The subject of today’s essay is the Montserrat Rack Railway (Ferrocarril de Monistrol a Montserrat), located in Catalonia, Spain, just an hour north of Barcelona by regional train. It opened in October 1892, becoming the world’s sixth railway of its kind.

The main driver for the railway was the growing number of pilgrims to Montserrat Monastery, often described as Spain’s second most important pilgrimage destination, after the Camino de Santiago. According to legend, the monastery was founded in the 9th century, after a statue of the Virgin hidden in a mountain cave was discovered. The statue worshipped today is a Romanesque carving from the 12th century. It stands about 95 cm (37 inches) tall, and its nickname, La Moreneta, means “the little dark one.”

For those wondering what makes a railway a mountain railway, it’s usually the gradient, which can reach up to 48%, like on the Pilatus Railway in Switzerland! On the Montserrat Rack Railway, it reaches up to 15.6%. You might also have noticed the word “rack” in the railway’s name. A rack is a toothed rail laid in the centre of the track. A cog is a gear-like wheel under the train that interlocks with it. It gives the train the much-needed grip to climb up and down safely, which would be impossible for “normal” trains on such steep slopes. That is why these rack railways are also called cog railways, the same thing.

A Spanish engineer, Joaquim Carrera, who frequented the Montserrat Mountains as either a devout worshipper or an avid hiker, chose a rack railway as the gradients were simply too steep for a traditional railway. The timing was perfect: the technology had already been tested in a few different flavours in the mountains of New Hampshire and the Swiss Alps, so Carrera had proven options to choose from.

Once opened, the railway was an immediate success. Not only did it allow pilgrims, many of whom were elderly or ill, to visit the monastery, but it also let them do so on a day trip from Barcelona. Previously, the monastery could only be reached on foot, on horseback, or by stagecoach. The opening of the Aeri de Montserrat aerial cable car in 1930 gave visitors a much faster alternative to the slow steam train.

The company, which was operating the trains, ran into financial trouble in the 1940s and 1950s, but the last nail in the coffin was a deadly accident in 1953, which led to the railway’s closure in 1957 as people were afraid to run it. On Saturday, July 25, 1953, during Monistrol de Montserrat’s Festa Major, the town’s biggest celebration of the year, a train ran backwards down the slope and hit another train, and both then hit a third. Eight people died, and more than 100 were injured. Two of the railway’s eight locomotives were scrapped as a result. Interestingly, I did some research to find out why a train slid down in the first place since the rack technology should have prevented exactly that, but I could not find anything that would explain the root cause. So if you know more, please point me out in the right direction.

It took almost 50 years to rebuild the railway. It opened in June 2003 and, as with the original opening in 1892, was immediately a huge success. It carried over 450,000 passengers in its first year of operations, and is still going strong after more than 20 years.

This time, the line was electrified and runs modern Swiss trains built by Stadler. The new route differs slightly at the bottom of the line, but is mostly the same up the mountain. The gradient is essentially the same, because the steepest stretch follows the original alignment. The old line ran 8.6 km (5.3 miles), while the new one is 5.3 km (3.3 miles), of which 4.1 km (2.5 miles) is rack. This is correct: a train runs without a rack between the terminus station of Monistrol de Montserrat and the intermediate station of Monistrol-Vila since it’s mostly at grade.

A train can carry up to 200 passengers and climbs about 550 m (1,800 ft) in roughly 20 minutes from Monistrol de Montserrat, or about 13 minutes from Monistrol-Vila. If you sit on the left as the train climbs, the views from the windows are just spectacular!

What I appreciated most is that the Montserrat Rack Railway connects conveniently with the regular R5 regional train, which runs all the way to Plaça d’Espanya in Barcelona.

If your time allows, you should also check out two funicular railways that start at the summit station: the Funicular de Sant Joan and the Funicular de Santa Cova. Since I had a train to Marseille to catch that evening, I didn’t have time to explore these funiculars. There is always next time! ∎

Those whose glass is always half full can argue that the name also originates from Nashville being the music capital of the United States, with many country music “stars” jump-starting their careers in this city (think Taylor Swift, Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash). That’s fair, but it still doesn’t make train service in Nashville any better.

If, like me, you were wondering why the WeGo Star goes to Lebanon rather than Murfreesboro, Franklin, or other more populated suburbs of Nashville, the answer is simple: it was easier and cheaper to connect Nashville with Lebanon through the existing and much less busy RJ Corman short line railroad than it was to negotiate with CSX, which owns most of the other railroad branches radiating from Nashville.

The rolling stock was also purchased second-hand, with locomotives coming from Amtrak and old-school gallery cars from Chicago’s METRA built in the 1950s and 1960s. The platforms are equally unpretentious but functional, with small shelters installed at each of the stops. The objective was to prove value for as little money as possible so the system could later be expanded based on the success of this prototype. After all, let’s agree that building a 51-km / 32-mile line for a price tag of only $39 million is quite remarkable.

Unfortunately, the service has never expanded beyond its original pilot. The projected ridership of 1,500 passengers per day has never materialized, not before the COVID pandemic and certainly not since. Local politicians are quick to blame Nashville’s people love to drive, but the truth is that nobody enjoys sitting in traffic. I’m certain people would gladly take a train if the service were frequent enough.

I witnessed first-hand how bad traffic in Nashville can be when I took a taxi from the airport, and the fact that this 2.2-million person metropolis keeps expanding suggests that things are only going to get worse.

Right now, the WeGo Star offers three morning and three afternoon departures each weekday. But because only two train sets are in service at any given day, the railroad does a little trick: only two departures go all the way to Lebanon, while one terminates halfway at Mt. Juliet. And the same in reverse.

Let’s see how likely you would be to take the train to work if you lived in Lebanon. You essentially have two morning trains: 5:40 am and 6:35 am. But what if your workday starts at 9 am? Or what if you have an appointment and need to arrive later? Your only option is to drive. Likewise, if you miss the last train of the day, which departs Nashville at 5:55 pm, because you stayed for a social event with colleagues after work, good luck getting home.

This short-sightedness among local politicians, who consistently fail to learn from best practices elsewhere in the world, is the main reason this train will probably remain a pilot project with little hope for expansion, as it has for the past two decades. The few people who do ride the train do not help the situation either, because politicians quickly point to low ridership and label the service as a waste of money. Yet it is commonly known that “if you build it, they will come.” People would use this train if the service were frequent, flexible, and reliable.

One of the biggest challenges with current commuter rail pattern is that these trains are essentially parking-lot shuttles. They serve only people who work downtown on weekdays, instead of moving people around the region throughout the day, every day, including weekends.

