All aboard: the appeal of spoiling rail adventures shows no signs of slowing. Luxury train journeys were among 2025’s top travel trends, and they’re on track to be just as popular in 2026. From trips along China’s ancient trade routes to scenic train rides to the UK coast, design-led cabins and fine dining are as much of a draw as the destinations these finest-in-fleet carriages pull passengers through. Discover the world’s most luxury trains below.
Deccan Odyssey, India
The route: northern India.
Duration: seven nights.
Launched: February 2025.
The inside track: For two decades, the Deccan Odyssey’s distinctive blue-, maroon-, and gold-adorned carriages have set the standard for luxury rail travel across India. The 21-carriage, Maharajas-inspired train has a traditionally decorated dining room. Here, authentic Indian banquets are served thali-style and a menu of Ayurvedic treatments that take place in the spa car. The seven-night jaunts run between Delhi and Mumbai, taking in sights such as Udaipur’s lakes, Fatehpur Sikri, and the Taj Mahal along the way.
deccan-odyssey-india.com
Deccan Odyssey
La Dolce Vita Orient Express, Italy
The route: various, northern and southern Italy.
Duration: one–two nights.
Launched: April 2025.
The inside track: Bringing serious swagger to Italy, two 12-car luxury trains – dreamt up by Arsenale SpA and Orient Express, with design by Dimorestudio – will travel across eight extravagant Italian itineraries this year. One- or two-night journeys include a Rome to Montalcino round-trip focussed on Tuscan vineyards and a Rome to Palermo journey that pairs seaside panoramas with Messina’s treasures. On board, plush cabins with smoked mirror walls take inspiration from La Dolce Vita era, and Italian fare comes courtesy of chef Heinz Beck.
orient-express.com
La Dolce Vita Orient Express
Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, A Belmond Train, Europe
The route: Paris to the Amalfi Coast.
Duration: three nights.
Launching: May 2026.
The inside track: With its navy and gold carriages, elegantly uniformed staff, impeccable service, Art Deco interiors, and Agatha Christie literary pedigree, the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, A Belmond Train is legendary. Last year saw the debut of a Franco-Italian jaunt – Paris to Tuscany via Siena with a stay at Castello di Casole, A Belmond Hotel. This year, it’s launching a brand-new route, meandering through a double whammy of rivieras: the French and the Italian. Passengers will enjoy the best of both worlds, spending one night aboard the train and two at the cliff-clinging Caruso, A Belmond Hotel, Amalfi Coast.
belmond.com
Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, a train by Belmond | Image credit: Belmond
Britannic Explorer, A Belmond Train, UK
The route: London to Cornwall, the Lake District, and Wales.
Duration: three–six nights.
Launched: July 2025.
The inside track: This summer, Belmond will once again operate a luxury sleeper train that travels through England and Wales’ most dramatic coastal and rural landscapes. Three- or six-night journeys will pootle from London to the Lake District, Cornwall, or Wales. Its eighteen cabins (designed by Albion Nord) exude British charm, while its two dining cars (serving meals from Michelin maestro Simon Rogan) channel potting shed chic. Activity highlights include wilderness hikes in Wales, open water swims in the Lake District, and private tours of Hauser & Wirth in Cornwall.
belmond.com
Britannic Explorer, a train by Belmond | Image credit: Belmond
Silk Road Express, Train of Glamour, China
The route: various, western China.
Duration: four nights.
Launched: December 2024.
The inside track: Upping the ante when it comes to on-track adventures in China, luxury rail outfit Train of Glamour’s 15-carriage train traverses western China’s ancient trade routes. The Silk Road Express, designed by Studio HBA, has modern-meets-heritage interiors with bold colour palettes reflecting Han Dynasty era symbolism (think gold and jade or red and black – historically worn by nobility). On board, there are 38 rooms, and a mahjong parlour. The four-night Bustling Beginning journey whizzes from Xining to Dunhuang, with two nights on train, taking in Kumbum Monastery and Dachaidan Emerald Lake.
glamourtrains.com
Silk Road Express, a train by Train of Glamour | Image credit: Studio HBA
The Vietage by Anantara, Vietnam
The route: Nha Trang to Quy Nhon.
Duration: one day.
Launched: May 2024.
The inside track: Oscillating between coastlines with gilt-coloured beaches and rip-roaring mountain scenery, south-central Vietnam is famed for its astonishing landscapes. And they’re best enjoyed aboard The Vietage – two custom-designed 12-seater carriages from Anantara Hotels, which run on a daily, both-ways service from Da Nang to Quy Nhon and Nha Trang to Quy Nhon. Carriages feature earthy tones, a jet-black marble bar, and an afternoon tea service or modern Vietnamese meal with French influences.
thevietagetrain.com
The Vietage by Anantara
The Southern Cross by Rovos Rail, Africa
The route: South Africa to Zimbabwe.
Duration: 11 nights.
Launched: April 2024.
The inside track: In 2024, luxe rail experts Rovos Rail transformed the long out-of-service Shongololo Express train from a three-star affair into a five-star vision, with bold green and cream livery and zhuzhed up interiors. The train now runs across two African routes, including The Southern Cross – an 11-night, 2500km round trip from Pretoria to Victoria Falls that winds through the Drakensberg Mountains, Graskop’s forests, Mozambique, Eswatini, and Victoria Falls. Off-train excursions include a safari in the Kruger National Park and a cruise along the Zambezi River.
rovos.com
The Southern Cross by Rovos Rail
Eastern & Oriental Express, A Belmond Train, Southeast Asia
The route: Singapore to Malaysia to Singapore
Launched: February 2024
The inside track: The Eastern & Oriental Express, A Belmond Train, which returned to the rails in Southeast Asia last year, has already established itself on aficionados’ bucket lists. Two three-night round-trips from Singapore through Malaysia are on offer: Wild Malaysia (March–November) travels the eastern side of the Malay peninsula, with adventures to 130-million-year-old rainforest Taman Negara and street art hub Penang, while The Essence of Malaysia (November–January) takes in Kuala Lumpur and the Pulau Payar Marine Park. Fifteen sumptuous carriages feature cherry wood panelling, Malay batik, and dining by André Chiang.
