Ticket to Ride: Around the World on 49 Unusual Train Journeys

Bought this for my dad who said the way it's written is very good very funny and an easy read

Tom Chesshyre is one of my absolute favourite travel writers, and as we also share a passion for rail travel, I was sure that this book would be a sure fire winner. Sadly, that it not the case, and this is the first of his books that I have read over a period of a week, rather than tearing through from cover to cover.On reflection, some of the writing feels somewhat 'tired', and lacks his characteristic bounce. There are still sections of sparkling, sharply observed prose, but in between, the content can seem somewhat lacklustre, as though he's describing just another train journey.Most of Chesshyre's books are written in stand alone chapters, which often works to his advantage, and make them very readable. However, in this case, there are so few linkages between the chapters that it almost feels as though he's ticking down the list of '49 unusual train journeys' towards completion of his draft. Because he's written wonderfully well about rail travel before, there's also a sense that the subject matter is a little stale, and including a 'grab bag' chapter towards the end which contains a random selection of short railway stories seems a little sloppy.There are still flashes of sheer brilliance. The insurrection he unwittingly provokes on the Ghan across Australia and his account of a boozy weekend with an old college chum in Bordeaux stand out, and his opening and closing chapters (on trainspotting in Crewe and travelling the iconic West Coast railways of Scotland) show what he is capable of.I struggled with giving this a star rating. I have decided to give it 4 stars because it is still a great read compared to virtually any other travel author, and will also appeal to rail enthusiasts.I am looking forward to Tom returning to form with his next offering. Being a great fan of 'How Low Can You Go' (about the opeing up of new travel destinations in Europe due to the rise of the low cost air carriers), may I suggest that he consider a book on the 'opening up' of new tourist destinations in Asia as a result of the proliferation of low cost regional airlines such as AirAsia?

Another enjoyable book which is easy to dip into or get hooked on longer routes.

On time and good condition

Brilliant Read

Entertaining read

There are two types of people - those who love the adventure and romance of train travel and those who'd rather take the car. If you fall in the former group then you can't fail to enjoy this marvellous book.Tom Chesshyre takes us round the world on a number of trains - and not always the obvious ones (although he does a few of those too). He is an entertaining writer and his tales about the places he visits, the trains he travels in and the people he meets on them are all equally interesting and enjoyable. I particularly liked the chapters on Kosovo and Macedonia & Turkey and Iran. Towards the end he adds a chapter of highlights and anecdotes from previous train trips too - this chapter is rather bitty compared to the rest of the book, but it would be churlish to complain about too many trains in a volume such as this.By the end of his travels, Tom is closer to understanding the fascination of trains and the nature of the train sp... sorry, rail enthusiast. He's considerably closer to becoming one too - don't be too surprised if you spot him at the end of a platform with a thermos and a notebook one day.If you count watching that nice Mr Portillo tootle around clutching his trusty Bradshaw's as one of your guilty pleasures (and I do), then this one is most definitely for you.

Before reading this I was thinking of doing the Perth to Sydney rail journey. However reading Tom's article and the people he meet on-route has put me off.

The author takes us on a fascinating journey around the world on some famous (and not so) rail journeys. While he documents the trains involved and some of the railway history, chiefly it is a book of fascinating anecdotes about the people and places along the way. A study of people who prefer trains to planes. Great read. Highly recommended

This is a delightful collection of memoirs about long and short rail journeys undertaken by the author, including one to North Korea. He has covered every continent except Africa. Written in a quintessential English style ( reminding me of Eric Newby), it is both entertaining and informative. It is rather expensive , but since I love train journeys, I did not mind.

The premise is great - chronicles of epic train journeys - but the treatment is marred by Chesshyre's tone which is often one of juvenile incomprehension and pique. For example, it is not surprising to me that on a train journey through China, other passengers will speak in Chinese languages and that English will be rare and possibly rough (we wouldn't expect British train staff and passengers to be fluent in Mandarin, would we?). And yet Chesshyre, whose métier is supposed to be that of the sympathetic, attentive travel writer, indulges in cheap mockery of what Chiense sounds like to his incomprehending ears, and relating with suppressed guffaws the "funny" English translations of Chinese signs. Much of his text is taken up withbemused condescension at his fellow-travelers - overweight Americans, tipsy Australians, poorly-dressed rail enthusiasts, suspicious Teutons...A little of this comedy-of-life is inevitable in a journey, but Chesshyre chose to take epic and historic rail journeys through some of the most amazing landscapes on earth - surely he could find more to write about than too-small berths and flatulent train conductors?

So many places, at a glorious pace. This book allows you to enjoy the pleasure of the sights and sounds of great train journeys big and small. Lightly written and a real pleasure to read.

This book was a pleasure. I could envision each train and the people the author met on his travels. I would highly recommend it.