Expert unravels the myth behind the world’s ‘longest train journey’

Sign up to Simon Calder’s free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calder’s Travel email Get Simon Calder’s Travel email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy With tourists seeking more sustainable travel options for 2025, there are eyes on the tracks for the most remarkable rail adventures this year – but is the “world’s longest train journey” a ride you can actually take? Speaking on The Independent Travel Podcast, Mr Smith said: “You don’t buy the ticket from a little bloke in a booth in Lagos, selling tickets to Singapore for a direct train leaving every Tuesday. The theory of the world’s “longest rail ride” originated when the Laos-China railway opened for business, linking Kunming and Vientiane – a missing link in the rails between Europe and Singapore – in 2021. However, deciding the “longest” distance connecting Portugal with Singapore – Villa Real de San Antonio to Lisbon is technically longer than Lagos to Lisbon – and whether road transfers between termini invalidate the trip as rail travel means that defining the world’s longest train route is “not as simple as you think,” said Mr Smith.