Luxury trains are a premium travel option designed to offer a comfortable ride and evoke an association with history and heritage. Some luxury trains promote

tourism Tourism is travel for pleasure or business; also the theory and practice of touring (disambiguation), touring, the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tour (disambiguation), tours. Th ...

in destinations across a region, while others (such as the

Maharajas' Express The ''Maharajas' Express'' is a luxury tourist train owned and operated by Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC). It serves four routes across North-West and Central India, mainly centered on Rajasthan between the months of ...

) take passengers on a long, leisurely ride through a single country. Luxury train travel has become popular, and its proponents cite several advantages over air travel. Although air travel can be monotonous, passengers on a luxury train can see the local environment, social and economic conditions, and a myriad of colors during their travels. Unlike airplanes, luxury trains are spacious and have restaurants and bars, comfortable sleeping and seating areas, and bathrooms.

History

Before

sleeping Sleep is a sedentary state of mind and body. It is characterized by altered consciousness, relatively inhibited sensory activity, reduced muscle activity and reduced interactions with surroundings. It is distinguished from wakefulness by a de ...

and

dining car A dining car (American English) or a restaurant car (British English), also a diner, is a railroad passenger car that serves meals in the manner of a full-service, sit-down restaurant. It is distinct from other railroad food service cars that ...

s were introduced, long-distance train travel was an uncomfortable experience. George Pullman's first sleeping car, the Pioneer, was introduced in 1865 and was followed two years later by "hotel cars".Railroad Collections
The Pioneer was the first railway carriage with dining and sleeping areas,
, History of Luxury Trains and the Pullman Car Company was founded in 1880.

Georges Nagelmackers Georges Lambert Casimir Nagelmackers (born 25 June 1845 in Liège, Belgium; deceased 10 August 1905 in Villepreux, France) (60 years old) was a Belgian civil engineer and businessman. He was the founder of the Compagnie Internationale des Wagons ...

founded the Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits, creator of the

Orient Express The ''Orient Express'' was a long-distance passenger train service created in 1883 by the Belgian company ''Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits'' (CIWL) that operated until 2009. The train traveled the length of continental Europe and int ...

. Inspired by Pullman trains in the United States, Nagelmackers returned to

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...

and built a fleet of over 30 luxury trains which traveled to several European destinations. He is credited with beginning the age of luxury trains and grand

hotel A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. Facilities provided inside a hotel room may range from a modest-quality mattress in a small room to large suites with bigger, higher-quality beds, a dresser, a ref ...

s. The best-known luxury train was the

, the setting of

Agatha Christie Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie, Lady Mallowan, (; 15 September 1890 – 12 January 1976) was an English writer known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections, particularly those revolving around fictiona ...

's '' Murder on the Orient Express''. Europe's first luxury train, it began its maiden journey across Europe on 5 June 1883 from Paris'

Gare de l'Est The Gare de l'Est (; English: "Station of the East" or "East station"), officially Paris-Est, is one of the six large mainline railway station termini in Paris, France. It is located in the 10th arrondissement, not far southeast from the Gar ...

. Although the original Orient Express ceased operations in 2009, private operators and public-private joint ventures provide luxury train travel in several countries.

Belmond trains

Eastern & Oriental Express passenger cars, Kuala Lumpur

According to Belmond (formerly known as Orient Express Hotels), the company operates the highest number of luxury train tours in the world. With service in Europe, Asia and South America, Belmond is the only private luxury tour provider (with the exception of Russia's Golden Eagle Trans Siberian Express) to offer continental or intercontinental service. The

Venice-Simplon Orient Express The ''Venice Simplon-Orient-Express'' (VSOE) is a private luxury train service from London to Venice and other European cities. It is currently owned by Belmond, which operates 45 luxury hotels, restaurants, tourist trains and river cruises in ...

, with service from

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

Venice Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 ...

, was voted the top luxury train in the world in 2009.

