11 Most Dangerous Train Routes Around the World

According to majority of people across the world, trains are the safest means to commute. From transporting travellers from one place to another with comfort, leg space, relaxation and at times respite from motion sickness, to being easy on the pocket, train travel has many pros. However, there are some routes that are just as dangerous as they are convenient or necessary. Due to various reasons like the topography of the places they traverse or the built of these rail tracks, they have been rendered scary and challenging.

Let us take a look at some of these rail routes from around the world which are considered to very highly dangerous.

1. Georgetown Loop Railroad, Colorado, USA

Completed in the year 1884, the Georgetown Loop Railroad was considered an engineering marvel of its time and one of Colorado’s main attractions. The train runs between Georgetown and Silver Plume for a total distance of 4.5 miles and ascends an elevation of 640 feet through the mountainous terrain comprising of the Devil’s Gate High Bridge which is about 100 feet high. The scariest part of this whole route is this bridge as the heavy winds force the train to slow down on its speed to maintain a balance.

2. Tren a las Nubes, Argentina

This tourist train service runs between the Argentine Northwest to the Chilean border in the Andes mountain range at an elevation of 13,850 feet making it the fifth highest railway in the world. The train traverses 29 bridges, 21 tunnels, 13 viaducts, 2 spirals and 2 zigzags which in all took 27 years to complete. This train journey also gives a ‘travelling above-the-clouds’ experience due to its height and makes for spectacular views!

3. Aso Minami Route, Japan

If being amidst an active volcano while travelling is certainly no/never on your mind, this train route can challenge you! The Aso Minami Route in Japan takes you through the most active volcanic region of the country without any warnings or knowledge of the next volcanic eruption. Another scary part of the ride is the stretch where the train passes through a fragile age-old iron bridge which was majorly damaged during the Kumamoto earthquake in 2016.

4. Chennai Rameswaram Route, India

Think of the last scenes in the movie ‘Chennai Express’, think of this route. The train connects Chennai in mainland south India with the Rameswaram Island. The track comprises of dangerously low cantilever sea bridge running for 2,065 metres and if you look out of the window, it gives you a feeling of riding on the sea itself as water is all you can possible see on all sides!

5. The White Pass and Yukon Route, Alaska

This is a narrow-gauge railroad that links the port of Skagway, Alaska with Whitehorse, which is the capital of Yukon. The construction of this route was completed in 1900 and remains a tourist attraction in these times as countless thrill seekers come here to experience a route that is extremely ‘cliff-hugging’.

6. Kuranda Scenic Railroad, Australia

This 37 km route is just as scenic as it is dangerous and certainly not for the faint-hearted. The route traverses through Australian rain-forest in the Barron Gorge National Park linking Cairns and Kuranda in Queensland. The route passes through 15 tunnels, 93 sharp corners and more than 40 bridges, whizzing through powerful waterfalls and steepest of cliffs which lead to a drop in its speed from time to time.

7. Argo Gede Train Railroad, Indonesia

This route runs between Jakarta and Bandung in Indonesia for a total journey of about 3 hours. However, out of these 3 hours the scariest part is when it crosses the extremely high Cikurutug pylon trestle bridge which makes you witness the unbelievable drop below!

8. Nose of the Devil, Ecuador

This route runs along the mountain by the name ‘Nose of the Devil’ located near the village of Alausi, high up around the Andes Mountains. The danger of this route lurks in the fact that its route has been designed to climb steeply in a zigzag way to an elevation of 9,000 feet. This route makes for a perfect ride for thrill seekers!

9. Death Railway, Thailand

This rail route is located in Kanchanburi Province in Thailand bordering Myanmar. The route owes its name to the deaths of several British and American POW’s during the construction of this route under the Japanese in WWII. For those who have seen the movie ‘Bridge on River Kwai’, this route would be familiar as it features in it.

10. Bamboo Train, Cambodia

The train routes built by the French in Cambodia were later destroyed by the Khmer Rouge regime, however, the remaining t racks were later utilised by the locals for propelling handmade carts for domestic use. Although these carts were later improvised, they were initially extremely dangerous as they did not have any breaks. Some still remain as a tourist attraction.

11. Gisborne Airport, New Zealand

Gisborne Airport is located on the east coast of the North Island of New Zeland which has railway line intersecting the runway. The airport cover an area of 160 hectares and is a major link to enter Gisborne. The rail routes functions actively and so does the airport. The authorities manage the landings and scheduled arrivals and departures accordingly.

So, if you are an adventure buff then these train routes can be a humble part of your adventurous bucket list. While these trains perform the basic task of transporting people from one place to another, their routes add to the thrill and make these rides experiences of a lifetime!