In the golden age of train travel the journey itself was as important as the destination. Luxury train travel was the ultimate experience, and society's elite were keen to see the world from the carriages of trains. Today's travelers can experience the romance, adventure and glamor of luxury train travel for themselves by taking journeys that will take them through breathtaking scenery, while offering them elegant surroundings, including dining cars serving haute-cuisine and stylish sleeping compartments evocative of yesteryear.
1. Venice-Simplon Orient Express
An icon of the Art-Deco era, the famous
Venice-Simplon Orient Express crosses Europe, offering journeys of varying lengths allowing passengers to embark or alight at cities including London, Paris, Venice, Prague, Vienna, Budapest and Istanbul. According to "Vanity Fair" magazine the Orient Express is '"The train against which all other luxury trains are measured'." The classic London to Venice journey takes two days, stopping en-route at Paris, Innsbruck and Verona. This journey was the setting for author Agatha Christie's famed "Murder on the Orient Express" which would later be adapted for film and television.
2. The Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian Express
The 15-day route and 5,500 mile journey between Moscow and Vladivostok is a vacation in itself, if you are aboard the Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian Express. The train offers what it calls an "ambience of an elegant home on rails" with state-of-the-art digital entertainment facilities including LCD televisions, DVD players and computers for passengers to enjoy. The train stops in 16 cities between its departure and arrival points. These include Kirov, Perm and Omsk. The operators are most proud of the train's gastronomic dining experience, which features the best of local ingredients, high-end Russian vodka and the finest wines from around the globe.
3. The Blue Train
South Africa's luxurious Blue Train, of which there are two, travel 900 miles between Pretoria and Cape Town on an unforgettable 27-hour scenic experience. While one train is plying this route, the other offers short day trips from Pretoria to Kruger National Park, Durban or Francistown. Decorated in the African colonial style, and offering every modern convenience, Blue Train's operators pride themselves in the warm hospitality offered to passengers from the moment they arrive at the railway station, where they are greeted with a glass of sherry. Passengers can combine a trip on the Blue Train with a safari experience, staying at the Fairmont Zimbali Lodge.
4. The Maharajah's Express
There is no better way to view the majesty of India than from
aboard Maharajah's Express with its panoramic viewing windows and opulent and sumptuous accommodation. The train offers wide-ranging itineraries from four to seven days in length, visiting some of India's most beloved places, including the 'Pink City" of Jaipur; Agra, the location of the Taj Mahal; and Ranthambore National Park. India has no shortage of luxury trains criss-crossing the country and offering passengers the color, charm and warmth of Indian hospitality.
5. Hiram Bingham
Operating daily, except on Sundays, the Hiram Bingham offers a half-day trip between Cusco and Machu Picchu in Peru. Named for the explorer who discovered the ruins at Machu Picchu in 1911, there is no more luxurious and enjoyable way to get the site. The highlight of the three-hour and 30 minute journey aboard this restored 1920s masterpiece of elegance and engineering is its dining service, which offers the best of Peruvian cuisine.
