The 20 Best Films Set on Trains

From Hitchcock's accomplished "The Lady Vanishes" to the zombie-filled chaos of "Train to Busan," you'll find trains have served as perfect settings for cinema's most gripping tales. Whether it's the class warfare of "Snowpiercer," the romance of "Before Sunrise," or the stunning stunts of "The General," these confined spaces create unmatched tension and drama. While classics like "Murder on the Orient Express" charm with elegance, modern entries prove trains still spark our imagination in thrilling ways.

The Lady Vanishes (1938): Hitchcock's Railway Mystery

When Alfred Hitchcock released The Lady Vanishes in 1938, he'd already commanded the art of suspense. Like his later magnum opus Murder on the Orient Express, this movie skillfully uses a train journey to create a pressure-cooker environment where tension builds with every passing mile.

You'll find yourself completely immersed in this British thriller as you follow a young Englishwoman's desperate search for a mysteriously vanished elderly passenger. What sets this Express adventure apart is Hitchcock's brilliant blend of suspense and wit, keeping you guessing while occasionally letting you laugh. The confined train setting serves as more than just a backdrop - it's practically a character itself, creating a claustrophobic atmosphere that heightens every twist and turn.

It's a perfect example of why Hitchcock became the grandmaster of suspense. The film's railway sequences were meticulously crafted to satisfy even the most dedicated trainspotting enthusiasts, who had been documenting locomotive specifications since the 1940s.

Snowpiercer (2013): Class Warfare on Ice

Unlike traditional train films that follow a linear path, Bong Joon-ho's Snowpiercer hurls you through an endless circular expedition on Earth's last refuge - a massive train carrying humanity's survivors through a frozen wasteland.

You'll witness a brutal class struggle unfold as the impoverished tail section inhabitants fight their way to the front, where the wealthy elite bask in luxury under the mysterious Wilford's rule. The train's exceptional production design reinforces this stark inequality, as you move from the grimy, cramped rear cars to the opulent front sections serving haute cuisine.

More than just an action-packed thriller, this sci-fi masterpiece serves as a powerful allegory for social inequality. Through its confined setting, you'll experience a thought-provoking exploration of humanity's perpetual fight for justice and freedom.

The film's stark class divisions mirror the historical dual role of functionality seen in grand railway stations, where architectural grandeur often masked social stratification among passengers.

Murder on the Orient Express (1974): Elegance and Deception

Through its adept blend of elegance and suspense, Sidney Lumet's adaptation of "Murder on the Orient Express" delivers a lavish whodunit that'll keep you guessing until the final reveal.

When the luxurious Orient Express becomes stranded in a snowstorm, you'll find yourself trapped alongside Hercule Poirot as he unpacks a complex murder mystery.

• Albert Finney leads an all-star ensemble including Lauren Bacall, Sean Connery, and Ingrid Bergman
• The film's opulent interiors, shot at Elstree Studios, create a perfect atmosphere of confined luxury
• Despite the dark subject matter, Lumet maintains a "gay in spirit" tone throughout
• Every passenger becomes a suspect as Poirot carefully pieces together the puzzle
• The film transforms what was dismissed as a "dumb train movie" into a sophisticated tale of elegance and deception

The historic Sirkeçi Station in Istanbul, with its blend of French Art Nouveau and Ottoman architecture, served as the final stop for the real Orient Express train line that inspired Christie's novel.

Train to Busan (2016): Zombies at High Speed

Moving from the refined elegance of the Orient Express to modern-day South Korea, "Train to Busan" alters the familiar confines of a passenger train into a claustrophobic nightmare of survival.

You'll find yourself gripping your seat as passengers aboard this high-speed expedition face relentless hordes of fast-moving zombies while racing toward their destination. What sets this film apart isn't just its heart-stopping action sequences, but its sharp commentary on class tensions that emerge when wealthy and working-class passengers must cooperate to stay alive.

Director Yeon Sang-ho adeptly uses the train's confined spaces to amplify both the terror and the social dynamics at play. As the infection spreches through the carriages, you'll witness how survival instincts reveal the true nature of people across all social classes.

