Railway bazaar

1) Golden Eagle

Finally, a train worthy of the most romantic rail journey in the world. Rolled out last month, the all-suite Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian Express from Moscow to Vladivostok (via Ulaanbaatar) offers en-suite bathrooms with power showers, under floor heating, and fine wines and authentic Russian fare. Several notches above the Rossiya, the main train on the route, with its crowded, messy coupés, the Golden Eagle offers spacious ‘gold’ cabins (77 sq ft) as well as ‘silver’ (60 sq ft). The usual 7-day trip too has been spread out over a leisurely 15, with tours of Lake Baikal. From £3,895 (New Heritage Class) to £6,795 (Gold Class) per person on twin-sharing.

 

2) Cassiopeia

You can fly from Tokyo to Hokkaido in 1hr30min. But discerning folk opt instead for the 17-hour-long journey onboard the overnight Cassiopeia, the most luxurious train service in Japan. Running between Tokyo’s Ueno station and Sapporo, the two-storey train only offers A-class double-bed private rooms. Currently, tariffs range from ¥27,000 (Rs 9,000) for a twin room to ¥51,000 (Rs 17,000) for a suite. The good news is, your Japan Rail Pass should get you a berth on board (although you’ll need to pay a bit extra to secure a reservation).

 

3) The Ghan

The name’s been abbreviated from Afghan Express (after the Afghan camel trains that did the route once), but the romantic route from Adelaide to Alice Springs was extended to Darwin three years ago. The landscape transforms rapidly on the two-day journey, from lush countryside to rust-hued desert to tropical. From AUD 690 (Rs 23,000).

 

4) Canyon Rails

North Mexico’s breathtaking Copper Canyon never looked better than from the comfort of a luxury train. There are not one, not two, but three luxe trains (the Primera, South Orient and Sierra Madre expresses) on the route, which runs between Chihuahua City and Los Mochis and attains altitudes of 8,000ft.

 

5) Oslo Bergen Railway

The 471km coast-to-coast train journey between Oslo and Bergen is Norway’s finest. The line over the ‘Roof of Norway’ is constantly exposed to harsh weather and wind, but it meets the challenge sportingly. From NOK 728 (Rs 4,900).

6) Blue Train

Gold fittings in the bathroom, private suites, and your own dedicated butler make the Blue Train Africa’s most luxurious piece of rolling stock. The 1,600km journey between Pretoria and Cape Town takes 27 hours. Time enough to enjoy fine meals on board complemented by wines from South African vineyards and take in a stopover to relive the days of the diamond rush. From R 8,875/ Rs 50,000 (low-season) per person on twin-sharing.

 

Of all these trains, by far the best one I’ve been to is the Golden Eagle which was the most romantic and pleasurable experience ever!