The World’s Most Iconic Journeys by Rail

Discover the Art of Slow Travel

Forget rushing from gate to gate. Belmond trains invite you into a realm where journeys themselves are the destination. Polished carriages recall the golden age of rail, but with a modern flourish: cocktails in convivial bar cars, dinners designed by world-renowned chefs, and cabins that transform from salon to sanctuary overnight. Beyond the window, Europe, Asia, and South America reveal themselves in painterly scenes. This is travel at its most theatrical, immersive, indulgent, and unhurried.

Europe: The Theatre of Glamour on Rails

Venice Simplon-Orient-Express

Perhaps the most legendary of all Belmond trains, the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express is a stage where every carriage plays its part. Dining unfolds in three historic restaurants: Étoile du Nord, all polished wood and crisp linens; L’Oriental, where lacquer panels evoke distant journeys; and Côte d’Azur, sparkling with Lalique glass. Menus onboard reinterpret seasonal French classics, paired by a dedicated sommelier. After dinner, wander into Bar Car 3674, a midnight-blue jewel where the resident pianist coaxes out jazz standards and, come midnight, lobster rolls and truffle club sandwiches appear for “midnight brunch.”

Routes vary from the classic Venice–Paris overnight to the storied Istanbul–Paris odyssey, crossing alpine passes, Hungarian plains, and the very cradle of European culture. Each stop is a prelude to Belmond’s hotels: a Bellini at Cipriani in Venice, a terrace aperitif at Splendido in Portofino.

Explore Venice Simplon-Orient-Express itineraries and plan your journey across Europe’s grandest landscapes.

The United Kingdom: Heritage on the Move

Britannic Explorer — A Modern Celebration

England and Wales now have their own rolling legend: the Britannic Explorer, a national icon reborn as Britain’s first true luxury sleeper train. Sleek yet steeped in tradition, its carriages honour the Great British spirit of touring while infusing it with creativity and modern rhythm.

Cabins transform seamlessly from sofa lounges by day to double or twin beds by night, while three botanical-inspired Grand Suites offer double beds, wardrobes, and dining space in surroundings that feel like country houses on rails. Routes span the Welsh valleys, Cornwall’s sparkling coasts, and the jagged drama of the Lake District — a moving portrait of Britain at its most curious, quirky, and quintessential.

Onboard, the experience is distinctly social: bar cars alive with music, regional menus celebrating local terroir, and storytelling woven into each leg of the journey. Properly dressed yet gloriously unbuttoned, this is Britain rewritten.

Discover Britannic Explorer journeys and secure your place on Britain’s newest train icon.

Royal Scotsman — Legendary Tales in Motion

Cross the border to Scotland and board the Belmond Royal Scotsman train, where each departure begins with the skirl of bagpipes at Edinburgh Waverley and a toast of whisky — “liquid sunshine.” The train’s polished-wood interiors and tartan-clad charm create a warm Highland welcome, while the Heron Grand Suites raise indulgence to new heights: hand-crafted details inspired by Scottish painters Joan Eardley and Sir William Gillies, complete with double beds and generous living space.

The open-air Observation Deck is the ultimate theatre: lochs shimmering in sunlight, mountains cloaked in mist, the iconic Glenfinnan Viaduct unfolding beneath your feet. Inside, dining is convivial and candlelit, often followed by a ceilidh — a spirited Scottish dance — or informal whisky tastings led by experts. The new Dior Spa Royal Scotsman cocoons guests in cedar-clad serenity, offering treatments inspired by the Highlands while the peaks roll past.

Journeys vary from the Scotch Malt Whisky Tour, a four-night collaboration with the Scotch Malt Whisky Society, to the Western Scenic Wonders exploring Fort William, Rothiemurchus, and the Kyle of Lochalsh. In 2025, the Grand Tour of Scotland marks the train’s 40th anniversary with an epic circuit across the Highlands.

Here, storytelling, scenery, and whisky flow as freely as the rails themselves.

View Royal Scotsman itineraries and plan your journey through the Highlands.

Asia: A Serenade to the Tropics

Eastern & Oriental Express

From Singapore, the Eastern & Oriental Express by Belmond glides northward through Malaysia, offering a choreography of jungle, paddy fields, and colonial towns. Dining is at the heart of the experience: Adisorn, Malaya, and Maphrao dining cars host Chef André Chiang’s menus, a culinary curation that reimagines Southeast Asia’s rich palate. Think Laksa bouillabaisse, black-bone chicken consommé, and vibrant Malaysian street flavours refined to haute gastronomy.

In between, afternoons may be spent in the Piano Bar, following the melodies of the resident pianist; evenings may crescendo into cocktails and dancing. And then there is the Dior Spa Eastern & Oriental Express — the world’s only Dior spa at sea or on rails — offering Asian-inspired rituals as the landscape slips by.

Journeys pair culinary indulgence with discovery: excursions to UNESCO-listed George Town in Penang, kayaking emerald bays in Langkawi, or wellness immersions in Taman Negara National Park. Some departures, such as the Essence of Malaysia, focus on heritage and nature, while festive itineraries bring in celebratory flair with live music and curated feasts.

Explore Eastern & Oriental Express itineraries and discover a new way to experience Southeast Asia.

Peru: Where the Rails Touch the Sky

Hiram Bingham

Named after the explorer of Machu Picchu, the Belmond Hiram Bingham train is a rolling celebration of Peru’s soul. Inside, polished brass and woodwork host a convivial atmosphere, with a bar car alive with guitarists and folk musicians, and a dining service that pays homage to authentic Peruvian flavours: trout ceviche, Andean corn, Amazonian chocolate. By the time the train reaches the gates of Machu Picchu, travellers have already been immersed in the spirit of the Andes. After private tours of the citadel, guests may retreat to Sanctuary Lodge, a Belmond Hotel, perched right at the gates.

Andean Explorer

For a longer odyssey, the Belmond Andean Explorer climbs even higher, South America’s first luxury sleeper train and the world’s highest rail route. Interiors blend crisp white linens with Peruvian textiles, a design that mirrors the landscapes outside: La Raya’s snow peaks, Lake Titicaca’s sapphire expanse, Arequipa’s volcanic drama. Dining here celebrates altitude itself: local produce, Andean spices, and vintages curated to match the highland terroir. In the Picaflor Spa Car, the only spa on rails in South America, travellers surrender to serene treatments while the altiplano rolls past in golden light. By day, excursions dive into culture — the textile traditions of Taquile Island, the ancient art of the Sumbay Caves. By night, piano-bar conviviality stretches into starlit skies.

Discover Andean Explorer journeys and plan your passage across the roof of the Andes.

A Moving World, An Enduring Memory

From midnight brunch on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express to whisky tastings aboard the Royal Scotsman, Dior spa rituals in Malaysia to sunrise yoga above Lake Titicaca, Belmond’s trains remind us of something profound: journeys are not about crossing land, but about entering a different rhythm of life. They are theatres of taste, wellness, and conviviality, where every detail — a Lalique glass, a folk song, a massage bed swaying with the tracks — is part of the story.

Step aboard, and you are no longer simply travelling. You are inhabiting an art form.