A luxury train is not transport. It is a moving grand hotel where the journey itself is the destination — white-gloved stewards, polished marquetry from the 1920s, four-course dinners as the Alps slide past the window. But the category is confusing: prices vary by an order of magnitude, cabin types are bewildering, and the best departures sell out a year ahead. This guide covers the trains worth knowing, what they genuinely cost in 2026, and how to plan a trip around one.
The trains that define the category
Venice Simplon-Orient-Express — Europe
The icon. Restored 1920s and 1930s carriages in midnight blue and cream, running between London, Paris, Venice, Florence, Vienna, Prague, Budapest and — once a year — Istanbul. The classic overnight is Paris to Venice: board after lunch, dress for dinner, wake to the Swiss lakes, arrive in Santa Lucia station by early evening. In 2026 the train also runs a Paris to Amalfi Coast journey, its first route to southern Italy.
British Pullman & Royal Scotsman — United Kingdom
The British Pullman runs day trips and weekend journeys from London Victoria — fine dining, murder-mystery lunches, visits to stately homes and the Kent coast, from around £500 per person. The Royal Scotsman is the UK's overnight country-house train: two-to-seven-night loops from Edinburgh through the Highlands, with a spa carriage, whisky tastings and private castle visits.
Eastern & Oriental Express — Southeast Asia
Singapore to Bangkok and the Malaysian peninsula, in green-and-cream carriages with an open-air observation car. Three-night journeys include river cruises, jungle excursions and some of the finest onboard dining in the category. From around £3,900 per person for three nights.
Others worth knowing
- Golden Eagle Danube Express — private en-suite cabins throughout, long grand tours across Central Europe, the Balkans and the Silk Road.
- Belmond Andean Explorer — Peru's high-altitude luxury train linking Cusco, Lake Titicaca and Arequipa.
- Seven Stars in Kyushu — Japan's most exclusive train, famously allocated by lottery.
- Rovos Rail — South Africa's stately Pretoria-to-Cape-Town and Victoria Falls journeys.
Cabin types, honestly explained
On the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express there are three categories, and the difference matters more than the route:
- Historic Cabin. A sofa by day, upper and lower berths by night, with a wash basin in the cabin and beautifully kept WCs at the end of each carriage. No shower. Perfectly comfortable — but go in with eyes open.
- Suite. Two interconnecting Historic Cabins giving twin beds and more space, still without a shower.
- Grand Suite. Six suites, each named after a city, with a double or twin bed, living area and a full en-suite bathroom with shower. From around £10,000 per person on the classic overnight. This is the category to book for honeymoons and anniversaries — and the first to sell out.
What a trip actually costs in 2026
- Paris–Venice, one night, Historic Cabin: from roughly £3,500–£4,500 per person.
- Paris–Venice, Grand Suite: from roughly £10,000 per person.
- Paris–Istanbul, five nights, once a year: from around £18,000 per person — the category's holy grail.
- Royal Scotsman, two nights: from around £5,000 per person, all-inclusive.
- Eastern & Oriental Express, three nights: from around £3,900 per person.
- British Pullman day excursions: from around £500 per person — the easiest way to sample the style.
Fares cover accommodation, all meals and drinks, excursions and transfers at the ends. For most guests the only meaningful extra is the hotels before and after — which is where planning matters.
How to plan the trip around the train
The train is two days; the trip is a week. The itineraries that work best bookend the journey properly:
- Arrive the day before. Never connect same-day with a flight. One or two nights in Paris or London first, with a private transfer to the departure platform.
- Stay at the far end. Two or three nights in Venice — a water-taxi arrival, a palace hotel on the Grand Canal, tables booked before you leave home.
- Match the season. Spring and autumn for Venice and Vienna; December for the winter journeys through snow-covered Austria; May and September for the Highlands.
- Book the celebration early. Grand Suites, the Istanbul departure and Christmas dates are committed nine to twelve months out.
Booking through Britatlas
We hold allocations on the leading trains and build the whole journey around them: pre- and post-train hotels at partner rates, private airport and station transfers, restaurants, guides and any onward travel. Individuals, families and corporate groups are welcome, and travel agencies can book under their own reference with net rates. Send us your dates and preferred route and we will return a full proposal — train, hotels and everything between — within 24 hours.
Frequently asked questions about luxury train trips
Prices on this page are indicative per person for 2026, based on two sharing, and vary by date, route and cabin category. All train photography courtesy of the operating companies. For a confirmed quote on your dates, send the details below.