Remember I promised you a few good things about this train? Here they are. The train is quite fast and fun to ride. There is a distinct smell from a bygone era that gives it the feeling of a heritage railway. The seats are cushiony and comfortable. The windows are wide and tinted green: not ideal for photography, but perfect for admiring the lush vegetation outside the windows. Because there is only one line and virtually no competition with the freight railroad that owns the tracks, I can imagine the train is almost always on schedule.

Let’s be honest: the old gallery cars are not the best invention in terms of passenger capacity. The gap in the middle is such a waste of space. Moreover, single seats on the upper floor don’t encourage people to strike up conversations with one another.

Nashville’s regional transit authority also provides a free shuttle bus connection for every train arrival and departure at Riverfront Station, its downtown terminus. I can see this being a convenient option for people who work or live in Midtown, where a considerable amount of office and residential construction is currently underway.

In summary, I believe the WeGo Star absolutely has the potential to grow into a true regional rail network, but it will require bold vision and political will to make that happen. The economic growth evident across Nashville, with shiny new office towers and dozens of construction cranes, should help move the conversation forward.

CSX is no stranger to lending its tracks to passenger trains elsewhere in the country, and there is already a place to receive passengers in the heart of the city near the former Union Station, now the stunning Union Station Hotel. So realizing the original vision of seven rail lines radiating from Nashville is not an impossible task after all.

In the meantime, let me show you some of my favourite photos of Nashville, the music capital of the United States ∎.

Canada is blessed with many beautiful wild rivers, but the Spanish River is one of the few that you can access by train. People come here from afar to paddle its very scenic and fun 164 km / 102-mile section between Biscotasing Lake and Agnew Lake. What do I mean by "fun"? The Spanish River is officially a whitewater river with numerous swifts, rapids, and occasional chutes or mini-waterfalls. In spring, when the water level is high due to melting snow, the river can turn quite dangerous to run, especially for novice paddlers. However, once the water level drops in June, it becomes a beginner-friendly whitewater river, assuming, of course, that canoeists follow all the safety precautions.

Most paddlers start their journey in Sudbury or Cartier, a little village just north of Sudbury. While individual itineraries may vary, most people use the help of outfitters to shuttle their canoes and cars to either the start or the end point of their paddling journeys. In our case, we parked our car at Fox Lake Lodge, where we camped overnight after swimming in a stunning lake and taking a wooden sauna. Wayne, the owner of both the lodge and Spanish River Outfitters, drove us in a van, together with our canoes and gear, to Cartier, where we boarded a train.

Then we rode the train for about 45 minutes to the former logging hamlet of Sheahan, where we were dropped off with our gear in the middle of nowhere. Once there, we dragged our canoes to the river and, over the next two days, paddled 50 km / 30 miles south to the Elbow, a former village near Fox Lake Lodge, where we picked up our car.

Other canoe groups we met at Cartier while waiting for the train were a bit more adventurous and went a bit further north to Sinker Creek and Biscotasing Lake, respectively. The beauty of this train is that it can pick up and drop off passengers literally anywhere, assuming notice is given at least 24 hours in advance. One of the groups we met was not planning any paddling at all and had instead bought a truckload of food and drinks from a local Costco store for a week-long, off-the-grid cabin stay in the Canadian wilderness.

The train route between Sudbury and White River is also unique because VIA Rail runs its last Budd cars still in operation. They were built in the 1950s and, as you can imagine, are long overdue for replacement. To their credit, the cars look very nice inside, a testament to their durability and to a likely recent refurbishment.

The train runs three times a week in each direction, and it takes about eight hours to ride the full route. Last year, I was planning to take this train from White River to Sudbury on my Lake Superior hiking trip in September, but due to unexpected mechanical issues, my train was cancelled, so I had to take a bus and a plane instead. This time, I was beyond excited to finally ride this iconic train!

The trainset includes only three cars, with a self-propelled Budd Rail Diesel Car (RDC) at each end: an RDC-2 with a baggage area and passenger seating, and an RDC-4 with baggage and mail areas. In the middle, there is a normal passenger car. "Self-propelled" means that these trains don't need a separate locomotive to pull or push them. The baggage and mail car is key to this trainset because a typical canoe is around 15-17 feet long, so storing it requires much more space than storing a bike. VIA Rail charges $100 per canoe, and I believe I saw somewhere that there is a limit of 17 canoes per train. Needless to say, I recommend booking such a trip well in advance to avoid last-minute disappointment.

A few things about the Spanish River. Over the years, I've completed paddling trips on other rivers in Ontario - the Madawaska, Barron, Mattawa, and Oxtongue - and the Spanish is my favourite so far. Everywhere you look, you can see the work of a huge 1-km-thick glacier that receded around 10,000 years ago: large rock gardens, deep sandbars, towering cliffs, and wide-cut valleys. The paddling experience on the Spanish River is as thrilling as it is relaxing and meditative during long stretches of calm water between swifts and rapids.

Flora and fauna are also impressive. Two large Canadian forest zones converge here: the Boreal and the Great Lakes–St. Lawrence. We were lucky to see a beaver, an osprey, and a bald eagle, as well as fresh footprints of a black bear. But there are many more bird and mammal species living in the area, including deer, moose, otters, wolves, lynx, pine martens, foxes, and even elusive wolverines.

Camping is also world-class on the Spanish River. Take my word for it: once you've tried backcountry camping, you won't want to go back to front-country camping, where everyone drives their car to the campsite. Campsites can be spotted from the water by their orange signs and are first come, first served. There is definitely an element of uncertainty and friendly competition between different paddling groups. The campsites vary in size, but there should be plenty of room to pitch at least three tents, make a bonfire, fish, swim, and just relax. For added comfort, each campsite on this river is equipped with a thunder box: an open-air wooden box toilet placed over a hole in the ground and overlooking a pristine forest. But be warned: you have to be quick; otherwise, you can experience firsthand what it means that Northern Ontario has one of the highest concentrations of blood-sucking insects in the world.

Since the river runs almost perfectly north-south, Indigenous peoples historically used it to travel from Lake Huron toward the James Bay watershed.

In case you were wondering why this river, so far from Spain or any Spanish-speaking people, has such a strange name, you are not alone. Legend has it that French voyageurs encountered a tribe returning from its raid in the south with a captive who spoke Spanish to his children, whom he had with a woman from this tribe. Whether it was true or not, it's impossible to prove now, so we'll just leave it there ∎.

Some useful links for organizing a similar trip

• Spanish River Outfitters and Fox Lake Lodge: https://www.foxlakelodge.ca/spanish-river-outfitters.

• VIA Rail Canada: https://www.viarail.ca/en/travel-info/booking/buy-train-ticket.

