6 Most Amazing Luxury Train Trips You Should Take
There is something undeniably romantic about travelling by train. Trains and train stations have been the backdrop for teary farewells, warm welcomes, many lost and found stories and a lot of soul searching during the long, winding journeys.
However, they have also seen a lot of confusion, chaos, and crowding. To be honest... don’t you yearn for creature comforts during peak season train travel? Do you not wish that the food served on trains would be more of your choice? Most of all, don’t you wish you did not have to share washrooms with the other passengers? Well, you are not alone! There is a growing demand for luxury train travel for those who want their “hotel on wheels”. The Society of International Railway Travelers, a leading agency specializing in luxury train travel, has said that this is an area that sees growing interest as more and more people want to experience ‘slow life’ and savour each moment. What better way to do that than travelling by train that offers good things in life and more.
1. The Venice Simplon Orient Express |
The Venice Simplon Orient Express transports one to an elegant and gracious era and style. Known popularly as the Orient Express, this luxury train plies between London /Paris and Venice and gives one a heady experience of pre-war glamour and style.
© Belmond Management Limited - Venice Simplon-Orient-Express
A testament to the 1920’s aristocratic way of life, there is much drama in train travel, where guests enjoy afternoon tea, dress formally for dinner in the exquisite dining rooms and enjoy their drinks in the bar car. The accommodations are done up in the vintage style and are the last word in comfort and luxury. The twin cabin, which during the day is configured as a lounge, gets converted into a cosy bedroom at night, completed with crisp linen, bathrobe and slippers, all laid out by stewards whilst guests are enjoying their gourmet dinner. Guests also can select Cabin Suite and Grand Suite, where there are more comforts on offer.
Dining on board the Venice Simplon Express is a delight. The French chefs cook fresh gourmet meals with fresh produce taken on board during the journey. Guests can enjoy delicious and sumptuous breakfast and tea in the privacy of their cabins, while lunch, dinner and brunch are served in one of the three exclusively styled Restaurant Cars. The Lalique Car is an onboard lounge that also has the Champagne Bar. Enjoy the passing scenery while relaxing in the easy chairs and sofas. This car also has a boutique where one can shop for souvenirs. Create your romantic adventure on this train, which has been the setting of some thrilling novels.
The itinerary begins with a Check-in at London Victoria, where the beautiful train of restored 1920s/30s/50s British Pullman cars roll into the platform perhaps 20 minutes before departure
At Calais Ville, you board the VSOE's continental train of restored blue-and-gold. The night well spent in luxury you can wake up to the scenery next morning in Switzerland, followed by the arrival in Austria & finally its destination-Italy.
© Belmond Management Limited - Venice Simplon-Orient-Express
The morning treatise begins with the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express coursing along the shores of the Zürichsee in Switzerland, then along the Walensee. The train then traverses through Liechtenstein, passing non-stop through the little station at Schaan-Vaduz. Mountain scenery and snowy peaks all the way, as the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express crosses into Austria, then snake through the fabulous Arlberg Pass, hugging the mountainside. Turning right at Innsbruck, the VSOE now heads south to Italy via the Brenner Pass. Look out for hilltop fortresses, pointed Church steeples and vineyards and finally, you arrive at the Venice Santa Lucia station on the banks of the Canal, gondolas and all!
2. Golden Eagle Danube Express |
The Golden Eagle Danube Express is luxury on wheels, combining nostalgia and timeless elegance with modern amenities. It transports you back in time by enveloping you in its comfort and scenic daytime travel and intriguing places on its sightseeing tours. It has been recently refurbished, and many new itineraries have been added to make it more exciting. This Budapest-based private train offers great service, modern amenities, excellent cuisine and exciting off-train touring.
