13 of the best · the world by train
Book a Rail Holiday
The operators we would book with, from the luxury trains of Belmond to the mountain railways of the Alps, the great trains of North America and the rail-holiday specialists. We link straight to each operator’s own site: no affiliate codes, no ratings.
Our 13 favourites, listed A–Z · Updated October 2026
What's onThis week in the world by train
Browse by type
Insiders' picks
Three journeys we would show a friend first.
-
Venice Simplon-Orient-Express (Belmond)
Belmond’s Orient Express in restored 1920s carriages, usually between London or Paris and Venice.
-
Eastern & Oriental Express (Belmond)
Belmond’s luxury train in Southeast Asia, with journeys through Malaysia.
-
The full list: Book a rail holiday, A–Z
Luxury trains 2
-
Eastern & Oriental Express (Belmond)
Belmond’s luxury train in Southeast Asia, with journeys through Malaysia.
-
Venice Simplon-Orient-Express (Belmond)
Belmond’s Orient Express in restored 1920s carriages, usually between London or Paris and Venice.
The Alps 5
-
Bavarian Zugspitze Railway
Since 1930, a rack railway from Garmisch-Partenkirchen to just below the summit of Germany’s highest mountain.
-
-
Gornergrat Bahn
Switzerland’s first electric rack railway, from Zermatt to 3,089 metres, face to face with the Matterhorn.
-
Jungfrau Railways
Through the Eiger to the Jungfraujoch, at 3,454 metres the highest railway station in Europe.
-
Rhaetian Railway and the Bernina Express
The Albula and Bernina lines, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2008, between Thusis and Tirano.
North America 4
-
Amtrak Vacations
Rail holiday packages on Amtrak routes across the United States and Canada.
-
Canyon Spirit
Rocky Mountaineer’s US route, renamed for 2026: Denver, Moab and Salt Lake City.