Inside the world's most luxurious trains: From the Orient Express to India's Maharajas' Express

Luxury rail travel is not about getting from one place to another — it's about everything in between. Elegant cabins, white-glove service, destination-inspired cuisine and unhurried scenery redefine what travel can feel like.

The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express remains the most iconic luxury train on Earth, running between Paris, Venice, Vienna and Istanbul aboard meticulously restored 1920s and 1930s Art Deco carriages.

The Orient-Express recently introduced the L'Observatoire Suite — a carriage-sized accommodation priced at roughly USD 102,000 per journey, currently considered among the most expensive train experiences in the world.

The Belmond Royal Scotsman offers one of the most exclusive rail experiences anywhere, with a strictly limited number of cabins making it feel like a private retreat winding through misty Scottish Highlands.

The Maharajas' Express has been voted "World's Leading Luxury Train" at the World Travel Awards seven times — its vibrant colours and royal-inspired service carrying travellers across India's most storied cities.

Rovos Rail threads through South Africa's raw landscapes, from Pretoria to Victoria Falls, blending old-world elegance with the untamed beauty of the African continent seen entirely from a private cabin window.

The newly launched La Dolce Vita Orient Express pays tribute to Italy's most glamorous decades, restoring the country's iconic Z1 carriages as a fleet of six bespoke trains touring Tuscany, the Riviera and Sicily.

Saudi Arabia is preparing to debut its first ultra-luxury train, Dream of the Desert, in late 2026 — a 14-car, 33-suite train with two presidential suites, designed in collaboration with Italian artisans.