Adrian BridgeAugust 24, 2026 — 5:00amSeasoned users of the London Underground have long had a soft spot for the Bakerloo line and its venerable, cushioned carriages, which date back to 1972. Travelling on the line does undeniably feel like a blast from the past – a journey back to a time when train interiors had just a little more class, and were just a hint less utilitarian.Similarly ancient carriages on Naples’ regional network have just been taken out of service (in favour of swish new Swiss ones), meaning the Bakerloo carriages are now the oldest operating extensively in any major European metropolis – and among the oldest anywhere in the world.The Bakerloo carriages are expected to remain in use into the 2030s, so there is still plenty of time to ride them. But what of their equally intriguing peers?Le Train Jaune plies a spectacular route close to the French border with Spain.iStockFurther afield – from the old wood-panelled classics manufactured in East Germany in the 1960s, to the stainless steel wonders dating back to 1950s Canada – there is still plenty of railway stock operating on regular lines (as opposed to special heritage lines) that conjures up the feel of an earlier era. Here are nine examples to whet the appetite. Your carriage awaits…Bakerloo line, LondonSign up for the Traveller Deals newsletterGet exclusive travel deals delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up now.Bakerloo line trains date back to the early 1970s.Getty ImagesThe carriages operating on the Bakerloo line, which links Harrow & Wealdstone and Elephant and Castle, were built by British manufacturer Metro-Cammell between 1972 and 1974, first appearing on the line in 1972. They have an instantly recognisable retro-style interior and a mixture of seating styles, including longer centre-facing strips and small inward-facing pods. Extensively refurbished over the years, they are expected to remain in service until 2035.Ticket to rideA Bakerloo line journey costs from £3 ($5.70); see tfl.gov.uk.NSB Class 69, NorwayNorway’s NSB Class 69 carriages were first manufactured in 1970.iStockThere are some carriages still in use in Europe that are older than those on the Bakerloo line, but none serving such a busy metropolitan network. In Norway, NSB Class 69 carriages were first manufactured by the Norwegian firm Strommen Vaerksted in 1970 and brought into service a year later. For more than five decades they have been deployed on a number of commuter and regional trains. The carriages are expected to be phased out by 2028.Ticket to rideNSB Class 69 carriages are used on several Vy services; see vy.no/en.PKP Class EN57, PolandPoland’s ‘kibel’ trains have been serving the country since 1962.iStockWhen it comes to longevity, few can hold a candle to this much-loved train, which has been serving travellers in Poland since 1962 – just a year after its production began at the Pafawag works in Wrocław. With manufacture continuing until 1993, there are hundreds of PKP Class EN57 carriages still in service.The trains are referred to locally as “kibel” (a rather crude nickname – it’s slang for “toilet” and supposedly stems from the original design, which drew “fresh” air into the carriages via the rudimentary onboard WC), or in the specific case of the EN57-038, “Babcia” (which translates to the rather more wholesome “Grandma”). Older units are expected to run into the 2030s, with modernised ones expected to run into the 2050s.Ticket to rideRegional operators Polregio and Koleje Mazowieckie both use EN57 trains; see polregio.pl and mazowieckie.com.pl.Le Train Jaune (Yellow Train), FranceWith views of valleys and mountains, the Yellow Train is one of the highest railways in Europe.iStockA more niche, but nevertheless regular, scheduled service, is Le Train Jaune, which plies a spectacular route in the Pyrénées-Orientales region of France, close to the border with Spain.Many of the units on this train are of the Z 100 variety, open-air “barouche” wagons, manufactured between 1908 and 1909 by the Compagnie des Chemins de Fer du Midi and in service since 1910. There are more modern carriages too – Swiss-built Z 150 panoramic ones dating from 2004, but it’s the vintage ones that seal the deal.Ticket to rideVillefranche-de-Conflent to Latour-de-Carol costs €24 ($39); see letrainjaune.fr.M1 line, BudapestBudapest’s M1 Line was built in the 19th century.iStockAnother train often considered “heritage” is that which plies the M1 line in the Hungarian capital. There’s a lot of history on this particular line, which was officially opened in 1896 by the Habsburg Emperor Franz Joseph. Today, it is a regular part of the Budapest Metro system, while the distinctive Ganz MFAV yellow carriages used date back more than 50 years, having first entered service in 1973.Ticket to rideSingle tickets on the Budapest Metro cost 500 Hungarian forints ($2.25); see bkk.hu/en.Corona, Hungary-RomaniaThe Corona Intercity sleeper service runs from Budapest to Brasov in Romania.AlamyCentral and Eastern Europe provides rich pickings for lovers of railway carriage nostalgia, with the Corona sleeper service between Budapest and the Transylvanian city of Brașov delivering in spades.Manufactured in the East German railcar works in Görlitz in the mid-1960s, the train carriages, while undeniably tired, feature vintage wood panelling, red velvet curtains, and a dining car with an extensive menu that includes goulash soup and paprika chicken with dumplings. Sightings of Dracula may or may not be included.Ticket to rideSix-berth couchette bed from €39 ($64), single sleeper from €101 ($166). See mavcsoport.huVIA Rail, CanadaVIA Rail launched in 1970, and the stainless-steel carriages have a vintage feel.No selection of vintage rolling stock would be complete without mention of the stainless-steel carriages still in regular service with VIA Rail across Canada. Some of these impressive train sets date back as far as 1947, though most originated in the mid-1950s.Manufactured by the Philadelphia-based Budd Company, they have been modernised over the past 70 years, but the basic frame and feel remain the same. Sleeper-class passengers even have access to an old-style dining car.Ticket to rideA sleeper berth on the four-night Vancouver-to-Toronto run on The Canadian costs from $C2500 ($2540). See canadarail.caMetra, ChicagoChicago’s Metra commuter rail network extends outwards from downtown Chicago.iStockThe notoriously windy metropolis of Chicago is also home to some fine Budd Company rolling stock – the well-known bi-level trains in use today on the city’s Metra commuter rail network.The carriages were originally built for the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad and the oldest in use – some of which still have their vintage railroad markings – date back to 1953. They are called “gallery cars” because the second floor features a mezzanine-type arrangement originally intended to help conductors identify boarding passengers.Ticket to rideA journey on the Metra costs from $US3.75 ($5.25); see metra.com.Mitsubishi Eidan 500, Buenos AiresJapan sold 131 Mitsubishi Eidan 500 carriages to Argentina in the mid-1990s, and they are still in use today.iStockAnother example of Japanese manufacturing prowess is found on Line B of the Buenos Aires Underground (Subte) network. Here you will spot many carriages of the Mitsubishi Eidan 500 type, manufactured in Japan between 1953 and 1965 and used for almost four decades on the Tokyo subway.Argentina purchased 131 of the carriages in the mid-1990s, and they have been in use ever since. Originally sporting a red exterior with a white stripe, they have since been painted yellow, though on some there are still traces of the original livery and, inside, the traditional burgundy-coloured seating.Ticket to rideA single trip on Line B costs from 1,684 Argentine pesos ($1.60) with a SUBE card, more with other cards; see buenosaires.gob.ar.The Telegraph, LondonFrom our partners