It has been a long time since I featured rail travel!
There's something undeniably romantic about letting the world come to you, isn't there? A great train journey isn't just about getting from A to B; it's about the adventure in between. You're not simply enduring the travel part in the hope of a good time later, you're enjoying the scenery as it rolls by and sipping a G&T before you've even left the station.
So here we go with our brief descriptions of 5 of the World's Greatest Train Journeys, all of which we can organize for you seamlessly.
The Route: Vancouver, British Columbia, to Jasper, Alberta, Canada.
The Train: The Rocky Mountaineer, which features some of the best rail cars in the world. Daylight-only travel (with overnight hotel stays) ensures guests don’t miss a peak.
The Highlights: White-water rapids gushing through Hell’s Gatein Fraser Canyon; 12,972-foot-high Mount Robson, the highest in the Canadian Rockies; Pyramid Falls; and the ascent over Yellowhead Pass into Jasper National Park – and across the Continental Divide.
The Views: White-topped ranges and winding river canyons, lush green fields and lodgepole pine forests, rocky shoreline and desertlike landscapes.
Top Tip: Let us book GoldLeaf Service: You’ll love the fabulous food in the downstairs restaurant car, not to mention your assigned seat in the dome car upstairs. Best of all is the open-air deck – only for GoldLeaf passengers.
Australia
The Route: Alice Springs to Adelaide (The Ghan, above) and Adelaide to Sydney (Indian Pacific, below), Australia.
The Trains: The Ghan and Indian Pacific are both considered among the world’s best. Look for ornate, old-world stylings, along with regionally sourced, native fare (including kangaroo and saltbush) served with Barossa Valley wines.
The Highlights: This is a fantastic journey to some of the most gorgeous places across Australia’s Outback and Blue Mountains, highlighted by stops in remote Marla and art-filled Broken Hill.
The Views: Vast expanses of ever-changing hues across the Red Centre, abandoned homesteads dotting the barren Nullarbor, rolling pastoral lands and the rugged Flinders Ranges, and the clear desert sky broken by an occasional Australian wedge-tailed eagle.
Switzerland
The Routes: Zermatt to Gornergrat (Gornergrat cogwheel train), Zermatt to Saint Moritz (Glacier Express), and Saint Moritz to Poschiavo (Bernina Express), Switzerland.
The Trains: The Gornergrat cogwheel train, Europe’s highest; the Bernina Express, an amazing route for its engineering; and the storied Glacier Express, with its sky-high windows to admire all 291 bridges and 91 tunnels along the journey.
The Highlights: Ascending high above Zermatt on a cogwheel train; crossing every last bridge on the legendary Glacier Express route to Saint Moritz; climbing the Bernina Passto Ospizio Bernina, the highest point (7,578 feet) on the Bernina Railway; and getting a glimpse of Italian-speaking Switzerland.
The Views: Expect a constant procession of skyscraping peaks, glaciers, and alpine lakes, and up-close perspectives of the Matterhornand Gorner Glacier, one of the topmost viewpoints in the entire Alps.
Top Tip: Let us create a train-based Swiss itinerary for you with our Virtuoso partner Bucher Travel.
India
The Route: Mumbai to Mumbai, India.
The Train: Distances are vast in India, and the Deccan Odyssey takes passengers to its most famous sites in comfort and style. Service on board is excellent and each coach is inspired by a different period of Maharashtra state history.
The Highlights: Glimpses of Asiatic lions in Gir National Park, the hill fortress of UNESCO-designated Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park, and hundreds of Jain temples in Palitana.
The Views: Night-time brings freshly prepared delicacies served by stewards in traditional attire, lively conversations in the comfortable lounge, and fine wines in the atmospheric bar.
The Route: A variety of curated itineraries through Italy's most famous regions, with journeys ranging from one to three nights. Routes may take you from Rome to the vineyards of Tuscany, the canals of Venice, the coastal villages of Portofino, or the sun-drenched shores of Sicily.
The Train: Inspired by the "La Dolce Vita" era of the 1960s, this twelve-carriage train is a rolling celebration of mid-century Italian glamour. With luxurious cabins, suites, and a signature "La Dolce Vita Suite," the décor features rich materials like polished brass, velvet, and lacquered wood, evoking a feeling of cinematic elegance.
The Highlights: Off-train excursions are designed to be as special as the journey itself, with options like Brunello wine tasting in Montalcino, private tours of historic palaces in Siena and Venice, or exploring the ancient cave dwellings of Matera.
The Views: The real luxury here is the slow, deliberate pace of travel. Days are spent with your nose pressed to the window, watching the stunning Italian countryside roll by while you're wined and dined with menus crafted by a Michelin-starred chef. It's an entire experience dedicated to the simple, sweet life.
Has rail travel been on your list? Now is the time to embrace the tracks and have a vacation like no other. Click the button below to get our insider knowledge & tips for a luxurious escape via train.
Hi, I'm John, and I'm told I have a cool accent. I absolutely love travel and I am proud to have built a team as passionate about exploring the world as myself. It took me a very long time to align my career with my undeniable passion for exploring, but now I and the team are here for you. Your personal travel tailors - award reservation and luxury custom itinerary experts. We provide a bespoke service, imagining and creating itineraries for independent minded families and groups.
