Traveling by train is the epitome of the idea that the journey can be every bit as meaningful as the destination. It’s a mode of transportation that has not only stood the test of time, but remains arguably the most comfortable, relaxing and romantic ways to get from A to B. And few regions of the world offer the amount of inter-connectivity, rail travel heritage and environmental variation that you’ll find when traveling by train through Europe. But when it comes to the question of ‘what’s the most scenic train ride in Europe?’, that’s ultimately for you to decide. Here, in no particular order, are 10 of the most scenic train rides in Europe for you to consider.

Glacier Express, Switzerland

Leave life in the fast lane for the slowest train in the world, the Glacier Express. You’ll ascend over 6,600 feet to the top of the Oberalp Pass, cruising through tunnels, past rows of spruce, and across the mountainside. This train travels at a leisurely 24mph, much of it through a UNESCO World Heritage listed site, allowing you to take in the beauty of the Swiss mountains in around 8 hours.  

Fine food and dining can be enjoyed on one of the world’s greatest train journeys through the Swiss Alps. It would seem a shame not to toast one the amazing views with a crisp Swiss white, and one of the best onboard is the Johannisberg Cuvée Spéciale Glacier Express.

What is the most beautiful train ride in the Alps?

With its panoramic views and guaranteed window seats, the Glacier Express won the 2023 World Luxury Travel Award in the category “Train Tours”. We’d say that crowns it as one of the most beautiful train rides in the Alps. 

Experience it for yourself on: Majestic Switzerland 

Related reading:Peak Performance: The Best Train Rides in Switzerland

Bordeaux to Paris, France

With a Luxury Gold journey to the South of France, your return to Paris from Bordeaux will be speeding through the French countryside to Paris at 320 kmph on a high-speed train. The best part, apart from the views of the meadows and the occasional castle, is that you’ll be in Paris in time for lunch – the train takes just 2 hours. 

Experience it for yourself on: Ultimate France

Flåm Railway Scenic Train, Norway

In 2014, Lonely Planet named the Flåm Railway the best train journey in the world – and it’s still certainly one of the most scenic train rides in Europe. Here you’ll take a more vintage style of train through Norway, from high mountains in Myrdal station down to the very bottom of the Aurlandsfjord, decked out in a nostalgic wooden interior with the large passenger windows you’d expect from a train that goes through the changing scenery of the Flåm Valley. The train takes a five-minute stop at the Kjosfossen waterfall, where you can stretch your legs and see the cascade from the platforn. It’s only around an hour’s journey, but you’ll be wishing it was longer – in which case you can hop back on the train and return to Myrdal. 

Experience it for yourself on: Timeless Scandinavia

Cinque Terre, Manarola to Rapallo, Italy

Experience some of the most awe-inspiring coastal scenery on earth at the UNESCO-listed Cinque Terre when you journey with Luxury Gold. After exploring the charming fishing village of Manarola with your Local Expert, you’ll travel by train to the historic and colorful resort town of Rapallo. Italy’s most popular scenic rail trip may be short, but it sure is sweet! As the train hugs the coastline you feel as if you’re floating across the water, from one picture-perfect village to another. 

See it on: Ultimate Italy 

Brenner Railway, Munich, Germany to Venice, Italy

The Brenner Railway was the first to cross the Alps in the 1860s, so while there are more modern options out there, this is by far one of the most charming – and it has the added benefit of passing through three countries: Germany, Austria and Italy. Starting at Munich and ending in Venice, those two great cities set high standards for views and architecture. Over the course of around 6 and a half hours, enjoying the transition up to panoramic mountain views. The opportunity to stretch your legs at the Brenner Pass, the highest point of the trip at 1371m (4498ft), is one you won’t forget.

Nova Gorica to Jesenice, Slovenia 

Tread off the beaten path and onto the Bohinj Railway, which connects two Slovenian towns: Nova Gorica and Jesenice. As far as the term ‘picture perfect’ goes, this scenic train journey fits the bill, climbing the narrow Bača Valley, plunging into the four-mile Bohinj Tunnel and emerging in the spectacular Julian Alps. You’ll slowly pass by the bright blue waters of the famous Lake Bled, eventually stopping where you can follow a footpath down through the woods to the lakeshore.

Bergensbanen, Norway 

One of the less famous scenic train rides in Europe, Bergensbanen travels between Oslo and Bergen in around six and a half hours. In that time you’ll see the fill spectrum of Norway’s natural beauty, from canyons and mountains to rivers, fjords and waterfalls. If you’re lucky, you might even spot Arctic foxes, snow owls or herds of reindeer out the window. 

