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Matthew Woodward is a British rail adventurer and writer who has travelled far enough by train to circumnavigate the world several times over – often reaching places that he cannot find on his vintage National Geographic map. He is well known for his books about these journeys almost as much as for his love of good coffee and jelly babies when on the rails. He is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and the Royal Asiatic Society.

My Story

‘Like many children in Great Britain I owned a model railway from the age of about eight. In the 1970’s I found a journey on an InterCity train pant­wettingly exciting. The big Class 45 diesel trains used to thunder through my suburban station on their way to mystical and faraway places like Bedford Midland or Kentish Town. Travelling unaccompanied by an adult, I felt – as best a ten-year-old boy could – like a real explorer. A man with long silver hair on the television told me that “This is the age of the train!”.


Whilst studying for a geography degree at university, I took advantage of the long summer breaks to explore Europe with a magical ticket called an Interrail pass. I joined the international community of Interrailers sleeping on station platforms and on various night trains trund­ling around Europe. It was pretty addic­tive, and I just couldn’t put my trusty Thomas Cook European Timetable down. But sadly before too long, my career got in the way and my cheap rucksack, battered sleeping mat and well-thumbed timetable were retired to the attic next to my train set. 


In 2012 I changed career and found myself for the first time with the ideal combination of resources to rekindle my love of rail adventure on an altogether bigger scale – some money in the bank, plenty of time and a large-scale 1956 edition National Geographic map. I decided to become a writer.


I have now completed quite a few long range rail journeys from my home in the United Kingdom, reaching destinations such as Hong Kong Shanghai, Singa­pore, Tokyo by ship and train. In 2016 I successfully completed a solo journey on the longest and highest railways in the world, to reach Tibet by train. More recently I have discovered the railways of the United States and also begun to travel extensively on the rails in Thailand. I’m always seeking the next great rail adventure.


I have had four books published about my adventures and I am currently researching and writing the next one in “The Engine Shed”, my home in a quiet corner of West Sussex, England. I hope you enjoy reading about my travels and that they might inspire you to embark on your own adventure by train.’