Slow down. That’s a message we’ve been hearing a lot lately. Breathe. Unplug. Pay attention.
Maybe that’s one reason for the recent renaissance of luxury trains. Now a spate of new, newly redone and classic trains harks back to the day when rail travel was an elegant affair. Consider it the antidote to Amtrak—to say nothing of the ever-shrinking seat 32E. These are carriages where people still—again—are expected to dress for dinner, where attentive waiters serve five-course meals on bone china, and where the linens are pressed.
The Belmond Andean Explorer, Peru
South America’s first luxury sleeper train, the new Belmond Andean Explorer, follows one of the highest rail lines in the world. The one- and two-night journeys embrace the Peruvian Altiplano, Lake Titicaca and the Sumbay Caves, with links to Cusco and Arequipa. The 24 cabins are roomy and stylish, with handwoven fabrics and the soft tones of alpaca wool.
JR-East
Trai Suite Shiki-Shima
Train Suite Shiki Shima, Japan
The one-, two- and three-night journeys on this new ultra-luxury train take guests deep into the beauty of the eastern Japanese countryside. The cabins are all proper suites, outfitted with modern Japanese furnishings and materials. The white-tablecloth restaurant serves refined regional cuisine, the lounge and observation cars are full of wide windows, and the crew serves as butlers and concierges.
The Presidential Train
The Presidential Train
The Presidential Train, Portugal
Built in 1890 as the Royal Train for King Dom Luis I, this train took on this incarnation two years ago, after a theater producer invested €1 million in a two-year restoration. It’s now his love letter to Portugal. On full-day journeys through the Douro Valley, Portuguese food and wine especially important. A different Michelin-caliber chef cooks each weekend it runs, and the one lengthy stop is at a winery.
Maharajas' Express
The Maharajas’ Express
The Maharajas’ Express, India
The best-known of India’s luxury trains, the Maharajas’ Express takes 88 guests at a time on a four- or eight-night odyssey through the county’s most fascinating places, Jaipur, Varanasi and Goa among them (and of course the Taj Mahal). The cabins have a classically Indian design, and the two fine-dining restaurant cars, bar and lounge are downright opulent. But there are plenty of reasons to disembark: the train makes stops for elephant polo matches and evening Aarti rituals at the bathing ghats of the Ganges.
Belmond
The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express
The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, Europe
The historic name Orient-Express is pretty much synonymous with “ultra-luxury train travel.” While not the same train, Belmond’s luxury carriages, which run from London to Paris, Venice and Istanbul, are getting an upgrade in March. The three new Grand Suites with private bathrooms and showers and 1920s-style Art Deco interiors that reflect the spirit of those cities. Think embossed leather for Istanbul, chic furnishings for Paris and handcrafted Venetian glass.
The Blue Train
The Blue Train
The Blue Train, South Africa
An icon of South Africa, the Blue Train has been taking guests from Pretoria to Cape Town for 70 years. The nearly 1,000-mile journey is 31 hours of indulgence, with spacious cabins, five-star service and cuisine, an award-winning wine list and 24-hour butler service. It’s an environment where people still dress for dinner—jacket and tie required—and while champagne and caviar aren’t included in the rate, they’re available. The Blue Train also makes a one-way 19-hour overnight “rail safari” as part of a package that combines the train with one of the safari lodges in the Greater Kruger and Sabi Sands areas.
Great Southern Rail
The Ghan
The Ghan, Australia
Since 1929, the Ghan has been regarded as one of the world’s greatest rail journeys. Over the course of four days, it wends from Darwin through the red center of the outback to Adelaide. There are plenty of stops along the way for Northern Territory adventures, such as hiking through canyons and taking camel rides. Back on board, there are artfully prepared meals of local specialties such as barramundi and kangaroo, craft beer and some of Australia’s best wines. Platinum class guests enjoy three five-course meals a day.
VIA Rail
The Canadian
The Canadian, VIA Rail, Canada
Over the course of three days, the Canadian winds its way through the magnificent mountains, prairies and lake country between Vancouver and Toronto. During the day, guests dine and relax in panoramic cars with clear ceilings, the better to take in those stunning views.
El Transcantabrico Gran Lujo, Spain
Another instance of time travel back to the 1920s golden age of rail travel, the social carriages and cabins on El Transcantábrico Gran Lujo add up to an authentic five-star hotel on rails, with the 21st-century essentials (like private bathrooms). The eight-day journey from Santiago de Compostela to San Sebastián is a celebration of the Spanish landscape, gastronomy, culture, glamour, entertainment and relaxation.
Golden Eagle
The Golden Eagle
The Golden Eagle, Russia and Mongolia
The Trans-Siberian Railway has long appealed to aspiring Paul Therouxs and the backpacker set, but the typical approach to riding it is hardly luxurious. That’s why the classic Trans-Siberian route from Golden Eagle is so appealing. The two-week journey traverses more than 6,800 miles from Moscow to Vladivostok, with a detour along the shores of Lake Baikal into Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia. Luxury highlights include a private viewing of the Kremlin, a glass of Champagne with one foot in Europe and the other in Asia at Yekaterinburg, and a traditional Russian cooking class in Irkutsk, “the Paris of Siberia.” New in 2018, the BAM Explorer takes guests even further into little-explored parts of Siberia.