The heyday of luxury train travel may have passed, but today international travelers have some fantastic options to experience it for themselves. Whether you want to travel in Europe, Asia or South America, here are some international luxury train trips where travelers can enjoy fine wine, top chefs and personalized service.
Explore exotic India in a rolling palace
India’s luxury rail tour company, The Luxury Trains offers a truly fantastic experience, to travel across India in a train car built for Maharajahs. “Palace on Wheels” is their seven day, six night trip across Agra and Rajasthan which takes travelers to sites like the Taj Mahal, along with Jaisalmer, Jaipur and Udaipur. Prices start at $3,500 per person, based on double-occupancy, and are all-inclusive.
The trips are offered September through April and can be booked online or through a travel agent.
Hiram Bingham train to Machu Picchu in Peru
While the backpackers are hiking the Inca Trail or riding on standard seats in the regular Cusco – Machu Picchu route, you can ride in style in Hiram Bingham train.
You get a elegant journey from Cusco to Machu Picchu with brunch and dinner included. The meal is delicately prepared using fresh, local ingredients. The journey is filled with incredible scenery, Peruvian music and lectures on the history of the area. Your trip includes the bus ride to the Machu Picchu site, admission to the site, as well as a guided tour. You also get afternoon tea at the Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge, the hotel at the citadel entrance.
The trip is $300 each way and you can combine it with the standard train ticket. I recommend you spend a day or two at the site, the day trip experience can just be too short to really explore the area.
Cross Europe on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express
This is the original luxury European train trip, made famous by Agatha Christie and Poirot novels and films. The route starts in London and you can travel all the way to Istanbul, Turkey via Paris, Prague, Vienna, Budapest and Bucharest. The London – Venice route is also popular and the journey can be customized based on your wants and needs.
Orient-Express is a luxury train and hotel operator and they also offer the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express as part of luxury inclusive vacation packages, which include tours and hotel stays in the various cities, in addition to the train travel.
This is pure luxury travel, with black-tie dinners, butler service and the best of everything. Prices reflect the level of service. Venice to Paris via Verona and Innsbruck, Austria is $2,680 per person in a double cabin or $3,610 per person in a suite cabin. This is for a trip that starts at lunchtime in Venice, and ends the next morning after breakfast in Paris. A total journey time of two days. The lavish Paris – Istanbul trip takes five days with a cost of $9,750 per person in a double cabin and $14,710 in a suite.
Travel through Asia on the Eastern & Oriental Express
This train, also operated by Orient-Express, provides a luxurious way to see Asia. You can go from Bangkok to Singapore, or Singapore to Bangkok, with additional cities and excursions also available.
Prices range from $2,320 for a single cabin for the four day, three night trip to $3,300 for the State cabin size and $4,770 for the Presidential Suite cabin. Prices are all-inclusive of accommodation, table-served meals and coffee and tea in your cabin. They do not include drinks or wine.
In addition to the Bangkok-Singapore line, there are many tours and packages that include journeys on the train as well as a luxury hotels on land, plus tours and other amenities. They really offer a wonderful way to see these exotic Asian cities. For the ultimate in private, luxury travel, the train is available for private hire.
Freddy Sherman is a world traveler and editor of the travel blog travel4people.com. You can follow him on twitter, @thefredsherman
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