The European rail journeys that offer timeless luxury (at £11,000 a ticket)

Telegraph

a day ago

A long-distance luxury train journey may be the truest expression of the idea that how you travel is just as important as where you travel.
The very best, of course, combine stellar style with stellar places to visit – think Paris and Istanbul, San Sebastián and Santiago de Compostela, Rome and Palermo. And while often harking back to an earlier, golden age of travel, the trains themselves have moved seamlessly into the 21st century, offering supreme comforts, exquisite cuisine, cocktail bar conviviality and that greatest luxury of all: time.
Such pleasures come with eye-watering price tags (see below), but with ever more high-end trains coming to Europe, there is clearly a market for them.
At their best, luxury train journeys offer a gold-embossed ticket to adventure – here are nine of the finest, plus three more set to arrive on the Continent in the near future.
1. Venice Simplon-Orient-Express
Belmond
Let's start with the mother of all modern-day luxury train journeys: the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, a magnificent recreation of the legendary Orient Express that used to transport the great and the good (and the not so good) between Paris and Istanbul in the years before and after the First World War.
This train, which consists of beautifully restored art deco carriages complete with Lalique glass panels and black lacquer finishings, has been delighting lovers of this form of travel since 1982, and remains the benchmark for suave, sophisticated elegance on (and off) the rails. Fine dining, black-tie panache, piano-bar jollity and mountain-peak views at dawn are the hallmarks of a journey on this justly fabled train.
Don't fancy those rather compact original bunk-bed compartments? Recent years have seen the addition of expansive suites offering double (or twin) beds, en suite bathrooms and free-flowing champagne.
Departures: Journeys to Venice, Vienna and Istanbul, March-December.
Price: Paris to Venice with Belmond from £3,530pp (historic cabin); £7,985pp (suite); £10,165pp (grand suite).
2. Britannic Explorer
Belmond
The latest addition to the Belmond stable – launching in July 2025 – marks a genuinely new departure, for the first time giving lovers of this form of travel the chance to explore the scenic wonders of England and Wales in a leisurely, indulgent way.
Three itineraries take in the Cornish Riviera, Snowdonia and the Lake District, with a range of off-train activities including hikes, wild foraging and gallery visits enhanced with glasses of champagne.
On board, there will be plenty of time to enjoy the buzz of the botanical-inspired bar, the culinary creativity of Michelin-renowned chef Simon Rogan and an interior design that incorporates themes of the English country garden and rugged coastlines, with light oak panelling, antique mirrored ceilings and arresting floral motifs.
Departures: Selected dates between March and November.
Price: Three-night journey with Belmond from £11,000pp.
3. La Dolce Vita Orient Express
Arsenale/Accor
The other new kid on the block for 2025 involves a bold take on the luxury train theme, one rooted, as the name suggests, in the Italy of La Dolce Vita – the 'sweet life', as depicted in the classic Frederico Fellini film set in Rome circa 1960.
Cavorting Anita-Ekberg-style is not compulsory for passengers on this train, but there may be gasps of appreciation at the stylishness of an interior involving double beds, wood-beamed ceilings and vibrant hues of orange, terracotta and purple.
One or two-night sorties starting in Rome visit the likes of Venice, Portofino and Sicily; the inaugural run in March 2025 was to the vineyards of Tuscany. Three-Michelin-starred chef Heinz Beck oversees the cuisine. If it works, there could be more trains of this calibre down the line.
Departures: Eight itineraries run on selected dates year-round.
Price: One-night trips from €3,060pp (£2,588).
4. Al Andalus
Renfe
A stylish train for a stylish part of the world. The name Al Andalus conjures up the period of Moorish rule in Spain – it was what they called the vast area under their control. And boy did they leave their mark, most spectacularly in the grand design and intricate carvings of the fortress and palace at Alhambra in Granada, the start (or end) point of a gentle six-day meander through the wonders of Andalusia. Other treasures visited include Seville, Córdoba and Cadiz, the most ancient city in Europe.
On board, some carriages are original Wagons-Lits, built in France in the 1920s and once enjoyed by members of the British royal family. Belle Époque flourishes are complemented by en-suite cabins featuring walls fashioned out of wooden marquetry (very Moorish). The bar and lounge cars are good places to mix, mingle and take stock, ideally over a glass of Jerez sherry.
Departures: Granada-Seville on selected dates March-October.
