We’re entering a new golden age of luxury train travel

Over the coming months new rail experiences will launch in Britain, Italy, Norway and Central Asia

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You wait years for the arrival of a super new luxury train and then along come two. Or three. Oh very well, let’s make that four.
Yes, the golden age of rail travel – so often associated with the 1920s – seems to be repeating itself 100 years later. In the coming two years, a dazzling array of new trains and departures will launch that will have lovers of this form of transport (and is there anyone who isn’t?) in raptures.
From the new kid on the block, La Dolce Vita Orient Express, to the more established players, Belmond (of Venice Simplon-Orient-Express fame) and the Golden Eagle (the former Trans-Siberian supremo), there will be new journeys in 2025 in Italy, England and Wales and further afield, Central Asia and China.
In 2026, another expected newcomer, the Norient Express, is scheduled to open up the dramatic landscapes of Norway’s lakes, mountains and, for those pining for them, the fjords. That year may also see the long-awaited launch of Accor’s Orient Express, operating on the original routing between Paris and Istanbul.
These new trains all play on the idealised view of this form of travel – the glittering, glamorous soirées in the piano bar, the exquisite attention to detail in the decor, the old-school flair of the dining car and the impeccable, unflappable service, all played out against a stunning backdrop of constantly changing, breathtaking scenery.
But these new offerings are far from being replicas of the model immortalised in Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express. Times have moved on, the possibilities of what can be done with a train have expanded, the bar of what constitutes luxury has been raised. Passenger expectations have evolved: to a younger, more demanding demographic, those old-style cabins with bunk beds and sink (but no ensuite shower and loo) do not have quite the same appeal. There is a growing demand for more meaningful, immersive connections with the lands being travelled through, gastronomic creativity that encapsulates the flavours of place and ever more oases of on-board comfort that allow for quiet reflection, a board game or two or a body and soul-enriching massage.
More and more people want this experience – both Belmond and Golden Eagle are reporting a surge in sales – and are prepared to pay very good money for it (a night in a Grand Suite on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express costs from £10,165pp). It taps into the zeitgeist of seeking to travel more sustainably (but without the hair shirt); of wanting to switch off from the frenetic demands of 24/7 online connectivity and to travel more slowly and mindfully. It recognises that the journey itself is the source of great joy – and rejuvenation – rather simply a means of getting from A to B. It allows people to be adventurous, but at the same time beautifully cocooned in a world of elegance, charm and conviviality.
“Stepping onto one of our trains is like stepping onto a movie set,” says Gary Franklin, Vice President of Trains and Cruises at Belmond. “It’s a very special environment; passengers can make of it what they want.”
So what can the lover of luxury train travel look forward to in the months ahead?
Belmond itself, the company that with its launch in 1982 of the lovingly-resorted Venice Simplon-Orient-Express pioneered the revival of luxury train travel, this week unveiled its own contribution to the new age in the form of the Britannic Explorer.
This new train, scheduled to commence services next July, incorporates a brighter take on the genre with lighter shades of oak, a bar car playing on the “timeless charm” of Victorian apothecaries and fine-dining experiences crafted by Michelin-starred chef Simon Rogan.
With four- and five-day itineraries covering scenic stretches in Cornwall, Snowdonia and the Lake District (including the glorious Settle-Carlisle run), the Britannic Explorer will break new ground for luxury sleeper train travel in England and Wales and is likely to be a worthy companion for Belmond’s hugely popular Royal Scotsman offering north of the border.
In April next year comes La Dolce Vita Orient Express, a radical departure from the vintage 1920s model. Here, the aesthetic will have a much more contemporary feel based on the style and exuberance of Italy in the 1960s. Design components will incorporate wood-beamed ceilings, vibrant hues of orange, terracotta and purple and smoked mirrors.
The initial launch will feature two trains – from a projected total of six over the next three years – offering a number of itineraries exclusively within Italy. These will venture to some of the country’s most sensual and sensational locations, including Rome, Venice, Portofino, Tuscany and Palermo. Think longer trips with time to explore, truffles and late-night storytelling, menus artfully curated by Heinz Beck (also of Michelin pedigree). Forget Hercule Poirot, the spirits you are more likely to encounter on this train are those of Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn. A Roman Holiday meets La Dolce Vita.
Another new train, another motif. The Golden Eagle Silk Road Express, slated to launch next September, will see a significant expansion of the routes currently being operated by the group’s flagship train, the Golden Eagle, through the territories that were formerly key staging posts on the ancient Silk Road trading route linking East and West. Welcome to Tashkent and Samarkand, Khiva and Bukhara and much more beyond, all the way into China opening up the cultural riches of Beijing and Xi’an and, in one departure, the treasures of Tibet.
Reflecting the exotic nature of these generally much longer journeys the new train will have an opulent feel with a pale blue, crimson and gold exterior, interiors adorned with Eastern art pieces and larger suites fitted with bathtubs.
“What we provide is luxury adventure travel,” says the company’s founder Tim Littler. “People are looking for special once-in-a-lifetime experiences and to visit in comfort countries they probably wouldn’t get to on their own.”
Littler has his sights set on further dramatic new departures and tantalisingly floats the idea of a future train journey from Shanghai to Saigon.
One new departure scheduled for 2026 is the Norient Express, a Norwegian venture that as ever plays on the Orient Express theme (the clue is in the name), but which will be a very different offering. Interiors on this train (or rather two trains) will feature plush furnishings fashioned and crafted out Norwegian materials and there will be gym and observation car; you may even catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights as the train winds its way south from Bergen to Oslo before turning and heading north to Trondheim. Another USP here is the fact that the trains will be electrically-powered. Of course. All very Scandi.
These developments don’t come out of nowhere. The growth of the luxury train market has been developing apace over the past two decades with Belmond launching the Andean Explorer in Peru and refining its Eastern & Oriental Express offering in Malaysia. The Danube Express – now owned by Golden Eagle – has been another addition to the mix. Further afield, the Seven Stars Kyushu – the first luxury sleeper train in Japan – has been almost completely sold out since its launch in 2013 while the Maharaja’s Express and Deccan Odyssey luxury trains in India have turned more than a few turbans.
But is there room for so many new players in this very top-end niche of the market?
Simon Pielow, co-founder of the Luxury Train Club, believes so: “In the past luxury train travel was seen as the preserve of an older demographic, but the market is opening up to a younger set, people who perhaps weren’t aware that this kind of travel was possible and the train operators are now clearly targeting this group.”
In addition to the new trains themselves, Pielow points to the constantly-improving standard of accommodation on board – the trend being for all en-suite, larger cabins and ever-grander suites and the consistent refinements in the culinary offerings.
Off-train excursions are also being adapted to give passengers more choice and for those that want it, the chance to engage very actively with their surroundings. That could involve taking part in bread-making rituals in Kyrgyzstan, delving into the ancient rainforest of Taman Negara, or even, in the case of one Royal Scotsman excursion, a spot of commando-style training in the Scottish Highlands.
“Being active is another way of switching off,” says Belmond’s Franklin. “It’s part of a slow travel process that has gained in popularity hugely since Covid. It includes relaxing, recharging, socialising on board – and a real immersion in an activity specific to place. It’s about living in the moment and coming away feeling enriched.”
Franklin – who reveals that despite the hefty price tags, the suites and grand suites are always the first to be booked on the Belmond trains – welcomes the new arrivals on the market.
“They are creating ever greater awareness of this very special type of travel and they reflect increasing demand; it’s good for all of us,” he says.
That’s certainly true for passengers. The new golden age of rail travel is well underway. Sit back, relax, order another cocktail – and enjoy the ride.
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