Since their inception, railways have been about more than just transporting goods and people from one place to another. The puffing of the earliest steam locomotives captivated the cities and towns wherever it arrived and today the sheer power of freight trains, the elegance and streamlined sleekness of modern high speed rail or the modern marvels of engineering that are train stations, bridges, tunnels or marshaling yards are a sight to behold and a reason for tourism all in itself. You don't have be an enthusiast listing numbers and dates of train sightings in a book to appreciate the beauty and fascination that is rail travel and everything associated with it. Railroads themselves often were boosters of tourism. After a line had been built, its owners would extol the beauty of the places it served and the speed with which one could get there by rail to attract more riders and some railroad tourism advertisements have become iconic. These days, railroads continue to extol the natural beauty of the landscapes traversed or the cities served even if the speed is nothing to write home about or limit themselves to short snappy "A to B in x amount of time" advertisements when they know they are the fastest option there is.

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Map of Travel for rail enthusiasts

• Various ghost towns were founded to serve a rail line or died once the train no longer stopped. The rights-of-way of many former rail lines are now t'railways or rail trails suitable for hiking, cycling, horse riding or snowmobiling.
• Photography and train spotting
• Front view filming - customary for East Asian rail enthusiasts
• Ticket collection, especially true for Edmondson railway tickets, where some other heritage railways still use it. Some stations of Taiwan Railways also issue them for souvenir.
• Visiting ghost stations or hikyō stations (秘境駅) — see also Urbex
• 35.689475139.7003491 Shinjuku Station, Tokyo. Experience how millions of commuters every day are efficiently handled in the world's busiest transport hub. (updated Apr 2016)
• 41.6205-112.5472 Golden Spike National Historic Site, Promontory Summit, Corinne, Utah, USA, ☏ +1 435-471-2209. Steam train demonstration (seasonal, May 1 - Columbus Day). Re-enactment of the May 10, 1869 last spike driven to join the Union and Central Pacific railroads, uniting a nation by rail from coast to coast. US$7 (car and passengers) or $4/person. (updated Apr 2016)

Mountain railways

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Railroads through mountainous terrain are among the most impressive feats of engineering of mankind. Planners and builders were operating at the very edge of the technically possible of their era and sometimes pushing beyond that. Even if you don't care for the engineering, the views from viaducts or bridges alone can make the trip worthwhile all by themselves.

• 23.3036120.48158 Alishan Forest Railway (阿里山林業鐵路/阿里山森林鐵路/阿里山小火車), ☏ +886-05-277-9843, +886-05-2256918, +886-05-2768094, afrts@forest.gov.tw. Historically engineered for logging during Japanese colonial rule, the narrow-gauge railway runs from Chiayi to Alishan, passing through several switchbacks and spirals. (updated Apr 2020)
• 51.776104.189 Circum-Baikal Railway (Кругобайкальская железная дорога). A former section of the Trans-Siberian Railway between the village of Baikal and Slyudyanka, along the northwestern shore of Lake Baikal. This section was problematic to keep up with landslides and rockfalls, and so a new railway was built directly between Irkutsk and Slyudyanka. Today the Circum-Baikal is used for tourist traffic. (updated Apr 2020)
• 60.53448.205710 Bergen Line (Bergensbanen) (Oslo–Bergen). An early 20th-century engineering feat, the railway passes over Hardangervidda, with some stations not reachable by road. The railway arguably passes through some of the best scenery in Norway. A sidetrack of Bergensbanen popular with tourists is Flåmsbanen going from Myrdal to Flåm.  
• 26.404888.273611 Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (Toy train). A 610-mm narrow gauge that runs between New Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling, passing through several loops and switchbacks. The Railway has been listed as a world heritage site by UNESCO in 1999. (updated Apr 2020)
• Gotthard Railway. Now made partially redundant by the construction of the Gotthard Base Tunnel that is straighter and flatter, it is still a marvelous feat of human ingenuity that tamed one of Switzerland's most legendary mountain passes. There is a church along the route that the train passes three times each way that used to be taught about in curricula throughout the Swiss school system. (updated Sep 2017)
• 29.76390.77912 Qinghai–Tibet railway. Connecting Xining to Lhasa, this is the highest railway in the world, going above 5,000 m above sea level. Also refer to Overland to Tibet for more information. (updated Apr 2020)
• -13.524-71.97813 Railways of Peru. The railways from Cuzco to Machu Picchu Pueblo and Puno operated by Peru Rail and Inca Rail go through impressive mountain landscapes at high altitude. (updated Apr 2020)
• 47.64315.83114 Semmering railway (Semmeringbahn), Semmering. The first crossing of the Alps by railway and still an impressive feat of engineering, it has been inscribed on the world heritage list of UNESCO, the first railway to be so honored. While a base tunnel is under construction to relieve the line that is too steep and curvy for 21st-century traffic, it will remain open for tourism and local traffic. A particular view of this railway was even featured on Austrian currency prior to the introduction of the euro. (updated Jun 2016)
• 37.299134.92915 Taurus crossing. This is the most impressive section of the "Baghdad Railway", a project spearheaded by the German Empire to create an alternative route to its scattered colonies across friendly territory. The most arduous work to overcome the impenetrable Taurus Mountains had to be managed in the section between Pozantı and Karaisalı, which required the building of numerous tunnels and bridges in a hostile, rugged environment using the relatively primitive early 20th century technology. The line still remains mostly the same (except electrification) and in active use, with two daily passenger services each way. The area is rich in heritage remained from the construction of the line.  
• -24.204-66.41316 Tren a las Nubes (Salta). As the name tells, the "train to the clouds" it is a day trip by train up in the mountains to La Povorilla at 4,220 m (13,850 ft) over the sea level. Runs from April to November, two times a week with extra services during the high season. The trip takes a whole day. The experience is fantastic as the scenery is rugged and variable with a feast for the eyes at every turn. The engineering of the track was a masterpiece in its day and continues to impress decades later. (updated Apr 2020)
• Laos-China Railway (中老铁路). Completed in 2021, this railway, which stretches from Kunming in China's Yunnan province to the Lao capital Vientiane, is a major feat of engineering due to the mountainous terrain of Laos, with over half the length of the Lao section being comprised of tunnels and bridges. Moreover, as Laos was heavily bombed by the Americans in the Indochina Wars, bomb disposal squads had to be brought in to clear the path of large amounts of unexploded ordnance during the construction process. (updated Nov 2024)

