Take part on what once was the longest train ride of the world, a route from Portugal to Singapore, with over 18.755 km (11.654 miles), and that took 21 days to be completed. It may be an unconventional form of travel, but why travel by air when you can enjoy the numerous views this long journey could offer?
How would it be possible to go from Portugal to Singapore with no flights?
The idea that the journey from the south of Europe to the south of Asia could be the longest train ride of the world began with a hypothetical map traced by the Reddit user @htGoSEVe, and emerged right after a new section of railway in Laos was inaugurated, supposedly completing a link that was missing up until that point. From the original publishing in 2021 until now, the author, as well as other Reddit users, made a few corrections to the route, due to interruptions in some legs and to add more accurate information, but even those are already arguably out of date. Still, it is fun to imagine how that train ride would go.
What a Train Ride from Europe to Asia Would Be Like
Your journey would begin in the beautiful city of Lagos, situated along the Atlantic Ocean, in the Algarve region of Portugal, simply the World's Leading Beach Destination according to the World Travel Awards, the Oscars of the tourism industry. After checking out of the gracious Boutique Hotel you might have stayed in, you could make your way to Lagos’ train station where you would then embark on the longest train journey in the world. The original route idea would go through 13 different countries, had 11 route stops, and a few overnights along the way.
After leaving Lagos and changing trains in Tunes you would make a strategic stop in Lisbon where you could get to know some of the best neighbourhoods in the city and then move on to Porto, one of the friendliest cities in Europe. Well, if some overnight stops would be an essential part of the journey anyway, a great idea would be to start making them even before leaving Portugal to best enjoy the country. You could even get strategically distracted from the original route and maybe go on some inside trips that would only show you the richness of all the regions of Portugal.
Back to original journey, the second country to be visited would be, of course, Spain. Then France, Germany, Poland and Belarus. Then you would leave Europe and enter Russia which was, at the time, a way simpler task as the Paris-Moscow Express was still a possibility that was later suspended during the pandemic. Now, the suspension remains as a result of a sanction..gif)
However, in our imaginary world of 2021, you would cross 5 countries that train ride and then you would be closer than ever to Asia, where you would be able to pass through places such as Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia and China. Truth be told, there are a few parts that would require travellers to catch a bus to connect to the following train station to continue the journey. Still, no flights, which also means lower environmental emissions. From the short period this train journey was a possibility, it would emit only 0.08 tonnes of CO2 equivalent, versus the 1.67 tonnes from a direct one-flight from Lisbon to Singapore. It was calculated the route would take at least 21 days to be completed, but it could even take months if one decided to spend more time getting to know different parts of the ride.
The Best Next Thing
Unfortunately, the longest train ride in the world crosses over some countries that now face a delicate political situation and instability which has turned this interesting experience into a virtually impossible feature. For now, nonetheless.
Maybe, the best thing to do is to cut your trip short and, at least for the coming years, and take your time to explore the first part of that long route, as Portugal is a stable and safe country that offer great weather year-round. And you know what? You could do most of your traveling by train, car or bus, as getting around Portugal is quite easy and affordable. If you still prefer the convenience of flying, then you will have hundreds of direct connections for your disposal. But be warned! You might fall in love and never want to live.
If that is case, know that making that move is totally possible due to Portugal’s many visa options, including some very straightforward ones like the Golden Visa and de D2 Business Visa. Either way, if moving to Portugal is something that sparks your desire, let us know so we can help secure you ticket to the greater ride of you live: your relocation to Portugal.
