Fodor's Expert Review Zig Zag Railway
Editor's Note: This property is currently undergoing renovations.
You'll be wiping the soot from your face after a ride on the huff-and-puff vintage steam engine, but that's part of the fun of this cliff-hugging 16-km (10-mile) round-trip experience on the Zig Zag Railway. Built in 1869, this was the main line across the Blue Mountains until 1910. The track is laid on the cliffs in a giant "Z," and the train climbs the steep incline by chugging back and forth along switchback sections of the track—hence its name. The steam engine operates on weekends, public holidays, and Wednesday, and weekdays during school holidays, but a fire in October 2013 damaged many of the railway buildings and trains; the owners have announced plans to resume service in 2014—call or check online for updates.