• Map of Spanish River Provincial Park by Chrismar: https://chrismar.com/products/spanish-river-provincial-park-area.

The story of the Sofia Metro starts with a rule that shouldn’t have applied to Bulgaria at all.

Bulgaria was never part of the Soviet Union - it was a Warsaw Pact state. This means that while it was formally a separate country, it was inside the Eastern Bloc run by a puppet government from Moscow. This distinction didn’t matter much when it came to urban planning as the Soviet regime allowed any city crossing a population of one million to build a metro. Having an “underground city” was also a sign of prestige for state officials besides of course helping address transportation demand. The same rule triggered metro projects across the Eastern Bloc: Kyiv reached this milestone in the 1950s, Minsk in the 1970s, Yerevan in the early 1980s, and so forth. There are over a dozen of cities across the Eastern Bloc that were able to build a metro system this way before the Soviet Union finally collapsed in 1991.

Sofia reached one million in the 1970s. While the metro construction started on time, due to various political and economical reasons, the project was only completed in 1998 after missing opening deadlines at least three times. But what happened next has been quite admirable: Sofia has kept expanding its metro system ever since.

Up until recently, the main workhorse of the whole system were Metrovagonmash trains built in Russia. The first batch was delivered in 1991 and a number of these trains still operate on Lines 1, 2, and 4, albeit most of them were refurbished. But back in the 1990s, these trains were kept sitting in a storage facility for seven years before they began doing what they were order to do: transporting people.

As mentioned earlier, these trains have proven themselves quite reliable for the past almost 30 years. Finally, Sofia began replacing them in 2026 with new sets made by Škoda in Czechia. Originally, the replacement trains were supposed to come from Russia, but because of the sanctions due to Russian war in Ukraine, the order was cancelled.

My favourite line on the system is Line 3. It’s the newest line in the system (opened in 2020), and is much more quiet and smooth compared to the older metro lines. The line is built to a completely different standard. For instance, it uses overhead wires instead of third rail. It also runs modern Siemens Inspiro trainsets and is equipped with partial platform screen doors to prevent people from accidentally falling on tracks.

Lines 1 and 4 share a long stretch of track so I would say they function more like branches of a single line os opposed to two separate lines. The plan eventually is for Line 4 to connect with Line 2 at Obelya Station which will loop around the northeast of the city.

If you are into station architecture, Sofia metro is the must-visit. Long after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the city continues to build monumental and well-decorated masterpieces. That’s actually not surprising: Sofia shares this trend with other Eastern European cities such as Kyiv, Warsaw, Tbilisi, Budapest, Bucharest, and others where a metro station was always more that just a place where people board a train. The station had to be beautiful.

If you only have one hour to explore Sofia’s metro, you should head out to Serdica Station. But not because it's the central interchange station between the Lines 1, 2, and 4. What deserves special attention is that the station is located right underneath an ancient Roman city of Serdica, which would not be known to the world if not the metro expansion between 2010 - 2012. The whole eight streets, including a main street Cardo Maximus, Roman baths, mosaic floors, and an early Christian church were excavated that are now part of the site open to public.

Once on a platform, you walk past glass cases of precious artifacts and then exit into an ancient street with cobblestones from the 4th century! What's remarkable is that you're in the middle of a busy transit hub.

Using the funding from the European Fund of Regional Development, Sofia metro installed some really cool platform screen doors on 12 busy stations on Lines 1 and 2. The rope doors raise like curtains when a train approaches a platform.

As a foreigner, it was very easy to navigate Sofia’s metro system. All signs and announcements were in both Bulgarian and English, so you don’t really need to know how to read Cyrilic. I also like that the station maps included small pictograms so you know which landmark is close to which station. As an added bonus, Line 4 connects straight to Sofia International airport, so you can quickly get to the city centre for 80 Euro cents. The daily limit is capped at 2 Euros if paying with the same card, so here is you cheap and easy way to explore the whole city which has so much to offer! ∎

Oranjestad offers a distinct blend of European design and Caribbean influence. Its biggest draw, beside the tram of course, is its meticulously restored Dutch colonial architecture with pastel-toned facades.

While Aruba’s trams may look old, they are in fact quite new: built in California in 2012-2013 by TIG/m Modern Street Railways, the company that manufactures one of the world’s greenest trams. The technology is actually very impressive: they run on lithium batteries with hydrogen fuel cells as a backup, so no overhead wires are needed. Not that I’m against the wires, but it just makes sense in Aruba’s case.

There are four trams in total: two double-deckers and two single-deckers. The route is short, just 1.9 km / 1.2 miles with 9 stops, but when I was there, in April 2025, the route was even shorter due to ongoing construction.

The trams mostly cater to cruise ship passengers as opposed to addressing transportation needs for locals. The trams take tourists from the port of call straight to the Renaissance shopping mall.

While in Aruba, consider skipping the rental car and relying on Arubus, the island’s public bus system, instead. That’s what we did, and it worked out great. We stayed close to downtown, and buses ran frequently to the beaches and to Queen Beatrix International Airport.

And you’ll definitely want to explore Aruba’s beaches: let’s be honest, that’s the main reason most people come to this island. Aruba gets very little rainfall, so its ocean water isn’t diluted by mud carried in from rivers and streams. Its location in the southern Caribbean, north of Venezuela, is also a big part of why it’s considered a safe, enjoyable destination year-round, even during hurricane season ∎.

The idea for a railroad through the Cuyahoga Valley emerged in the late 1860s and was supported by Cleveland, Akron, and Canton businessmen as a faster alternative to the Ohio and Erie Canal, which had been moving coal and freight up from the Tuscarawas River Valley since the 1830s at a snale’s pace. The timing was rough though: the Panic of 1873 stalled construction for years. It’s a bit ironical given that crash was for decades known as “the Great Depression,” before the ever larger series of events in late 1920s - early 1930s took this name and kept it since.

The line finally opened in 1880 and it didn’t take long before a bigger railroad took notice of its immediate success. The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O) bought a controlling stake in 1890, although the formal merger wouldn’t happen until 1915. It was the same year the B&O introduced the Cleveland Night Express, an overnight sleeper service that would run through Washington, D.C. and Pittsburgh to Baltimore. The train service lasted until 1962 and was killed not by a mechanical failure, but by the same thing that killed a big chunk of American passenger service: the interstate highways and personal automobiles. Freight transportation along this line remained, but it was nothing like the volume the valley once seen.

