15 Books That Take You on a Train Ride You’ll Never Forget
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Few settings are as perfect for a story as a train. Closed spaces, chance encounters, secrets, and a journey into the unknown—it’s no wonder so many unforgettable novels take place on the rails.
There’s just something about trains that sparks the imagination. Maybe it’s the rhythmic clatter of the wheels, the narrow carriages full of strangers, or the fleeting glimpses of the wide world outside as it rushes past. Trains seem to hold endless possibilities for stories—romantic, mysterious, nostalgic, or tragic.
A brush of hands in the aisle, a man guarding a mysterious briefcase, rain streaking the windows, or a tearful goodbye on the platform—small details like these can turn into unforgettable tales.
That’s why so many wonderful novels are set on trains. The confined space, the chance encounters, and the sense of a journey create the perfect stage for suspense, romance, or drama.
If you love train travel—or simply love reading about it—you’ll want to check out these train thrillers, mysteries, and novels. This list of books set on trains will transport you, page by page, to exciting new journeys.
Read more books set around the world!
Novels and Fiction set on Trains
Strangers on a Train by Patricia Highsmith
Strangers on a Train was the debut novel of Patricia Highsmith, and part of its success is due to the fact that it was adapted into a film by Alfred Hitchcock a year after its publication.
The novel begins with a chance meeting between two young men on a train. This fleeting encounter sets in motion a terrible chain of events, their drunken conversation leads to a macabre bargain:
You kill for me, I for you, no one relates the crimes, and then each one on his own silently celebrates the perfect crime.
The way the writer tells her stories, her style, and the characterizations of her characters that are psychologically believable allow the reader to fully immerse themselves in the book.
Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie
This is a classic book written by Agatha Christie, who was known as “The Queen of Crime”. It was written and is set in the 1930s, so some of the language and expressions are old-fashioned.
A train. A murder. Multiple suspects. Nearly an alibi for everyone. But wait, there’s a motive for everyone.
How did this seemingly impossible murder occur? Hercule Poirot knows.
The Girl On The Train by Paula Hawkins
It’s that sort of book you want to devour at the speed of light but also slowly sip, tasting every page, every paragraph, every word… All at the same time.
Rachel rides the same train every day. Every day, she watches “Jess and Jason,” the couple she has named after the ones who live a perfect life in a dream house.
Until one day, she witnesses something disturbing and decides to get involved. This is her opportunity to be part of those lives that she has only seen from the train.
The Last Train To Key West by Chanel Cleeton
This book is a must-read historical fiction novel featuring inspiring, strong women with different stories. It is a novel based on sound historical research, with a touch of romance included.
The Last Train to Key West begins just days before the Great Labor Day Hurricane of 1935. The country is still reeling from the effects of the Great Depression.
The three main characters’ paths first cross in Key West at Ruby’s Diner, where we meet the young woman whose life will be changed by the horrific disaster about to occur.
When you finish reading this book, you will surely want to share it with your friends!
Be sure to check out more of our favorite novels set in Florida.
Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline
This is the story of two very different women who discover that they have much more in common than they could have imagined.
Vivian, an orphaned Irish immigrant in New York, boarded a train to the Midwest with hundreds of other children whose fates would be determined by chance. Seventeen-year-old Molly knows that a community service position will keep her out of juvenile detention.
Orphan Train is a powerful story of unexpected friendship, second chances, and survival that explores the depth of emotions children experience and the devastating consequences of abandonment.
The Christmas Train by David Baldacci
A classic book to enjoy at Christmas!
Tom Langdon is a retired, disillusioned war correspondent and is now back in the US writing articles for domestic magazines and covering teen beauty pageants.
But now Tom has a mission: to get from New York to LA in time to spend the holidays and Christmas with his girlfriend. His multi-day journey puts many interesting and unique characters in his path, as well as moments of adventure and others of mystery.
This is an extraordinary portrait of the lives of people who work and travel on long-distance trains, of second chances and reunions.
4:50 from Paddington by Agatha Christie
What would you do if you witnessed a murder that no one seems to believe?
Mrs. Elspeth McGillicuddy is on her way from a shopping expedition to visit her old friend Jane Marple for Christmas. Her train passes another train running parallel and in the same direction as her train.
Then, she sees a man with his back to her, strangling a woman. She reports it for investigation, but realizes that no one is taking her word seriously.
When arriving at Miss Marple’s cottage, she tells all to her. Miss Marple believes her story and sets out to determine where the body is because there is no police report on the case on the next day’s news.
If you enjoy suspense stories, murder mysteries, and intrigue, you will love this classic by Christie. You can even read the other books that include Mrs. Marple.
