PARIS — Looking for a five-star dinner, a massage at the spa and a view of the mountains? You could book a hotel — or a luxury train. These days, hospitality on the rails is reaching new heights, with sleeper trains offering sightseeing tours, the finest cuisine and personal butler services to make every immersive journey a unique experience. From Japan to South Africa, Worldcrunch gives you a glimpse of the world’s most luxurious train rides.
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South Africa, the Blue Train
Who says you need a car or a safari guide to explore South Africa? The Blue Train, a “five-star hotel on wheels,” according to local media platform IOL, offers a unique excursion through the country for those who prefer feather-filled pillows and fine dining over dust and bumpy Jeep rides.
Backtracking
Operating since 1923, the Blue Train takes passengers from Pretoria to Cape Town through the impressive South African landscapes over three days and two nights. This “window to the soul of Africa” was entirely refurbished and relaunched in 1997 to offer the most high-end travel experience on the rails.
Full steam ahead
Aboard, passengers can enjoy a dedicated butler service, an old-fashioned smoking lounge car and walk in the footsteps of famous past passengers, including Nelson Mandela, Margaret Thatcher and Kylie Minogue. While the lounge cars' large windows provide an ample view of the South African scenery, the Blue Train also offers a driver's eye view, broadcasting on a screen in the club car video from a camera fixed on the front locomotive. To further the experience, the company offers luxury safari packages.
Australia, The Ghan
The Australian Outback isn’t the most hospitable place for travelers. Red desert, wide plains and Aboriginal myths make for an intriguing cocktail, but how about sipping one while admiring the vast landscapes from a cozy sleeper cabin instead?
Backtracking
Until 1929, the only way to get to Alice Springs in northern Australia was thanks to Afghan camel drivers. That is, until The Ghan (a reference to the cameleers) running from the country's northern to the southern coast of the country offered a new opportunity to discover the Outback, from the comfort of a luxury cabin. The train itself is more than half a mile long and counts two locomotives and at least 24 carriages, making it the longest sleeper train in the world and requiring two boarding platforms.
Every decade since 2004, residents of Darwin, the train’s final stop, gather to “Moon the Ghan” and greet the train in the Northern territories. The not-so-classy gesture, where young and olds offer their bare bottoms to the view of the passengers, has become a local tradition and party, Singaporean daily The Straits Times reported in 2023, when the latest mooning took place.
Full steam ahead
The Ghan provides a gold and a platinum level of services, including fine dining (ever dreamed of eating kangaroo fillet?) and offers unique views through wide picture windows in the Outback Explorer Lounge. The main journey, from Adelaide to Darwin, takes 48 hours, but other itineraries are available that include Alice Springs for a full-on luxurious Aussie experience.
Europe, the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express
The Belmond-operated Venice-Simplon Orient Express transports you to the Art Deco years and offers the luxurious drama feel of the famous line — minus the murder mystery. Hop on the “most iconic train in the world,” according to Milan-based magazine Milano Città Stato.
Backtracking
The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, or VSOE, (not to be confused with the equally storied Orient Express, which ran from 1883 to 2009), is a private luxury train running from London to Venice and through Europe, owned by the Belmond group. Established in 1982, the train runs from March to December through the main London-Paris-Milan-Venice route, and includes other European stops, from Rome to Prague and the once-a-year Istanbul trip.
Full steam ahead
Liveried staff welcome you aboard carriages dating back to the 1920s and 1930s, all sporting Art Deco gold and velvet accents, for an immersive ride back in time. In 2022, Belmond added eight new suites to its already state-of-the-art sleeper cabin experience. Marble en-suite bathrooms, private living rooms and designs reminiscent of famous stunning European landscapes, from the Black Forest to the Côte d’Azur and the Arlberg mountain create a poetic, out-of-time atmosphere, for a once-in-a-lifetime smooth ride in the heart of the Old Continent.
UK, the Royal Scotsman
Fancy a ride through the Highlands? For those less keen on road trips and hikes, the Royal Scotsman grants a full experience of breathtaking Scotland.
