The best luxury trains in the world are the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express (Europe), Rovos Rail (Africa), Seven Stars in Kyushu (Japan), the Royal Scotsman (Scotland), the Maharajas’ Express (India), the Rocky Mountaineer (Canada), the Belmond Andean Explorer (Peru), The Ghan (Australia), the Eastern & Oriental Express (Southeast Asia), and the Glacier Express (Switzerland). Each one turns the journey itself into the destination, with prices ranging from around $3,000 for a scenic day trip to over $60,000 for a multi-night, multi-course crossing of Europe.
There is a certain kind of traveller who does not care how fast they get somewhere. They care about the getting there itself. For them, a train is not transport. It is a hotel that moves, a dining room with a changing view, a slow unwinding of the world outside the window. This guide to the best luxury trains in the world covers where each one runs, what it costs, and what makes it worth booking.
The Best Luxury Trains in the World at a Glance
| Train | Region | Best For | Starting Price (per person) | Typical Duration |
| Venice Simplon-Orient-Express | Europe | Timeless glamour | ~$4,300 | 1–5 nights |
| Rovos Rail | Africa | Overall luxury, slow travel | ~$3,000–4,000 | 2–16 nights |
| Seven Stars in Kyushu | Japan | Contemporary Japanese luxury | ~¥400,000 ($2,700) | 1–3 nights |
| Royal Scotsman | Scotland | Scenic Highland luxury | ~£4,000 | 2–7 nights |
| Maharajas’ Express | India | Cultural, royal heritage | On request (7-day journeys) | 7 days |
| Rocky Mountaineer | Canada | Mountain scenery, daylight travel | ~CAD 2,300–3,100 | 2–4 days |
| Belmond Andean Explorer | Peru | High-altitude journeys | ~$3,200 | 1–2 nights |
| The Ghan | Australia | Outback expedition | On request (3–4 days) | 3–4 days |
| Eastern & Oriental Express | Southeast Asia | Colonial-era Southeast Asian luxury | ~$3,000–5,000 | 2–3 nights |
| Glacier Express | Switzerland | Daytime scenic railway | Rail pass + reservation (~$50–150) | 8 hours |
Prices are approximate, vary by season and cabin class, and are current as of July 2026.
How We Chose the Best Luxury Trains in the World
Ranking the best luxury trains in the world means weighing more than thread count and champagne. We looked at route and scenery, cabin quality and service, how the experience is priced against what’s included, and what each train is genuinely known for, whether that’s history, altitude, wildlife or sheer nostalgia. Here are the ten that came out on top.
Venice Simplon-Orient-Express: Europe’s Golden Age, Restored
The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express is widely considered one of the best luxury trains in the world for a simple reason: no other train carries more myth. It runs on 1920s and 1930s carriages, lovingly restored, with wood panelling, brass fittings and René Lalique glass panels in the dining cars. Step aboard at Paris Gare de l’Est and the train itself becomes the story, long before you reach Venice the next morning.
The signature route is Paris to Venice, an overnight crossing of the Alps that ends with the city rising out of the lagoon. Longer journeys extend to Istanbul, Prague, Vienna and Budapest, plus newer routes to the Amalfi Coast and Portofino. A twin cabin on the classic route starts around $4,300 per person, climbing well past $60,000 for a Grand Suite on the Istanbul run. Every fare includes all meals, so the price covers the full theatre of it: breakfast in your cabin, formal dinners in the restaurant car, and a bar car that stays lively long after midnight.
Rovos Rail: Africa’s Slowest, Grandest Journey
Rohan Vos started Rovos Rail in 1989 by restoring a handful of vintage rail cars for his own use. Today it carries a maximum of 72 guests across 36 suites, moving at a deliberately unhurried pace, averaging around 37 miles an hour through some of the most varied terrain on the continent. It is consistently named among the best luxury trains in the world for exactly this reason: it refuses to rush.