What saved the line wasn’t just nostalgia for the railroad itself, but the nature around it. The Cuyahoga River corridor here cuts through Carolinian forest, wet meadows, and biologically diverse marshes, full of wildlife, that a slow train tends to be one of the better ways to experience. The scenery aligned with a broader conservation effort in the 1970s: the rail corridor became Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area in 1974, and was upgraded to full National Park status in 2000. Many people still challenge this status as the park is frankly nowhere near other national parks like Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, and Yosemite. Having said that, Cuyahoga Valley has a big advantage as it sits inside a metropolitan area rather than hours beyond it, so it’s very accessible to people.

The first weekend excursion train ran in 1975, and more than fifty years later it’s still running, which for a tourist railroad is a strong track record.

The current schedule offers two round trips a day on summer weekends. The train runs the full length between Akron and Rockside and takes about two hours each way. Ticket classes run from coach up through table service, first class, a domed observation car, and a car with open-air seating.

Most of the coaches trace back to the 1950s, built for the Pennsylvania Railroad. I saw two that were previously run on the iconic California Zephyr, the transcontinental train that still links Chicago and San Francisco Bay today.

One of the best way to use the railroad is for recreation purposes, and if I lived in Cleveland, I would absolutely take it frequently. Between June 1 and October 31, you can ride one direction and hike or bike back along the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail, or paddle the river by kayak, canoe, or paddle board. With eight train stops along the route, you can choose your own mileage. The boarding process is very low-tech: show up ten minutes early and flag the train down by waving both arms over your head, the same gesture that’s probably worked for flag stops since the nineteenth century.

The railroad also gives you access into the Cleveland Metroparks system or the “Emerald Necklace” which includes 500+ km / 300+ miles of trails around the city.

In the 1870s, this valley existed to move coal and ore out of the way of a growing industrial city. Today it exists to move people back into a stretch of forest that same city was smart enough not to pave over (although there are a few highways on tall viaducts crisscrossing the park). Having seen how many families were on my train that Sunday, riding it seems like a perfect way to spend Father's Day ∎.

In retrospect, I could clearly see that Cleveland's public transportation system, RTA - including trains and buses - is declining, even though the city established a special 1% county tax to fund the RTA and keep it off state and federal support. That tax has, in fact, allowed the system to stay afloat against strong headwinds, and to buy and maintain rolling stock and stations that are generally in good condition. But even a dedicated tax can't fully shield a system when the local economy tanks. And it doesn't change the basic fact: people just don't ride the trains and buses in Cleveland, which means poor frequency, which in turn means even less reason to ride. Check the RTA website and you'll find a handful of bus routes slated for service reduction or discontinuation, and the entire Waterfront Line shut indefinitely as of December 2025 - unless the Browns are playing at home.

Tower City Center is the major station worth mentioning. It’s housed in the former Union Station, among the largest Union Stations ever built. Cleveland was one of the wealthiest cities in America around the turn of the last century, and it definitely shows. Once the train gets to Tower City Center, it’s right underneath the Tower City Center itself, because the building sits on a hill.

Underneath, all three metro lines converge underground, then share the tracks for two more stations going east. Interestingly, because the Red Line trains have high-floor doors and the Blue and Green trains have low-floor doors, they stop at different places on the same platform.

The Airport station is also quite remarkable. When the station opened in 1968, Cleveland was the first city in the western hemisphere to provide a direct rapid transit connection from a city’s downtown to its major airport.

Going east from downtown, the Red Line serves Cleveland State University and Little Italy. The latter is such a nice little neighbourhood, with quaint cafes, family restaurants, and nice stores. It was definitely worth going there to have a cup of coffee with a fresh cannoli. A special big “Thank You” to my readers who suggested I should go there!

Most stations I saw were nice and clean. I also enjoyed the art touches: I can tell Cleveland went above and beyond to attract riders. But I think it’s an unfortunate trend for the US in general, but especially in rust belt cities - people don’t feel like riding a metro, whether it’s due to work moving out of downtowns, or safety concerns, or just that the stations are inconveniently located. A train enthusiast like me was rare enough that a driver actually asked why I was taking pictures as I stepped off in Little Italy.

As for the Red Line, I’ve seen very little high-density development near its stations. The most popular stations were those with big park-and-rides. This is no surprise, given most of the line from the airport to downtown follows a former New York Central right of way.

The trains are old and honestly look like kitchen appliances, but they are nonetheless quite comfortable inside. The seats are especially cushioned: I don’t think I’ve seen seats this comfy on any metro system in North America. It kind of reminds me of Japan. And guess what: I checked Wikipedia and voilà - these trains were built by the Japanese manufacturer Tokyu in the mid-1980s! The only complaint about comfort is that there isn’t much leg room between the seats. I guess RTA could have easily removed 30% of the seats given the low ridership anyway.

Red Line trains mostly consist of two cars, and I’ve ridden a train with just one car. The platforms, though, are long enough to fit at least four cars. This metro system was clearly built with big expansion plans in mind.

Being 40+ years old, these trains are slated to be replaced over the next year or two by Siemens S200s, built in California - the same ones used in San Francisco and Calgary. So I guess lucky me - I had a chance to ride these Japanese trains before they get scrapped.

The headway between trains is 15 minutes, which is more appropriate for a regional train than a subway. However, to RTA’s credit - the trains run almost around the clock, with a short window of no service between 1:45 and 3:15 am.

I rode Red Line extensively, and more than half of those who rode it to a terminus station remained onboard... sleeping. A train, I realized, does double duty as a shelter, and for many riders RTA is clearly less a commute than a place to stay. The ever-present smell inside the cars is distinctively cannabis. I even saw a person smoking weed at the only underground station, Tower City Center.

As I mentioned earlier, the Green and Blue lines were suspended when I was in Cleveland, however I wanted to quickly share their fascinating story with you.

The Green and Blue lines were built around 1920 by the Van Sweringen brothers to attract buyers for their new suburban development, Shaker Heights. The brothers were very successful entrepreneurs, so through a series of acquisitions and negotiations they secured not just a direct path to downtown Cleveland’s Public Square. With such prime real estate, they built the most iconic building in all of Cleveland as a terminus station for their suburban lines – the Terminal Tower.

But the building wasn’t your normal Union Station. It’s a majestic 52-story skyscraper that was the tallest building in North America outside New York City until 1964, and that, in addition to hosting 32 tracks for the trains, also provides plenty of office space. It’s a true masterpiece, with beautiful wall and ceiling decorations.

Coming in from the west, the trains use the Union Terminal Viaduct that offers probably the best views of the city on both sides.

My Uber driver was right: Cleveland’s metro really does show you the good, the bad, and the ugly of this city, all in one ride. It’s a system built by giants - the Van Sweringens, the Terminal Tower, the first airport rail link in the western world - now carrying a fraction of the riders it was meant for, on pretty old trains. But I’m glad I was able to visit now, because in a year or two these Japanese cars will be gone, and some of that faded grandeur will go with them ∎.

