A Welsh train journey has been named as one of the best in the world by the revered Lonely Planet guide.
The travel authority had released its first ever guide dedicated to continental train travel and the train journey loop from Llandudno to Porthmadog appears in the top five in Europe.
The new guide helps to explain the best ways to travel by train on the complex European rail network with detailed maps, information about main stations, and the best places to stay nearby.
There is also advice on ticketing, what to expect from a sleeper train experience, and tips for different kinds of travellers including families and those with disabilities.
The route in Wales is featured amongst five of the "best scenic journeys around Europe".
It says of the Llandudno to Porthmadog loop : "Some of the world’s most beautiful narrow-gauge railways can be found in Wales and two of the best can be combined in a loop to take in the mountains and coastal scenery of Snowdonia.
"Catch a service from Llandudno Junction – with its mainline connections – down the Conwy Valley to Blaenau Ffestiniog and change for the celebrated Ffestiniog Railway, a distinctive steam-hauled line which winds 13 miles down to the coast at Porthmadog.
"Return via the sublime steam service of the Welsh Highland Railway under the summit of Snowdon to Caernarfon where you can catch a bus back to Bangor and the main line."
Other journeys that feature include the trip from Locarno in Switzerland to Domodossola in Italy, the Oslo to Bergen route in Norway, and the Black Forest Railway in Germany.
One of the book's author's, Tom Hall, said: "There are few more enjoyable experiences for the traveller than criss-crossing Europe by train safe in the knowledge you’re on a cleaner and more enriching way to travel.
"With a constantly unfolding landscape of towns and villages, mountains, seas and to feast your eyes on – or a snooze in a comfy seat or even a night on the rails. Taking the train is the perfect option for the modern traveller seeking adventure, convenience, and a greener alternative to flying.
"By hopping between high-speed lines you can get almost everywhere in western Europe and for the price of a few more hours travellin, high-speed rail offers a fabulous alternative to the stresses and eco-worries associated with short-haul flying.”
Lonely Planet's Guide to Train Travel in Europe is £19.99.
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