foto: Ted McGrath / Flickr/The Train to the Clouds (Tren a las Nubes), Argentina
From sea-swept bridges to markets where trains slice through stalls, railways around the world prove travel can be anything but ordinary.
The railway doesn't have to be just a straight line that occasionally turns to the side. There are trains that pass through bizarre and often dangerous places. Who would have thought that a passenger in India should avoid a storm while traveling by train, or in Thailand, move to the side when shopping upon hearing a train horn.
India’s Pamban Bridge: Battling Storms on the Sea Rails
Opened in 1914, the railway route with the Pamban Bridge was the first sea bridge in India. Located in Tamil Nadu, it connects the Indian mainland with Rameshwaram on Pamban Island. The Manamadurai-Rameswaram route is part of this railway, near the legendary Adam's Bridge. Trains often face unfavorable strong winds and wild waves at sea.
The bridge spans more than 2 km, and the rails are located just 12.5 meters above sea level. Constructed in two years by 600 workers, the bridge is built on the seabed of the Indian Ocean and is supported by almost 145 concrete pillars. In the central part, there is a lifting platform under which smaller ships pass. The Indian Ministry of Railways has launched a new Pamban Railway Bridge alongside the old one, which is the country's first vertical sea bridge.
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Over the years, the bridge has faced many issues, mainly due to its corrosive environment. In 1964, a devastating storm killed hundreds when Cyclone Rameswaram hit the area, creating huge waves that derailed a passenger train from the track. Tragically, no one on board survived.
Argentina’s Train to the Clouds: High-Altitude Rail Adventure
The legendary Tren a las Nubes (Train to the Clouds) winds its way through the Andes in Argentina’s Salta Province, reaching an astonishing 4,220 metres above sea level—placing it among the highest railways in the world. Originally designed to connect Salta with the Chilean border, today it serves as a heritage tourist line that offers passengers a unique blend of engineering marvels and breathtaking landscapes. The journey begins with a bus transfer through Quebrada del Toro and small Andean villages such as El Alfarcito and Campo Quijano, before travellers board the train at San Antonio de los Cobres, perched at 3,775 metres.
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Once on board, passengers experience a spectacular route that navigates 29 bridges, 21 tunnels, 13 viaducts, two loops, and two zigzags—ingenious solutions that allow the train to climb steep gradients without the use of rack-and-pinion systems. The highlight of the trip is the crossing of the Polvorilla Viaduct, a 224-metre-long steel structure that rises 64 metres above a canyon and marks the line’s highest point at 4,220 metres. The train deliberately slows down here, giving passengers the chance to step outside, breathe in the thin mountain air, and take in panoramic views "above the clouds." According to christravelblog.com, this moment is regarded as the pinnacle of the journey, combining awe-inspiring scenery with a tangible sense of altitude.
The train’s evocative name has its own story: in the 1960s, two university students filmed steam engines on this route, capturing footage where the plumes of vapour merged with drifting clouds. The phrase "Train to the Clouds" stuck and was officially adopted when the service became a tourist attraction in 1972 (spanish.academy). To ensure comfort at such high elevations, modern services include onboard oxygen, medical staff, and bilingual guides, along with dining cars for travellers.
Thailand’s Maeklong Market: Where Trains Cut Through Stalls
Nestled in Samut Songkhram province just southwest of Bangkok, the Maeklong Railway Market is no ordinary marketplace—its bustling stalls of fresh produce, seafood, and flowers are straddled by active railway tracks. Known locally as Talat Rom Hup—which translates to "Umbrella-Closing Market"—the vendors orchestrate a daily routine so precise it borders on choreography. A few minutes before each train’s arrival, signaled first by a bell or speaker announcement and then a foghorn, stall owners swiftly retract awnings, fold umbrellas, and pull wheeled tables and goods away from the rails to create a clear path. Remarkably, some items laid directly on the ground are left untouched, safely passed over by the train’s raised passage.
Once the train glides by, it’s business as usual within moments. The routine plays out up to eight times a day, and while it’s performed with years of local expertise, the scene remains undeniably tense for onlookers. Tourists are advised to stay alert—give space to locals, avoid large bags, and resist the urge for selfies too close to the tracks.