The smartly painted locomotive, Merddin Emrys, built in 1879, puffs towards the undisputed European capital of scenic railway journeys: Porthmadog. It comes as no surprise to him that, according to a new survey by consumer body Which?, Wales is home to three of the 10 most scenic railway lines in Europe. While all the contenders scored highly on scenery, the North Wales line edged out the competition with its superior customer service. Photograph: Hemis/AlamyBut competition in the scenic railway world is growing stronger as routes are rediscovered and reopened. The top 101 Ffestiniog Railway, Wales2 Bergen Railway, Norway3 Bernina Express, Switzerland and Italy4 Glacier Express, Switzerland5 Brocken Railway, Germany6 Talyllyn, Wales7 Welsh Highland Railway, Wales8 West Highland Line, Scotland9 Flam Railway, Norway10 Golden Pass, Switzerland

Source: The Guardian September 11, 2022 04:00 UTC