Ten Scenic Journeys: Railways, Coastal Roads and a Woodland Walk

A good journey can be the main event: a red train crossing a viaduct, a road curving between sea-washed islands or a railway disappearing into green hills. You do not always need another attraction waiting at the other end.

These ten journeys include railways, coastal roads and places best experienced on foot. The first three receive closer planning notes; the complete collection follows below. Choose whether you want a continuous ride, a day with several stops or time to explore the destination at the end. That decision helps turn a famous route name into the right ticket or driving plan, with enough room to enjoy the scenery.

Rhaetian Railway: an Alpine journey with different options

The Rhaetian Railway’s Albula and Bernina lines connect remarkable mountain scenery with ambitious railway engineering. The selected photographs show the Landwasser Viaduct and the curved Brusio spiral viaduct in different seasons.

The railway’s official website distinguishes its panoramic experiences from other services. Decide which section you want to travel, then check the exact train, departure station and reservation arrangements.

A Bernina-line journey towards Tirano crosses from Switzerland into Italy. Allow for the onward journey and the travel documents relevant to you, rather than assuming a return connection will fit automatically.

For photography, reduce reflections by keeping bright clothing and screens away from the window. Take a few pictures, then give yourself a stretch of the ride simply to look outside.

Atlantic Road, Norway: plan the pauses

The famous bridges form part of the wider Scenic Route Atlanterhavsvegen, which runs for 36 kilometres between Kårvåg and Bud. That is longer than the short bridge section often shown in photographs.

Use the route’s designated rest areas and viewpoints to enjoy the coast. Planning those stops lets the driver see the setting too, without trying to appreciate every angle while watching the road.

The official route guidance draws attention to strong winds and traffic for cyclists. Check road and weather conditions close to your journey; storm waves reaching the road are a reason to reconsider plans, not an attraction to pursue.

Our Norwegian fjord ideas can help you decide how this coastal drive fits into a wider regional trip without rushing across the country.

Serra Verde Express, Brazil: understand the full outing

Serra Verde Express sells train journeys between Curitiba and Morretes in Paraná, along with packages combining rail travel and road transfers.

Read the product carefully. A train ticket in one direction and a complete excursion with a return van are different purchases. Confirm the carriage category, boarding location, meals and return arrangements before comparing prices.

Leave time in Morretes if the itinerary allows. A meal or an unhurried walk gives the destination its own place in the day, instead of treating it only as the point where the train stops.

Match the journey to your preferred pace

For trains, choose between a continuous scenic ride and a route with useful stops. For driving, estimate the day using breaks as well as distance. A short scenic road can happily occupy longer than its mileage suggests.

Northern Ireland’s Dark Hedges is described by the tourism authority as a pedestrian visit, rather than a drive beneath the trees.

Our road-trip planning guide helps with the practical side. Give the journey enough space, and the view through the window becomes a part of the holiday you can actually remember.

1. Rhaetian Railway, Switzerland

The Albula and Bernina landscapes combine bridges, tunnels and changing mountain elevations. The gallery includes several views of the trains within these changing landscapes. A route choice should distinguish the actual line and service, with the panorama journey explained above.

2. Atlantic Road, Norway

The bridge section makes the road appear to leap between low islands. Look beyond its curve to the spaces of water and rock around it: they explain why a sequence of crossings was needed here. A passenger's changing angle and a view from a designated stopping place can tell different parts of the engineering story. Wave-filled photographs record particular weather conditions; choose a crossing for suitable conditions and an enjoyable journey rather than a chance to imitate a storm image.

3. The Jacobite, Scottish Highlands

The Jacobite's Fort William–Mallaig journey is associated with Highland scenery and the Glenfinnan Viaduct. Distinguish this steam excursion from the regular passenger services using the line, then check the operator's timetable for the date you want. Leave time at the starting station and understand what the booking allows at the other end. If Mallaig is also part of an onward itinerary, check that connection separately rather than assuming a scenic excursion and a scheduled transport service work identically.

4. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago

Chicago’s lakefront route places the city skyline beside Lake Michigan. That juxtaposition is its central scenic feature: urban buildings and a broad water horizon share the same journey. Passengers can enjoy the changing view while the driver concentrates on an active city road; a separate stop is needed for relaxed photography.

5. Seven Mile Bridge, Florida

The Florida Keys crossing connects low islands across open water, with long lines and a relatively uncluttered horizon giving the photographs their character. The bridge is a transport link rather than an unrestricted place to stop. Check current event notices and road closures for the date of your journey.

6. Serra Verde Express, Paraná

The Curitiba–Morretes railway passes through a mountain and forest setting, a striking contrast with the open sea bridges elsewhere in the collection. Compare the train leg with any road transfer included in an excursion, and check where the day begins and finishes. Time in Morretes can give the destination its own interest through a meal or a walk. The useful booking detail is the actual product and timetable offered, rather than a journey duration copied from an older description.

7. Bixby Bridge, Big Sur

The arch and the coastal terrain make Bixby Bridge both an engineering subject and part of a larger landscape. A view from an authorised stopping place shows its form more clearly than a hurried photograph while crossing. It forms part of the coastal route south of Carmel; check road access for the date of your journey.

8. Maeklong Railway Market, Thailand

The market photographs show the close relationship between a working railway and surrounding stalls. That setting requires attention to staff, barriers and train movement. A widely repeated count of daily passages is not a reliable current schedule, and the tracks should never be used as a place to wait for a dramatic photograph.

9. The Dark Hedges, Northern Ireland

The avenue along Bregagh Road was associated with the approach to Gracehill House. Its interlacing branches create the tunnel-like view. This entry is now a woodland walk within the collection rather than advice to drive beneath the trees, as the pedestrian-access distinction above explains.

10. Sylvenstein Bridge, Bavaria

The bridge crosses the lake setting in the Isar valley, with mountain slopes framing the water. The photographs show how the road belongs within that larger view. Enjoy it from an appropriate stopping place and distinguish looking at the lake from choosing a separate, permitted walking or water activity.