• Various items of rail memorabilia (maps, timetables, porcelain china, postcards, books and magazines, lamps and lanterns) are sold at auction or by dealers in antiquities. A few specialised auctions and dealers trade just in "railwayana" or "railroadiana", artefacts of current or former railways worldwide.
• Model rail cars and track are commonly available in various standard sizes; these vary from simple toys to meticulous scale reproductions of current or historic engines, cars and infrastructure.
• Heritage and tourist railways often operate a souvenir shop. While many of the items will merely be the rail line's logo printed onto everything from toys to mugs to "train driver's hats", T-shirts and apparel, there may be books of rail history or rail photography, postcards and documentary video for sale.
• Operating mainline railways (CN, CSX) and passenger carriers (Amtrak, VIA) often have their logos printed on souvenirs, apparel, baggage or model rail rolling stock for sale on a website.
• Transportation and rail museums are also likely to operate souvenir shops and offer books or documentary for sale.

In the earliest days of passenger rail, options were limited; one could bring food or try to purchase a meal near the stations. The local selection often was of poor quality; in some cases, trains would leave at the end of a brief rest stop while diners were still waiting to be served. Soon, rail operators were leasing space to restaurateurs in the stations; the Fred Harvey Company established the first restaurant chain in 1875 with ultimately a restaurant every hundred miles throughout the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe system. The next innovation was the inclusion of special dining cars on the train; these became very popular on long-distance runs such as la Compagnie des Wagon-Lits historic Orient Express from Paris to Constantinople.

Much of the cuisine served on trains and at stations is eminently forgettable, either because the same fare can be readily found elsewhere or because the rail operator is merely treating voyageurs as a captive market. There are exceptions; on some heritage and tourist train lines a dinner train is the main event, a slow but scenic short run which provides just enough time to serve an elaborate but expensive meal.

In some cases, historic station buildings have been re-purposed to be full-service restaurants or have been restored to reflect the heyday of a lost era before motorways and drive-through fast food.

• 51.42909-116.1880621 Lake Louise Railway Station & Restaurant, 200 Sentinel Road, Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada, ☏ +1 403-522-2600. Interesting building and a few exhibits for rail enthusiasts. Reasonable food but the number of tables exceeds the kitchen capacity, so expect a long wait at peak times. (updated Jun 2015)

There are also a few novelty restaurants where a rail-themed "All Aboard Diner" or "All Aboard Restaurant" brings plates of food to diners aboard a model railway train. These have no historic significance, but are entertaining for small children.

Historically, the status of beverage service (and alcohol in particular) aboard passenger trains is mixed. Diner cars often did serve beverages, although a patchwork of provincial or state regulation often meant the bar opened or closed every time the train crossed a political boundary. Passengers in sleeper train compartments were sometimes permitted to bring their own food and beverages, while dining cars only allowed items sold on the train and short-line commuter services often prohibited food or drink very restrictively.

A few tourist trains employ enotourism or brewery tour themes; there's a Tequila Train from Guadalajara to the distillery in Jalisco, México and an intercity Napa Wine Train in California's Napa Valley.

At least one former station has been repurposed as a brew pub:

• The NCO Railway (see Nevada–California–Oregon Railway on Wikipedia) completed a narrow-gauge line from Reno, Nevada north to the California-Oregon border in 1912, only to go broke by 1925. The Southern Pacific Company (now Union Pacific) purchased and re-gauged the line. The 39.531-119.80951 Nevada-California-Oregon Railroad Depot (325 East Fourth St, Reno NV) and a vacant Locomotive House and Machine Shop (401 East Fourth St.) still stand, although the tracks and turntable are gone. The Depot was renovated in 2014-2015 and opened as a craft brewery distillery.