The signature route runs between Pretoria and Cape Town through the Cape Winelands and the vast, dry Karoo. Longer journeys head further out, to Victoria Falls, into Namibia, and all the way to Dar es Salaam in Tanzania. Cabins come in three tiers, Pullman, Deluxe and Royal, all wood-panelled with private bathrooms and, on chillier routes, electric blankets against the Karoo cold. Dinner is formal, jackets and dresses expected, and journeys range from a 48-hour taster to a full 16-night crossing of the continent.
Seven Stars in Kyushu: Japan’s Cruise Train, Perfected
Japan Railways Kyushu built this train to showcase the island’s seven prefectures, and it shows in every detail. With just 14 suites carrying a maximum of 30 guests, it is one of the most exclusive entries on any list of the best luxury trains in the world, and one of the hardest to book, with limited English-language access and months of waiting typical.
There are two courses to choose from: a 2-day, 1-night trip and a longer 3-night, 4-day itinerary that winds through five prefectures, including a leg along the scenic Hisatsu Orange Railway with its coastal views. Suites are handcrafted in wood with private bathrooms designed by the renowned porcelain artist Sakaida Kakiemon XIV. Fares start around ¥400,000 to ¥630,000 (roughly $2,700 to $5,400) for the shorter trip, rising well past ¥1,000,000 for the full four-day journey in a deluxe suite.
Royal Scotsman: A Country House on Rails
The Royal Scotsman feels less like a train and more like a five-star Highland lodge that happens to move. It carries a maximum of 36 passengers across nine coaches, with a staff-to-guest ratio close to one for every three, and every departure begins and ends at Edinburgh Waverley station, often to the sound of bagpipes on the platform.
Journeys range from two to seven nights and explore different corners of Scotland: the wild Highlands, the rugged west coast, and dedicated whisky routes built around distillery visits. Along the way, the train passes castles, lochs and the Glenfinnan Viaduct, familiar to anyone who has watched the Harry Potter films. Fares start around £4,000 and rise to roughly £14,700 depending on route length. The train runs seasonally, April to October.
Maharajas’ Express: India’s Palace on Wheels
Operated by IRCTC, the Maharajas’ Express has been named the World’s Leading Luxury Train at the World Travel Awards for years running, and it earns its place among the best luxury trains in the world by leaning fully into royal theatre. Guests are welcomed at stations with folk music, dancers and flower garlands, a tradition the train carries through every stop.
There are four seasonal itineraries running between October and April, each about seven days long, covering different combinations of Rajasthan’s forts and palaces alongside destinations like Agra, Ranthambore, Khajuraho and Varanasi. Onboard, the train carries a paramedic, round-the-clock valet service and two elegant dining cars, one themed around peacocks. For Indian travellers, this is the rare chance to experience the country’s heritage the way it was once meant to be seen, unhurried and richly attended to.
Rocky Mountaineer: Canada by Daylight
The Rocky Mountaineer has one firm rule: no night travel. The train runs only in daylight, connecting Vancouver with Banff, Lake Louise or Jasper across two or more days, with overnight hotel stays built in so nothing outside the window goes unseen.
Two service levels are on offer. SilverLeaf gives comfortable single-level viewing, while GoldLeaf steps things up with bi-level glass-dome coaches, upstairs seating for a full 360-degree view and a white-tablecloth dining room downstairs. Prices for a two-day GoldLeaf journey typically start around CAD 3,000 to 4,000 per person, including meals, transfers and hotel stays, with April, May and October offering the best value outside peak summer.
Belmond Andean Explorer: South America’s High-Altitude Sleeper
This is one of the highest-altitude train journeys anywhere in the world, and it makes no secret of it. The Belmond Andean Explorer links Cusco, Lake Titicaca and Arequipa across the Peruvian altiplano, climbing to elevations above 4,000 metres, high enough that every cabin comes fitted with built-in oxygen.
The full two-night itinerary is considered the most complete way to experience it, crossing dramatic high desert terrain, stopping at ancient rock art sites in the Sumbay Caves, and pausing after dark for stargazing under skies with almost no light pollution. Guests wake for sunrise over Lake Titicaca, one of the journey’s most talked-about moments. Given the altitude, most operators recommend spending two to three days acclimatising in Arequipa or Cusco before boarding. Fares begin around $3,200 for single occupancy.
