Help shape these rankings by voting on this list of The 13 Best Action Movies Set on Trains
Voting Rules
Vote up your favorite action movies that go off the rails by featuring trains.
The best action movies about trains really tend to fly off the rails with their non-stop thrills. Take Tony Scott's Unstoppable for example, not only is it based on a true story, it's excellently acted by both Denzel Washington and Chris Pine. But the Tony Scott train action doesn't stop there as he also directed The Taking of Pelham 123, also starring Washington in another superb performance. There's more on the list besides straight action movies, you'll get a bit of terror with Train to Busan and some comedy with The First Great Train Robbery. Now it's time to determine the best action train movie of all time.
Vote up your favorite action-packed films with trains at the forefront and vote down the ones you think other fans should skip. Be sure to check back as new and upcoming action train movies are added to the list once they're released.
A starkly terrifying adaptation of the classic zombie film, Train to Busan offers a white-knuckle thrill ride that will keep audiences horrified from pulse-pounding start to heart-stopping conclusion. Often overwhelming in its scope and scale and bombastic in its action set pieces, the film will undoubtedly leave audiences holding their breath in terror throughout its nearly 2-hour runtime.
Train to Busan is a 2016 South Korean zombie apocalypse action thriller film directed by Yeon Sang-ho. A man, his estranged daughter and other passengers become trapped on a speeding train during a zombie outbreak in South Korea.
Actors: Gong Yoo, Ma Dong-seok, Jung Yu-mi, Kim Su-an, Kim Eui-sung
Nominated for over 105 awards across 61 publications, Snowpiercer is one of the most critically acclaimed sci-fi action thrillers of all time. Relishing in the opportunity to make audiences uncomfortable, Snowpiercer uses its horrifying storytelling and intense, nerve-wracking action as a dark and twisted allegory for capitalism, and what it does to people.
A post-apocalyptic ice age forces humanity's last survivors aboard a globe-spanning supertrain. One man (Chris Evans) will risk everything to lead a revolt for control of the engine and the future of the world.
Actors: Chris Evans, Song Kang-ho, Tilda Swinton, Jamie Bell, Octavia Spencer
Based on an incredible true event, the Critics Choice Awards nominee for best action movie, Unstoppable, is a pulse-pounding thrill ride that will leave audiences hanging on the edge of their seats. Featuring stellar performances from Denzel Washington and Chris Pine, this tale of a runaway train will have you catching your breath by the time the credits roll.
When a massive, unmanned locomotive roars out of control, the threat is more ominous than just a derailment. The train is laden with toxic chemicals, and an accident would decimate human life and cause an environmental disaster. The only hope of bringing the train to a safe stop is in the hands of a veteran engineer (Denzel Washington) and a young conductor (Chris Pine), who must risk their lives to save those in the runaway's path. Inspired by true events.
Actors: Denzel Washington, Chris Pine, Rosario Dawson, Kevin Dunn, Ethan Suplee
Nominated for Best Motion Picture - Drama at the 1985 Golden Globes, Runaway Train elevates the traditional and stereotypical action film into an exquisite work of art. A thrilling and electrifying tale of survival, this firey feature expertly mixes heart-pounding action with gripping suspense and poignant psychological analysis.
Escaped convicts (Jon Voight, Eric Roberts) and a stowaway girl (Rebecca De Mornay) ride an unmanned diesel speeding out of control through Alaska.
Actors: Jon Voight, Eric Roberts, Rebecca De Mornay, Kyle T. Heffner, John P. Ryan
An epic tale from director Tony Scott, The Taking of Pelham 123 sees an astounding cast highlighted by Denzel Washington and John Travolta star in this slick and stylish remake of the 1974 classic. Offering heart-wrenching thrills and chills, this anxiety-inducing film will keep audiences shocked and entertained until the bitter end.
Chaos reigns in the New York City subway system when heavily armed criminals, led by a mastermind named Ryder (John Travolta), hijack a subway train and threaten to kill everyone on board unless a large ransom is paid. Dispatcher Walter Garber (Denzel Washington) uses his extensive knowledge of the transit system in a bid to outwit the hijackers and save the hostages, but one question remains: even if the hijackers get their money, how can they possibly escape?
Actors: Denzel Washington, John Travolta, John Turturro, Luis Guzmán, James Gandolfini
Winner of Best Film at the 2022 Anime Awards and Best Animation Film for Award of the Japanese Academy, Demon Slayer the Movie: Mugen Train is an epic and masterful installment in the Demon Slayer franchise. Adrenaline spiking with its action, and haunting and horrifying with its visuals, the film elevates this already iconic franchise to new unfathomable levels.
A youth begins a quest to fight demons and save his sister after his family is slaughtered.
