Man survives death-defying cling to 130-mph train during smoke break that went wrong

A 24-year-old man cheated death by hanging on for dear life to the outside of a high-speed train that departed while he was sneaking a cigarette break between cars.

The harrowing incident took place on a Railjet train — which can reach top speeds of up to 130 mph — traveling between Zurich, Switzerland, and Vienna, Austria.

A 24-year-old Algerian man is lucky to be alive after getting caught between two high-speed rail cars while smoking a cigarette. NurPhoto via Getty Images

The cig-puffing Algerian rider — whose identity was not released — was in a gap between two carriages when the train departed from the station, EuroNews reported.

The terrified man started banging on the train’s windows to alert the crew, prompting the conductor to engage the emergency brake.

Crew members took