Belmond has been operating luxury train trips for 43 years, a journey that began with an inaugural release connecting London and Venice, and more recent trips that pass through castles and whiskey distilleries in the highlands of Scotland or nestled near the famous Machu Picchu in Peru.
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Subsidiary of the luxury conglomerate LVMH, Belmond observes a growing interest in luxury trains since the end of the pandemic. Although a private jet is much faster than a train, many travelers are learning to enjoy a more relaxed trip with panoramic views.
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“People want the opportunity to slow down,” says Gary Franklin, senior vice president of Belmond, who also operates river cruises, safaris and luxury hotels. “There is no better way to do this than sit on a luxury train booth, looking out the window, reading your books, talking and with a great service on board.”
Data on the demand for luxury trains is difficult to track, but total global spending on these trips reached $ 8.6 trillion by 2024, estimates the McKinsey consultancy. The tourism and luxury hospitality industries tend to grow faster than more affordable segments, driven by younger generations that have shown a greater willingness to spend on travel, more accumulated richness in Asia and a growing group of individuals with equity between $ 1 million and $ 30 million.
Although baby boomers Still represent a significant portion of luxury tourism spending, 80% of the market is under 60 years old, says McKinsey.
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“Traditionally, the main audience for luxury train trips has been couples and groups of high -income friends between 50 and 70 years old,” says Anna Tretter, travel consultant in Washington, DC, from Boutique Fora X. She adds that the most luxurious offers of brands such as Belmond and La Dolce Vita Orient Express have attracted travelers millennials and the most wealthy generation.
Eleanor Flagler Hardy, president of the Family Travel Agency Society of International Railway Travelers, recently participated in La Dolce Vita’s trip through Italian mountains and vineyards and quickly ranked her among the 25 best luxury train trips in the world. “Sometimes I think people think, ‘Ah, the only way to travel the world is on a cruise,” says Hardy. “Our mission is to show that a great way to travel is luxury train.”
These travelers are attracted to trains that offer private marble bathrooms, culinary creation of Michelin star chefs served in the best porcelain and crystal and entertainment on board, all with stunning views of the window. Travel can be reserved months or even years in advance, with some operators already providing trips to 2027.
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“I would suggest book the train trip first and build the rest of your vacation around it,” says Tretter.
The strong demand led Belmond in early 2024 to relaunch Eastern and Eastern Express, which had stopped operating due to the pandemic and now takes a three -day trip through Singapore and Malaysia. Later this month, the Seventh Belmond train, the Britannic Explorer, will make his inaugural trip through England and Wales, with accommodations for up to 36 guests.
“One of the biggest challenges is that visitors from England and Wales can come to London and then not really explore the interior,” says Franklin, adding that trains can make the interior trip much more accessible.
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Rocky Mountaineer’s luxury train routes travel western Canada and the southwest of the United States, starting with a two -day trip in the Canadian rock mountains. The operator now offers six distinct routes, including the first independent trip in the US, launched in 2012, which travels between Colorado and Utah. The First Passage to West route, which connects Vancouver to the city of Banff, in Alberta, remains the most popular.
“Like a cruise ship, our trains go through many inaccessible car areas, offering unmatched landscape view,” says Nicole Ford, vice president of communications, sustainability and rock-mantaineer stakeholder relations. Ford adds that the company’s trains travel only during the day, with overnight hotels, allowing guests to enjoy the unique views of the landscape.
Frank Marini, president and CEO of the RailBookers Group luxury train company, says the trip around the 59 -day luxury train world rapidly exhausted to 2025 and that there is already a waiting list with over 1,500 people for 2026.
The RailBookers Itinerary begins on a Rocky Mountainer train in Vancouver and crosses four continents and 12 countries, including Belmond Royal Scotsman and La Dolce Vita Orient Express, before finishing in Singapore. Travelers pay $ 124,150 per person, which includes reserves in seven different luxury trains, all hosting and most food, although guests are responsible for most flights to multiple transfers between destinations.
“These are not first -time travelers,” says Marini about her customer base. “They seek unique experiences.”
In Switzerland, a higher trip can be reserved with Glacier Express, founded in 1930 and remains the only operator to perform a direct train between the popular tourist destinations of Zermatt and St. Moritz. Glacier Express stands out for the panoramic windows that offer wide views of the Swiss Alps and a gastronomic menu with local dishes such as barley soup, gradebünden salami and mountain cheese.
Glacier Express CEO Annemarie Meyer says trains operate in an extensive public system shared by passenger, cargo and private trains. The rails are well maintained thanks to the financial support of the Swiss taxpayers, but there are some disadvantages. In some areas, including the Rhine Gorge, there is only one single way. The trains that travel in opposite directions need to wait their turn.
“This makes Glacier Express quite slow,” says Meyer. “But if you have to wait in a scenic place, no one complains.”
This report was originally published at Fortune.com