Apparently, the municipality of Leamington didn’t approve a budget for a heavily subsidized bus when the provincial funding ran out of cash. I don’t judge them, I completely understand. But I still had to solve a major transportation gap in my route, of approximately 65 km / 40 miles from the nearest VIA Rail station in either Windsor or Chatham to a ferry crossing in Leamington.

A few options I considered:

1. Taxi: nope, sorry, prohibitively expensive

2. Mini-bus from Chatham to Tilbury and then walking the rest of the route: too far and I would not be able to catch a morning ferry on time since the first mini-bus to Tilbury would not leave until 6 am.

3. Hitchhiking: sounds adventurous, but too unreliable given my tight schedule.

But what about cycling this considerable gap? Sure, it would not be easy, but certainly doable with enough motivation. However, the problem was that VIA Rail does not allow bikes on board its trains in the Quebec-Windsor corridor, except on two round-trip routes between Ottawa and Quebec City. But nothing south of Toronto. The reason is that older LRV and Budd train cars still in operation, are not equipped with bike racks, and there is no room to store them inside coaches. The new Siemens Venture cars do have two bike racks available, but VIA Rail does not know in advance what type of train will be used, so they basically just banned bikes altogether.

The only exception is that you can take a foldable bike on board. That might work actually! So I explored more of this option and decided to give it a try. I bought not just any folding bike, but a Brompton, a remarkably compact machine with 16-inch wheels. When folded, it comes within the allowable dimensions and can be stowed on a regular baggage rack, saving me $25 that I would otherwise have paid to bring a folding bike aboard the train.

Once the missing link in my journey had been successfully addressed, I headed out to Toronto Union Station, stopping at IKEA to buy a $7.99 Dimpa bag that many people on Reddit said fit my new two-wheeled friend perfectly. I tried it, and it indeed worked like magic: at Union Station, my Brompton disappeared into a bag.

I never buy a business class ticket from VIA Rail unless I travel for work, but this time I decided to do so. One thing I particularly enjoy about business class tickets is that you can access VIA Rail lounges wherever they exist. The one in Toronto, while small, offers free coffee and tea, green apples, and a large variety of soft drinks. I took four juice bottles that fit perfectly into a small bag attached to my handlebars. Turned out, I was able to refill these bottles with water many times along my journey. Another perk of a business class is food and drinks are included. Having a nice dinner aboard a train was exactly what I needed after a day of office work.

The ride from Toronto to Chatham was delightful and relaxing. The views outside my window were spectacular, especially near Hamilton and Brantford. This was my second trip along this section of the Quebec-Windsor corridor, and this time I was able to snap a great picture atop a bridge in Paris. I’ve been to Paris once already, and it’s a nice, charming little town with a few fancy restaurants and stores. Once in Chatham, I unfolded my bike and headed to my Airbnb for the night. It was such a nice feeling of freedom: a folding bike and a train make a perfect combination.

There are a few ferries per day that connect Leamington and Pelee Island, but there is only one per day between Pelee Island and Sandusky, Ohio, which I could not afford to miss. Therefore, I woke up at 4 in the morning, quietly packed everything not to wake my Airbnb hosts, and headed to Leamington entirely on Google Maps. What I realized a few minutes into my ride was that a flashlight would have been helpful, as at 4 a.m., it was still pitch dark. I ended up holding my phone with one hand for about an hour so I could at least see some potholes if there were any. The good thing was that it was Saturday morning, and Google Maps took me through some sleepy gravel roads in the middle of farm fields, so I think I saw my first car at around 6 am when the sun was already well above the horizon.

Did I mention the sunrise? It was magnificent, the best one I had seen in a very long time. Every 30 seconds, the colours changed, and the next picture somehow topped the previous one. I spent about 15 minutes just standing there, watching the sky put on a show.

What added to the drama was the numerous wind turbines that litter the landscape of an almost perfectly flat and often windy southwestern Ontario. I don’t understand why so many people hate wind turbines. They looked almost majestic in that sunrise, though I suspect I may not be the target audience for anti-wind-turbine bumper stickers.

I’ll just say it: pedalling such a long distance of 65 km / 40 miles without any preparation was miserable. I generally consider myself fit, but I had not cycled in a long time, plus it takes about a week for your bottom part to get used to a firm saddle. Until then, it hurts like crazy! It took me slightly over four hours to get to Leamington, and I have to tell you the last 30 minutes were the most brutal. Thankfully, the ride was mostly level, and the pavement was decent for the most part.

Leamington is the kind of town that makes you understand why so many Canadians choose to retire there. Lake Erie is the shallowest of all the Great Lakes, so the water warms up quickly which makes it perfect for swimming.

Pelee Island, where I was headed next, is famous for its Carolinian forests and laid-back summer atmosphere. It’s also one of Ontario’s three wine regions, along with Niagara and Prince Edward Peninsula. Pelee Island is home to Canada’s first commercial estate winery, which was established in 1866.

The ferry M.V. Pelee Islander II was spacious, with large, comfortable seats. There is no need to make a reservation for foot or bike passengers in advance, but if you want to bring your car, you’d better reserve well ahead of time. It had everything I needed for a comfortable crossing. My only complaint is that the ferry staff allows cars and motorcycles to exit first while pedestrians and cyclists wait. Also, if you’re planning this trip in full or a part that involves a ferry ride, check the Ontario Ferries website as sometimes ferries depart from Kingsville, not Leamington.

Pelee Island deserved more than the 45 minutes I gave it. There is a 32 km / 20 miles coastal route around the island, with lookouts, an old lighthouse, and nature reserves, but my ferry to Sandusky was not going to wait. So instead of a leisurely island ride, I managed a quick bite, a short venture into a thick forest where I was immediately swarmed by mosquitos, and a stop at the famous winery with the bird on the bottle.

Mayflies were everywhere. Thankfully, unlike mosquitoes, they don’t bite.

My second ferry bound to Ohio, M.V. Pelee Islander was small and only fit a handful of cars. Despite this being a high season, the boat was mostly empty, with about 10 passengers and 2 or 3 cars onboard. One thing you need to know is that the service between Pelee Island and Sandusky, OH, only runs in the summer months, so my full itinerary would not be possible in any other season except summer.

There are two highlights on this second two-hour ferry ride between Pelee Island and Sandusky: first, you’ll catch a view of Middle Island, the absolute southernmost point of land in Canada. Situated at 41 41’ N latitude, this uninhabited Lake Erie island sits just 150 meters from the US-Canada maritime border. Most people don’t realize that this latitude means it is actually further south than the northern tip of California.

