What are the best luxury train journeys in the world?
By Aspen Travel Advisors · Last verified · Grounded in the Base Camp Living Atlas
The canon, ranked by how often they reward the fare: the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express (Belmond) remains the definitive one-night masterpiece — Paris/London to Venice in 1920s carriages, the single best first luxury train; La Dolce Vita Orient Express is the new Italian counterpoint, running Rome-based loops in midcentury-modern style; Belmond's Royal Scotsman (Highlands, whisky, 40 guests) and Andean Explorer (Cusco–Titicaca–Arequipa, the highest luxury sleeper on earth) own their landscapes; and Rocky Mountaineer (daylight-only, hotel nights) is the right answer for the Canadian Rockies and travelers who want scenery without sleeping on rails.
Our Rail Atlas tracks 135 luxury rail journeys and rail-centered itineraries worldwide — including Japan by rail (where the ultra-exclusive Seven Stars and Shiki-shima run by ballot), the Alps by Glacier Express Excellence Class, and multi-country itineraries that thread trains into a larger trip, which is how we most often deploy them.
The shortlist, honestly differentiated
| Train | Route | Nights | The verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Venice Simplon-Orient-Express | Paris/London–Venice (+ seasonal routes) | 1–2 | The icon; book Grand Suites for the bathtub-on-rails flex, historic cabins for the romance |
| La Dolce Vita Orient Express | Rome loops: Tuscany, Sicily, the south | 1–2 | New-school Italian glamour; food and design forward |
| Royal Scotsman | Edinburgh Highlands circuits | 2–7 | House-party-in-tweed; 40 guests, whisky ambassador aboard |
| Andean Explorer | Cusco–Puno–Arequipa | 1–2 | Altiplano scenery no road matches; pairs with Machu Picchu's Hiram Bingham day train |
| Rocky Mountaineer | Vancouver–Banff/Jasper | 2 days (hotels at night) | GoldLeaf dome + hotel beds; the pragmatist's great train |
| Eastern & Oriental Express | Singapore–Malaysia | 2–3 | Teak, orchids and jungle; Southeast Asia's only true luxury sleeper |
| Glacier Express Excellence Class | Zermatt–St. Moritz | Day journey | Eight hours, seven courses, one guaranteed window seat |
What luxury trains are actually for
They're not transportation — they're a destination that moves at 60 km/h. The correct uses: a milestone celebrated in one extraordinary night (VSOE), a landscape best consumed from a window with a drink (Scotland, the Andes, the Rockies), or the connective set-piece inside a bigger itinerary — Cusco to the lake, Singapore to Malaysia — where the train replaces a flight you'd forget with a day you won't.
Cabin honesty: historic carriages mean compact cabins and, on some trains, shared-era plumbing quirks; the new-build suites (Dolce Vita, VSOE's newest Grand Suites) are the answer for travelers who want the romance with modern bathrooms. Price ranges from roughly $1,500 per person for the Glacier Express day to $5,000–$15,000+ per cabin-night at the top of the VSOE and Japanese trains.
Frequently asked
Which train first?
VSOE Paris–Venice for couples and celebrations; Rocky Mountaineer for families and view-maximalists; Royal Scotsman if the ideal vacation is a country-house weekend that happens to move.
Are the Japanese luxury trains bookable?
Seven Stars in Kyushu and Train Suite Shiki-shima sell by lottery/ballot months ahead with tiny capacity. They're bucket-list-lightning; we build the Japan trip around the ballot and hold superb rail-adjacent alternatives for when the ballot says no.
Train + expedition in one trip?
The classic pairings: Andean Explorer + Galápagos; Rocky Mountaineer + Alaska cruise; VSOE into a Mediterranean sailing. Rails to the dock is the itinerary trick that makes both halves feel intentional.