Rail Journey: Explore Luxury Train Travel Experiences

The Grand Train Tour of Switzerland – Bernina Edition is a celebration of Swiss engineering, alpine scenery, and effortless travel. This iconic journey showcases some of the world’s most scenic railways, with the Bernina Express as its highlight, inviting travellers to slow down and experience Switzerland from the comfort of panoramic carriages.

The route winds through dramatic mountain passes, sparkling lakes, and charming villages, seamlessly linking Switzerland’s German- and Italian-speaking regions. Highlights include the UNESCO-listed Bernina Line from Chur to Tirano, high-altitude alpine crossings, deep valley descents, the iconic Landwasser Viaduct, and breathtaking vistas of glaciers, alpine meadows, chestnut forests, and turquoise lakes like Lago Bianco.

Fares include first-class rail travel on all trains, reserved seating, panoramic windows for uninterrupted views, and a stress-free connection between multiple regions. The onboard experience is calm and refined, with spacious seating, a gentle rhythm, and an atmosphere designed for observation and relaxation, letting the scenery take centre stage.

What sets this journey apart is its dramatic contrasts: snow-dusted peaks give way to palm-lined valleys, crisp alpine air transitions to warmer southern climates, and icy whites shift to rich greens and warm-hued villages. Every turn feels cinematic, offering a moving window into Switzerland’s natural and cultural diversity.

The Bernina Express is a masterpiece of precision engineering, climbing over 2,200 metres without cogwheels and blending seamlessly with the surrounding landscape. This edition of the Grand Train Tour transforms rail travel into a truly immersive and unforgettable experience, combining comfort, spectacle, and the effortless charm of Switzerland’s most stunning alpine regions.

Travelling between Adelaide and Darwin, The Ghan is Australia’s most iconic luxury train, offering an unforgettable journey through the heart of the outback. This epic rail adventure spans tropical wetlands, red-earth deserts, and the rugged Flinders Ranges, combining breathtaking scenery with rich history and culture.

The journey includes private cabin accommodation, regionally inspired dining, selected beverages, and expertly guided off-train excursions, allowing travellers to fully immerse themselves in the landscapes and communities along the route. Named in honour of the Afghan cameleers who once traversed Australia’s interior, The Ghan follows paths of explorers, camel trains, and early telegraph lines, revealing the story of the continent’s remote heartland.

Life onboard is designed for comfort, space, and reflection. Panoramic windows, thoughtfully laid-out carriages, and communal lounges encourage relaxation and awe as the scenery unfolds. From sunrises painting the desert copper and gold to star-filled night skies unspoiled by city lights, every moment offers a sensory connection to Australia’s vast and varied landscapes.

The Ghan is more than transport — it’s a moving window into Australia’s history, geography, and culture, where the rhythm of the train and the scale of the land create a deeply memorable experience. For travellers seeking a true bucket-list rail journey, The Ghan offers unmatched luxury, perspective, and a sense of connection to the heart of Australia.

The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express epitomises the glamour and romance of Europe’s golden age of travel. Operating classic routes such as London to Venice and Paris to Venice, this legendary train carries passengers through historic cities, Alpine landscapes, and pastoral countryside aboard meticulously restored 1920s and 1930s carriages.

Bookings include elegant cabin or suite accommodation, multi-course gourmet meals, white-glove service, and an atmosphere of unmatched luxury and refinement. Every detail reflects a time when rail travel was a ceremonial event — hand-polished wood, Lalique glass, embroidered upholstery, and Art Deco design combine to create an intimate, timeless environment.

The train’s routes connect iconic European capitals, with itineraries often traversing France, Switzerland, Austria, and Italy. Beyond transportation, the journey offers a sensory experience: soft lamplight, polished interiors, the gentle rhythm of the rails, and views of countryside unfolding slowly from panoramic windows.

More than a rail journey, the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express is a moving museum and a celebration of European culture and history. Its legacy is intertwined with literature, film, and real-world intrigue, offering travellers a rare chance to experience luxury, elegance, and continental sophistication in motion.

This unforgettable rail adventure invites you to slow down, savour every moment, and immerse yourself in a world where travel itself is an art form, making it a true bucket-list experience for those seeking romance, history, and high-end European rail travel.

Often described as a five-star hotel on rails, The Blue Train offers an indulgent journey across South Africa, combining luxury, comfort, and panoramic scenery. Travelling between Pretoria and Cape Town, guests enjoy en-suite suites, personalised butler service, fine dining inspired by South African flavours, premium beverages, all meals, and seamless station transfers.