Second, you’ll pass Cedar Point, known as “America’s Roller Coast”. Established in 1870, it’s the second-oldest amusement park in the US that set a height record: it is the only park in the world with five coasters exceeding 60 m / 200 feet in height. The day I was riding a ferry was windy, so all the coasters stopped running for half an hour or so before they resumed.

Sandusky is a nice little town that has transformed from a sleepy beach and fishing village to a resort town thanks to the amusement park. Exactly where our ferry was docking, an old man was slaughtering two huge catfish, a show not for the faint-hearted.

The border crossing was not stressful at all. I normally avoid making jokes with the US Border Patrol, but an officer in Sandusky was a very funny guy. When he heard my story that I’m circling Lake Erie by trains, ferries, and a bike, apparently he missed the word “trains”, so he cheerfully concluded that I’m a crazy Canadian, with a B2 visa, when taking a photo of my passport. I really hope he didn’t write anything like that in my official file.

Having been exhausted from a long bike ride and two ferry crossings, I headed straight to my motel. The only thing you need to know about that place is that it had a clean bed and a warm shower.

I didn’t want to spend any more time than required in this motel, so exactly at 4 am, I headed out to the Amtrak train station located just a bit off downtown to catch a train at 4:23 am. For a state sitting between several major cities, Ohio’s train service is sadly limited. Being in a prime location between large cities, both Sandusky and Cleveland, where I was going next, only sees one train per day per direction between Chicago and New York / Boston (the Lakeshore Limited), and one between Chicago and Washington DC, with a service farther south to Florida (the Floridian). All four of these trains arrive very early in the morning, and the timetable could not even reflect it accurately. And there is no train connection to Columbus, Ohio at all, the largest American city without an intercity train.

The crowds on Amtrak are quite different from the crowds on VIA Rail. In Canada, you often have to pay a premium to take a train, with buses often being up to 2-3 times cheaper for the same route. And while Amtrak is far from cheap, people from all walks of life take it. I saw many students, seniors, those who don’t drive for religious or other reasons, and those who can’t afford a car. A train conductor reminded the passengers about some of the rules that tell you something about life onboard this train. Here is what he said: “ Don’t put your legs on tray tables, it can damage equipment. No smoking or vaping allowed. The other night, an individual lost his privileges to ride the train and was forced to leave the train at the nearest station. Shoes are required for walking, in a cafe, and highly recommended in the bathroom as the floor might be wet.” The only big advantage of Amtrak coach cars over similar classes on VIA Rail is that seats are larger, more cushiony, and have more leg room.

Cleveland is beautiful at sunrise, and the train station is near the city center, about a 15-minute walk from Tower City Center. Cleveland reached its peak as one of the world’s wealthiest cities during the Gilded Age, from the late 1870s through the early 1900s. Fueled by rapid industrial expansion, oil refining, and steel manufacturing, the city accumulated massive private wealth. The Tower City Center building occupies Cleveland’s former Union Station, probably the largest Union Station ever built. It is truly magnificent, with beautiful murals, ceilings and architectural details.

Cleveland’s metro system deserves its own story. For now, I’ll just say that it gave me a real urban experience of a city that still carries the shadows of its former grandeur.

Mayflies came to Cleveland too: while I was taking the following picture, one got on my bike helmet, and I didn’t notice it until I took off my helmet in my hotel room.

After I checked in at a hotel at 7 in the morning, and left my bike there, I set out on a day trip to explore Cleveland, its metro system and riding and the scenic railroad through Cuyahoga Valley National Park.

Beyond the Rails

Riding the Historic Railroad Through an Unlikely National Park

I spent the last hour of my ride on the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad in Cleveland standing in the open-air car, with my bulky camera in hand, enjoying the smell of a forest and admiring the size of poison ivy vines that envelop grown trees. It was a Sunday in mid-June, but not just a normal Sunday - it was Father’s Day. Judging by the number of dads …

Read more

a month ago · Beyond the Rails

The final day was the kind of itinerary that looks fine on paper and ridiculous in real life. If everything worked, I would make it from Cleveland to Ottawa by way of Buffalo, Niagara Falls, Toronto, and a very unforgiving eight-minute connection at Union Station. If anything went wrong, I would be toast.

What complicated things a bit was pouring rain in Cleveland when I woke up, so instead of riding my bike to the metro for about 5 km / 3 miles, I called an Uber. A good decision as it kept my bike dry in the IKEA Dimpa bag. The Red Line runs a remarkable 22 hours a day, so catching a 4:50 am train was not a problem. Walking from Tower City to the Amtrak station was miserable under the pouring rain, but rather quick. I made it just in time for the 5:50 am Lakeshore Limited train arriving to the Cleveland Amtrak platform. Once aboard and after changing my soaking wet socks, the rest of the journey immediately became more enjoyable.

I decided I would not ride my bike from the train station in Buffalo to Niagara Falls as it was still supposed to rain. At around 8 am, I went to a cafe car to break my $5 bill so I could pay on a bus in Buffalo.

Taking three different buses across Buffalo was the most stressful part of the trip. Maybe it was the rain, maybe it was the lack of sleep, maybe it was the fact that I was dragging a folding bike through unfamiliar transfers, but I never fully relaxed. It’s sad, because Buffalo has so much potential as a visitor destination, and yet I felt a real sense of relief once I crossed back into Canada.

I made it on time to take the GO Train from Niagara Falls, Ontario to Toronto. In my opinion, it’s the most picturesque route in the whole GO network. About 30 minutes into the ride, we slowly crossed the Welland Canal, the engineering marvel that allows ships to bypass Niagara Falls.

After crossing the canal, we were zooming through farmlands, some of the most fertile in the country. With warm, moist summers and snowy but not too cold winters, the climate here is ideal for growing fruits and vegetables, including grapes for the world-famous and award-winning ice wine. Sadly, there is quite a bit of suburban sprawl in the area built on these rich lands. While offering slightly cheaper housing compared to the Greater Toronto Area, it handicaps the Canadian agricultural sector. There is nothing better than seasonal cherries, peaches and apricots from the Niagara region.

Despite my fears, the GO Train arrived about five minutes early, giving me plenty of time to transfer to my VIA Rail train to Ottawa without any crazy running through Union Station. GO is such a great train system: fast, reliable, and getting better year over year, even with its now-trimmed electrification plans. Exhausted but happy, I continued my journey home, thinking about everything I had seen over those three days. All in all, the loop around Lake Erie, while physically demanding and logistically challenging, did work, thanks to the trains, ferries, a bit of my stubbornness, and of course, my new friend: a Brompton bike ∎.

In the late 1800s, St. Augustine, Florida, marked the end of what was considered “civilization,” while South Florida was nothing but swamps with alligators, mosquitoes, and palm trees.

