There exists a particular romance to rail travel that no other form of transport can replicate. The gentle rhythm of wheels on track, landscapes unfolding like a private film beyond polished windows, white-linen dining as twilight settles over alpine valleys — these experiences belong to an era when the journey was inseparable from the destination. In 2026, that era is experiencing a remarkable renaissance.
From the restored 1920s carriages of the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express to Rovos Rail’s wood-panelled coaches traversing the African savannah, luxury train travel has evolved from nostalgic curiosity into one of the most sought-after experiences in contemporary travel. According to Railbookers, demand for multi-continent luxury rail itineraries continues to accelerate, with their flagship sixty-day Around the World by Luxury Train programme expanding for 2026 to include new routes and trains across eight countries.
Venice Simplon-Orient-Express: The Legend Endures
No train commands the imagination quite like the Orient Express. Launched in 1883 on the Paris-to-Istanbul route, the original service attracted royalty, film stars, and literary legends — most famously inspiring Agatha Christie’s celebrated novel. Today, Belmond’s Venice Simplon-Orient-Express carries that legacy forward in seventeen meticulously restored 1920s carriages, where Art Deco marquetry, polished brass fittings, and Lalique glass panels transport passengers to the Golden Age of Travel.
The 2026 season introduces a compelling new itinerary: a three-night journey from Paris to the Amalfi Coast, debuting on 4 May, that combines one night aboard the train with two nights at the Caruso hotel, an eleventh-century palazzo in Ravello. Passengers traverse both the French and Italian Rivieras, with off-train experiences including Amalfi boat tours, local cooking classes, and a guided excursion to Pompeii.
For those seeking the ultimate experience, the annual Paris-to-Istanbul crossing remains the definitive luxury rail journey — a multi-day passage through some of Europe’s most dramatic landscapes that retraces the original Orient Express route.
L’Orient Express: A New Chapter in 2026
Separate from Belmond’s operation, a revival of the original 1883 Orient Express is anticipated in late 2026 or early 2027. Described by its architect Maxime d’Angeac as a project conceived entirely as a work of art, the new L’Orient Express features Art Deco cabins restored by thirty master artisans — glassmakers, embroiderers, upholsterers, and cabinetmakers — working to recreate the splendour of the original rolling palace. Presidential suites will occupy entire carriages, complete with marble bathrooms, private entrances, and velvet-appointed lounges. Models of the new cabins are currently on display at Paris’ Musée des Arts Décoratifs as part of a centenary Art Deco exhibition.
Rovos Rail: The Pride of Africa
Since its establishment in 1989, Rovos Rail has earned an international reputation as one of the world’s great luxury travel experiences. The beautifully rebuilt trains carry a maximum of seventy-two passengers across thirty-six superbly appointed suites, traversing Southern Africa’s most extraordinary landscapes from Pretoria to Cape Town, Victoria Falls, and even Dar es Salaam on the legendary fifteen-day journey through five countries.
The Royal Suites occupy half a carriage each, measuring approximately sixteen square metres, with private lounges, Victorian baths, separate showers, and panoramic windows framing the African bush. Dining on board features gourmet cuisine paired with South Africa’s finest wines, served in wood-panelled restaurant cars that evoke the romance of early twentieth-century exploration. The no-Wi-Fi philosophy is deliberate: Rovos Rail invites guests to disconnect entirely and surrender to the unhurried rhythm of the African landscape.
Maharajas’ Express: India’s Royal Passage
India’s contribution to luxury rail travel is the Maharajas’ Express, which journeys through the subcontinent’s most treasured destinations — the Taj Mahal, Jaipur’s rose-tinted palaces, Ranthambore’s tiger reserves — in accommodation that evokes the private carriages of India’s former rulers. The train has been recognised repeatedly among the world’s leading luxury trains, offering an immersion in Indian culture, cuisine, and heritage that no other mode of travel can match.
The Royal Scotsman and Britannic Explorer
Scotland’s Belmond Royal Scotsman offers an intimate Highland experience, carrying just thirty-six guests through some of Britain’s most dramatic scenery. Each day brings off-train excursions — distillery visits, castle tours, countryside walks — before passengers retire to their private cabins with ensuite facilities. In 2025, the newly launched Britannic Explorer joined the British luxury rail landscape, offering three-night sleeper journeys from London to Cornwall, the Lake District, and Wales, with all meals, drinks, and excursions included.
La Dolce Vita Orient Express: Italy’s New Icon
Debuting in Italy, the La Dolce Vita Orient Express offers one- and two-night sleeper journeys connecting some of the country’s most celebrated destinations. Operated under the Orient Express brand, the train brings the legendary name to Italian soil with journeys that showcase the country’s extraordinary diversity — from Sicilian coastlines to Venetian waterways — accompanied by exceptional cuisine and curated cultural excursions.
Why Luxury Train Travel Thrives in 2026
The resurgence of luxury rail is no accident. As luxury lifestyle trends in 2026 increasingly prioritise slow travel, cultural immersion, and sustainability over speed and efficiency, trains offer something that private jets and first-class cabins simply cannot: the experience of watching the world change gradually beyond your window, of arriving not just at a destination but through one.
For ultra-high-net-worth travellers seeking experiences that money alone cannot replicate, a journey aboard these legendary trains represents something increasingly rare in modern luxury — the gift of unhurried time, passed in extraordinary surroundings, with nowhere to be except exactly where you are.
Sources: Belmond, Euronews Travel, Railbookers, Travel and Tour World, Rovos Rail, SA Rail, Luxury Train Tickets
Venice Simplon-Orient-Express (Belmond) | Orient Express | Rovos Rail
