Today you can ride a train almost anywhere in the world. Indeed, travel bloggers report that there are millions of railway routes throughout the world. Some rail routes are more interesting than others, of course. Some of them are more dangerous too.

And some are more dangerous due to their location. They run through steep passes or high into the mountains. They certainly are not for anyone faint of heart.

Yes, they inarguably offer travelers spectacular, panoramic views, but they may be a tad too thrilling for anyone other than an adventure enthusiast. If you think you’d enjoy train rides that are more adventurous, then read on, fellow traveler! Here are the 10 most dangerous train routes on Earth.

10 Most Dangerous Train Routes on Earth

1. The Argo Gede Train Railroad, Indonesia

The Argo Gede Train Railroad is located in Indonesia. The line runs from Bandung to Jakarta. It is one of the highest routes in the country and travels across the well-known Chikurtung pylon trestle bridge. No matter when you board this train, the ride will make the short hairs on the back of your neck stand on end.  

Get goosebumps as you experience the magnificent sheer drop in the subtropical valley. The sights are fascinating. The bridge itself is not fenced. Engineers claim this doesn’t make your ride unsafe and yet you will probably strongly object to their determination.  

Indeed, there have been several accidents in the past. The most significant one reportedly took place back in 2002 when the train actually derailed. Luckily, not a single passenger was injured.

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The Bamboo Trains, Cambodia

The various train routes here in Cambodia were originally built by the French. Most of them, however, were wrecked under the infamous Khmer Rouge Regime. Eventually, residents began using these “bamboo train routes”, as they became known, via handmade carts. Since becoming a tourist attraction, the majority of the carts have actually been fortified. So don’t stress!  

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The Outeniqua Choo Tjoe Train, South Africa

The Outeniqua Choo Tjoe Train made its first run in 1928. It was actually the only “remaining continuously operated passenger train” on the entire African continent until it shut down operations in 2009. The three-hour route connected the Western Cape towns of Knysna Nestle and George.  

The route stopped in other cities and the majority of the scenic 67-kilometer route hugs the coastline of the gorgeous Garden Route prior to coming to an end at Knysna station. In 1992 it was declared a preserved railway. Originally carrying less than 40,000 passengers annually, it was transporting over 1,15,000 passengers each year by sometime in the 2000s.

70 percent of the train’s passengers were tourists. In 2010, Alan Winde, the Western Cape Provincial MEC for Finance, Economic Development, and Tourism, said he was determined to keep the line operational. Last September, there were two companies competing to manage the train.

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The Minamiaso Railway Takamori Line, Japan

The Takamori Line is one of Japan’s most dangerous railway routes running through the Kumamoto Prefecture. It is also the only train line that runs between Miniamiaso’s Tateno Station and Takamori Station, in Takamori and crosses the southern section of Mount Aso Caldera. Its two most well-known train stations are reportedly Minamiaso Mizu no Umareru Sato Hakusui Kogen station and Chōjagahamashiosaihamanasukōenmae Station. 

An earthquake in 2016 temporarily shut down the entire line. As this goes to press, several stations remain closed. It will cost as much as seven billion yen to complete all the restorations and repairs.  

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The Death Railway, Thailand

Also known as the Burma Railway, and the Thai-Burma Railway, the Death Railway has a total distance of 415 kilometers and runs between Thanbyuzayat, Burma (now known as Myanmar), and Ban Pong in Thailand. It was built in 1943 by the emperor of Japan. Its main purpose was to support the military forces in the infamous Burma campaign of World War II.

In fact, forced labor was used to build this railway. Online sources report that somewhere between 180,000 and 250,000 Asian civilians and more than 60,000 Allied P.O.W.s (prisoners of war) were forced to finish this route. Approximately 90,000 civilians and over 12,000 Allied prisoners died during the construction.

It was shut down in 1947. Roughly a decade later, one portion between Nong Pla Duk and Nam Tok was reopened. The section still used today is only 130 kilometers long. While the Thailand-based company has considered rebuilding the entire line since sometime in the 1990s, as of 2021 no work has begun.  

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The Chennai Rameshwaram Route, India

The municipality of Rameshwaram in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu on Pamban Island is connected to the mainland by the Pamban Bridge. Construction on this railway bridge began in 1914. It is 12.5 meters above sea level and was India’s first sea bridge.

With a total length of 2,065 meters, it was also the longest one in the country prior to the opening of the Bandra-Worli Bridge, now known as the Rajiv Gandhi sea link, in 2010. This bridge rests on concrete piers and includes a standard double-leaf bascule middle section, which is raised to permit ships to pass. It was the sole surface transport joining the island to the mainland until 1988 when a road bridge, Annai Indira Gandhi Road Bridge, was built parallel to this railway bridge. It joins the NH 49 highway with the island.  

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Tren A Las Nubes, Argentina

Tren A Las Nubes, a.k.a. “train to the clouds”, is a train service specifically for tourists. Originally based in the province of Salta, it ran 4,220 meters above mean sea level making it the fifth-highest railway in the world. It traveled along the eastern portion of the C-14 or Salta-Antofagasta railway line, which joins the northwestern section of the country with the Chilean portion of the Andes Mountains.     

It was closed for nine months in 2014. That summer a train went off the tracks close to Abra Munano at a height of 4,000 meters. Almost 400 passengers were evacuated. Much of the track has since been restored although the government more recently began running the heritage railway out of San Antonio de los Cobres. 

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The Pilatus Railway, Switzerland

You will need both courage and strong, steady innards to ride the Pilatus railway route that connects the village of Alpanch and Mount Pilatus. It is reported to be the world’s steepest rack railway with an average gradient of 35 percent and a maximum gradient of 48 percent. The train route has an altitude of roughly 2000 meters running through the route’s most dangerous slopes, and a length of nearly 4.7 kilometers. During the trip, the train climbs nearly 1600 meters which is why people consider it dangerous. Only 32 passengers can ride the train at one time.

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Maeklong Railway, Thailand

Come on, ride the train for almost 65 kilometers between Samut Songkhram, Bangkok, and Wongwian Yai in Thailand. With a total of 33 train stations, it consists of two sections separated at Samut Sakhon by the Than Chin River.  

Part of the route runs dangerously through the Maeklong Railway Market. This is one of the country’s biggest fresh seafood markets and it is nicknamed Talat Rom Hup, in English the “umbrella pulldown market.” This unique and hazardous market is unbelievably centered on the railroad tracks.  

People selling their wares, be they fresh fruit, vegetables, or fish, actually sit right on the tracks! There are no signals on the tracks either. Nevertheless, when the train approaches, the vendors move their umbrella awnings and little shop fronts back from the rails and then put them back once the train passes.  

Luckily for both vendors and customers alike, this train is one of the slowest in the entire country. The average speed for the line is just 30 kilometers per hour. Be careful about haggling with the merchants here though or you could end up being run over by a train before you both agree on a price. 

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Landwasser Viaduct, Switzerland

If you have a fear of heights, you may need to skip this dangerous train trip. This railway track was erected on Switzerland’s Landwasser river in 1901. The journey here begins in a hilly area. The railway is supported by pillars that are 65 meters high.

This route is also more than 9200 meters above sea level. It runs through a dense, verdant forest and previous passengers say that it is “pretty scary” because riding on this train often makes you feel as if the train is flying through the air. If you appreciate natural beauty and can’t think of Switzerland without thinking about snow, then the best time to buy your tickets is after a winter snowfall.  

So, if you are a fan of freight hopping, you may want to consider adding a ride on the rails in one of the previously noted places. After all, these are the 10 most dangerous train rides on Earth. 

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