Scenic Trains

For the ride itself, not to get somewhere.

Rail routes worth taking for the journey itself — with countries crossed, time en route, whether you sleep on board, the best season to go and what to check before booking. Filter by region to see what is reachable from where you already are. For berth types, booking windows and what to pack, see the Night Train Guide.

Region Click a card to turn it over
AmericasRail No. 01

Rocky Mountaineer

Rocky Mountaineer · Canada
Luxury Turn over
AmericasRail
Rocky Mountaineer
Luxury
RouteVancouver → Banff / Jasper — multiple routes through the Canadian Rockies
Duration2 days rail (no overnight on train — hotel stops each night)
Best SeasonApril–October; peak summer for wildflowers and wildlife
Price RangeFrom ~CAD $1,300 (Silverleaf) to ~CAD $3,500+ (GoldLeaf) per person
CountriesCanada
Booking NotesPackages are priced by route, service level and hotel nights. SilverLeaf and GoldLeaf include daylight-only rail travel, meals and overnight hotels; compare the live package total.
rockymountaineer.com
AmericasRail No. 02

El Chepe — Copper Canyon

Ferromex / Chepe Express · Mexico
Expedition Turn over
AmericasRail
El Chepe — Copper Canyon
Expedition
RouteLos Mochis → Chihuahua through Barranca del Cobre — 36 bridges, 86 tunnels
Duration~13–15 hrs (standard train); 3 days with stops (Chepe Express)
Best SeasonOctober–April; avoid July–September (rainy season and landslide risk)
Price Range~USD $40–150 (standard); ~USD $300–600 per segment (Chepe Express)
CountriesMexico
Booking NotesChepe Express sells different classes and stopover itineraries. Confirm the current timetable, class inclusions and whether each planned segment needs a separate reservation.
chepe.mx
AmericasRail No. 03

Andean Explorer

Belmond · Peru
Luxury Turn over
AmericasRail
Andean Explorer
Luxury
RouteCusco → Puno (Lake Titicaca) and Arequipa — through Andean altiplano
Duration1–2 nights on board depending on route
Best SeasonApril–October (dry season); avoid wet season November–March
Price RangeFrom ~USD $850 per person (suite, one-way); full journey from ~USD $1,600+
CountriesPeru
Booking NotesRates vary by itinerary and cabin, and generally bundle accommodation, meals and scheduled excursions. Check the operator's live quote and altitude guidance.
belmond.com
EuropeRail No. 04

Glacier Express

Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn + Rhätische Bahn · Switzerland
Scenic Turn over
EuropeRail
Glacier Express
Scenic
RouteZermatt → St. Moritz (or reverse) via Andermatt — 291 bridges, 91 tunnels
Duration~7.5–8 hours (one day)
Best SeasonYear-round; summer for alpine meadows, winter for snow
Price Range~CHF 155 (2nd class) + CHF 47 panorama reservation; Swiss Travel Pass accepted
CountriesSwitzerland
Booking NotesA valid rail ticket or pass and a separate panorama-car reservation are required. Swiss Travel Pass coverage does not remove the reservation charge; check the live seasonal fee.
glacierexpress.chSBB
EuropeRail No. 05

Bernina Express

Rhätische Bahn · Switzerland / Italy
Scenic Turn over
EuropeRail
Bernina Express
Scenic
RouteSt. Moritz → Tirano, Italy — crosses the UNESCO Albula/Bernina rail landscape
Duration~4 hours (St. Moritz–Tirano)
Best SeasonJune–October for green passes; winter for snowscapes and frozen Lago Bianco
Price Range~CHF 65 (2nd class) + CHF 14 reservation; Swiss Travel Pass accepted
CountriesSwitzerland, Italy
Booking NotesThe panorama train requires a reservation in addition to a ticket or pass. Regular regional trains use the same UNESCO route without the panorama reservation.
rhb.chSBB
EuropeRail No. 06