Price: From €6,000pp (£5,074) with Luxury Trains Spain.
5. El Transcantábrico Gran Lujo
Renfe
Why have one luxury train when you can have… four? Alongside Al Andalus in the south, Spain has no fewer than three top-end rail propositions in the north, all of which combine travel by train with shorter excursions by coach. The oldest (and most celebrated) is the El Transcantabrico Gran Lujo connecting the foodie haven of San Sebastián to Santiago de Compostela – end station of the fabled pilgrimage route.
Journeying along tracks once used for the transportation of coal, this train, too, boasts some 1920s Pullman carriages and oozes opulence. The narrow-gauge track means that cabins are cosy, though a 2011 reconfiguration made more of the spaces available.
Breakfasts and most dinners are on board, while lunches tend to involve visits to restaurants showcasing regional specialities such as Asturian fabada (stew) or Cantabrian anchovies. Stops include Bilbao, Santander and the medieval treasure of Santillana del Mar. The train is stationary at night, though the same may not necessarily be said of passengers who find their way to the 'disco car'.
Departures: March to November.
Price: From €9,250pp (£7,822) with Luxury Trains Spain.
6. Costa Verde Express
Renfe
Tracing a slightly shorter but similar route, the Costa Verde Express offers a more reasonably priced way to journey through the verdant landscapes of northern Spain's Costa Verde (green coast).
Expansive windows offer great views of the rugged coastal scenery and the dramatic peaks of the Picos de Europa. Big-hitters here include Bilbao (of Guggenheim Museum fame) and Altamira, site of some of the greatest prehistoric cave art in the world. There are opportunities to explore lesser-heralded towns such as Arriondas, the beaches (and breezes) of Gijón and Ribadeo, and to sample the wonderful white wines of Galicia – best accompanied by freshly shucked oysters in the open-air food market of Santiago de Compostela.
Departures: March to November.
Price: From €4,700pp (£3,975) with Luxury Trains Spain.
7. El Expreso de la Robla
Renfe
For those not sure about spending too many days on a train, a more modest three-day/two-night adventure between Bilbao and León may appeal. Less lavishly appointed (and priced), the train comes with comfortable bunk-bed cabins, air conditioning and vintage-style lounges from which to take in the passing scenery.
Highlights include out-of-the-way villages such as Frías, the waterfalls at Tobera, the Roman town of La Olmeda and the gothic cathedral of León. A longer itinerary – the Pilgrim's Route, starting and ending in Oviedo and extending over six days – gives passengers the chance to combine the train travels with some fairly substantial walks. Nothing like building up an appetite for suckling pig and pintxos (Basque tapas).
Departures: The classic Bilbao to León route operates June to September.
Price: From €1,150pp (£973) Luxury Trains Spain.
8. Golden Eagle Danube Express
Golden Eagle Luxury Trains
Some very different sides to Europe are opened up on a train which whisks you though the great capitals of the Habsburg Empire and delves deep into the Balkans. The train – which includes carriages belonging to the presidential train in communist Hungary – was given a comprehensive makeover after it became part of Golden Eagle Luxury Trains in 2015, with larger cabins, en-suite bathrooms throughout and more emphasis on fine dining.
As befits its adventurous central and eastern Europe itineraries – highlighting countries such as Poland, Bulgaria and Bosnia-Herzegovina – there is less formality on this train and a more relaxed dress code. That said, necks should perhaps be covered when the train travels through Transylvania…
Departures: Multiple itineraries on selected dates year-round.
9. Royal Scotsman
Belmond
Can anything compare with an open-air observation deck from which you can marvel at spellbinding scenery – in this case the Scottish Highlands? Belmond's long-running Royal Scotsman is the only luxury train in Europe offering such a facility – one of many reasons for its enduring popularity, particularly with Americans.
With its mahogany panelling and tasteful traces of tartan, this train seeks to combine the feel of an Edwardian country house with modern-day indulgences such as an on-board spa. Accommodation options range from single cabins to grand suites with dressing tables.
Itineraries start and end in Edinburgh, venturing to the north and west, taking in castles, gardens and distilleries, and the engineering marvels of the Firth of Forth Bridge and Glenfinnan Viaduct (of Harry Potter fame). This being the land of the brave, there are optional swims in freshwater lochs. Fortunately the train is well stocked with reviving malt whiskies.
Departures: Two to seven-day itineraries from April to November.
Price: Taste of the Highlands (two nights) from £4,800pp with Belmond.
All these trains can be booked through the Luxury Train Club.