The Royal Scotsman The ''Belmond Royal Scotsman'' is a Scottish overnight luxury train, started in 1985 by GS&WR (Great Scottish and Western Railway Co.), and run since 2005 by Belmond Ltd. Its itineraries include 2, 3, 4, 5 or 7-night journeys around the Scotti ...

offers service across

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...

and, occasionally, the rest of Britain. The

Belmond Grand Hibernian The ''Belmond Grand Hibernian'' was a luxury train service in Ireland. The service was operated by Belmond, the operator of several other luxury trains including the ''Venice Simplon Orient Express''. It was officially launched on 30 August 201 ...

began operations in

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

on 30 August 2016. The Eastern and Oriental Express has service from

Bangkok Bangkok, officially known in Thai language, Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estima ...

Singapore Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, borde ...

(via

Kuala Lumpur , anthem = '' Maju dan Sejahtera'' , image_map = , map_caption = , pushpin_map = Malaysia#Southeast Asia#Asia , pushpin_map_caption = , coordinates = , su ...

) and to

Vientiane Vientiane ( , ; lo, ວຽງຈັນ, ''Viangchan'', ) is the capital and largest city of Laos. Vientiane is divided administratively into 9 cities with a total area of only approx. 3,920 square kilometres and is located on the banks of ...

. Covering over of peninsular Southeast Asia, its two-day journey has frequent stops at scenic locations. The Belmond Andean Explorer services

Arequipa Arequipa (; Aymara and qu, Ariqipa) is a city and capital of province and the eponymous department of Peru. It is the seat of the Constitutional Court of Peru and often dubbed the "legal capital of Peru". It is the second most populated city ...

Cusco Cusco, often spelled Cuzco (; qu, Qusqu ()), is a city in Southeastern Peru near the Urubamba Valley of the Andes mountain range. It is the capital of the Cusco Region and of the Cusco Province. The city is the list of cities in Peru, seventh m ...

and vice versa and the Belmond Hiram Bingham, named after the explorer who rediscovered the Inca citadel

Machu Picchu Machu Picchu is a 15th-century Inca citadel located in the Eastern Cordillera of southern Peru on a mountain range.UNESCO World Heritage Centre. It is located in the Machupicchu District within Urubamba Province above the Sacred Valley, which ...

, runs from the Sacred Valley to the landmark.

United Kingdom

British Pullman cars were used on the '' Brighton Belle'' out of

London Victoria station Victoria station, also known as London Victoria, is a central London railway terminus and connected London Underground station in Victoria, in the City of Westminster, managed by Network Rail. Named after the nearby Victoria Street (not the Qu ...

''Northern Belle''

Northern Belle The ''Northern Belle'' was an American transatlantic ship which ran aground near Thanet District, Thanet, England, on 5 January 1857. No lives on her were lost, thanks to heroic rescue efforts, in blizzard conditions. However, another ship sa ...

'' is a privately owned luxury train introduced in 2000. It consists primarily of British Rail Mark 2 coach stock, refurbished internally and painted externally to resemble the ''Brighton Belle'' British Pullman coaches. Buffet cars are British Rail Mark 1 coaches. Although the train primarily operates in

Northern England Northern England, also known as the North of England, the North Country, or simply the North, is the northern area of England. It broadly corresponds to the former borders of Angle Northumbria, the Anglo-Scandinavian Kingdom of Jorvik, and the ...

and Scotland, it also serves London and

Bristol Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in ...

. The train has two British Rail Mark 3 sleeper coaches for its crew. It departs from a number of northern cities, including

Liverpool Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a popul ...

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...

Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...

, and

Manchester Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...

. The ''Northern Belle'' has six dining cars named after historic British houses.

Spain

Spain's state-owned network of luxury trains is operated by Renfe Operadora and runs from March to October on scheduled and charter trips. The main routes cross northern Spain and

Andalusia Andalusia (, ; es, Andalucía ) is the southernmost Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in Peninsular Spain. It is the most populous and the second-largest autonomous community in the country. It is officially recognised as a ...

, with special tours throughout the peninsula.

