Although a basic form of railway, or rutway, did exist in Ancient Greek and Roman times—notably the ship trackway between Diolkos and the Isthmus of Corinth around 600 BC—it would take several thousand years before the first fare-paying passenger service was launched in the early nineteenth century. Some two hundred years on, it is possible to travel by train to some of the worlds most remote and remarkable destinations, and track the many weird and wonderful legacies of the Earths extensive history—man-made and otherwise. From prehistoric rock formations to skyscraper cities, slow steam engines to high-speed bullet trains, let A History of the World in 500 Railway Journeys be your guide.