Flagler, who had successfully consolidated railways in northern Florida with the southern terminus in Jacksonville, FL saw an opportunity to further expand his railway southward. In doing so, he essentially “opened” to America and the world what is now known as Florida, famous as a premier vacation destination.

However, to build a railroad, people needed a place to stay, so he hurried to build the Hotel Royal Poinciana in Palm Beach, FL. At the time, it was the largest wooden building in the world, with 300 rooms. This hotel didn’t last long as wood simply doesn’t survive in this harsh unforgiving climate.

Flagler didn’t relent and built a new hotel called the Breakers. What people know today as the Breakers is actually the third hotel built on this place. It was completed in 1929 using new building materials - concrete over iron cast. This proved to be a very durable combination of materials.

As anticipated by Flagler, people came to Southern Florida and found great enjoyment in the area. His owning both the transportation and hospitality businesses even further enriched him.

Julia Tuttle, a charismatic businesswoman from what is now Miami, asked Flagler to extend his railway to Fort Dallas, the future site of Miami. He declined, saying that he’s pretty happy with his very successful business in Palm Beach. What came next taught him a tough lesson. A particularly cold winter, which, despite the common belief, occasionally occurs in Florida, led to the freezing of all oranges as far south as Palm Beach. Surprisingly, Miami, located 60 miles south of Palm Beach and blessed with a tropical climate, remained unaffected. When Julia Tuttle presented Flagler with a basket of unfrozen oranges from Miami, he had no further hesitation to extend his railway down there.

The introduction of the railway in Miami fuelled a significant surge in growth, leading to unprecedented prosperity. The city even suggested changing its name from Miami to Flagler, but it seems Flagler, in all likelihood due to his humility, declined the honour.

A big visionary, Flagler, already well aware of the construction of the Panama Canal, saw another opportunity to extend his railway to Key West, often referred to as America’s Gibraltar. This strategic location had a deep-sea port, allowing ships from Asia to dock, with Flagler’s trains carrying cargo to various parts of America.

However, the challenge was how to build a railroad over the ocean. Even today, it puzzles me how people could dare to do something like this 100-150 years ago given the modest engineering advancements of the time.

The work required was a huge battle of human resilience against powerful natural forces. Many workers enlisted in exchange for receiving housing, three meals a day, and a daily wage of $1.25. The everyday challenges, such as brutal heat and hungry mosquitoes, became unbearable for some, while hurricanes posed fatal threats. The workers faced a constant struggle to get enough food, water, and medicine for survival. The book titled “Last Train to Paradise: Henry Flagler and the Spectacular Rise and Fall of the Railroad that Crossed an Ocean” by Les Standiford recounts the stories of the railroad’s construction.

It’s fair to say that it was the regular people working on the construction who brought Henry Flagler’s vision to life. I visited Flagler’s home turned museum in Palm Beach and it just amazes me how much wealth this person possessed while people were literally dying for $1.25 a day. It’s wild capitalism, no doubt.

The Over the Sea Railway would eventually be 126 miles / 202 km long, built over open ocean and using the Florida Key islands as stepping stones. The construction of the Bahia Honda Bridge from 1909 to 1912 proved to be one of the most challenging segments, primarily due to the presence of deep channels. It posed numerous challenges for both workers and engineers. The channel, reportedly exceeding 30 ft / 10 m in depth, marked the greatest underwater depth encountered along the entire route. The railroad bridge was exceptionally narrow. Before traversing the truss bridge, the train conductor would caution passengers, advising them to keep their heads and arms inside the train car.

People worked in shifts, as short as 45 minutes due to tides and currents. The work continued till the night before the opening on January 22, 1912, when Flagler rode his famous car No 91 from Palm Beach to Key West.

Sadly, in 1935, the Labor Day Hurricane wiped out 40 miles / 64 km of the Over-Sea Railroad’s tracks in the upper Keys, pushing the already financially strained Florida East Coast Railroad to the brink of bankruptcy. Unable to afford reconstruction, the state of Florida acquired the remaining railroad components, repurposing them for the foundation of the Overseas Highway which is still in use today.

The Labor Day hurricane’s true toll extended beyond the loss of tracks. Over 250 World War I veterans tragically lost their lives. This historic hurricane remains one of the strongest ever recorded, leaving a tragic story of destruction and human sacrifice.

The Florida East Coast Railway still exists to this day and owns 351 miles / 565 km of tracks from Jacksonville to Miami. According to their website, the company is the exclusive rail provider for Port Miami, Port Everglades and Port of Palm Beach. It provides freight train service as well as leases its tracks to the private commercial train operator Brightline. Interestingly enough, although not affiliated, Brightline draws parallels between Flagler’s railroad legacy and their modern high-speed train service linking Miami and Orlando. They have a nice wall exhibit at the Miami Station ∎.

In July 1892, the P’tit Train du Nord began operations, connecting Montreal to the picturesque Laurentides region passing through the Rivière du Nord valley. This railway revolutionized travel, making it easier for people to explore the great outdoors, enjoy winter sports, and experience the natural beauty of the area. The train operated by Canadian Pacific Railway became a vital artery, transporting passengers, goods, and services, and boosting local economies.

The train’s opening northern frontiers drew the attention of several wealthy people to the Laurentides region, including prominent figures such as Montréal’s Mayor Raymond Prefontaine, Supreme Court judge Charles Doherty, Public Works Minister Alphonse Nantel, Canadian Pacific Railway President Sir Thomas Shaughnessy, and others. Inns, shops, restaurants and lots of other local businesses were opened to address the growing needs of tourism year-round. The numbers speak volumes: in the winter of 1927-1928, 11,000 skiers came by train in just four months.

The train’s impact extended far beyond tourism. It served as a vital lifeline for the local communities. During the period between 1892 and 1921, the region’s population surged from 1,700 to 4,500, and formerly isolated communities in the Laurentides gained access to essential services like healthcare, jobs, and connections to the broader Montréal metropolitan area.

However, as cars became more accessible, the railway’s popularity declined, and the last passenger train ran in 1981. The tracks remained for another decades, kind of a reminder to a bygone era.

In the 1990s, a visionary group of citizens and local governments saw an opportunity to inject a new life into the abandoned railway. Quite a bold vision! Nevertheless, they managed to transform the 234 km / 145-mile stretch into a multi-use bike trail which opened in 1996. This rail trail is considered to be the longest park of its kind in Canada.

Today, the P’tit Train du Nord bike trail is a world-renowned destination. It attracts cyclists, hikers, and nature enthusiasts from far and wide. The trail finds its way through picturesque towns, cute little villages, and amazing landscapes. The region’s economy has flourished once again thanks to the trails. Local businesses now look forward to the influx of visitors during the warm season.

