My wife and I took our first luxury train trip three years ago. We picked the Rocky Mountaineer. I did not know what to expect. I thought it would be nice but maybe a little boring. I was wrong.
The moment we stepped onto the train, everything changed. The seats were big and soft. The windows went all the way up to the ceiling. We sat down and the train started to move. Within minutes we were out of the city and into the mountains. My wife held my hand and pointed at a bear near the tracks. We both laughed like kids.
That trip made me want to try more trains. Since then we have been on five different luxury trains. Each one was different. Each one gave us something special. Here is what I learned.
Why Take a Train Instead of Flying?
Flying is fast but it is not romantic. You sit in a small seat. You cannot walk around. You cannot have a real conversation because of the noise. You get to your destination tired and best luxury train journeys for couples.
A train is the opposite. You have room to move. You can get up and go to the dining car. You can stand by the window and watch the world go by. You can talk to your partner for hours without anyone bothering you. The pace is slow and that is a good thing.
My wife and I do not get much quiet time at home. We both work. We have kids. There is always something to do. On a train, there is nothing to do but enjoy each other's company. That is why we keep going back
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The Trains We Loved the Most
The Rocky Mountaineer
This was our first train. We went from Vancouver to Banff. The trip takes two days. You spend one night in a hotel in the middle. The train does not run at night because the views are too good to miss.
The best part was the open-air platform at the back of the train. You can stand outside and feel the wind. You can take photos without glass in the way. We saw eagles, deer, and a lot of bears. The staff knew all the best spots and told us when to look.
The food was good. Not great, but good. Breakfast and lunch are served at your seat. The portions are big. The coffee is hot. That is all we needed.
The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express
This one was different. It was old and fancy. The wood on the walls was dark and shiny. The lights were soft. The whole train felt like a museum.
We went from London to Venice. The trip takes two nights. The first night we had dinner in the dining car. Everyone wore nice clothes. The food came on silver plates. There was a pianist playing in the bar car after dinner. We had a drink and watched the lights of Paris go by outside the window.
The cabin was small but beautiful. There was a sink that folded down. The bed came out of the wall at night. It was cozy and romantic. I would not want to live in that cabin but for two nights it was perfect.
The Royal Scotsman
This train only takes forty people. That makes it feel like a small hotel. We went for four nights through the Scottish highlands.
The food on this train was the best we have ever had on any train. They used local meat and fish. The beef came from a farm we could see from the window. The salmon was caught in a river we passed. The chef came out and talked to us about the food. He was proud of his work and he should have been.
We got off the train twice a day. We visited a castle. We went to a whisky distillery. We walked through a small town and talked to the locals. The train waited for us. There was no rush.
The Ghan
This train goes through the middle of Australia. We went from Adelaide to Darwin. The trip takes three nights and four days.
The landscape is red and flat and empty. I thought it would be boring but it was not. The sky was huge. The sunsets were orange and pink. We saw wild camels and kangaroos. We got off the train at a place called Katherine and went on a boat through a gorge. The water was clear and cold.
The train had a bar at the back with big windows. We sat there every evening and watched the sun go down. We talked to other couples who were on the train. Everyone had a story. Everyone was happy to be there.
The Maharajas' Express
This train is fancy in a different way. It is bright and colorful. The staff wear traditional clothes. They put flower garlands around your neck when you board.
We went on a week-long trip that took us to Jaipur, Udaipur, and the Taj Mahal. The train stopped near the Taj Mahal early in the morning. We got off and walked to see it at sunrise. The light was soft and golden. There were almost no other people there. My wife cried. I almost cried too.
The train itself was comfortable. The cabin was big. The bathroom had a real shower. The food was Indian and Western. I ate more than I should have.
What to Expect on a Luxury Train?
Your Cabin
The cabin is small. Even the big ones are small compared to a hotel room. But the staff know how to use the space well. During the day you have seats and a table. At night the seats become a bed. On some trains the staff come in and turn down the bed while you are at dinner. You come back to find the lights low and the pillows fluffed.
