There was a time when getting there was part of the seduction. Travelers dressed for dinner, cocktails were poured as mountains slipped past the windows, and the journey unfolded slowly enough to be savored. Air travel may have rewritten the rules of distance, but some extraordinary trains are making a compelling case for slowing down again.
Across Europe, Japan and India, three remarkable journeys transform the railway carriage into something far more alluring than transportation.
Venice Simplon-Orient-Express Restaurant Car
Few names evoke the romance of rail travel quite like the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express. Operated by Belmond, the train travels between some of Europe’s most celebrated cities aboard meticulously restored 1920s carriages, with its classic Paris-to-Venice itinerary remaining perhaps its most iconic journey.
Inside, polished wood, intricate marquetry, sumptuous fabrics and Art Deco details create the sensation of stepping into another era. Guests can choose from Historic Cabins, Suites and six Grand Suites, while L’Observatoire, an extraordinary private carriage conceived by French artist JR, offers the train’s most expansive accommodation.
There are three restaurant cars, along with Bar Car 3674, where live music and cocktails stretch the evening long after dinner. Outside, Europe drifts past. Inside, the golden age of travel feels remarkably alive.
Japan approaches luxury differently. On the Seven Stars in Kyushu, extravagance is expressed through craftsmanship, intimacy and an extraordinary attention to place.
Launched by JR Kyushu in 2013 as Japan’s first cruise train, Seven Stars travels through the landscapes and communities of Kyushu. Its deep wine-red exterior gives way to interiors that blend Japanese and Western influences, filled with carefully selected woods, textiles and handcrafted details.
The experience is exceptionally intimate: all 10 guest compartments are suites, accommodating just 10 pairs of guests. Journeys combine time aboard the train with encounters with regional culture, artisans and landscapes, while cuisine showcases ingredients from Kyushu’s seas, mountains and farms. Depending on the itinerary, passengers might watch Sakurajima from their windows, visit traditional pottery communities or spend an evening at a hot-spring retreat.
This is less a train ride than a beautifully choreographed immersion in Kyushu.
Maharajas’ Express, India
Then there is India’s Maharajas’ Express, where the romance of rail travel takes on an entirely different kind of grandeur.
Operated by the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation, the train offers four itineraries through India, connecting destinations including Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Ranthambore and Varanasi, depending on the journey selected.
Maharajas’ Express, India
Accommodations range from Deluxe Cabins to the extraordinary Navratna Presidential Suite, which occupies an entire carriage and includes two bedrooms and a living area. Two restaurants, Mayur Mahal and Rang Mahal, serve Indian and international cuisine, while the Rajah Club and Safari Bar provide elegant places to linger between excursions. Beyond the windows are palaces, forts, wildlife reserves and some of India’s most celebrated monuments.
Together, these trains remind us of something modern travel often forgets: speed is not always the ultimate luxury. Sometimes the rarest indulgence is having nowhere else to be but exactly where you are.