Ultimate Vehicles | World's Biggest, Longest Trains

A single vehicle several kilometers long – it is only possible on rails. No wonder that trains continue to fascinate people even today, and that their fan base is one of the most devoted.

The train was one of the most decisive inventions of all time. Traveling became affordable, and freight transport was expedited. Even now, 40 percent of all freight worldwide is transported by train. And fortunately so, as the train is also one of the most environmentally friendly means of transportation.

From the Swiss Alps to the steppe of South Africa all the way to Japan: we present the world’s most extraordinary trains.

Setting speed records on gigantic wheels: the DR 18201 is the fastest steam locomotive in the world. It can travel at up to 180 km/h.

It is not the fastest of high-speed trains, but is one of the most modern – the ICE 4. Thanks to its innovative drive concept, it is more flexible and energy-efficient than all other high-speed trains.

For several years, luxury train service has been booming just like the Orient Express once did. The most spectacular luxury train is the Japanese Shiki-shima. Developed by a former Ferrari designer, the futuristic train offers luxury of all kinds: piano bar, bathtub, underfloor heating, and panorama cars.

Cog railways can handle the steepest routes in the world. But only one of them is built to climb grades of over 40 percent. The Pilatus Railway in Switzerland manages this feat thanks to a special cogwheel design.

One of the most spectacular freight trains in the world rolls across South Africa. At 4.2 kilometers long, the Sishen-Saldanha iron ore train is the longest regularly running train on the globe. It transports 34,000 tons of iron ore in one rail journey over a distance of about 800 kilometers. This unique train rounds out the episode devoted to trains.