Words by Annabelle Thorpe
Few ways of travelling are more relaxing than exploring by train. The sense of watching a country unfold, with a front row seat on some of the world’s most glorious landscapes, is one of travel’s most rewarding experiences – particularly with a G&T to hand, butler service at dinner and crisp fresh linen in your luxury cabin. Annabelle Thorpe of 101 Holidays explores the options.
Ever since the Orient Express set out on its first journey in 1883, travelling by train has been steeped in glamour, with some of the most memorable journeys using reconditioned carriages from the 1920s and 1930s.
But even when the train itself is a little more simple, travelling by rail still offers the luxury of being able to sit back, relax and enjoy a journey that’s often much faster than by road and far less stressful than by air. Wherever you want to travel – from South America to Spain or Scotland – here is our selection of the world’s most desirable train journeys.
Icons of the rails
Few names are as synonymous with luxury train travel as the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, which has been carrying passengers between London and Venice in champagne-fuelled splendour since 1883. Everything – from the wood-panelled cabins to the vaulted ceiling and Lalique lamps in the dimly-lit bar car – oozes 1920s glamour, with there are now options to travel to some of Europe’s most elegant cities including Vienna, Prague and Budapest.
Less well-known, but equally luxurious is the Orient Express’ Asian sibling, the Eastern and Oriental Express, which connects Bangkok with Singapore, taking three days to meander through southern Thailand and Malaysia.
India’s grand dame on rails, The Maharajas’ Express, offers a wonderful way to explore Rajasthan’s majestic forts and palaces, with the quiet elegance of the carriages a tranquil counterpoint to India’s busy streets, while the super-luxurious Belmond Andean Explorer in Peru carries travellers from Lake Titicaca to Cuzco and on to Arequipa. The trip is an unforgettable precursor to the Vistadome train ride up to Machu Picchu, all part of a memorable itinerary with Cox and Kings.
Alternatively, you could head Down Under, to travel on the renowned Ghan train, which travels a 3,000km route, right through the rugged Red Centre of Australia.
Scene stealers
Often the greatest pleasure in travelling by train is the ability to sit back and watch some of the world’s most sublime scenery glide by. Few trains can rival Canada’s Rocky Mountaineer for soaring mountain peaks and widescreen vistas; Fred Holidays offers all four of the train’s routes as part of a longer exploration of Canada’s pristine wilderness and vibrant cities.
For something more adventurous, Rainbow Tours has an eight-night trip on the Tren Crucero in Ecuador, taking in the snowcapped peak of Cotopaxi, colonial Quito and a ride on the gravity-defying Devil’s Nose switchback train.
Few places can rival Alaska for its vast, sweeping mountain scapes and seas of ice and snow. North America Travel Service has a spectacular eight-night trip, combining a rail journey with a cruise on the Kenai fjords and jet boat safari in Talkeetna.
Euro adventures
Europe’s train network has seen encouraging investment and improvements in recent years, with Spain unrolling a world-class, high-speed network that makes exploring the country a dream. Kirker Holidays offers a number of itineraries through Spain, including the glamorous Al Andalus, which takes eight days to explore Andalucia’s Moorish cities and towns, including time in Seville, Granada and Cordoba, with an excursion to Ronda.
You can explore the north of the country – “green Spain” – on El Transcantábrico – with four beautifully-restored, 1920s Pullman carriages and stationary overnights, greatly improving your chances of a good night’s sleep.
In the Alps, the Bernina Express climbs to altitudes above 2,200 metres as part of an unforgettable Swiss itinerary that includes some of the most remarkable narrow gauge railways in the world.
Italy can also be explored by rail. Citalia has a 13-day itinerary from Rome down to Sicily, using new high-speed trains to link the Eternal City with the Amalfi Coast and on to glamorous Taormina.
Cultural journeys
Itineraries that combine excursions and cultural sights with time on a luxury train offer an unbeatable combination of relaxation and the thrill of exploring – with all the necessary arrangements taken care of.
Regent Holidays offers two unique journeys along the Silk Road on the Orient Silk Road Express, following the centuries-old route through Kazakhstan and its neighbouring countries, travelling over high mountain passes and stopping at ancient trading cities.
Or discover one of Asia’s most fascinating – and still under-the-radar countries – Laos. Experience Travel Group has a number of itineraries, making use of the new Laos-China railway, which connects the north and south of the country at high speed, slicing many hours off journey times.
Back in Europe, follow the Trail of the Habsburgs, an independent tour that combines four stunning Imperial cities – Vienna, Graz, Ljubljana and Trieste – travelling on Europe’s first Alpine railway, with a detour to picturesque Lake Bled.
Rail and road
In South Africa, you can travel in style between Cape Town and Pretoria on the sumptuously elegant Blue Train, with butler service, fine dining and an unparalleled air of old-fashioned glamour. The journey can be combined with time exploring Cape Town and the Winelands before a few days on safari in Kruger National Park.
Or slow the pace and take time to explore the tea plantations and tranquil landscapes of Sri Lanka, on a Tea and Train trip with a journey along the south coast from Kumu Beach to Galle, before heading into hill country, where colonial-era stations offer a rich architectural heritage.
Japan’s iconic bullet trains make it easy to combine some of the country’s most extraordinary cities. Inspiring Travel offers a luxury itinerary that includes Tokyo and Hakone – jumping off point for Mount Fuji – and a journey by bullet train to historic Kyoto.
You could also pair train travel with time on the water, with Wexas Travel’s 10-day tour of Norway, combining time in the vibrant cities of Bergen and Oslo with a tour of the jaw-dropping Western fjords.
Head north
Train travel is one of the best ways to discover Scotland’s dramatic lochs and brooding glens, whether on a three-day luxury tour on The Royal Scotsman where the grand suites – oozing Edwardian elegance – are the perfect counterpoint to the starkly beautiful Scottish landscapes.
For a more comprehensive trip, McKinlay Kidd has a two-week itinerary, combining rail travel with boats and ferries. Discover the beauty of the Western Highlands, including Skye and the mystical island of Iona, and spend part of the journey on the Jacobite Steam Train, from Fort William to Mallaig. Harry Potter fans will recognise the Glenfinnan Viaduct, a curving bridge with 21 arches, offering eye-popping views of Loch Shiel.
