Summer is just around the corner and you’ve probably already planned your holidays. According to data from Hosteltur, some 37.7 million people worldwide will have chosen a cruise in 2025 to spend their holidays. This figure demonstrates the boom that the cruise industry has experienced, and also explains the change in holiday preferences among the richest 1% of the planet: train travel. But not just any train. These are trains with a century of history that have little to envy the best five-star hotels.
Luxury rail travel is experiencing an unprecedented boom, driven by a new generation of travellers seeking unique, slow and highly personalised experiences. The train is no longer just a means of transport: it is the destination itself.
The rebirth of luxury trains. Luxury train travel, once seen as a nostalgic oddity, is experiencing an unprecedented boom driven by high-spending travellers seeking unique and exclusive experiences. Frank Marini, CEO of Railbookers, told Fortune that demand for luxury train travel has skyrocketed in recent years, with all offers sold out and waiting lists of thousands of people. This trend reflects a shift in the high-end travel market and that luxury train experiences are enjoying a golden age.
The growth is evident in the figures: in 2024, Tara Minson, president of InteleTravel, said her company had seen a 65% increase in luxury train bookings in the last year. What sets luxury trains apart from cruises or private jets is their exclusivity. ‘People wanted the opportunity to relax. There’s probably no better way to do that than sitting in a luxury train cabin, looking out the window, reading books, chatting and enjoying excellent service on board,’ Gary Franklin, senior vice president of Belmond, told Fortune.
Changes in the traveller profile and new routes. The profile of the luxury train traveller has changed significantly. Minson pointed out that ‘trains, especially luxury trains, used to be for an older audience, but now we are seeing many millennials and members of Generation Z who want to experience a luxury train holiday.’ The appeal of this type of travel lies as much in the desire for exclusivity as in the sustainability component, which is highly valued by younger people, and in the new concept of ‘slow luxury’, which invites travellers to reconnect more with experiences.
‘Traditionally, the main demographic for luxury train travel has been affluent couples and groups of friends in their fifties and seventies. But new offerings from Belmond and the Accor Group have attracted wealthier millennials and Gen Zers,’ Anna Tretter, travel consultant at Fora X, told Fortune.
The offering has also diversified. Belmond, one of the most recognised brands in the sector and owned by Bernard Arnault’s luxury giant LVMH, has a portfolio of seven luxury trains worldwide. Its catalogue includes the famous Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, which covered the route between Paris and Istanbul from 1883 and was considered the most luxurious train in the world, serving as the setting for crime novels and 007 films.
But not all of the market is aimed at the ultra-wealthy elite. There is also room for what Minson calls ‘small luxuries’: short getaways on trains such as the Rocky Mountaineer in Canada, which can cost around £1,600. ‘It’s their anniversary, their bucket list, their way of celebrating,’ says the executive.
Exclusive experiences and prices to match. The experience aboard a luxury train is designed to match the standards of a five-star hotel, so it’s no surprise that the price per night for experiences such as the L’Observatoire carriage exceeds £100,000 per night.
Amenities include private bathrooms with heated floors and personalised butler service on board. In addition, Michelin-starred menus, first-class entertainment and private suites offering maximum privacy and comfort are available.
Railbookers’ most exclusive trip for 2026, Around the World by Luxury Train, is priced at approximately £100,000 per person and consists of a 59-day journey through more than 20 cities in 12 countries using seven different high-end trains. According to Marini, “the train offers views that you can’t see by car or boat. In many cases, it’s also your dining experience, your hotel and even your social experience during the trip.”
Luxury also suffers delays. However, like the rest of rail traffic, luxury train travel also suffers delays. Belmond was finalising details for the maiden voyage of its Britannic Explorer when it was forced to postpone its launch until 21 July. According to a spokesperson for Belmond speaking to the British newspaper The Independent, ‘to ensure we meet our high operating standards, we have taken the decision to adjust the initial schedule.’
Although many have decided to postpone their travel plans, the company has had to refund between £12,000 and £75,000 paid by some passengers for the three-day journey through the English countryside. ‘We are confident that this adjustment will enable us to deliver an extraordinary experience for our guests.’