Al Ándalus

The Al Ándalus' luxury cars were built in France for use by members of the British monarchy when they travelled between

Calais Calais ( , , traditionally , ) is a port city in the Pas-de-Calais department, of which it is a subprefecture. Although Calais is by far the largest city in Pas-de-Calais, the department's prefecture is its third-largest city of Arras. Th ...

and the

French Riviera The French Riviera (known in French as the ; oc, Còsta d'Azur ; literal translation " Azure Coast") is the Mediterranean coastline of the southeast corner of France. There is no official boundary, but it is usually considered to extend fro ...

. The main route takes passengers from

Seville Seville (; es, Sevilla, ) is the capital and largest city of the Spanish autonomous community of Andalusia and the province of Seville. It is situated on the lower reaches of the River Guadalquivir, in the southwest of the Iberian Peninsula ...

Cádiz Cádiz (, , ) is a city and port in southwestern Spain. It is the capital of the Province of Cádiz, one of eight that make up the autonomous community of Andalusia. Cádiz, one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Western Europe, ...

, Jerez de la Frontera, Ronda,

Granada Granada (,, DIN 31635, DIN: ; grc, Ἐλιβύργη, Elibýrgē; la, Illiberis or . ) is the capital city of the province of Granada, in the autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Andalusia, Spain. Granada is located at the fo ...

, Úbeda,

Baeza Baeza may refer to: * Baeza, Ecuador * Baeza, Spain ** University of Baeza ** Baeza Cathedral * '' Brusqeulia baeza'', a species of moth People * Baeza (rapper) (born 1993), American rapper, singer, actor, hip hop producer, and songwriter * Acar ...

, Linares, Córdoba, Andalusia, and back to Seville.

El Transcantábrico

The oldest tourist train in Spain (operating since 1983), the El Transcantábrico has original 1923 Pullman coaches.Luxury Tourist Trains
Official Website of Luxury Tourist Trains Spain There are two routes: the ''Gran Lujo'' between

San Sebastián San Sebastian, officially known as Donostia–San Sebastián (names in both local languages: ''Donostia'' () and ''San Sebastián'' ()) is a city and Municipalities of Spain, municipality located in the Basque Country (autonomous community), B ...

and Santiago de Compostela, and the ''Clasico'' between León and Santiago de Compostela via

Bilbao ) , motto = , image_map = , mapsize = 275 px , map_caption = Interactive map outlining Bilbao , pushpin_map = Spain Basque Country#Spain#Europe , pushpin_map_caption ...

El Expreso de la Robla

The common areas of El Expreso de La Robla are three air-conditioned coaches with bar service. The coaches, designed for conferences, talks, courses, and meetings, are equipped with modern technological facilities. All interior areas of the train are connected, enabling passengers to move freely throughout the coaches.

Russia

Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian Express

The Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian Express began operation in April 2007 and takes passengers on a trip (the world's longest train journey) across two continents and eight time zones. The Golden Eagle follows the

Trans-Siberian Railway The Trans-Siberian Railway (TSR; , , ) connects European Russia to the Russian Far East. Spanning a length of over , it is the longest railway line in the world. It runs from the city of Moscow in the west to the city of Vladivostok in the ea ...

, which connects Moscow and European Russia with the Russian Far East,

Mongolia Mongolia; Mongolian script: , , ; lit. "Mongol Nation" or "State of Mongolia" () is a landlocked country in East Asia, bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south. It covers an area of , with a population of just 3.3 million, ...

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...

, and the

Sea of Japan The Sea of Japan is the marginal sea between the Japanese archipelago, Sakhalin, the Korean Peninsula, and the mainland of the Russian Far East. The Japanese archipelago separates the sea from the Pacific Ocean. Like the Mediterranean Sea, it h ...

Canada

Rocky Mountaineer

alt=Train rounding a curve next to a river, Rocky Mountaineer's distinctive domed carriages allow for expansive views of the Canadian Rockies Rocky Mountaineer is a Canadian company which operates trains touring the

Canadian Rockies The Canadian Rockies (french: Rocheuses canadiennes) or Canadian Rocky Mountains, comprising both the Alberta Rockies and the British Columbian Rockies, is the Canadian segment of the North American Rocky Mountains. It is the easternmost part ...

and the northwestern U.S. Via Rail sold off its ''Rockies by Daylight'' scenic train to Rocky Mountaineer Vacations (which became Rocky Mountaineer) in 1990. Rocky Mountaineer operates four routes.

