still a train from Dire Dawa to Djibouti. More information at seat61.

Kenya – krc.co.ke – Kenyan railway website.

Tanzania – trl.co.tz (operates suburban lines of Dar es Salaam and several other local lines) and tazarasite.com (serves a line from the port of Dar es Salaam to Karipi Mposhi, Zambia).

Mozambique – turismomocambique.co.mz – from Mozambique you can take a train to South Africa. More information here.

Tanzania and Zambia – tazarasite.com – website of the railway carrier in Tanzania and Zambia. More information here.

Zimbabwe – nrz.co.zw – website of Zimbabwean railways. The most interesting train runs from Bulawayo to Victoria Falls. More about it here.

Botswana – botrail.bw – Botswana railway website. Passenger traffic resumed only in March 2016. Flights are available from Francistown to Gaborone. More information here.

Cameroon – camrail.net – Cameroon railway website. The train is a convenient way to travel in Cameroon given the quality of the roads. More information here.

Gabon – no office. site. – there is a train connecting Libreville and Franceville. Schedule and prices for seat61.

Mali and Senegal – there was a train between the capitals of the two countries – Bamako and Dakar. Now he does not run, there is news that in 2016 or 2017 the train will start running. Updated information can be found here.

Egypt – enr.gov.eg – Egyptian railway website. You can buy tickets online. Instructions in English are on seat61.

Morocco – oncf.ma – website of Moroccan railways. The site only accepts Moroccan cards. You can buy a ticket at the station a day or two before the trip. Second class tickets have no seat and cannot be redeemed. You can just “jump” into the car and go. The longest route is Tangier-Marrakech. It’s 9-10 hours on the train.

Morocco railway lines.

Tunisia – sncft.com.tn – site of Tunisian railways. The train is a great way to get around the country.

Sudan – sudanrailways.gov.sd – A weekly train links Aswan in Egypt and Wadi Halfa in Sudan. A weekly train connects Wadi Halfa with the capital, Khartoum.

We recommend the useful site seat61.com (in English), which contains a lot of information about railways around the world. All the cards here were taken from there.

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