Venice Simplon-Orient-Express

Belmond · Multi-country Europe
Luxury Turn over
EuropeRail
Venice Simplon-Orient-Express
Luxury
RouteLondon → Venice (classic route); also Paris, Prague, Istanbul and seasonal itineraries
Duration~2 nights on board (London–Venice)
Best SeasonMarch–November; festive journeys available December
Price RangeFrom ~USD $4,000 per person (cabin); grand suites from ~USD $7,000+
CountriesUnited Kingdom, France, Switzerland, Italy
Booking NotesFares are itinerary- and cabin-specific and change by departure. Request the live total directly from Belmond and verify which station transfers, meals and excursions are included.
belmond.com
AsiaRail No. 07

Eastern & Oriental Express

Belmond · Southeast Asia
Luxury Turn over
AsiaRail
Eastern & Oriental Express
Luxury
RouteSingapore → Bangkok via Kuala Lumpur, Butterworth, and the River Kwai
Duration3 nights on board
Best SeasonNovember–April (dry season); limited departures — book well ahead
Price RangeFrom ~USD $2,000 per person (Pullman cabin); suites from ~USD $4,000+
CountriesSingapore, Malaysia, Thailand
Booking NotesSeasonal itineraries and cabin categories change. Use Belmond's current departure calendar and quote rather than relying on an old headline fare.
belmond.com
AustralasiaRail No. 08

Indian Pacific

Journey Beyond · Australia
Expedition Turn over
AustralasiaRail
Indian Pacific
Expedition
RouteSydney → Perth via Broken Hill, Adelaide, and the Nullarbor Plain — ~4,352 km
Duration~65 hours / 4 days (includes off-train excursions)
Best SeasonApril–October; Nullarbor summer (Dec–Feb) can be extreme
Price RangeFrom AUD $1,199 (Red Service) to AUD $3,499+ (Gold Service) per person
CountriesAustralia
Booking NotesCurrent journeys are sold as experience packages with accommodation, meals and selected off-train excursions. Compare direction, cabin and departure date on the live calendar.
journeybeyondrail.com.au
AustralasiaRail No. 09

The Ghan

Journey Beyond · Australia
Expedition Turn over
AustralasiaRail
The Ghan
Expedition
RouteAdelaide → Darwin through Alice Springs and the Red Centre — ~2,979 km
Duration~54 hours / 2.5 days
Best SeasonMay–October (dry and mild); summer heat and flooding risks Apr and Feb–Mar
Price RangeFrom AUD $1,149 (Red Service) to AUD $4,099+ (Gold Service) per person
CountriesAustralia
Booking NotesFares vary by journey direction, cabin and departure, with meals and selected off-train experiences bundled. Check the current itinerary before comparing dates.
journeybeyondrail.com.au
AfricaRail No. 10

Rovos Rail

Rovos Rail · South Africa
Luxury Turn over
AfricaRail
Rovos Rail
Luxury
RoutesPretoria → Cape Town (2 nights); Pretoria → Victoria Falls (3 nights); longer safari routes to Tanzania and Mozambique
Duration2 nights (short routes) to 15 days (Dar es Salaam–Cape Town grand safari)
Best SeasonYear-round; May–September for Big Five wildlife sightings
Price RangeFrom ~USD $3,000 per person (short routes); grand safari from ~USD $10,000+
CountriesSouth Africa, Zimbabwe, Tanzania
Booking NotesRates depend on route, suite and season and include meals, drinks and scheduled excursions. Request the current tariff for the exact departure.
rovos.com
AfricaRail No. 11

The Blue Train

Transnet · South Africa
Luxury Turn over
AfricaRail
The Blue Train
Luxury
RouteIrene Station (Pretoria area) → Cape Town via Matjiesfontein — ~1,600 km. Departs from Irene Station since January 2025; guests check in at Irene Country Lodge before boarding.
Duration~27 hours (1 night on board)
Best SeasonYear-round; October–March for Cape winelands
Price RangeFrom ~USD $800 (Superior Suite) to ~USD $1,500+ (Deluxe Suite) per person
CountriesSouth Africa
Booking NotesFares change by season, direction and suite and are quoted per person. Confirm the live departure calendar, Irene check-in arrangements and included transfers before paying.
bluetrain.co.za
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