Some trains have private bathrooms. Others have shared bathrooms down the hall. I prefer having our own bathroom. It is worth paying extra for that.
The Food
The food is always good. On some trains it is excellent. On the Royal Scotsman it was the best meal I have had anywhere. On the Orient-Express it was very good but the atmosphere made it special. On the Rocky Mountaineer it was simple and filling.
Expect three meals a day. Tea and coffee are always available. There is usually a bar open in the evening. Do not expect to lose weight on a train trip.
The Staff
The staff make the trip. They remember your name. They remember what you like to drink. They tell you stories about the places you pass. They are friendly without being too familiar. They work long hours but they never seem tired.
On the Orient-Express our butler was a man from Italy. He had been working on trains for twenty years. He told us about the famous people he had served. He made sure we had everything we needed. We gave him a big tip at the end.
The Other Passengers
You meet interesting people on these trains. Everyone is there because they want to enjoy the journey. There are no business travelers. No one is on their phone. People talk to each other. We made friends on the Ghan that we still keep in touch with.
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What It Costs?
These trips are not cheap. The cheapest is around three thousand dollars per person for a few days. The most expensive can be twenty thousand or more. You have to save up. You have to plan ahead.
But I think it is worth it. You are paying for something that you will remember forever. You are paying for time with your partner that you cannot get anywhere else. You are paying for service and food and views that are unlike anything else.
We do not go every year. We save up and go every two or three years. Each trip is something we look forward to for months. The planning is part of the best luxury train journeys for couples.
Tips from Our Experience
Book Early
These trains sell out months in advance. We book at least a year ahead. That gives us time to plan and save. It also means we get the cabin we want.
Pack Smart
You need comfortable clothes for the day and nicer clothes for dinner. On most trains you need a jacket or a suit for the evening. Women wear dresses or nice pants. Check the dress code before you go.
Bring a good camera. The photos you take will be the ones you look at for years. Bring binoculars if you are going somewhere with wildlife. We used ours every day on the Rocky Mountaineer.
Be Flexible
Trains can be late. The schedule can change. Do not let that bother you. You are on vacation. Relax and go with the flow. Some of our best memories came from unexpected delays.
On the Ghan we were stopped for two hours because of a broken track. The staff brought out drinks and snacks. We sat in the bar car and talked to another couple. We watched the sunset over the red desert. It was better than being on time.
Talk to Each Other
Put your phone away. Do not check email. Do not scroll through social media. Look out the window. Look at your partner. Talk about what you see. Talk about what you want to do next year. Talk about your kids or your plans or your dreams.
That is the real reason to take a train trip. Not the food or the views. The chance to talk without interruption.
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Which Train Should You Pick?
- If you want nature and wildlife, pick the Rocky Mountaineer. The mountains and the bears are unforgettable.
- If you want history and glamour, pick the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express. It feels like the old movies.
- If you want privacy and quiet, pick the Royal Scotsman. The small size makes it feel like your own.
- If you want culture and color, pick the Maharajas' Express. India is like nowhere else.
- If you want wide open spaces, pick the Ghan. The Australian outback will stay with you.
Our Next Trip
We are planning to take the Eastern and Oriental Express next year. It goes from Singapore to Malaysia. We have never been to that part of the world. We are excited to try the food and see the rainforests.
I have already started looking at cabin options. My wife is reading about the places we will visit. We talk about it at dinner. We look at photos online. The planning is half the fun.
Final Thoughts
A luxury train trip is not for everyone. It costs money. It takes time. You have to slow down and enjoy the ride.
But if you can do it, you should. There is nothing else like it. You will come home with photos and stories. You will come home closer to your partner. You will come home relaxed in a way that a beach vacation cannot give you.
My wife and I have been married for twenty-five years. We have taken many trips together. The train trips are the ones we talk about the most. They are the ones we want to take again.
That is why I am writing this. To tell you that you should try it. Pick a train. Save your money. Book the tickets. Go with your partner and see what happens.