The Best Luxury Train Journeys

Europe · 1 to 6 nights · The original

Belmond's restored 1920s and 1930s carriages run London to Venice via Paris, Innsbruck and the Brenner Pass, with longer seasonal runs to Vienna, Prague, Budapest, Rome and Istanbul. The Grand Suites added private bathrooms and 24-hour butlers; the classic cabins keep the marquetry, the washbasin cabinet and the ritual of dressing for dinner in the 3674 dining car.

Southern Africa · 2 to 15 nights · Best suites

The Pride of Africa runs Pretoria to Cape Town, Victoria Falls, Durban and, twice a year, all the way to Dar es Salaam. Royal Suites occupy half a carriage with a Victorian bath, and the observation car at the rear is open-air. No phones, no televisions, and a rule that passengers dress for dinner — deliberately analogue and better for it.

Japan · 2 or 4 nights · Hardest to book

Fourteen suites for a maximum of 28 guests, designed by Eiji Mitooka with maki-e lacquer, Arita porcelain basins and Ōkawa cabinetry. The route loops Kyushu through onsen towns, pottery villages and volcanic landscapes, with kaiseki dining by leading Japanese chefs. Allocated by lottery in high season; plan a year ahead.

Peru · 1 or 2 nights · Highest sleeper in the Americas

South America's first luxury sleeper runs Cusco to Lake Titicaca and Arequipa across the Andean altiplano at over 4,000 metres. Cabins are finished in alpaca wool and Peruvian textiles; there is a spa car, a piano bar and an open observation deck. Short, spectacular, and the best way to cover ground that is punishing by road.

India · 3 to 7 nights · Best for grandeur

India's most decorated luxury train links Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, Ranthambore, Varanasi and Mumbai across several itineraries. The Presidential Suite spans an entire carriage with two bedrooms and a private lounge. Excursions are the strength — private after-hours access at monuments and dinners inside palaces and forts.

Canada and USA · 2 to 8 days · Best scenery, daylight only

A daylight-only train through the Canadian Rockies between Vancouver, Banff, Lake Louise and Jasper, plus the Rockies to the Red Rocks route in Colorado and Utah. GoldLeaf carriages have glass-dome roofs and a dedicated dining level. Guests sleep in hotels each night, which makes it the most accessible entry into luxury rail.

Eurasia · Up to 15 nights · Longest journey

The most ambitious itineraries in luxury rail — Moscow to Vladivostok, Silk Road routes across Central Asia, and expeditions to Mongolia and the Caspian. Imperial Suites include a private bathroom with a power shower and underfloor heating. Current geopolitics affect routing, so check which departures are actually operating before planning.

Italy · 1 to 3 nights · Newest luxury train

Launched by Arsenale and Orient Express, six restored 1970s Italian trains run eight routes from Rome across Tuscany, Sicily, the Dolomites and Puglia, with midcentury interiors by Dimorestudio. Dining is overseen by three-Michelin-starred chef Heinz Beck. The most contemporary design language in the category and the easiest for short escapes.