6 best luxury train travel experiences in 2024, from Switzerland to Japan

Read on for the best luxury train rides across the world in 2024.

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1. Switzerland’s Glacier Express

Those looking for a luxury train experience should buy the Excellence Class ticket that includes a five-course meal, a concierge service, and a guaranteed window seat. Prices start at 470 Swiss francs (around US$530).

However, travellers can also go for a standard adult ticket, known as the Glacier Express classic, which begins at 159 Swiss francs (around US$180), for the entire route.

If you can, Luescher suggests trying the Glacier Express twice – once in summer and once in winter – as the landscape is completely different in both seasons.

2. South Africa’s Blue Train

South Africa’s Blue Train is one of the world’s most sought-after rail experiences: it currently has a wait-list of two years, Luescher told us.

The two-night – or around 31-hour – route spans 1,600km (around 994 miles) between Pretoria and Cape Town, according to the global tourism operator Audley Travel.

According to Luescher, tickets begin at US$1,499 and include a luxury butler and fine dining.

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3. Japan’s Twilight Mizukaze

The Twilight Mizukaze, also known as the Twilight Express, offers various routes around western Japan. The train is known for its art deco-inspired decor and observation decks that allow passengers to view landmarks, national parks and striking viaducts.

Guests are treated to live music and a food and drinks menu sourced from local ingredients that are specific to each route.

Tickets range between US$2,800 and US$5,500 and must be bought in Japan, according to Luescher. Each journey hosts 34 passengers and there’s often a waiting list spanning six months or more, Luescher added.

4. Belmond’s British Pullman

Guests are treated to live cabaret performances and afternoon tea on board. Routes vary and prices for 2024 journeys begin at £400 (around US$510).

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5. The Rocky Mountaineer

The Rocky Mountaineer offers luxury train rides across western Canada and the American southwest, and is best known for its glass-dome windows offering panoramic views of major landmarks.

Prices for the Rocky Mountaineer’s 2024 packages begin at US$1,500 and depend on the journey’s length and the type of package bought. For example, the Gold Leaf service includes additional luxury perks, such as unlimited drinks and menu dining. In contrast, the Silver Leaf service includes preselected meals in the ticket price.

6. Belmond’s Venice-Simplon Orient Express

The Venice-Simplon Orient Express has hosted a range of versatile guests through the years, from ambassadors and royals to authors and spies.

Like Britain’s British Pullman train, parts of the train date back to the 1920s, and each carriage’s classic interior will make guests feel as though they’ve stepped back in time. The train offers routes from major European cities including Amsterdam, Rome and Venice.

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Ticket prices vary. For example, an overnight stay in one of the train’s grand suites begins at £10,165 (around US$13,000), and includes 24-hour butler service, unlimited champagne and private in-cabin dining. Meanwhile, an overnight stay in a historic cabin, or a standard cabin, begins at £3,530 (around US$4,500).

Luescher told us that this train is “extremely popular” among their clients and that it’s common for some people to rent out a full carriage or the entire train.

“This is a great idea for a very special private event, if you have the money to do so, of course,” Luescher said.

“The experience itself is much more than just a train ride, it’s a journey back in time to the opulence and style of the Golden Age/art deco era,” he added.