Rocky Mountaineer offers several routes that wind through the Canadian Rockies. They offer several service tiers with different levels of luxury and amenity and glass-domed coaches that let you take in as much of the view as possible. Drivers have been known to slow down on encountering wildlife for the benefit of photographers on the train. Between the scenery and the comfort, you won't want to miss this exciting ride.
Many trains have borne the name "Orient Express," but the original actually ceased operations in 2009. The Venice-Simplon Orient Express makes a run from London to Venice and Berlin using original carriages decked out with modern amenities, and once a year they even make the classic Paris-Istanbul route. Whether you favor the iconic art deco look of the train or the majestic European countryside rolling by, you're surrounded by so much beauty that there should be something everyone can appreciate.
(image via magnusmaximus, CC)
Belmond is part of the same family of trains as the new Orient Express, and those people absolutely know how to put together a train voyage. There's only room for 36 passengers on this train, but those 36 people are treated to vintage cars, refurbished in an Edwardian style, from which they can relax, enjoy fine dining and malt whiskey, and watch the lochs and glens go by.
(image via theroyalscotsman)
If you want the sights of the Pacific Coast Highway without the stress of driving it yourself, the Amtrak Coast Starlight is for you. The train runs from Seattle to Portland, then down through California to Los Angeles. Along the way you’ll take in the Cascades, rich forests, and of course the Pacific Ocean.
(image via Steve Wilson, CC)
Siberia is often used as shorthand for “isolated bleakness” in books and movies, but the truth is that it’s an enormous region, and one with an incredibly diverse landscape. Golden Eagle’s train runs through the Ural Mountains, over the steppe, and alongside the largest freshwater lake on the planet. Even when the landscape is inhospitable, you’ll be watching its unforgiving beauty from a posh bedroom with an en-suite bathroom and a complimentary bottle of Dom Pérignon.
(image via Simon Pielow, CC)
Many trains claim to be a “hotel on wheels,” but South Africa’s Blue Train seems determined to make good on the statement. Whether your suite has a double bed and bathtub or twin beds and a shower, the bathroom is marble with gold detailing. Plus, the train is even available for business conferences. The larger luxury suites include a personal butler. The railway calls it “a window to the soul of Africa,” and the scenery is breathtaking, even though the luxurious trappings of the train are probably the biggest draw here.
(image via luxurytrains.co.za)
The word “express” is in the name because you don’t switch trains, but in truth, the railway that connects Switzerland’s two biggest ski resorts is pretty relaxed—it’s the slowest express train on the planet. Still, it’s to a good end—it lets you fully appreciate the way the Alps unfold around you. Along the way, the Glacier Express takes travelers through 91 tunnels and crosses some 291 bridges as you take in the dramatic peaks and gorges.
There are a lot of landscapes out there whose scenery is worth viewing but whose climate is a little harsh for the casual traveler. The Australian Outback definitely fits that description. So what better way to take in the sights than the comfort of a luxury train? The Ghan promises just the right blend of comfort and adventure as it crosses from Darwin to Adelaide, offering stops along the way to do more than just watch the scenery pass by.
That’s right—another Orient Express, because you can’t have too many. This one actually runs through Southeast Asia, carrying passengers through Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand. You can choose between several multiple-night journeys designed to showcase the diversity of landscapes and lifestyles here, and since it’s a Belmond train, you’ll be doing it all in the lap of luxury.
(image via Simon Pielow, CC)
New Zealand was famous for its scenery long before it stood in for Middle Earth in the Lord of the Rings films, but more people than ever now know of its incredibly diverse beauty. KiwiRail runs several scenic trains through the country, but the TranzAlpine route, running from Christchurch to Greymouth, is singularly gorgeous. Traversing plunging gorges and ice-fed rivers through the Southern Alps, this train is one of the best ways to take in all of the different things New Zealand has to offer.
(image via Johannes Vogel, CC)