Royal Scotsman, Scotland 

Take in the beauty of the Scottish Highlands on one of the world’s most luxurious trains, stopping to try a dram of Scotch whisky at a world-famous distillery, try your hand at clay pigeon shooting, or even dive into one of Scotland’s many mystical lochs for a wild swim.  

Fresh Scottish cuisine is served throughout the day and evening as you dine in the mahogany-paneled restaurant cars, showcasing the country’s finest seafood and local produce. You’re joined by a maximum of just 35 fellow guests, who you can mingle with for after dinner drinks by candlelight. For a bit of extra pampering, pop into the Dior Spa onboard and let the holistic experts take care of you. 

Related reading: 10 of the World’s Most Famous Luxury Train Rides

The Presidential Train, Portugal 

Portugal’s Presidential Train once transported royalty in the 20th century, and although it was retired in 1970 only to be restored to its former glory 40 years later. Today, you’ll board the Presidential Train at Porto’s São Bento station and journey to Quinta do Vesuvio, rolling past the Douro Valley’s famous vineyards and the Douro River. Spectacular views are accompanied by live music and multi-course menus from Michelin-starred chefs, while Portuguese wine and port tastings further elevate the 10-hour train route.  

Related reading: 5 Celebrities Who Have Experienced the Timeless Luxury of Train Travel

Jacobite Steam Train, Scotland 

Not just one of the most scenic train rides in Europe, but in the world, the Jacobite Steam Train is full of nostalgic charm. Starting near the highest mountain in Britain, Ben Nevis, it passes by loch Morar (the deepest freshwater loch in Britain) and arrives at the deepest seawater loch in Europe, Loch Nevis. The 84-mile round trip also passes Morar and the beaches used in the 1986 film Highlander. Harry Potter fans will recognize one of the most famous stops on this route, the 21-arched Glenfinnan viaduct, where the train may pause (time permitting) to allow you to take in the view.

Is there a train that takes you all around Europe?  

While there isn’t a single train that can take you all around Europe, there are rail passes that allow you to travel across multiple countries. The most popular is the Interrail Global Pass, which allows you to visit over 30,000 destinations in 33 countries in a ‘hop on and off’ style with no booking required – unless you’re traveling on high-speed, international or night trains.

Discover some of the most scenic train rides in Europe – and the world – on our Luxury Train Journeys.

Every year, 600 industry experts combine forces to declare The World’s 50 Best Hotels, celebrating the very best hotel experiences across the globe. The list is published by William Reed, also responsible for The World’s 50 Best Restaurants. In their own words, “50 Best acknowledges the many levels on which hotels operate as well as the people behind them – recognising and celebrating the most outstanding establishments and the individuals who bring them to life”.

 

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This year, the world’s best hotel is officially Capella, an incredible riverside oasis in Bangkok, which knocked last year’s number one, Passalacqua in Lake Como, down to a highly respectable second place. Bangkok had a bumper year, with four hotels on the list, making Capella’s victory all the sweeter. Of Europe’s 13 entries, there were some urban classics, such as The Connaught and Claridge’s in London and Le Bristol and Hotel de Crillon in Paris. There were a notable number of new entries in more remote destinations, including Kokomo Private Island, Six Senses Zighy Bay in Oman and The Brando in French Polynesia.

Below, we’ve chosen six of our favourite hotels from the list – in destinations you can travel to with Luxury Gold. If any of them capture your imagination, or you’d just like to experience one of the world’s best hotels for yourself, consider extending your stay at the beginning or end of your journey with us.

Say hello to the world’s best hotels

No. 6: Aman, Tokyo

At number six, this sleek, hard-edged hotel sits right in the thick of Tokyo, somehow maintaining a zen-like calm in all corners. The lines couldn’t be straighter, the windows couldn’t be bigger, the views through floor-to-ceiling windows couldn’t be more mega – and yet “the transition from city to escapism is instantaneous”. The World’s 50 Best draws particular attention to the window-side stone bathtubs, the temple-like spa, the 30-metre swimming pool and the ethereally light-filled lobby.

Majestic Japan is an 11-day journey taking in Osaka, Kyoto, Hiroshima and more. The last stop is Tokyo, making it easy to add a couple of extra days in the city.