Covering nearly 1,600 kilometres, the route crosses diverse landscapes, from the Highveld grasslands and the wide plains of the Great Karoo to the mountain ranges and vineyards of the Western Cape. Each stage reveals a distinct character of South Africa, offering travellers a continuous and immersive experience of the country’s natural beauty and heritage.

The onboard environment is designed for calm sophistication, with spacious, elegant carriages, polished interiors, rich textures, and expansive windows framing the passing scenery. The atmosphere encourages reflection and observation, allowing the landscape to unfold at a measured, unhurried pace.

Since its introduction in the mid-20th century, The Blue Train has become South Africa’s most iconic luxury rail experience, hosting heads of state, royalty, and dignitaries, and symbolising national pride, heritage, and exceptional service.

Unforgettable for its combination of refinement, space, and quiet immersion, The Blue Train allows travellers to experience South Africa in a way few other journeys can — as a continuous story told through landscapes, light, and the rhythm of the rails.

Designed exclusively for daylight travel, the Rocky Mountaineer offers a premium rail experience through the spectacular landscapes of Western Canada. Operating between Vancouver and Jasper, this journey combines glass-domed panoramic coaches, gourmet onboard meals, and overnight hotel stays, creating a seamless and immersive luxury adventure.

The Rainforest to Gold Rush route showcases dramatic contrasts in terrain, from lush Pacific coastal rainforests and rushing Fraser Canyon rivers to semi-arid plateaus near Kamloops and the soaring peaks of the Canadian Rockies. Guests witness this ever-changing scenery from spacious, elevated seating, ensuring uninterrupted views and the chance to spot wildlife along the route.

Travelling along historic corridors once forged by fur traders, gold seekers, and railway builders, the journey not only highlights Canada’s natural beauty but also tells the story of its pioneering rail history. Each section offers a distinct perspective, from moss-covered coastal valleys and turquoise canyon rivers to snow-capped alpine peaks, with light and colour transforming the landscape throughout the day.

The Rocky Mountaineer experience is defined by comfort, elegance, and a deliberate pace, allowing travellers to absorb the scale and richness of Western Canada.

Unforgettable for its spectacular scenery, immersive storytelling, and luxury service, the Rainforest to Gold Rush route provides a front-row experience to one of North America’s most iconic rail journeys.

 The Trans-Siberian Railway is one of the world’s most iconic rail journeys, stretching nearly 9,000 kilometres from Moscow to Vladivostok. This legendary route connects Europe and Asia, crossing the Ural Mountains, vast Siberian plains, remote villages, and the shores of Lake Baikal, offering travellers a once-in-a-lifetime overland adventure.

Depending on the service chosen, fares include sleeper accommodation, onboard meals, and curated stopovers, creating a seamless and immersive journey. The train’s pace encourages reflection and observation, with dining cars providing social hubs for cultural exchange and sleeper cabins offering space for rest and privacy.

The journey can include stopovers in historic cities such as Yekaterinburg, Irkutsk, or Ulaanbaatar, allowing travellers to explore local architecture, markets, traditions, and cuisine. From ornate Russian stations to Soviet-era towns and remote Siberian settlements, each stop adds depth and insight into life across Russia and its neighbouring regions.

The Trans-Siberian Railway is defined by its quiet immensity. The endless rails, shifting landscapes, and gradual transition from European Russia to the Pacific create a reflective travel experience that celebrates distance, time, and cultural diversity. This epic journey rewards curiosity and patience, offering travellers the rare opportunity to witness the passage of continents and cultures from the comfort of their train seat.

 The Palace on Wheels offers a unique opportunity to explore India through the lens of its royal past. Travelling across Rajasthan, this celebrated luxury train follows a route once reserved for maharajas, princes, and colonial dignitaries, transforming rail travel into a moving palace rich in tradition, colour, and ceremony.

The journey passes through iconic destinations including Jaipur, Udaipur, Jodhpur, and Agra. Highlights include Jaipur’s rose-hued architecture, Udaipur’s shimmering lakes, Jodhpur’s blue city, and the timeless beauty of the Taj Mahal. Each stop provides a deep insight into India’s imperial history, culture, and vibrant local life.