The General (1926): Buster Keaton's Masterpiece

While most silent films have faded into obscurity, Buster Keaton's "The General" stands as a timeless opus that revolutionized both comedy and action genres.

Set during the Civil War, you'll witness Keaton's incredible physical prowess as a Confederate engineer pursuing his stolen locomotive. The train sequences remain unmatched even by today's standards, featuring some of cinema's most daring stunts.

• Keaton performed all major stunts himself, including death-defying jumps between moving trains
• The film's climactic chase scene has influenced action movies for generations
• Though it flopped at release, it's now considered one of silent film's greatest achievements
• The authenticity of the train sequences creates genuine tension and excitement
• You'll find yourself marveling at how this 1926 magnum opus accomplished such spectacular feats without modern special effects

The Darjeeling Limited (2007): Brothers in Transit

As Wes Anderson's lively tribute to fraternity and train travel, "The Darjeeling Limited" takes you on a captivating odyssey across India's scenic terrain. You'll follow three estranged brothers, portrayed by Adrien Brody, Jason Schwartzman, and Owen Wilson, as they attempt to rebuild their relationships while aboard a cross-country train excursion.

The film's clever bookending of train-catching sequences perfectly frames their emotional metamorphosis. Bill Murray's brief cameo as a businessman who misses his train sets the melancholy tone that underlies the brothers' quest for connection.

As they progress through India's landscape, you'll witness their gradual unburdening of both physical and emotional baggage. Anderson skillfully weaves together the romance of rail travel with the intricacies of sibling relationships, creating a poignant exploration of family bonds in transit.

Strangers on a Train (1951): Fatal Encounters

From the fanciful trains of India to the ominous rails of noir America, Alfred Hitchcock's "Strangers on a Train" alters an innocent railway expedition into a deadly game of moral chess. When two strangers meet aboard a train, their casual conversation evolves into a sinister plot that'll change their lives forever.

Bruno's twisted proposal to "swap" murders seems like idle chat at first. The psychological thriller expertly builds tension as Bruno fulfills his part of the agreement. You'll find yourself gripping your seat as Guy becomes entangled in Bruno's web of murder. The film investigates how a chance encounter can spiral into darkness.

Hitchcock's legendary carousel finale showcases his command of suspense.

This noir classic proves that sometimes the most dangerous treks aren't about where the train's heading, but who you meet along the way.

Before Sunrise (1995): Romance on the Rails

Sometimes the most meaningful expeditions unfold in a single night. In Richard Linklater's "Before Sunrise," you'll witness the serendipitous meeting of Jesse and Celine on a train bound for Vienna, where their chance encounter blossoms into an unforgettable romance.

As these two strangers navigate their ephemeral connection, the train becomes more than just a setting—it's a transformative space where time seems to stand still.

Linklater's naturalistic approach, combined with Hawke and Delpy's authentic performances, pulls you into their intimate world of spontaneous conversations and shared revelations. The train expedition serves as both literal vehicle and metaphor, carrying these souls through a liminal space where they're free to be their truest selves.

Their inevitable parting at the station reminds us that sometimes life's most profound connections are also its briefest.

Runaway Train (1985): Escape Gone Wrong

While most train films romanticize rail travel, "Runaway Train" hurls you into a harrowing nightmare aboard an out-of-control locomotive. This intense action thriller follows two escaped convicts who find themselves trapped on a speeding train through Alaska's unforgiving wilderness.

Jon Voight and Eric Roberts deliver powerful performances as the desperate fugitives. The claustrophobic setting amplifies the tension as the train barrels forward. At 1 hour and 51 minutes, every second keeps you on the edge of your seat. The film's R rating allows for raw, gritty storytelling without compromise. Critics and audiences alike praised its thrilling narrative, earning a 7.2 IMDb rating.

This classic train thriller strips away all glamour from rail travel, replacing it with pure, heart-pounding survival as the characters face their inevitable fate aboard the unstoppable machine.

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974): Underground Terror

Deep beneath New York City's lively streets, "The Taking of Pelham One Two Three" delivers an expert tutorial in urban suspense. You'll find yourself gripped by this taut thriller as a gang of criminals executes a daring plan to hijack a subway train and demand a $1 million ransom.

