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What is the scariest train in the world?

Also known as Nariz del Diablo, Nose of the Devil Ecuador is located at 9000 feet above sea level and is perhaps one of the scariest train rides in the world. Initiated in 1872, its construction took a long time to finish.



The title of "scariest train" is often given to the Tren a las Nubes (Train to the Clouds) in Argentina, due to its extreme altitude and breathtaking engineering. This rail journey climbs to over 4,200 meters (13,800 feet) above sea level in the Andes Mountains, crossing the massive Polvorilla Viaduct, which is 63 meters high and 224 meters long. What makes it "scary" for many is the sheer drop-offs and the fact that the train often appears to be floating in mid-air above the clouds with no visible support from the windows. Another contender is the Pilatus Railway in Switzerland, which is the steepest cogwheel railway in the world with a terrifying 48% gradient, making passengers feel as if they are ascending a vertical wall. For those who fear heights and narrow passages, the Pamban Bridge train in India is equally nerve-wracking; the tracks sit just a few meters above the crashing waves of the Indian Ocean on a century-old bridge that often sways during monsoon winds. While all these trains are exceptionally safe and meticulously maintained, the combination of high-altitude exposure, extreme inclines, and the visual sensation of being suspended over deep gorges or open oceans creates a visceral sense of fear for many travelers.

People Also Ask

10 World's Most Dangerous Train Routes
  • Aso Minami Route, Japan.
  • Georgetown Loop Railroad, Colorado, USA.
  • White Pass and Yukon Route, Alaska, USA.
  • Tren a las Nubes, Argentina.
  • Kuranda Scenic Railroad, Australia.
  • Devil's Nose Train, Ecuador.
  • The Death Railway, Thailand.
  • Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe Train, South Africa.


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Discover the thrill of a 52° (128%) incline in open terrain riding the steepest passenger railway in the world, the Scenic Railway.

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Japan: L0 Series Maglev (374 mph) Although not yet in regular service, this Japanese train, which is currently being developed and tested by the Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central), holds the land speed record for rail vehicles, clocking in at 374 mph.

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The Glacier Express is the world's slowest train, taking more than eight hours to travel between Zermatt and St. Moritz in Switzerland at an average of 18mph. Along the way, it passes over nearly 300 bridges, travels through 91 tunnels and takes in endless stunning Alpine views.

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The Glacier Express is known as the slowest express train in the world.

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Plane travel is safest, reports Ian Savage, of the Dept. of Economics & Transportation Center at Norwestern University, in the Huff Post Live video clip above. Trains are three times more dangerous than flying but safer than traveling by car (which is 40 times more risky than flying), according to Savage.

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Looking at traffic fatalities per mile traveled in the U.S., analyst Todd Litman found that riding commuter or intercity rail is about 20 times safer than driving; riding metro or light rail is about 30 times safer; and riding the bus is about 60 times safer.

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Modern trains can travel seamlessly from conventional track to high-speed track. They simply travel slower while on conventional track. Passenger service on the conventional freight lines that criss-cross the United States today is limited to 90 mph at best.

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Description. Gelmerbahn in the canton of Bern, Switzerland, is the steepest funicular in Europe.

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Japan: L0 Series Maglev (374 mph) Although not yet in regular service, this Japanese train, which is currently being developed and tested by the Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central), holds the land speed record for rail vehicles, clocking in at 374 mph.

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The project aims to eventually carry passengers and cargo at a speed of 1,000km/h (621mph) or faster in a near-vacuum tube and, if successful, would be the world's fastest ground-based transport technology.

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