• 48.278611-113.6116671 Izaak Walton Inn, 290 Izaak Walton Inn Rd, Essex (Montana), USA (the Izaak Walton has its own Amtrak stop, served by the Chicago-Seattle-Portland Empire Builder daily), ☏ +1 406 888-5700. It was built as accommodation for railway personnel on the adjacent Great Northern Railway. Still retaining the railroad ambiance, guests can lodge in the building or in a converted railroad caboose across the tracks.  
• Many grand old hotels were constructed by or for major passenger rail operators; Canadian Pacific (CPR) used to own the Fairmont Hotels chain. Some of these old hotels were landmarks in their own right. Less commonly, a major hotel was built as a mainline wayside station — convenient until the voyager was awakened by noisy freight trains rushing past at all hours. Amtrak still serves a few former Harvey House hotels in places like Needles and Barstow, California; most of these station buildings are now otherwise vacant, or the hotel space has been re-purposed as museums or offices. One exception, Amtrak's "Winslow, AZ (WLO) Platform with Shelter", is the "35.021-110.6952 La Posada Hotel Lobby"; a rather modest description for an elaborate million-dollar hotel (in 1930) with extensive gardens which opened at 303 East Second Street (Route 66) only to struggle through the Great Depression, close in 1957 as rail passenger traffic declined, then return after an extensive, expensive 1997-era historic restoration. The $120-170/night hotel (+1 928 289-4366) includes a fancy restaurant, an art gallery, a pair of souvenir shops... and an Amtrak train every day. In London, the 51.53-0.1252783 St. Pancras Renaissance London Hotel (in the buildings of the former Midland Hotel), at St Pancras is once again accepting guests, although it's in a 5-star premium price range. In Tokyo, the Tokyo Station Hotel is a luxury hotel housed in the 1914 Tokyo Station building.
• A few motels employ novelty architecture where each room is a decommissioned rail car, usually a distinctive red caboose which once housed crews at the end of North American goods trains.
  • Old Harbor Inn, 515 Williams Street, South Haven, Michigan, USA, ☏ +1 269-637-8480. operates a handful of caboose inn rooms 
  • 42.419-77.4384 Caboose Motel, at 60483 NY Route 415, Avoca (New York), USA, ☏ +1 607 566-2216. 
• 41.625-79.6795 Oil Creek and Titusville Railroad, 407 S Perry St, Titusville (Pennsylvania), USA, ☏ +1 814 827-5730, toll-free: +1-800-827-0690. A 21-room caboose motel (seasonal, April 15 - October 23) looks from the outside to be a consist of red rail cars on the tracks next to sightseeing railway OC&T's 1892-era Perry Street Station and museum. Inside the cars one finds standard modern hotel/motel décor and amenities (heat & AC, TV, telephone and shower, one king or two double beds, a small desk, cupola or bay windows, deck chairs); the rooms are narrow to fit the rail template. OC&T operates one train, a seasonal three-hour local history tour of Oil Creek Valley ($19/person coach, $30/person first class). There is a working Railway Post Office car on the train. (updated Apr 2016)

In some parts of the world, taking pictures of trains or rail infrastructure could cause issues with the authorities. Authorities in the United States may regard too much interest in a railway as possible reconnaissance for terrorist activities, while some railway staff simply treats railfans as troublemakers. On the other hand, some railways have sought to cooperate with railway enthusiasts to be better informed about the state of their track and/or suspicious activities. Some railways have programs which interested people can register for. They also offer safety guidelines more exhaustive than this travel guide.

It is easy to underestimate the speed of an approaching train, and you need to be at safe distance when it passes, also considering the wind it creates – and at stations careless people rushing past. In some railway systems (such as China Railway, and for old cars even Finnish VR), toilets on passenger trains may discharge human waste directly on tracks. Maintaining safe distance when photographing may be necessary also to prevent property loss and unpleasant experiences.

Interfering with railway operations, either intentionally or unintentionally, can pose a risk to yourself as well as many other people traveling on the train itself. Most railway operators (including a number of working museums and heritage lines) prohibit flash photography, as a flash could distract personnel at a critical moment.

• Empire Builder — linking Chicago's beautiful Union station to Seattle passing through stunning landscapes
• Orient Express — a luxury rail service of yore traveled today by a luxury tourist train as well as several national railroads requiring multiple changes
• Trans-Siberian Railway — the longest single railway line in the world
• Portugal to Singapore by train — the longest train itinerary possible in the world
• Across Australia by train and Across Canada by train
• There are several "special" train lines in India, like the three world heritage listed mountain trains and different luxury trains.

• Rail travel
• Tourist trains
• Heritage railways
• Industrial tourism
• Sleeper trains
• Urban rail adventures
• High Speed Rail