Led by a stellar cast including Walter Matthau and Robert Shaw, the film pulls you into its claustrophobic underground world where every minute counts. You're treated to a connoisseur's lesson in tension-building as the story unfolds within the confines of the Pelham One Two Three train and the city's vast transit system. What sets this film apart is its authentic portrayal of New York's subway operations and the gritty realism that influenced countless transportation-based thrillers that followed.

Europa (1991): Post-War Railway Noir

Moving from New York's underground to post-war Germany, Lars von Trier's "Europa" takes railway noir to haunting new heights. This hypnotic 1991 thriller follows a naive trainee conductor through a nightmarish expedition across occupied Germany, where he faces Nazi terrorists and moral dilemmas at every turn.

• Von Trier's childhood fascination with train sets inspired this claustrophobic authority
• The railway tracks mirror film strips, creating a meta-commentary on cinema itself
• Striking visuals blend German Expressionism with avant-garde techniques
• The confined setting amplifies themes of occupation, resistance, and national identity
• Dark noir elements foreshadow von Trier's later experimental work

You'll find yourself mesmerized by Europa's unique visual style, which seamlessly combines black-and-white with color footage while exploring the psychological nuances of post-war Europe through its railway-bound narrative.

Silver Streak (1976): Comedy on the Tracks

How often does a train trek turn into both a romantic escapade and a murder mystery? In Silver Streak, you'll find yourself aboard a cross-country journey that expertly combines both scenarios, along with plenty of laughs. Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor's dynamic chemistry drives this 1976 comedy-thriller, supported by stellar performances from Ned Beatty and Scatman Crothers.

The film keeps you guessing as it switches tracks between genres. One moment, you're watching a tender sleeping-car romance between Wilder and Jill Clayburgh; the next, you're jolted by a shocking revelation of a dead body. As the train hurtles toward its destination, the tension builds to a spectacular crash sequence. It's this blend of romance, comedy, and suspense that makes Silver Streak a uniquely entertaining passage through multiple genres.

Twentieth Century (1934): Screwball on Rails

While Silver Streak blends genres with modern flair, let's roll back four decades to the golden age of train-based comedy. Howard Hawks' expert screwball comedy Twentieth Century (1934) confines its madcap action to a train journey between Chicago and New York, where you'll witness John Barrymore and Carole Lombard locked in a deliciously witty battle of egos.

The confined setting amplifies the comedic tension between the feuding leads. Every train car becomes a stage for their theatrical showdowns. Rapid-fire dialogue bounces off the walls of dining cars and private compartments.

Barrymore shines as the manipulative theater producer pursuing his former star. The train's claustrophobic spaces force these larger-than-life personalities into hilarious confrontations.

This pioneering film set the standard for sophisticated humor in motion, proving that limited space can create unlimited comedy.

Night Mail (1936): Poetry in Motion

Poetry meets precision in Night Mail, a pioneering 1936 documentary that revolutionized a mundane postal delivery into cinematic art. You'll follow the nocturnal train journey from London to Scotland, where director John Grierson expertly captures the mechanical rhythm of British cinema at its most innovative.

What sets this documentary film apart is its extraordinary fusion of elements: W.H. Auden's verse, Benjamin Britten's score, and Alberto Cavalcanti's breakthrough sound design. The hypnotic clacking of wheels against rails creates a poetic sensibility that transforms an ordinary mail run into something exceptional.

This short film didn't just document a postal route; it established new possibilities for the documentary genre. When you watch Night Mail today, you're experiencing a crucial moment in film history where industrial routine became pure poetry.

Compartment No 6 (2021): Arctic Journey

Through the frosty windows of a Russian train, Compartment No 6 delivers an intimate character study that'll make you forget you're watching a film.

This Finnish masterwork follows a young woman's train journey from Moscow to Murmansk in the Arctic Circle, where she finds herself sharing space with an unexpected companion - a Russian miner.

