Starting price: Coach fares expected to range from around $19 to $71 each way for the Mobile, Alabama, to New Orleans trip; Amtrak offers a 10 percent discount for travelers 65 and older
Some details are still being finalized for this new Amtrak service — including a name, fares, and an exact start date — but the route will be significant for the area. Expected to launch in summer, this twice-daily roundtrip service between Mobile and New Orleans will represent a return to passenger train service in the Gulf Coast region for the first time in 20 years. Passenger trains haven’t serviced Mobile since Hurricane Katrina caused major destruction to the region in 2005. “Fares will be similar to other routes of about the same distance, such as Chicago-Grand Rapids [Michigan], with coach fares ranging from $19-$71 each way,” says Marc Magliari, an Amtrak spokesperson.
Belmond Train Britannic Explorer, England and Wales
Starting price: Cabins from $7,210 per passenger (based on Suite-Twin) for the three-night Wales or Cornwall trips
The United Kingdom ranks among the most popular destinations for Railbookers’ travelers, says Reisig, and Great Britain was one of the top international destinations according to AARP’s travel survey respondents. Launching in July, the Britannic Explorer will be a trailblazer as England and Wales’s first luxury sleeper train. The train will offer seven itineraries ranging from three to six nights, with destinations including Wales, Cornwall, and the Lake District. The train car interior evokes a sense of nature — picture lots of botanical designs — combined with nostalgia and sophistication, while the dining emphasizes a farm-to-fork theme. You can add a variety of adventures and excursions, such as a tour of the Tremenheere Sculpture Gardens, a Fowey boat tour or Lingholm Estate, where author Beatrix Potter spent many summer holidays.
The Good Night Train departs from Brussels and passes through Cologne, Munich, and other major cities before arriving in Venice.
European Sleeper
European Sleeper
Starting price: Around $93 for the Brussels to Venice trip
This train — which connects travelers from Belgium and the Netherlands to Austria and Italy — will run twice a week from February through mid-March. It’s called The Good Night Train, and as you can probably guess from the name, it’s an overnight trip that departs from Brussels, passing through Cologne, Innsbruck, Munich, and other major cities before arriving in Venice. Encompassing five countries, the route offers amazing views, especially as the train nears the Austrian Alps, and the schedule coincides with the Venice Carnival and winter sports seasons. The train includes a dining car, and travelers can choose from seats, couchettes, and sleepers.
