If you’ve longed to indulge in elegant rail travel, but thought the days of lavish cars and live music were over, you’re in luck. New trains as well as new routes, amenities and special events are rolling out, enticing travelers to sit back, Champagne in hand, and glide through some of the world’s most beautiful landscapes. Be it the Lake District in England or the mountainous island of Kyushu in Japan, these journeys offer suites that rival rooms in high-end hotels, and dishes from chefs whose restaurants have won Michelin stars. Here’s where to climb aboard.
Paris to Tuscany and Paris to Portofino
Beginning in May, this opulent train, with its restored 1920s and ’30s carriages, will offer a new, three-night journey called Paris to Tuscany by a Legend of the Rails. Step into Bar Car 3674 to enjoy live piano music before retiring to your jewel-toned room. Options include a “historic cabin” with seats that convert to berths (communal restrooms are at the end of each sleeper carriage); a suite with its own marble bathroom and a double or twin bed that converts to a seating area; or a grand suite with a marble bathroom, double bed, dining area and 24-hour butler service.
During your travels, you’ll visit Siena, Italy, where you’ll tour the Gothic-style historic center. You’ll stop by a 13th-century palace in the Piazza del Campo where you can savor an aperitif while taking in panoramic views of the city, and spend two nights amid vineyards and olive groves at Castello di Casole, a Belmond Hotel, Tuscany. While there, stroll the grounds, join a stargazing session at the outdoor amphitheater and unwind with live music in the courtyard. Prices (including meals with wine) are from 9,350 pounds, or about $12,100 a person, based on two guests sharing a historic cabin and two nights in a junior suite at Castello di Casole.
In June, the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express will begin traveling to Portofino from Paris again (last year was its inaugural journey), this time with an added carriage: the L’Observatoire sleeper carriage, designed by the French artist, JR. The train’s largest accommodation will have its own library with more than 1,000 books, a tearoom with a fireplace, even a skylight so you can watch the clouds as the train moves along. The trip concludes at Splendido, a Belmond Hotel, which, beginning in June, will unveil renovations and updates to communal spaces, including a breakfast area, cocktail bar and Dior spa. Prices (which include meals and wine) for Paris to Portofino are from £10,400 a person, based on two guests sharing a historic cabin and two nights in a premium room at Splendido.
Italy
Channeling the allure of Italy in the 1960s and 70s, this sleek train will begin offering eight round-trip itineraries in April, each departing from Rome, where you’ll find the new La Dolce Vita Orient Express lounge, at Roma Ostiense train station. From there, depending on your itinerary, you’ll travel to places like Tuscany and Piedmont. Some itineraries may appeal to train buffs, such as the Rome-to-Sicily trip during which you’ll see the train decouple and be loaded onto a ferry to cross the Strait of Messina, then get reassembled on the other side. Indulge in meals overseen by the chef Heinz Beck, perhaps best known for La Pergola, the three Michelin-starred restaurant in Rome. At night you’ll sleep in one of 12 deluxe cabins with mirrored walls (a sofa unfolds to a double bed, and ottomans can be used as coffee tables) or in one of 18 suites with beds, sofas, tables and armchairs. An additional suite, meant to be the grandest on the train, is in the works. Prices for a one-night itinerary from 3,500 euros, or about $3,800, a person in a deluxe cabin.
Should you wish to supplement your train travels with stays in Rome or Venice, the first ever hotels from Orient Express are also opening this year, including the Orient Express La Minerva, a former 17th-century palace in Rome, and the Orient Express Palazzo Donà Giovannelli in Venice.
Billing itself as the first luxury sleeper train touring England and Wales, this new train is scheduled to take to the rails in July. Departing from London, it will offer three-night journeys with three different routes through Wales, Cornwall and the Lake District.
Inside you’ll find bright cars and 18 playful, soft-hued cabins, including 15 suites and three “grand suites” that take their inspiration from the scenic views beyond the windows and have double beds, en-suite bathrooms and butler service. The British chef Simon Rogan, whose restaurants have garnered Michelin stars, will offer dishes with seasonal ingredients inspired by Britain’s various regions. Indulge in massages and facials in the wellness suite, sip a cocktail at the bar, and take part in off-train activities, including swimming in the Lake District, visiting Tremenheere Sculpture Gardens in Cornwall, and touring the Hauser & Wirth Somerset gallery and arts center along with dinner at the on-site restaurant, Da Costa. Prices from £11,000 (for a double cabin), including a three-night itinerary, excursions, meals and alcoholic beverages on board.
Kyushu, Japan
Plan ahead for a journey on the sumptuous Seven Stars in Kyushu, the island in southern Japan known for its hot springs, mountains and mouthwatering cuisine. A glamorous sleeper train with just 10 guest rooms, Seven Stars includes eight suites and two deluxe suites, one at the end of the last car with breathtaking views through a wall-to-wall window. Savor a cup of tea in the tearoom, enjoy piano music at the Blue Moon bar, or try the new Kaz Bar, a private bar in a cabin available for use by reservation only. Itineraries, some of which include stays at a ryokan, vary with the season. All depart from and return to Hakata Station in the city of Fukuoka. To reserve, apply online (the next application period will be in the spring for journeys for fall 2025 to winter 2026) or book through a travel agent (some sell tickets as part of a package). March to June 2025 prices for a two-day journey are from 680,000 yen a person, or about $4,575, and from 1,300,000 yen for a four-day journey. Prices include meals and beverages (excluding some vintage wine and Champagne), as well as excursions. The Kaz Bar is not included in the price.
For day-tripping sightseers in Kyushu, the new Kanpachi Ichiroku train enables you to gaze at the countryside while enjoying bento box meals that look (almost) too good to eat. Offering a soothing, minimalist atmosphere, the train has two runs. The Kanpachi service departs from Hakata-ku, Fukuoka, then travels to Oita prefecture; stops include Tanushimaru station, where part of the building has a head-and-beak design meant to resemble a kappa, a water creature from Japanese folklore, and Era station, where vendors sell local specialties. The Ichiroku service, begins at Beppu and ends at Hakata, with stops at Amagase station, where you can buy fortunetelling tickets that reveal their message when soaked in the hand and foot baths at the station, and Ukiha station, where you can try produce from this region. Choose from sofa-style seats, cozy box seats and private tatami rooms that can accommodate up to six with mats, seating, tables and big windows from which to watch the landscape roll by. Prices, sold only as one-way trips, include a bento box: From 18,000 yen, for adults and from 15,000 yen for children 6 to 12.
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