© Golden Eagle Luxury Trains
There are seven sleeping cars, out of which three contain Deluxe cabins, one is the Heritage class, and the next three contain the elegant Superior Deluxe cabins. Comfortable and clean linen and luxurious toiletries are provided in all cabins. There is one attendant devoted to each car and takes personal care of the guests. Little touches like towel warmers and clever storage facilities make it a notch above the rest. Dining is a pleasant experience with the crystal glassware and the china emblazoned with the regal Golden Eagle logo. Onboard meals are usually three courses, with meat and vegetarian choices. All drinks, except for some premium wines, are included in the fare. The train fare is inclusive of all meals, drinks (except premium wines), off-train tours and experiences.
The social centre of the train is its lounge or bar car. Passengers can relax here with their drinks and listen to the enthralling notes of the pianist. This train offers 5 to 12 days’ journeys and covers varied destinations like Budapest, Zurich, Prague, Vienna, Venice, Istanbul and many more. These journeys will take you through Gothic palaces and natural wonders.
The Danube Express train made regular cruises before it was commissioned by Golden Eagle in late 2014: The Transylvanian West from Istanbul to Budapest, the Transylvanian East from Budapest to Istanbul, and the Central European on a route covering Budapest, Vienna, Bratislava, Prague & Krakow together in a single journey.
Australia is a huge country. The best way to experience this expanse at ground level and that too while enveloped in comfort and luxury is only through some of Australia’s finest luxury trains.
3. The Ghan Train |
The iconic Uluru or Ayer’s Rock is truly the symbol of the great Australian outback, and the best way to reach “The Red Centre” is by the Ghan Train. Deriving its name from the Afghan camels that used to carry supplies before the railways came, the Ghan links Adelaide, Alice Springs and Darwin once a week, all year round. Traversing the full length of the world’s largest island by rail is an adventure in itself.
© Journey Beyond
The Gold Service class has single and twin categories, both featuring comfortable sleepers which convert to daytime lounge, shared shower and toilet facilities, in-cabin music and journey audio commentary. The Platinum Service adds an enhanced level of sophistication to the journey. Guests can enjoy spacious suites, personalised service and world-class food and wine. Luxurious toiletries, soft linen, timber flooring and brass fittings take luxury to a fine art. The premium service begins even before guests board the train, with private transfers included at the start and end of the journey.
As the train traverses through the diverse environment, the culinary team source the best produce from local suppliers and farmers to create a regionally-inspired menu complemented by fine wines and beverages. The three dining carriages named The Queen Adelaide Restaurant, Outback Explorer Lounge, and the Platinum Club have their signature ambience and personality. The off-train excursions include river cruises, camel or helicopter rides and cultural experiences, which add another dimension to the journey. The Ghan Train has several off-train packages for the guests to choose from. Journey aboard the Ghan is truly an iconic Australian experience, and this train is undoubtedly one of its national treasures.
4. The Indian Pacific |
Flying across Australia's vastness is quicker but not as romantic and awe-inspiring as taking a train ride from Sydney or Adelaide to Perth on Australia’s biggest train journey, the Indian Pacific. A lounge to relax during the daytime, a cosy bed at night in your room and a restaurant for your meals, it’s a rolling hotel on tracks! Named after the two ocean it encounters on its journey, this train travels a distance of 4352 km.
© Journey Beyond
Starting its journey from suburban Sydney, the Indian Pacific weaves its way through the Blue Mountains, passing through Katoomba, and in the morning, brings you to outback country. If you are lucky, you can spot kangaroos and emus from the train windows. The next day, the Indian Pacific crosses the Nullarbor Plain on the longest stretch of a straight railway line in the world, a distance of 478 km. The train also halts for some time at Kalgoorlie, the gold rush town, where you can have a walkabout. The next morning, the train rolls into Perth, and you have crossed a continent!
