Intrepid Travel has launched a new range of train trip itineraries across Europe and Asia.
It features three brand new itineraries covering 40 rail trips.
The range caters to the rising trend of train travel.
Intrepid’s rail journeys offer travellers more local interaction and each rail trip will be accompanied by one of Intrepid’s local leaders.
Trips have an average group size of 10-12 travellers.
As part of this newly dedicated trip category, Intrepid will offer iconic routes like Bangkok to Southern Thailand, and lesser-known routes like Varanasi to Agra, India.
There will also be rail family adventures from Tokyo to Kyoto and Rome to Pompeii.
For UK customers, there is the opportunity to travel completely flight-free.
Four itineraries: Paris to Rome, Paris to Istanbul, Paris to Berlin and Paris to Madrid have options for connecting travel to Paris by Eurostar.
NEW Rail Itineraries:
Trans-Mongolian Railway Adventure (11 Days from £2,395pp)
While the popular Trans-Siberian route is currently closed to travellers, this new tour makes use of the Trans-Mongolian Railway, constructed in the late 1940s. It follows the route of ancient tea caravans from Beijing, China through Mongolia. The trip begins in Beijing, traveling through hilly landscapes in China, Inner Mongolia and visiting Khustai National Park, the dunes of the Gobi Desert and Sainshand. It concludes at the Mongolia capital Ulaanbaatar.
Paris to Istanbul (15 Days from £3,270pp)
This new trip travels from Paris to Budapest by train, following the same route as the historic Orient Express. Travellers will stop to explore iconic spots and lesser-known sites in Strasbourg, Munich and Salzburg. Travellers will then journey on local trains from Belgrade to Istanbul, stopping for local delicacies, like a traditional Serbian lunch in a Salaš home.
Paris to Rome by Rail (10 Days from £2,990pp)
On Intrepid’s new Paris to Rome itinerary, travellers will take the Gotthard Panorama Express through Switzerland. The journey travels through the alps, with panoramic views of the countryside, plus stops for scenic hikes, medieval castles and a farm-to-table Italian cooking demonstration.
Intrepid recently conducted external research, surveying travellers in the UK, that found strong demand for rail holidays. 92% of Brits are interested in taking a train journey during their next trip.
In addition, more travellers are considering the environmental impact of their trips, with 89% reporting they would consider an alternative form of transportation.
The increased focus on rail is just one part of the company’s broader decarbonisation efforts.
It has been actively removing flights from itineraries where a viable alternative exists, replacing them predominately with buses and trains.
For example, on Intrepid’s 15-Day Scenic Vietnam itinerary, a flight from Hoi An to Ho Chi Minh City was recently replaced with an overnight train.
With no change in trip length, this reduces the carbon emissions per person per day by 12%.