Inspired by royal carriages, the train’s interiors feature silk furnishings, carved details, and traditional motifs. Cabins combine historical character with modern comfort, while onboard dining showcases regional and classical Indian cuisine in elegant restaurant cars, reflecting the grandeur of royal travel.

The Palace on Wheels places strong emphasis on cultural connection, with guided excursions, local encounters, ceremonial welcomes, and curated performances, including folk music and dance. These experiences deepen understanding of Rajasthan’s heritage and bring its stories to life.

This journey is defined not only by luxury but by its immersive storytelling. From palace-like cabins to scenic landscapes rolling past panoramic windows, every moment blends history, hospitality, and pageantry. The Palace on Wheels offers an indulgent, culturally rich rail experience, transporting travellers into India’s royal narrative with elegance and authenticity.

The TranzAlpine is one of the world’s great scenic rail journeys, offering a remarkable cross-island passage between Christchurch and Greymouth. Travelling through the heart of New Zealand’s South Island, the route showcases dramatic contrasts — from the wide Canterbury Plains to the alpine wilderness of Arthur’s Pass and the rugged rainforest of the West Coast.

Purpose-built for sightseeing, the train features large panoramic windows and open-air viewing carriages, allowing passengers to fully experience the sights, sounds, and scents of the alpine environment. Onboard commentary provides insight into the region’s geology, history, and engineering achievements, adding depth to the stunning landscapes.

Highlights include the braided rivers of the Waimakariri Valley, snow-capped peaks, steep gorges, dense beech forests, and the lush river valleys of the West Coast. Seasonal variations create a new perspective each journey — from winter’s snow-dusted mountains to summer’s vibrant greenery and turquoise rivers.

The TranzAlpine is more than a rail transfer; it is an immersive exploration of New Zealand’s natural beauty. Comfortable carriages, attentive service, and a relaxed pace allow travellers to absorb the scenery at leisure, making the journey both memorable and effortless.

This world-renowned rail experience compresses an extraordinary range of landscapes into a single, seamless trip, offering a unique perspective on the South Island’s wilderness. The TranzAlpine transforms travel into observation, reflection, and appreciation of New Zealand’s dramatic and diverse environments.

The Indian Pacific is a transcontinental rail journey that spans the full width of Australia, linking the Pacific Ocean with the Indian Ocean. It is one of the world’s great rail crossings, not just for its distance, but for the way it reveals Australia’s vastness - slowly, deliberately, and without distraction.

Travelling east to west (or vice versa), the Indian Pacific turns a continent into a continuous story of coastlines, deserts, and remote settlements.

The Indian Pacific typically travels between Sydney and Perth, crossing three states and some of Australia’s most isolated landscapes.

Key route highlights include:

• The Blue Mountains and inland plains of New South Wales
   
• The wide horizons of South Australia
   
• The Nullarbor Plain, home to the longest straight stretch of railway track in the world
   

At over 4,000 kilometres, this is one of the longest continuous rail journeys anywhere, crossing environments that feel worlds apart despite being part of the same country.

The Nullarbor Plain is the emotional centre of the journey. Here, the track runs straight for nearly 500 kilometres, cutting through a treeless limestone plain where distance becomes abstract and time seems to stretch.

This section is less about dramatic scenery and more about scale and silence — an experience that highlights Australia’s remoteness and geological age.

Life onboard the Indian Pacific follows a calm, unhurried rhythm. Large windows frame the passing landscape, while shared spaces encourage reflection and quiet conversation.

As the train moves steadily westward, days are marked not by schedules but by light — dawns, sunsets, and long, open skies that define the journey’s pace.

The visual story of the Indian Pacific is one of contrast:

• Coastal blues give way to dusty ochres
   
• Rolling farmland transitions into arid plains
   
• Sunsets ignite the sky in deep reds and purples
   

The gentle motion of the train, paired with the vastness outside, creates a meditative experience rarely found in modern travel.

Completed in 1970, the Indian Pacific was the first train to link Australia from east to west without passengers needing to change trains. It represented a major milestone in national connectivity, uniting cities and regions previously separated by distance and isolation.

Its name reflects the oceans it connects — symbolic bookends to a journey across the world’s sixth-largest country.

Why This Journey Is Unforgettable

The Indian Pacific is unforgettable because it redefines what travel can feel like. It is not about rushing from one coast to the other, but about inhabiting the space between - watching a continent unfold, kilometre by kilometre, from the steady vantage point of the rails.