The Ghan: Australia’s Red Centre, End to End
Named after the Afghan cameleers who once opened up trade routes through the outback, The Ghan runs the full length of Australia’s interior, connecting Adelaide and Darwin across nearly 3,000 kilometres of red desert, salt flats and endless sky.
The classic journey takes three days, with an extended four-day Expedition option that adds a full day in Coober Pedy, the underground opal-mining town where even lunch is served below ground. Along the way, off-train excursions open up the outback properly: guided cultural experiences in Alice Springs, gorge cruises and cave tours in Katherine, and on the southbound run, a stop for a bonfire and stargazing at the remote Manguri siding. Everything is included: private cabins, all meals, wine and beverages.
Eastern & Oriental Express: Southeast Asia’s Colonial Classic
Designed by the same architect behind the original Orient Express, the Eastern & Oriental Express carries that same sense of theatre into the jungles and paddy fields of Southeast Asia. Afternoon tea is served with scones in the observation car, dinner unfolds over two sittings in the restaurant cars, and an open-air viewing carriage lets passengers watch the tropical landscape roll by up close.
Historically, the train ran between Singapore and Bangkok, a three-day, two-night crossing that included a stop at the Bridge on the River Kwai. Routes have shifted over the years and currently focus on journeys within Malaysia departing from and returning to Singapore, so it is worth checking current itineraries before booking. Fares for the classic multi-night journeys have started around $3,000 to $5,000 per person, all meals and tours included, drinks extra.
Glacier Express: Switzerland’s Slowest, Most Scenic Ride
Billed, fondly, as the slowest express train in the world, the Glacier Express covers just 291 kilometres between St Moritz and Zermatt in a full eight hours, averaging about 24 miles an hour. Nobody boards this train to save time. They board it for the 291 bridges and 91 tunnels along the way, and for the view of the Matterhorn waiting at the end.
The route crosses the Oberalp Pass at over 2,000 metres, winds through the dramatic Rhine Gorge, and rolls over the Landwasser Viaduct, part of a UNESCO World Heritage rail line. A five-course lunch with wine pairings is served at your seat as the Alps go by. It runs year-round, though the light through the Alps changes completely between a summer and a winter crossing, which is reason enough to consider doing it twice.
Each of these trains asks the same question in a different accent: what if the journey was never something to get through? What if it was the whole point? Whether it is Highland whisky on the Royal Scotsman, sunrise over Lake Titicaca on the Andean Explorer, or a formal dinner rolling through the Karoo on Rovos Rail, the best luxury trains in the world all answer it the same way. Slow down. The world looks better at this pace.
FAQs
Which is the most expensive of the best luxury trains in the world? The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express holds this title on the Paris to Istanbul route, where a Grand Suite can exceed $60,000 per person including hotel stays along the way.
Which of the best luxury trains in the world is best for a honeymoon? The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express and the Royal Scotsman are the most popular choices for honeymoons, thanks to their romantic old-world atmosphere and formal, intimate dining.
Is there a luxury train experience in India? Yes. The Maharajas’ Express is India’s answer to the best luxury trains in the world, running seven-day royal-heritage journeys across Rajasthan and North India between October and April.
Which luxury train is best for scenery rather than history? The Glacier Express in Switzerland and the Rocky Mountaineer in Canada are built specifically around daylight scenery, with panoramic windows and no night travel.
Do I need to book luxury trains far in advance? Yes, especially Seven Stars in Kyushu and the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, both of which often sell out six to twelve months ahead of peak season.
References:
https://www.belmond.com/trains/europe/scotland/belmond-royal-scotsman/
https://www.perurail.com/train-services/belmond-andean-explorer/
https://www.journeybeyondrail.com.au/journeys/the-ghan/
https://www.seat61.com/royal-scotsman-cruise-train.htm
https://www.seat61.com/trains-and-routes/glacier-express.htm
https://www.seat61.com/eastern-and-oriental-express.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_and_Oriental_Express