Backtracking
The 1980s may have been the golden age of high-end train travel. The Royal Scotsman line started running in 1985 and was bought in 2005 by the Belmond group. Several themed itineraries are available depending on what sights of Scotland passengers wish to discover — from clans, castles and islands, to whisky tours and western scenic wonders — and how long they want to spend — from 2 to 7 nights — aboard. Once a year, the line goes on a grand tour of Grand Britain which includes clay pigeon shooting, a tour of the Roman baths and a final stop in York.
Full steam ahead
Inside the glossy red carriages, you’ll find marquetry walls, plush tartan couches, velvet chairs and large windows to admire the Highlands. The restaurant, founded by chef Tom Kitchin offers authentic Scotch malt whisky and fresh local food from both the Scottish sea and its land. But what sets the Royal Scotsman apart from other luxury trains is its on-board Dior spa, offering massages, skin care and other rejuvenating rituals. Regional tabloid The Scottish Sun reported that the Royal Scotsman was ranked 14th on National Geographic’s best travel experiences in the world in 2024.Russia, the Golden Eagle
Crossing the world's largest country is no small feat, but the famous Trans-Siberian Golden Eagle train smoothly takes passengers through the 9,288 km and seven time zones separating Moscow from Vladivostok.
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The historic Great Siberian Route is the longest railway line in the world and connects European Russia to the far East of the country. Since 1989, the Golden Eagle private luxury train has offered passengers cinematic journey through the Russian Urals and past Lake Baikal. While the service is currently suspended due to the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, it remains one of the most prestigious passenger trains in the world.
Russian daily Vedomosti hailed the personalized service offered by the company: organizing a flight for employees to mark a company’s birthday, recreating a parlor car or requesting the use of the steam locomotive, the possibilities are endless.
Full steam ahead
If the Trans-Siberian route had a color it would be blue. The Golden Eagle offers a relaxing, velvety atmosphere drenched in royal blue, from the carriages to carpeting, adorned with fleur-de-lys to symbolize royalty. The first-class service allows passengers to enjoy impressive views of the mountains and the snowy Siberian landscapes during the 8-days and 7-nights journey.
India, the Deccan Odyssey
Follow in the steps of India’s Maharajas aboard the Deccan Odyssey and embark on a mystical luxurious journey through India, from Mumbai to New Delhi.
Backtracking
Launched in 2004 through a collaboration between the Indian railway and the State government of Maharashtra, the Deccan Odyssey, aimed to increase tourism in the region and showcase its cultural heritage. The train was relaunched in 2023 after undergoing refurbishments and renovations to enhance its elegance and safety onboard, “making it a dream excursion for discerning travelers,” according to the Chennai-based daily The New Indian Express.
Full steam ahead
The train’s 21 carriages can accommodate 88 passengers for trips up to seven nights. It's an ideal setting for an exclusive atmosphere onboard and during the sightseeing activities which include the Pench Tiger Reserve, the Ajanta caves and one of the seven Wonders of the World: the Taj Mahal. This “blue Limousine on wheels” allows travelers to enjoy regional cuisine, a gym, a spa, a library and even a foreign exchange service.
Japan, Seven Stars of Kyushu
A decade ago, Japan got its own deluxe excursion train: the Seven Stars of Kyushu, which takes passengers around the most southern island of the archipelago.
Backtracking
Launched in 2003, the Seven Stars train combines old-world glamor, modern comfort and breathtaking sights of the lush and volcanic Japanese landscape: such is the experience aboard the Seven Stars train. Seven stars, for the seven prefectures of Kyushu, its seven major attractions and the seven cars making up this state-of-the-art train. Renovated in 2022, the train offers three journeys, from 2 to 4 days, to discover the nature, the artisans and the traditions of Kyushu.
Getting a spot on the Seven Stars is also a matter of luck: travelers must fill out an application, and the company conducts a lottery if the demand exceeds the number of available rooms. The odds of winning a ticket are more than 10 to 1, according to Japanese daily Yomiuri.
Full steam ahead
Overnight train journeys have rarely been so exclusive: with only seven cars accommodating a maximum of 20 travelers, the Seven Stars embodies the art of Japanese hospitality. Floor-to-ceiling wood marquetry, tatami mats, tea room and a gallery shop make the train feel like its own building on wheels. The decoration includes traditional crafts of Kyushu, such as kumiko, an elaborate woodwork technique where thin pieces of wood are fitted together without a single nail to create an intricate pattern.