Festive rail travel

Blogger Network member Sylvie shares with us her favourite way to travel...

I've noticed recently that everyone seems to be in a hurry and rarely has time to enjoy the ride. As transport goes, trains are not always billed as a form of relaxation and enjoyment, but my family has forever had a real appreciation and love of the beautiful scenery that rail travel can bring. Growing up, we didn't have a family car and, as we often went to France on holiday and to visit relatives, we did so by train. Train travel is an activity that can be enjoyed by all at any time of year and in many ways is well-suited to the festive season. So, here are my top 5 train-related activities for the coming weeks:

• Take the kids on board the Santa Express. This traditional steam train takes you through the Somerset countryside with Santa himself.

• Add a touch of glamour and take a trip with some formal dining. The Royal Scotsman will carry you through the beautiful Scottish countryside with some world class dining along the way.

• If you’re looking for some magnificent views there are many to choose from. The Kyle line is one of the world's most scenic rail journeys running from Inverness on the east coast of Scotland through to Kyle of Lochalsh on the west.

• Plan a special train journey around some Christmas shopping, to visit a Christmas market or to check out the January sales within the UK or further afield, if your budget will stretch.

• Give a great Christmas present this year; an IOU of a posh packed picnic and an overnight sleeper to a surprise destination. There’s something pretty special about boarding the train in one place and waking up somewhere completely different.

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