Royal Canadian Pacific

The '' Royal Canadian Pacific'' is a luxury overnight passenger train based in

Calgary Calgary ( ) is the largest city in the western Canadian province of Alberta and the largest metro area of the three Prairie Provinces. As of 2021, the city proper had a population of 1,306,784 and a metropolitan population of 1,481,806, makin ...

. The train has a

royal warrant A royal warrant is a document issued by a monarch which confers rights or privileges on the recipient, or has the effect of law. Royal warrant may refer to: * Royal warrant of appointment, warrant to tradespeople who supply goods or services to a r ...

from

Queen Elizabeth Queen Elizabeth, Queen Elisabeth or Elizabeth the Queen may refer to: Queens regnant * Elizabeth I (1533–1603; ), Queen of England and Ireland * Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022 ...

. The train makes charter runs along

Canadian Pacific Railway The Canadian Pacific Railway (french: Chemin de fer Canadien Pacifique) , also known simply as CPR or Canadian Pacific and formerly as CP Rail (1968–1996), is a Canadian Class I railway incorporated in 1881. The railway is owned by Canadi ...

(CPR) tracks in summer and fall, taking passengers into the

Rocky Mountains The Rocky Mountains, also known as the Rockies, are a major mountain range and the largest mountain system in North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch in straight-line distance from the northernmost part of western Canada, to New Mexico in ...

Alberta Alberta ( ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is part of Western Canada and is one of the three prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to the west, Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Ter ...

and

British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...

. A typical six-day, five-night round trip runs through the

Columbia River The Columbia River (Upper Chinook: ' or '; Sahaptin: ''Nch’i-Wàna'' or ''Nchi wana''; Sinixt dialect'' '') is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, C ...

valley and Crowsnest Pass. The train halts at night to enable passengers to enjoy all the scenery. It consists of up to ten CPR luxury passenger cars (built between 1916 and 1931), two fully restored 1950s locomotives and a booster unit. The CPR also owns a modern diesel GP38-2 locomotive, numbered 3084, for backup use.

Japan

Seven Stars in Kyushu The is a deluxe sleeping car excursion train operated by Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu) in Japan since October 2013. Design The overall design concept of the train was overseen by industrial designer Eiji Mitooka. The name of the train is ...

is a deluxe sleeping-car excursion train which has toured the island of

Kyushu is the third-largest island of Japan's five main islands and the most southerly of the four largest islands ( i.e. excluding Okinawa). In the past, it has been known as , and . The historical regional name referred to Kyushu and its surroun ...

since October 2013. Its name derives from Kyushu's seven prefectures and the train's seven cars. The train has a piano, bar, suites, a mini-kitchen, a crew room, shower rooms, and toilets. It has two- and four-day round trips, departing from

Hakata Station is a major railway station in Hakata-ku, Fukuoka, Japan. It is the largest and busiest railway terminal in Kyushu, and is a gateway to other cities in Kyushu for travelers coming from Honshu by rail travel. The San'yō Shinkansen from Osaka end ...

. The two-day tour visits

Nagasaki is the capital and the largest city of Nagasaki Prefecture on the island of Kyushu in Japan. It became the sole port used for trade with the Portuguese and Dutch during the 16th through 19th centuries. The Hidden Christian Sites in the ...

, Aso and Yufuin, and the four-day tour visits Yufuin, Miyazaki, Miyakonojō, Hayato, Kagoshima-Chuo,

Kagoshima , abbreviated to , is the capital city of Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. Located at the southwestern tip of the island of Kyushu, Kagoshima is the largest city in the prefecture by some margin. It has been nicknamed the "Naples of the Eastern wor ...

, Aso, and Bungo-Mori.

