Luxury trains sell a specific thing: the journey as the destination. Whether that is worth the money depends entirely on whether you actually enjoy sitting still and watching landscape go past. If you do, nothing else in travel comes close.

The classic European routes

Venice Simplon-Orient-Express

Restored 1920s carriages between London, Paris and Venice. Formal dress in the evening, no wifi by design, cabins that are small by modern standards. You are paying for the period authenticity, not for space.

Belmond Royal Scotsman

Scottish Highlands over two to seven nights, with the train stabling overnight so you sleep without motion. Whisky tastings and castle visits included.

Golden Eagle Danube Express

Central and Eastern Europe, better value than the headline names and covering less-travelled ground.

The long-distance epics

Trans-Siberian, Golden Eagle

Moscow to Vladivostok, or the Trans-Mongolian variant through Ulaanbaatar to Beijing. Two weeks, and the only way most people will see that much of a single landmass. Route availability shifts with geopolitics, so check current status.

Rovos Rail, South Africa

Pretoria to Cape Town in two nights, or the 15 day Dar es Salaam run. The largest suites of any luxury train, with genuinely full-size bathrooms.

The Ghan, Australia

Darwin to Adelaide through the centre of the continent, three nights of near-empty desert. Off-train excursions at Katherine and Alice Springs.

Asia and the Americas

  • Eastern and Oriental Express. Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand through jungle and paddy.
  • Maharajas Express, India. Rajasthan’s forts and palaces, the most opulent on this list.
  • Belmond Andean Explorer, Peru. Cusco to Lake Titicaca and Arequipa, the highest sleeper train in the world.
  • Rocky Mountaineer, Canada. Daylight travel only with glass-domed carriages, hotels overnight. Cheaper than the sleeper trains.

Spectacular routes that cost very little

If the price of the above is the obstacle, several scheduled services deliver comparable scenery for ordinary fares:

  • Glacier Express and Bernina Express, Switzerland.
  • Flam Railway and the Bergen Line, Norway.
  • West Highland Line to Mallaig, Scotland.
  • Konkan Railway, India.
  • Kuranda Scenic Railway, Australia.

Before booking

  • Check what is included. Some fares cover all drinks and excursions, others very little.
  • Cabins are small on the heritage trains. Suites cost considerably more for a reason.
  • Single supplements are steep across the category.
  • Popular departures sell out a year ahead.

See also the best luxury travel destinations.