Swiss Railway Journeys

Swiss Railway Journeys is a captivating series showcasing the beautiful Swiss countryside as seen from its immaculate railways. First stop is Canton Ticino where visitors can admire the Italian influenced architecture before travelling high into the Alps through densely wooded valleys to marvel at this spectacular mountain range. Until the advent of railway engineering in the 1880's it was impossible for travellers to cross the Alpine backbone from Northern Europe to Italy during winter. Now the route can be seen in its entirety from the dramatic scenery from the heart of the Confederation to the Mediterranean in the south. Also on the itinerary is the glamorous resort of St Moritz, the breathtaking Albula Line with its lofty viaducts spiral tunnels and deep gorges and the beautiful Entelbuch valley. Swiss Railway Journeys offers more options than a Swiss Army Knife.

Great Alaskan Railroad Journeys

Michael Portillo heads for the Last Frontier of the United States armed with his 1899 Appleton's Guide-Book to Alaska.

Great Canadian Railway Journeys

Michael Portillo explores Canada, armed with his Appleton's Guidebook.

Great Rail Restorations with Peter Snow

Restoration experts restore iconic rail carriages back to their former glory

みんなの鉄道

Railway program focused on riding experience. Cameras fixed on a train show surroundings in three directions while the train is moving. On its way, an explanation for the rolling stock, train stations, and rail infrastructure is given.

Great Continental Railway Journeys

Michael Portillo travels on the great train routes of Europe, as he retraces the journeys featured in George Bradshaw's 1913 Continental Railway Guide.

The Railway: Keeping Britain On Track

Documentary series revealing the inner workings of Britain's railways, introducing the track-workers, train guards, drivers, police officers and management teams determined to keep the country moving.

La passion des trains

The Channel Tunnel: 25 Years

The Channel Tunnel stands as an engineering triumph and a testament to what can be achieved when two nations, Britain and France put aside their historic differences and work together. On the 25th anniversary of its opening, we reflect on what it took to build the longest undersea tunnel ever constructed.

Railway Adventures Across Australia

Railway adventures across Australia follows the exploits of Scott McGregor on his quest to find the famous, unusual and unique trains and stories at the end of the line.

Around the World by Train With Tony Robinson

Covering thousands of miles, Sir Tony Robinson takes a whirlwind journey around the globe by train.

Secrets of the Railways

These are the Secrets of the Railways, railroads constructed during turbulent periods and associated with mankind's ugliest deeds.

Great British Railway Journeys

Michael Portillo takes to the tracks with a copy of George Bradshaw's Victorian Railway Guidebook. Portillo travels the length and breadth of the country to see how the railways changed us, and what of Bradshaw's Britain remains.

Railways of the Great War with Michael Portillo

Michael Portillo examines the role of the railways in World War I and travels through Britain and Europe uncovering stories from the Great War.

On the Rails of the Double Headed Eagle

The railway age in the Austrian Empire began with the construction of the horse-drawn railway from Linz to Budweis. Plans soon followed to connect the imperial capital of Vienna with the iron and coal deposits in northern Moravia and with the port city of Trieste. In 1837 the Kaiser Ferdinands Nordbahn was opened, in 1857 the Semmeringbahn planned by Karl Ritter von Ghega, overcoming one of the most difficult obstacles on the way to the Adriatic. The crossing of the Alps by train, such as over the Arlberg or the Brenner, is still considered a unique engineering masterpiece. The expansion of the railway network brought epochal changes. Goods and people circulated on an unprecedented scale – life accelerated. It had succeeded in connecting the northern crown lands such as Silesia or Bohemia and Moravia with Carinthia, Tyrol or the coastal region.

Great Asian Railway Journeys

Michael Portillo is in Southeast Asia, armed with his 1913 Bradshaw's Handbook. It will lead him on a spectacular 2,500-mile railway adventure across six countries. He explores towering megacities and magnificent mosques.

Trains That Changed the World

This series looks at the iconic trains that have done the most to change history. Each train is an engineering marvel, each one a leap forward in the history of trains and railways. But more than this, these are the trains that made the modern world. These are the trains that unify nations and open up continents, that miraculously shrink distance and create a global economy, changing how we trade, what we buy and make and sell. They change how we live and even how we think, speeding up our lives and expanding our horizons. These are the machines that made us modern. Each episode features one iconic train and describes its impact on railway history and on history in general, combining archive and expert testimony with actuality and hands-on engineering demonstrations.

How Trains Changed the World

The invention of trains transformed everything about how humans lived. From the movement of goods and population, the design of cities, to conquest and warfare, there are few aspects of civilization that were left untouched by these machines.

Des trains pas comme les autres

Railroad Alaska

Following an elite crew of workers-- brakemen, engineers, construction crews, mechanics and train drivers – Railroad Alaska illustrates the battle against ferocious weather and treacherous terrain to keep the State of Alaska’s critical 500-mile long railroad rolling to deliver life sustaining supplies. From controlled avalanches to prevent catastrophe, to fascinating characters, like Jim James, the one-handed handy man, learn what it takes to keep this train on track.