“If the train goes there, so do we”. Frank Marini was keen to get that message across as he made his 40 th trip to Australia from his base in the USA as President and CEO of Railbookers group.

Train journeys are on the radars of travel-hungry Australians looking to take in the scenery of Europe, the UK and North America while they get from A to B. Rising eco-awareness and a growing preference for slower, more immersive travel is driving the demand, and it’s about to get even easier for them to see the world by rail.

Railbookers is offering a unique new Around the World by Rail holiday, encompassing the USA, Europe, Russia, Mongolia, China and Australia.

Six years of double-digit sales growth from the Australian market has seen the establishment of a local arm of Amtrak Vacations by independent travel holiday provider, Yankee Leisure Group (YLG). Revealing the move to the travel trade today, YLG said the Sydney-based operation was a reflection of increasing demand by Aussies for “independent, customised train travel through North America”.