Something shifted in how we think about getting from A to B. The airport sprint, the carry-on Tetris, the boarding queue jostling, more travellers are opting out of cumbersome travel itineraries entirely. Instead, they are building trips around just one memorable train splurge, padding the rest with affordable city stays, and discovering that the journey itself can be the highlight.
Note: At the time of publishing this piece, the GCC remains in the midst of a regional conflict. Travel disruptions continue on many routes and prioritised for repatriation efforts. Having said that, the purpose of this piece is to provide information ahead of time. Most luxury train journeys require bookings months in advance. So, while you may be finding it difficult to plan that holiday for the next few weeks, there’s no harm taking some time off your news feed and researching some train travel options for later in the year.
CN Traveler named opulent train journeys as one of the defining travel trends for 2026, and the timing makes sense. After years of bucket-list sprints, a growing number of travellers want to actually feel the distance between places. Luxury train travel in 2026 is not as much about nostalgia for a bygone era as it is about choosing depth over speed.
Routes across North America, Europe, Japan, and Southeast Asia now offer everything from sommelier-led wine carriages to panoramic observation decks designed for social media as much as for scenery. For Gulf-based travellers, Europe and Asia remain the most accessible playgrounds for this kind of trip, with flights from Bahrain putting you within reach of iconic rail networks.
The smartest way to plan a train-hopping itinerary is a model called “splurge and save.” The idea is straightforward. You anchor your trip around one high-end rail experience and build the rest of the journey using standard trains and well-chosen accommodation.
Say you want to cross Switzerland on the Glacier Express, one of the most celebrated scenic routes in the world. That single leg becomes your centrepiece. You book it months in advance, choose first class, and treat it as the event it is. But the days before and after? You travel on regular Swiss or European rail passes, stay in three-star hotels or quality guesthouses, and eat where locals eat.
This approach works because slow travel does not require luxury at every touchpoint. One extraordinary segment gives you the story, the photographs. The rest of the trip gives you the texture of actually being somewhere, not just passing through. You spend less overall than an all-luxury package, and you come home with a richer sense of where you have been.
Not all luxury trains are created equal, and choosing the right one shapes your entire itinerary. Here are the routes generating the most buzz heading into 2026.
Glacier Express (Switzerland): The classic 95-year-old jourey. Eight hours between Zermatt and St. Moritz through 91 tunnels and across 291 bridges. The Excellence Class includes a multi-course meal served at your seat with full-length panoramic windows.
La Dolce Vita Orient Express (Italy): LVMH’s reimagined Orient Express brand has launched its Italian routes, connecting Rome to Venice, Sicily, and the Amalfi Coast. Art deco interiors with a distinctly Italian sense of theatre define the line. This is the one everyone seems to be talking about.
Rocky Mountaineer (Canada): Two days through the Canadian Rockies with two different service offerings. The GoldLeaf service offers a glass-domed upper deck and gourmet dining below. The wildlife sightings alone make it worthwhile. Vancouver to Banff is the signature route.
Eastern & Oriental Express (Southeast Asia): A Belmond property on rails, running from Singapore, exploring the many facets of Malaysia. Think teak-panelled cabins, open-air observation cars, and stops at rural temples. Ideal for Gulf travellers looking to combine a train experience with a Southeast Asian holiday.
Shiki-shima (Japan): East Japan Railway’s ultra-premium cruise train loops through the northern regions of Honshu and Hokkaido. Limited to 34 guests per departure, it features a cypress-wood bath, a lounge car with a working fireplace, and kaiseki dining sourced from each region you pass through. Bookings require a ballot application months in advance.
The Vietage (Vietnam): A shorter but striking option. This luxury carriage runs between Da Nang and Quy Nhon along the Vietnamese coast, with just twelve seats and full butler service for the six-hour journey. It is a brilliant way to slot one premium rail segment into a broader Vietnam trip.
Pick your anchor experience first. Research routes that genuinely excite you. Book this leg first, as premium cabins sell out months ahead.
Work outward from the anchor. Plan two or three city stops on either side of your main train journey. Use standard rail connections between them. Apps like Trainline and Rail Europe make cross-border European bookings simple, and most Gulf airlines now offer multi-city tickets that let you fly into one hub and out of another.
Pack for versatility, not volume. A capsule wardrobe works best. Train cabins have limited storage, even in first class. Choose fabrics that resist creasing and layer well. One smart outfit for your luxury leg covers the dress code without overpacking.
Book accommodation strategically. Spend more on your arrival and departure cities, where you will want comfort after long flights. For mid-route stops, boutique hotels or well-reviewed guesthouses keep costs reasonable without sacrificing character.
Build in buffer days. Slow travel falls apart when you rush. Leave at least one full day in each city with no fixed plans. Wander, eat, get slightly lost. That is the whole point.
Sort your rail passes early. European rail passes like Eurail offer flexible options that can dramatically cut per-journey costs on your non-luxury legs. Compare pass pricing against individual tickets for your specific route before committing.
The biggest mistake people make is assuming a train hopping itinerary must be entirely luxurious to feel special. This puts the price tag out of reach and, frankly, dilutes the experience. When every moment is five-star, nothing stands out. The contrast between a morning espresso at a tiny station café and an evening champagne service in a mahogany dining car is what makes the trip memorable. You do not need two weeks of luxury. You need one segment that takes your breath away and enough open space around it to let the journey sink in.
Slow travel is a deliberate recalibration of what a good trip feels like. For those of us accustomed to efficiency and speed, sitting in a train carriage watching the Alps drift past feels almost radical. The best part is that luxury train travel in 2026 meets you exactly where you are, whether you want white-glove service or simply a window seat with a view that keeps going. The world looks different at ground level.
READ MORE: Travel Guide 2026: 15 Destinations That Need To Be on Your Bucket List This Year
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