Examples of non-UK rail services run primarily/wholly for leisure travellers?

[notlob.divad]

Bit of a different form of 'Leisure' travel

PKP Polish National railways have, (when the festival has been running) put on special trains from Kraków and Warsaw to Gdynia for the Open'er Music festival. In some cases artists who will play at the festival have also played officially sanctioned Micro gigs on the train as it is travelling.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

The narrow gauge Circumetnea on Sicily is certainly a sightseeing line, but it is also a vital local railway for the many villages en route, many poised on the edge of lava flows, some of which are quite recent (the railway itself has had to be diverted along a new alignment at times).
You travel at quite a high level on the middle section, keeping about 10km from the summit.
Not quite circular, from Catania, round Etna and then back down to the coast at Giarre/Riposto (for main line back to Catania).
Not many through journeys, usually changing 2/3 of the way at Randazzo, the main railway depot for the line.
If you don't stop over anywhere, the circular trip will take about 4 hours and cost about €10.
Mix of old and new (Polish) DMUs on the narrow gauge line.
Clockwise, Etna is permanently on the right, usually trailing a plume of smoke.
Fine views west and north on the left side.
You have to use the metro from Centrale to reach the starting station at Catania Borgo.

 

[Cheshire Scot]

Glacier Express and (perhaps to a lesser extent) Bernina Express

Plenty of other trains on both of these routes albeit involving a change of trains but the bulk of the passengers on the above are likely to be tourists - including no doubt some Swiss nationals enjoying the scenery of their country. .

 

[Train jaune]

You defo need to do the old stock, particularly the open wagons if they are still running. The temperature change as you climb up towards the top is disconcerting, I was sweltering when I boarded but freezing at the top wishing I'd brought my jumper

 

[43096]

Glacier Express and (perhaps to a lesser extent) Bernina Express

Plenty of other trains on both of these routes albeit involving a change of trains but the bulk of the passengers on the above are likely to be tourists - including no doubt some Swiss nationals enjoying the scenery of their country. .

The Rhätische Bahn have run plenty of services aimed at tourists over the years: the various workings with the “Krokodils” on open stock, the annual toboggan trains taking tobogganists up the Albula line and the weekend Landquart/Chur-Ilanz trains all spring to mind.

 

[davetheguard]

In the German state of Thuringen, the Sud Thuringen Bahn operate a service of four return trips a day at weekends through from from the state capital Erfurt over the line from Ilmenau to the station at Rennsteig located high in the forested hills of the region. The line normally has no scheduled service beyond Ilmenau, although a railway preservation society seem to be based at Rennsteig station too. En route, the train also serves the normally closed stations of Ilmenau Bad and Stuetzerbach.

To travel on the train, you need to buy a special "Rennsteig Shuttle" ticket from the ticket machine on the train itself, although on the day we did it, there was also a Conductor on the train selling the tickets too. The Rennsteig is a German long distance footpath, and the train service is run primarily for walkers & tourists.

 

[Cloud Strife]

PKP Polish National railways have, (when the festival has been running) put on special trains from Kraków and Warsaw to Gdynia for the Open'er Music festival. In some cases artists who will play at the festival have also played officially sanctioned Micro gigs on the train as it is travelling.

Yes, same with PolRegio running trains to Woodstock/Pol'and'Rock.

 

[Gloster]

Danish State Railways usually put up a special halt on the Roskilde-Køge line for the Roskilde Festival. Shuttles from Roskilde or Copenhagen, or special trains run.

 

[DanielB]

In a similar setup, The Netherlands has also got four stations only served in case of events (Rotterdam Stadion, Amsterdam ArenA, Eindhoven Stadion and Heerenveen IJsstadion). Although only the first one gets some sort of regular service on matchdays and with events, the others are rarely used.

A special one from the past was "Onze Lieve Vrouwe ter Nood" halt, serving pilgrims visiting the nearby monastery. It was served only a few times per year, by regular trains, and only had grass covered pile of dirt as platform. Unfortunately the halt was closed following a safety incident with pilgrims walking along the tracks after being stranded on the platform, which they couldn't exit as a newly build fence didn't have a door in it.
There has also been a sixt event station in The Netherlands, Almere Strand, which was served once a year serving visitors to the yearly fair of a Dutch magazine. This one also closed in the mean time as the expansion of Almere led to the construction of a new permanent station nearby.

 

[52290]

Steam is used on the Historical Train between Régua and Pocinho.
Unless you've travelled on that train back when the company couldn't care less and used ICE Diesel exclusively (this was somewhat between 2010 and 2015).

Currently that train uses the same steam locomotive it traditionally relied on, with the catch that the firebox was adapted to burn diesel.

When I use to travel on the Douro line east of Regua in the late 60's and early 70's only certain types of steam loco were allowed due to weight restrictions on the bridges. In common with most other CP broad guage steam locos they were oil fired. One exception to this was No 014, a Beyer-Peacock coal-fired 0-6-2 tank, which was kept at Pocinho for banking trains up from Freixo de Numâo. I suspect that today's tourist trains have motive power different from those days now the bridges have been strengthened.

 

[Giugiaro]

I suspect that today's tourist trains have motive power different from those days now the bridges have been strengthened.

2-8-4 Henschel & Sohn tender locomotive, Nr. CP 0186. That class used to be pictured at Régua.

 

[52290]

2-8-4 Henschel & Sohn tender locomotive, Nr. CP 0186. That class used to be pictured at Régua.

The 2-8-4T 's along with the 7xx 2-8-0's got as far as Regua but were not allowed any further East along the Douro valley.

 

[miklcct]

Disneyland Resort Line in Hong Kong MTR - an exclusive branch railway connecting the Disneyland to a main commuter line.

 

[Gag Halfrunt]

Wouldn't Disneyland staff use it as well?

 

[superalbs]

The RegioJet trains to Croatia! They're seasonal, and I can't imagine have many business travellers on the noisy and delayed ride to Split!

 

[nanstallon]

I'm not sure whether it still runs, but suspect that the once daily train from Neussargues (originating in Cermont-Ferrand) to St Chely d'Apcher and on to Millau and Beziers carries mainly people out for the ride, especially over the Garabit viaduct. Long may it continue to run!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 17 Sep 2021 ==

The 2-8-4T 's along with the 7xx 2-8-0's got as far as Regua but were not allowed any further East along the Douro valley.

I remember in 1971 taking a photo of a 7xx 2-8-0 coming into Tua on a freight.

 

[30907]

I'm not sure whether it still runs, but suspect that the once daily train from Neussargues (originating in Cermont-Ferrand) to St Chely d'Apcher and on to Millau and Beziers carries mainly people out for the ride, especially over the Garabit viaduct.

I suspect it doesn't, sadly, apart from enthusiasts!
In the mid-90s the local tourist board put on a circular tour from Millau covering the Cevennes and Causses lines - I enjoyed a splendid day in a new DMU (X72500 I think - I was the only non native French speaker) - but it lasted at most 2 seasons.

Long may it continue to run!

Seconded!