© Journey Beyond
The Indian Pacific has Gold Service sleepers, and it used to have Red Service reclining seats, which were discontinued in 2015. The other class is the Platinum Service. Gold Service guests have the option of two-berth ‘twinettes’ or single berth ‘roomettes’, and they come with comfortable beds, fresh linen and good quality complimentary toiletries. The fare included three-course meals, beer, cocktails and standard wines. Platinum Service guests can enjoy ultra-luxurious interiors, spacious rooms, a private shower and toilet and use of the Outback Explorer Lounge and bar. On different journeys, guests can choose from various off-train packages and enjoy the varied landscapes and vistas of the beautiful continent of Australia. It is supremely luxurious and suitably modernised, this train is well worth a ride on for the Great Australian Tour. Travelling by train is a wonderful way to experience Africa. An African train journey, even a short one, is full of excitement, cultural exchanges, amazing landscapes and colourful people. The luxury trains of Africa are like wood-panelled museums of colonialism and a great way to experience this wonderful continent.
5. Rovos Rail |
Known as the ‘Pride of Africa’, Rovos Rail has been operating sojourns across Southern Africa in lovingly restored train carriages, which accommodate not more than 72 guests. Guests can experience life on board the ‘most luxurious train in the world’ on journeys lasting 48 hours to two weeks.
© Rovos Rail
Life on Rovos Rail has an old-world charm. Daytime attire is smart casual, while formal dressing for dinner is compulsory and, on some evenings, there is themed dressing too. In maintaining the spirit of the bygone era, there are no radios or television sets and usage of phones and laptops is allowed only in the privacy of one’s cabins. Smoking is allowed only in the Club Lounge. The unique part of the Rovos Rail is the Observation Cars. Located at the back of the train, these cars have enlarged windows and open-air balconies. One can sit here for hours and enjoy the bliss and beauty of this vast land. Rovos Rail offers a choice between Royal Suites, Deluxe Suites and Pullman Suites. All the suites are spacious and allow travelling in privacy, comfort and luxury. Handsome wood-panelling and Edwardian features with modern amenities of hot showers, hairdryers and shaver plugs ensure that guests are well taken care of.
© Rovos Rail
Meals are enjoyed in vintage style dining cars. The heavenly cuisine focuses on local delicacies like slow-roasted Karoo lamb, ostrich fillet and Bobotie, all with flawless wine pairings. The Rovos staff are polite and helpful and ensure discreet yet attentive service. Rovos Rail offers many journeys, the most popular ones being the Dar es Salaam and Victoria Falls routes. There are also golf journeys and Durban Safari. Before or after a journey on the Pride of Africa, guests can stay at one of their five-star retreats in Cape Town. The train can also be chartered by private gatherings and tours and have tailor-made trips of their liking.
6. The Blue Train |
Synonymous with luxury and hospitality, the Blue Train is a window into the soul of Africa. Travelling on this luxury train is the ideal way to soak in the African subcontinent's diverse and spectacular scenery. The Blue Train travels about 1600 km between Pretoria and Cape Town in South Africa. Promoted as a “magnificent, moving five-star hotel”, the train has had many kings and presidents on board as guests.
© The Blue Train
Guests on the Blue Train can expect personalised service, a dedicated butler, luxurious accommodation and excellent fine dining. Honeymoon couples are presented with complimentary champagne and a blue leather photo frame. The Blue Train has Luxury and Deluxe Suites. Each compartment has a fully appointed bathroom en-suite, with floors resplendent in Italian marble. Soft towels, cotton kimonos, luxury oils and soaps make bathing an indulgence. A large screen in the Club Car provides a driver’s eye view of the tracks. As night falls, the suite is transformed into a comfortable bedroom, complete with fresh cotton linen and eiderdown duvets.
The dining car is elegant, and guests can enjoy the Blue Train’s legendary cuisine with Sheffield cutlery, crystal glassware and crisp white linen. The Blue Train’s Lounge and Club Cars offer entertainment and relaxation. Play board games, chess or black gammon or read a volume from the library. Each afternoon, high tea is served here.
© The Blue Train
The train offers “rail safari” combination packages with the many wildlife reserves and private safari lodges in the Greater Kruger and Sabi Sands Area. With grace, comfort and style on offering on the Blue Train, there is no better way to view the panoramic sights of Africa.
