6 best luxury train travel experiences in 2024, from a winter wonderland with Switzerland’s Glacier Express, live music at Japan’s Twilight Mizukaze, and crossing Canada with Rocky Mountaineer

Mar 13, 2024

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Luxury rail travel is having a moment.

Whether you’re looking to devour a five-course meal while enjoying panoramic views or fancy something a little more splashy, there are plenty of options for the opulent train enthusiast.

This method of travel will continue to gain popularity in 2024, according to luxury travel expert Jan Luescher, who told us that luxury travellers have had a “shift in attitude” regarding the environmental impact of their trips.

“The obvious answer is extravagant train holidays. This mode of travelling promises all the luxuries associated with first-class plane travel, such as excellent food, service, and amenities, along some of the most scenic and underexplored regions of the world in a way that is kinder to the environment,” Luescher, chief executive officer of luxury travel-focused social network A Small World, told us.

Read on for the best luxury train rides across the world in 2024.

1. Switzerland’s Glacier Express

Experience winter in luxury with Switzerland’s Glacier Express. Photo: @glacierexpress.ch/Instagram

The Glacier Express in Switzerland is known for more than just luxury – it’s also famous for its panoramic views on the route that spans eight hours between St Moritz, a resort town in southeast Switzerland, and Zermatt, another town in southern Switzerland.

Those looking for a luxury train experience should buy the Excellence Class ticket that includes a five-course meal, a concierge service, and a guaranteed window seat. Prices start at 470 Swiss francs (around US$530).

The Glacier Express is magical in winter, but the train also operates in summer – and showcases a very different landscape. Photo: @glacierexpress.ch/Instagram

However, travellers can also go for a standard adult ticket, known as the Glacier Express classic, which begins at 159 Swiss francs (around US$180), for the entire route.