India

Luxury trains in India include the

Palace on Wheels The ''Palace on Wheels'' is a luxury tourist train. It was launched by the Indian Railways in association with Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation to promote tourism in Rajasthan. It is now known as Heritage Palace on Wheels. The train ...

Deccan Odyssey The ''Deccan Odyssey'' is an Indian luxury train modeled on the ''Palace on Wheels'' and put into service to boost tourism on the Maharashtra route of the Indian Railways. The train, owned by travel company Cox & Kings since 2014, takes visit ...

, and

Golden Chariot The ''Golden Chariot'' is a luxury tourist train that connects the important tourist spots in the Indian states of Karnataka, Goa, Kerala & Tamil Nadu as well as Pondicherry, depending on the selected itinerary. It is named after the Stone Ch ...

. Two destinations have been added to

Royal Rajasthan on Wheels The ''Royal Rajasthan on Wheels'' is a luxury tourist train run by Indian Railways. It is modelled on the Palace on Wheels, and follows a similar route through Rajasthan. Tourists are taken to several important tourist, wildlife and heritage si ...

Khajuraho Khajuraho () is a city, near Chhatarpur in Chhatarpur district of the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. One of the most popular tourist destinations in India, Khajuraho has the country's largest group of medieval Hindu and Jain temples, famous f ...

and

Varanasi Varanasi (; ; also Banaras or Benares (; ), and Kashi.) is a city on the Ganges river in northern India that has a central place in the traditions of pilgrimage, death, and mourning in the Hindu world. * * * * The city has a syncretic t ...

. The 22-coach train can carry 82 passengers and has 13 compartments, two lounges, a spa and a fitness center. The

is owned and operated by Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC).

South Africa

The '' Blue Train'', covering about between

Pretoria Pretoria () is South Africa's administrative capital, serving as the seat of the Executive (government), executive branch of government, and as the host to all foreign embassies to South Africa. Pretoria straddles the Apies River and extends ...

and

Cape Town Cape Town ( af, Kaapstad; , xh, iKapa) is one of South Africa's three capital cities, serving as the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. It is the legislative capital of the country, the oldest city in the country, and the second largest ...

, is South Africa's oldest and most well-known luxury train service.

Rovos Rail Rovos Rail is a private railway company operating out of Capital Park Station in Pretoria, South Africa. Rovos Rail runs its train-hotel to a regular schedule on various routes throughout Southern Africa, from South Africa to Namibia and Tanza ...

started its '' Pride of Africa'' service in April 1989, offering pan-African luxury-train journeys spanning seven African countries by rail, air and water.Rovos Rail: Pride of Africa
(Rovos Rail website)

Australia

The Ghan ''The Ghan'' is an experiential tourism oriented passenger train service that operates between the northern and southern coasts of Australia, through the cities of Adelaide, Alice Springs and Darwin on the Adelaide–Darwin rail corridor. O ...

, a luxury train, runs through the heart of the

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

n continent from Darwin in the north to

Adelaide Adelaide ( ) is the capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater Adelaide (including the Adelaide Hills) or the Adelaide city centre. The dem ...

in the south. The Indian Pacific is a long-distance train connecting

Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...

on the east coast, Australia's largest city, with

Perth Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of 2.1 million (80% of the state) living in Greater Perth in 2020. Perth is ...

on the west coast.

Image gallery

File:Mashifu77-7002 Dining space.jpg, alt=Wood-paneled dining car, with comfortable seating, Dining car on Seven Stars in Kyushu File:Rovos Rail Deluxe Suite.jpg, alt=Bed, enclosed for privacy, Rovos Rail deluxe suite File:The Blue Train.jpg, alt=See caption, Dining car on the Blue Train File:NR45 + NR10 + Ghan Alice Springs, 2015 (02).JPG, alt=Train rounding a bend through scrubland,

approaching

Alice Springs Alice Springs ( aer, Mparntwe) is the third-largest town in the Northern Territory of Australia. Known as Stuart until 31 August 1933, the name Alice Springs was given by surveyor William Whitfield Mills after Alice, Lady Todd (''née'' Al ...

, 5 July 2015

References

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