For those interested in trying this fantastic two-day cycling adventure, which I highly endorse as you have guessed my now, here’s a quick itinerary: After arriving from Ottawa (or another place) and having a quick brunch at a local cafe, we started from the Mont-Tremblant Downtown sector (marked by the 83 km trail sign) and pedalled to Camping du Domaine Lausanne (marked by the 60 km trail sign), where we spent the night. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the trail was freshly paved as I had expected crushed stone instead.

Camping du Domaine Lausanne is a cute private little park, primarily catering to RVs, and featuring a picturesque lake in the middle. The park offers a range of amenities, including a supervised sandy beach, food truck, community room, and even an arcade game room. We chose two more secluded campsites, farther away from the main road. While the park conveniently sits on the P’tit Train du Nord trail, its bicycle-only campsites, at $19 per person per night, are located directly next to a busy highway - nay!

Although we cycled more distance on the second day, the ride was surprisingly easier, with the terrain being either flat or downhill. The trail also became increasingly picturesque and offered stunning views of waterfalls, lakes, and tall granite walls.

We made stops in a few charming villages along the way to take brief breaks to refuel with snacks and ice cream. Our journey ended at Mont-Roland, marked by the 26 km trail sign. The journey truly left me with a sense of accomplishment and quite a few fond memories.

The trail is well-marked and features a detailed map alongside many of the trail marker. Additionally, convenient amenities are strategically placed every 10-15 kilometres, including water refill stations, washrooms, and picnic tables to ensure a comfortable and well-supported journey for cyclists.

Vintage train stations in each village have been carefully restored and repurposed as museums, boutiques, and cafes.

The abundance of amenities along the trail and the high volume of cyclists (yes, it’s very busy on a nice summer weekend day!) prove the significant economic impact the trail has on these communities. The trail brings memories of Europe, where cycling is a beloved mode of transportation and urban areas often prioritize bike-friendly infrastructure. I wish Canada had more trails like this one, promoting sustainable transportation and fostering vibrant community development ∎.

Useful Resources:

The P’tit Train du Nord’s official website

Detailed Google Maps

The CapeFLYER is a seasonal train running between Boston’s South Station and Hyannis, Cape Cod, with stops in Braintree, Brockton, Lakeville, Wareham Village, Buzzards Bay, and Bourne. It operates three days a week - Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays - from the Memorial Day weekend through Labour Day.

The full ride takes roughly two and a half hours. It’s an excellent alternative to driving to Cape Cod, which has become notorious for its traffic congestion. There’s essentially one bridge, one lane in each direction, connecting Cape Cod to the mainland. It’s a literal choke point: you could be stuck in traffic for hours, especially on long weekends. The CapeFLYER is a fantastic way to skip the gridlock and enjoy the journey with a cup of coffee, a can of beer, or a glass of wine in hand.

The train is operated by the MBTA - the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. Yes, it’s a commuter train, with the same single-level and double-decker cars the MBTA runs across its network, from Rhode Island to the Massatchusets-New Hampshire border.

One car has been converted into a bike car: they basically stripped out all the seats and installed bike racks instead. Bringing a bicycle onboard for free is such a fantastic option - Cape Cod is flat, shaded, and made for cycling. I can absolutely see how biking there could be a joy. Next time I’m in Cape Cod, that’s exactly what I’m doing.

There’s also a bar car (a whiteboard proudly read “bah cah,” poking fun at the Boston accent), and it was hands-down the busiest spot on the train. No surprise: that’s where people grab snacks and drinks, and strike up conversations with strangers. And trust me, some of those chats are wildly entertaining, especially when half-drunk lawyers are sharing their stories while heading to the Cape on a Friday night to kick off their weekend.

There’s even a business class car: for eight extra dollars, you get a wider seat and a free drink from a separate bar. Surprisingly, it wasn’t very crowded.

Speaking of food: it was very good! You could grab sandwiches, salads, yogurt parfaits, and other snacks. One item was especially popular - the bar nearly ran out of it - a mystery bag: $12 for three random cans of beer and three granola bars. I agree it’s a strange combination, but who cares. If you’ve never bought beer on a train, let me tell you: a single can can easily go for $10 or more. So yeah, the mystery bag was a steal.

As of summer 2026, the one-way fare between Boston and Cape Cod in the Coach Class is $22 ($40 round-trip), but if you ride on Sunday and return the same day, the round trip is just $20. You can upgrade your ticket to the First Class for $15.00 each way. According to the MBTA’s website, there’s no need to buy tickets in advance: there are always seats available, and they even add extra cars on long weekends. Smart move. I don’t know about you, but I always stress about not catching a ride, worried it’ll be sold out.

One of the best things about this train is the scenery. That said, as a photographer, it’s always tricky to snap a good shot from a moving train. My advice: sit on the left side when heading from Boston to Cape Cod and you’ll be riding along the shore. You’ll pass serene lakes, grassy plains, charming farms, and quaint marinas. One of the highlights of the entire trip is the Cape Cod Canal Railroad Bridge. It’s a vertical lift bridge, meaning the center span rises straight up to let ships pass underneath. When it was completed in 1935, it was the longest vertical lift railroad bridge in the world, with a 544-foot center span.

Once the train crosses the bridge into Cape Cod, it rides along the canal, then zips past backyards and lush green oak groves. The final stop is right in the heart of Hyannis, at its transportation centre.

From there, it’s a short walk to Main Street’s restaurants and shops, and to the beautiful Hyannis Harbour. Not only is it a scenic spot, but it’s also the gateway to ferries departing for Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket.

The train station in Hyannis connects you to bus routes across Cape Cod. You can choose between big Peter Pan coaches or local buses operated by the Cape Cod Regional Transportation Authority (CCRTA). The latter are incredibly generous (thank you, taxpayers!) - they offer free rides on all fixed routes anywhere in Cape Cod. Since we parked our car in Boston and took the train down, we made full use of the free local buses, and we’re genuinely grateful.

The CCRTA network takes you to historic towns and villages, beaches, shopping malls, grocery stores, and more. While there are designated bus stops, you can wave down a driver pretty much anywhere, and they’ll stop - assuming it’s safe to do so. One thing I really appreciated: the driver actually waited for the train to arrive, even if it meant running behind schedule.

One day, we took a bus to Eastham with a connection in Orleans. Oh boy, it took nearly 2.5 hours to get there. But the Coast Guard Beach and the views in Cape Cod National Seashore were absolutely worth it. Plus, we got to see all the charming towns along the way. My absolute favourite was Chatham, followed closely by Harwich.