Orient Express by Graham Greene
The book was originally published under the name “Stambul Train” but was renamed “Orient Express” when it was published in the United States.
The story takes place aboard the majestic Orient Express as it crosses Europe from Ostend to Istanbul (though Greene uses the city’s old name, Constantinople).
All the characters travel for different purposes, but their lives will intertwine over the course of the journey as they confess or cheat on each other, leaving a trail of lust, murder, revolution, and intrigue on the endless train tracks.
More books set in Istanbul can be found on our list of the best books set in & about Turkey.
Claudius Bombarnac by Jules Verne
In this extraordinary adventure, Claudius Barbanac is traveling on the railroad going from Turkestan to Peking. He is a reporter for the French newspaper, The Twentieth Century, and hopes to find a great story to cover.
He meets quite a few interesting travelers and they do have some challenging adventures, but he continues to search for the hero of his story. Will he find it?
Snowpiercer by Jacques Lob
The graphic novel was adapted into a movie by director Bong Joon-ho, so you might be familiar with it from somewhere. Without a doubt, reading the book is a completely different experience.
After “the great white”—a planet-killing climate event that has covered the world in ice and likely was set off intentionally due to war; the last remnants of humanity are traversing the globe on a massive train with 1001 cars.
The rich enjoy the front of the train with their wealth and comforts, while the 3rd class passengers are oppressed in the rear of the train. However, things are about to change aboard the train…
Non-fiction books about Trains
Epic Train Journeys by Monisha Rajesh
The book contains incredible photographs that illustrate stories and provide useful information from 50 train journeys around the world, ranging from short trips to multi-day transcontinental journeys, and from economy class to trips on luxury ocean liners.
Without a doubt, it is an exceptional book for those who enjoy traveling by train or are admirers of these incredible machines.
Children’s Books About Trains
Trains Coming Through!: My First Book of Trains by Stephanie Morgan
An unmissable book for little train enthusiasts!
The book is amazing. It is organized by train categories, from the oldest to the most modern, including the subway, steam engines, and freight trains. It includes fabulous and colorful illustrations along with interesting facts to learn about them.
Steam Train, Dream Train by Sherri Duskey Rinker
A relaxing book that brings together animals on a train. When the train of dreams arrives at the station, each car is loaded: polar bears in the refrigerated car with ice cream, elephants fill tank cars with paints, tortoises fill it with race cars, and kangaroos with balls.
Recommended for reading aloud to children before bedtime or for those little ones who are just starting to read.
Young adult books set on Trains
Love and Other Train Wrecks by Leah Konen
If what you are looking for is a novel with humor and romance, this book is for you! This romance plays out over the course of twenty-four hours during their madcap journey to upstate New York.
Ammy doesn’t believe in true love, but she’s riding a train to attend her dad’s second wedding. Noah is a total romantic. So much so that he’s taking a train back home to try and win back his first love.
The train stops for unknown reasons and nobody is sure how long it will take to get them back on the journey, but Ammy and Noah are anxious to reach their destinations. They hatch a crazy plan to get off the train that will lead them down a road full of misadventures.
Along the way, the pair will learn what it means to be a friend and that romance can blossom even in the midst of a blizzard.
Find even more New York City books on this reading list.
The Railway Children by Edith Nesbit
A book worth reading, whether you are an adult or a child. It is a hopeful and full-of-learning story.
Roberta, Phyllis, and Peter are living idyllic lives with their parents. The children are well-loved, and their parents make time to play with them.
One day, two men came to visit their father, and he left with them. Shortly after the father leaves, the mother and children must move out of suburbia into the country because their social and financial status has radically changed.
The three children no longer go to school, and while away their time. They spend a lot of time exploring the countryside, and especially the railway line and station. They make friends with the porter, Albert Perks, and the ‘Old Gentleman’ who is regularly on the 9.15 train.
There’s fun, and they have adventures, but they still wonder if their father will ever come home.
Whether you love mystery, history, or romance, books set on trains are the perfect way to journey without leaving home. So grab your ticket—well, your bookmark—and let these stories take you away.
What Do You Think Of These Books Set On Trains?
Have you read any of these books set on trains? Do you know some great books that I’ve missed? What is your favorite book set on a train? I’d love to hear your thoughts on books set on trains in the comments below!
More Great Travel Books
Are you looking for even more travel books to inspire your sense of adventure and transport you to faraway places without having to leave the comfort of home?
Here are some more recommendations for great travel books to pick up next:
Other titles: Denis Johnson, Train Dreams; Mathias Énard, Zone; Colson Whitehead, The Underground Railroad.
Thank you, I’m looking forward to checking these out!