Imagine boarding a train in a quiet, picturesque town in Portugal, then traveling thousands of kilometers across 13 countries and eight time zones before finally arriving in the ultramodern city of Singapore.
This isn’t a sci-fi plot like Snowpiercer — this is the real longest train journey on Earth, made possible by one critical addition: the Laos–China high-speed rail line, completed in 2021.
A High-Speed Link That Connects Continents
In late 2021, Laos inaugurated a brand-new high-speed railway. This line connects the border town of Boten (on the Laos–China border) to the capital city of Vientiane, stretching 414 kilometers and taking only 3.5 hours to complete the journey.
But this wasn’t just another infrastructure project — it’s a key part of China’s ambitious Belt and Road Initiative. More importantly, it serves as the final missing piece linking Europe and Southeast Asia by rail.
Thanks to this new connection, it's now theoretically possible to travel overland by train from Portugal to Singapore — with no need for a single flight, though many train changes are involved.
From Portugal to Singapore: The Route
The journey begins in the quiet coastal town of Lagos, in Portugal’s Algarve region (not to be confused with Lagos, Nigeria!). With careful planning and precise timing to catch all scheduled trains, you could make it to Singapore in about 14 to 21 days.
From Lagos, the route continues through Lisbon, then on to major European cities like Madrid, Barcelona, Lyon, and Paris. Ideally, from Paris you’d take a direct train to Moscow — but due to international sanctions, that route is currently suspended.
As a workaround, travelers must take a longer detour via the Trans-Manchurian Railway, since the more direct Trans-Mongolian line is also restricted at the moment.
Assuming you make it to Moscow, the next leg of the journey takes you across Siberia to Beijing. From there, a high-speed train brings you to Kunming in southern China, followed by another high-speed line into Laos — the crucial Laos–China railway.
Through Southeast Asia to the Finish Line
Once in Southeast Asia, the adventure continues across Laos, Thailand, Malaysia, and finally Singapore.
The total distance? A staggering 18,755 kilometers (11,657 miles).
But don’t expect to do this with a single ticket or one continuous ride. The journey involves around 20 train changes, and each segment requires separate bookings. In other words, planning is everything.
The Philosophy of the Journey: Is It Still One Train Trip?
This brings up a classic dilemma — something akin to the Ship of Theseus paradox: if every part of a ship is replaced, is it still the same ship? Likewise, if you switch trains multiple times, can it still be called one single journey?
For many train enthusiasts, the answer is yes. As long as the route is continuous, the trains are connected (even with transfers), and the spirit of adventure is intact, then the journey remains valid.
Challenges and Future Potential
While the route is technically possible, no one is known to have completed the entire journey from start to finish — at least not yet. There are several reasons for this: the logistical complexity of train changes, varying regulations across countries, and ongoing debates about whether a journey involving up to 20 different trains can really be considered a “single train trip.”
There are also practical obstacles. Certain segments — like the stretch from Vietnam to Cambodia or Malaysia to Singapore — currently lack direct train links, requiring a bus connection instead. Southeast Asia’s rail network is still under development, but the Pan-Asian Railway project aims to fix that. If completed with high-speed rail, travel time from Kunming to Singapore could drop from around 90 hours to just 15–20 hours.
And finally, to end the journey, you'll cross Southeast Asia’s busiest land border — Johor–Singapore — before arriving in a city that feels worlds away from your quiet starting point in Portugal.
What Does It Cost — and Who Runs It?
The total cost of the journey is estimated at around €1,186 (about $1,350 USD). Not exactly cheap, but considering what it offers — a unique experience across cultures, breathtaking landscapes, and a one-of-a-kind adventure — many would say it’s worth it.
This route isn’t managed by a single entity. It’s made possible through the collaboration of numerous national rail companies. The completion of the Laos–China high-speed railway was a major milestone that helped bring this intercontinental train journey closer to reality.
Don’t Chase Records, Embrace the Experience
Rather than obsessing over starting in Portugal just to claim the “longest train journey” title, it might be better to begin from the train station closest to you — and simply enjoy the ride.
Because in the end, it’s not just about the distance. It’s about the journey itself.
