Hua Hin Railway Station. File photo

 

By Paul Andrews

 

The construction of a new train line in Laos means that it is now possible to travel from Portugal to Hua Hin and on to Singapore by train.

 

The route is thought to be the longest train journey in the world spanning some 18,755km and would take an estimated 21 days to complete the journey.

 

Travelling from Lagos in southern Portugal to Singapore, the journey requires a number of changes to hop on and hop off trains in cities such as Paris, Moscow, Beijing, Vientiane, Bangkok, Hua Hin, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.

 

Full story: https://www.huahintoday.com/hua-hin-news/it-is-now-possible-to-travel-from-portugal-to-hua-hin-by-train/

 

-- © Copyright Hua Hin Today 2021-12-23

 

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Sure why not!!.. 21 RT-PCR test for 21 days of journey...would drill same length of passage in your nostrils...who wont want that!!

22 minutes ago, RandiRona said:

Sure why not!!.. 21 RT-PCR test for 21 days of journey...would drill same length of passage in your nostrils...who wont want that!!

The PCR tests are usually good for 72 hours, so maybe just 7 tests... if timed perfectly

 

Seriously though, in normal times this would be an amazing trip for trainspotters

in normal times this would be a real adventure .....  

Obviously NOT possible until COVID-19 and all the government restrictions related to it in countries along the route are behind us.

i don't know about you guys but i quite fancy a one way trip..

 

to Portugal ????

9 minutes ago, GeorgeCross said:

i don't know about you guys but i quite fancy a one way trip..

 

to Portugal ????

Why so far...just go here: https://www.ayutthaya-history.com/Settlements_Portuguese.html

5 hours ago, webfact said:

The route is thought to be the longest train journey in the world spanning some 18,755km and would take an estimated 21 days to complete the journey.

Would that include 14 days in quarantine in Thailand?

This is hardly news.  You have to change trains and take taxi rides across cities to do so, as well as stay several days in various countries for visa documentation.

 

It's hardly the Orient Express and Agatha Christie would not be impressed.

The "now" in the headline is misleading
 

Quote

Currently two of the longest sections of the route – Paris to Moscow and Moscow to Beijing – are not operating due to the pandemic.

 

Thank god I can ride a motorbike to almost any place in the world, even make it a roundtrip for decent amount of money I can afford. Not sure about the ticket price for 21 days on different trains and hotels will cost. But, no thanks. I have spent enough time in my life on confined space working on oil rigs with much better gym, food, and rooms a train can offer, and got paid for it. 

34 minutes ago, RobertHima said:

Currently two of the longest sections of the route – Paris to Moscow and Moscow to Beijing – are not operating due to the pandemic.

And as said even when open one has to change in Moscow. I did Beijing to  (via Moscow) Berlin in '88,  7 days fantastic trip as all backpackers brought their tickets from a polish guy and we were all in the same carriage 4 to a sleeping compartment playing scrabble with some Germans  us brits convinced them that 'Botbum' was a real word 

Who knows why they invented the plane for long travel ?

 

 

Its also possible to take a hammer and beat your head in, but why?

Great topic.

https://www.seat61.com/train-travel-in-britain.htm

This guy is the world expert on train travel

https://www.seat61.com/index-mobile.htm

11 hours ago, webfact said:

The route is thought to be the longest train journey in the world spanning some 18,755km

Yes indeed, once free from Covid-19. The previous longest train journey was from Porto (Portugal) to Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam);-

(17,000km)

 

https://basementgeographer.com/the-longest-train-ride-in-the-world/

On to Singapore!

 

Used to be a dream of mine. Now, just seems a bureaucratic nightmare.

14 minutes ago, Burma Bill said:

Yes indeed, once free from Covid-19. The previous longest train journey was from Porto (Portugal) to Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam);-

(17,000km)

 

https://basementgeographer.com/the-longest-train-ride-in-the-world/

you need to get out more ????

 

 

In normal times this would have been just the ticket for a Michael Palin series.

I'm not sure it quite compares to Paul Theroux's train travels in 1973, as recounted in his book The Great Railway Bazaar.

 

As I remember, he went from London, across the channel by ferry, and then in France transferred to the Orient Express, and then went east to Iran and Afghanistan, India, Burma, Vietnam, China, and Japan, then home again across the Soviet Union. There might of been some bus trips to connect up some of the bits, I'll have to reread it.

 

It was apparently a rather uncomfortable journey, but he got a book out of it that started his career.

 

Paul Laew

 

 

1 hour ago, GeorgeCross said:

you need to get out more ????

Thanks, if only!! However, pre-Covid-19, I travelled my longest railway journey between Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi on the Reunification Express. 1,726km taking 30 hours with 2 nights sleeping on board (aircraft type seat).

 

When I was young there was something called Interrail in Europe. Travel anywhere on all participating countries' train lines, for 30 days. It was not "the longest journey" in terms of kms - but I did it a couple of times and it was a really great experience, it also included discounts on ferries and such. And I spent so many nights on trains to save the hostel. Great way to meet people, without social media. No internet, no google, just maps and books.

Not sure it still exists in this era of instagram tourism and cheap flights... the millennials are missing something.

I have a colleague who was posted from London to Singapore, and when he was transferred back he did the trip by train with his wife and two kids and blogged about it. So this trip isn't really that revolutionary.

When living in China .. I’m a longtime huge Los Angeles Dodger fan 52 years.... 2008 Dodger vs Padres 

played in Beijing I think the only MLB played in China. .. 

 

Wife said to expensive to fly we lived in the very southeast of China... ok no problem we’ll take the train sleeper car.. no still too expensive... ok the hard seats.. OK. I traveled extensively in China and 

wasn’t a problem for me... get on go to the dining car knock back a few beers and when your tired

or drunk or combination go to hard seat lay your head on wife lap.. she didn’t drink.. 

 

Went to the game .. tickets more expensive than US and all bleacher seating... Chinese cheerleaders was a different twist and entertaining... after game to hotel for the night the train  hard seats back home.. 

 

After the game wife says can we fly back? I thought of saying no too expensive.. but instead said why.. she said train hard seat are horrible... it was a long journey.. .. we flew back that evening.. 

 

id like to take the train to Portugal post Covid.,. would be a nice adventure... 

18 hours ago, steven100 said:

in normal times this would be a real adventure .....  

Hey guys - these are now normal times. Get used to it.

One year, 9 months and counting.