• You'll witness their unlikely friendship blossom against the backdrop of Russia's stark terrain
• The confined space of their compartment becomes a world of its own
• Every subtle interaction carries weight and meaning
• The chemistry between the two leads feels remarkably authentic
• You're transported to a place where strangers become confidants

The film's stunning portrayal of human connection earned it the Grand Prix at Cannes Film Festival, proving that sometimes the most significant stories unfold in the smallest spaces.

Blind Chance (1987): Three Possible Paths

Before reaching its audience in 1987, Blind Chance spent six years in political limbo, emerging as a magnum opus that revolutionized the "what-if" narrative.

In this masterful exploration of fate, you'll witness three parallel realities unfold from a single moment: a man's decision to board a train to Warsaw.

Each timeline in Blind Chance presents a distinctly grim path, showcasing how the smallest choices can dramatically alter your life's course. It's among the best works of Krzysztof Kieślowski, predating his celebrated Three Colours trilogy and influencing later films like Sliding Doors.

The train serves as more than just a setting—it's the pivotal point where destinies diverge. You'll find yourself contemplating how your own split-second determinations might've led to entirely different lives.

Trans-Europ-Express (1966): Meta Railway Cinema

When acclaimed director Alain Robbe-Grillet boarded a train with his film crew in 1966, he created one of cinema's most intriguing meta-narratives. Trans-Europ-Express challenges everything you think you know about reality and fiction by following a film crew making a movie about drug smuggling on a train.

You'll question what's real as the fourth wall repeatedly shatters. The train becomes a powerful metaphor for life's endless expedition. The nonlinear storytelling keeps you guessing until the ambiguous end. You're never quite sure if you're watching the film or the film-within-the-film. Every scene blurs the line between reality and artistic creation.

As a groundbreaking work of French New Wave and postmodern cinema, this meta-film continues to influence filmmakers who dare to experiment with narrative conventions and audience expectations.

Station to Station (2015): Art in Movement

Every minute of Doug Aitken's Station to Station feels like peering through a new window into America's artistic soul. Through 62 one-minute films captured during a 24-day train journey, you'll experience a hypnotic meditation on movement, creativity, and landscape.

The documentary's unique format mirrors the rhythmic nature of rail travel, with each segment offering a distinct glimpse into the intersection of art and transportation.

You'll find yourself drawn into a cinematic experience that blends conversation, performance, and music against the backdrop of America's rolling scenery. As the train becomes both canvas and subject, you'll discover how Aitken's 2013 project grants access to the artistic potential of rail travel.

The film transforms ordinary train windows into frames for an extraordinary exploration of movement, making each minute a carefully curated snapshot of American culture.

The Palm Beach Story (1942): Romantic Railway Romp

In contrast to the artistic meditation of Station to Station, The Palm Beach Story (1942) rides the rails with romantic comedy and wit.

Long before tense train movies like The Taking of Pelham One Two Three, Preston Sturges crafted a delightful screwball comedy about a couple whose marriage derails into chaos.

You'll find yourself swept up in the momentum as Gerry and Tom Jeffers embark on their romantic misadventures through:

• Rapid-fire dialogue that bounces off the train car walls
• Perfectly timed physical comedy enhanced by the confined setting
• A whirlwind of mistaken identities and chance encounters
• The new possibilities that emerge from their separate excursions
• Train compartments that become stages for relationship drama

This charming train movie proves that sometimes the best way to find love is to almost lose it first.

Transsiberian (2008): Siberian Suspense

Threading through the desolate Siberian wilderness, Transsiberian (2008) metamorphoses an ordinary train expedition into a nerve-wracking psychological thriller. While it shares DNA with classic murder mysteries like "Murder on the Orient Express," this modern tale takes a darker, grittier approach to deception and murder on the rails.

You'll find yourself gripping your seat as director Brad Anderson expertly crafts tension aboard the iconic Transsiberian train sojourn from Beijing to Moscow. Woody Harrelson and Emily Mortimer play an American couple who become entangled with mysterious Russian passengers, leading to devastating consequences. The cramped train carriages and isolated Siberian backdrop create a suffocating atmosphere where no one can be trusted. It's a document to how a seemingly simple voyage can spiral into a deadly game of cat and mouse.