 

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No. 4: Cheval Blanc, Paris

It’s not surprising that LVMH (Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy) makes some of the world’s best hotels, but this is its first maison in a city. It couldn’t be more in Paris – close to the Marais, over the Seine from Saint-Germain, with views of the Eiffel Tower that remain seared in your mind forever. The rooms are chic golden havens, the spa is Dior and Le Tout-Paris is a brasserie that embraces Paris’s skyline like nowhere else. It’s easy to see why this hotel is number 4.

Our Ultimate France journey is two full weeks of French immersion, by way of Monte Carlo, Provence and Bordeaux, finishing – conveniently enough – in Paris.

 

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No. 11: Claridge’s, London

Proving it really is timeless, Mayfair’s art deco icon comes in at number 11. It has been literally and figuratively flying the flag for Great Britain among the world’s best hotels since 1856, but recent years have seen the addition of a five-storey subterranean Japanese-inspired spa and a facelift for many of the sumptuous suites. Known for that very English thing – discretion – Claridge’s remains the host of choice for high society, global dignitaries, designers and celebrities.

Our 10-day British Royal journey starts in London, so you can arrive a little early and start as you mean to go on.

 

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No. 19: Four Seasons Firenze, Florence

There are four Four Seasons hotels on the list this year, all of them completely different in character. At number 19, this one is the most palatial of the properties, surrounded by Florence’s largest private garden, in the impeccably restored 15th-century Medici family palazzo. The interiors fully celebrate the Italian Renaissance, with dramatic floral displays sitting among frescoes, bronze sculptures, mosaics and moldings aplenty.

It’s about three hours to Florence from both Rome and Venice, where Ultimate Italy begins and ends.

 

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Mount Nelson, Cape Town

This is Cape Town’s Grande Dame, affectionately known as The Nellie, or Pink Lady. She’s been with us for over a century and this year she’s the best hotel in Africa, and according to this list, the world’s 28th best hotel. The candyfloss hue of the building flows through the hotel – in the towels, sun loungers, macarons and rose gardens, making for a joyful luxury space. New initiatives include replacing historic oil paintings with emerging African artists. The World’s 50 Best says service is “light-hearted and personality filled”.

Spectacular South Africa is an eight-day journey (or a 10-day journey if you add Victoria Falls), beginning in Cape Town.

 

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No. 43: Suján Jawai, Rajasthan

At number 43 is this rare beauty – a luxury camp set into the plain next to the Aravalli mountains, among billion-year-old granite rock formations, where leopards roam free. It consists of 10 tented suites, each with its own private sit-out in the Jawai wilderness. In the dining tent, meals follow the rhythm of safari – there are no set dining times. At sunrise, freshly-made Indian snacks, tea and coffee are served during the morning game drive, followed by stuffed parathas back at camp.

At the end of our 13-day Imperial Rajasthan journey, most guests fly from Udaipur to Delhi for their homeward flight, but Udaipur happens to be a mere three hours’ drive from Suján Jawai.

 

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The Rest of the Best Hotels in the World 2024:

1. Capella, Bangkok
2. Passalacqua, Lake Como
3. Rosewood, Hong Kong
4. Cheval Blanc, Paris
5. The Upper House, Hong Kong
6. Raffles, Singapore
7. Aman, Tokyo
8. Soneva Fushi, Maldives
9. Atlantis The Royal, Dubai
10. Nihi Sumba, Sumba Island
11. Claridge’s, London
12. Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok
13. Raffles London at The OWO
14. Four Seasons Bangkok at Chao Phraya River
15. Hôtel de Crillon, Paris
16. Chablé Yucatán, Chocholá
17. Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc, Antibes
18. Maroma, Riviera Maya
19. Four Seasons Firenze, Florence
20. Borgo Santandrea, Amalfi
21. Desa Potato Head, Bali
22. Bulgari, Tokyo
23. The Lana, Dubai
24. Rosewood, São Paulo
25. The Calile, Brisbane
26. The Siam, Bangkok
27. Park Hyatt, Kyoto
28. Mount Nelson, Cape Town
29. One&Only Mandarina, Riviera Nayarit
30. The Carlyle, New York
31. La Mamounia, Marrakech
32. Four Seasons, Madrid
33. Capella, Singapore
34. Four Seasons at The Surf Club, Surfside
35. Hotel Bel-Air, Los Angeles
36. Eden Rock, St. Barths
37. Aman, New York
38. Royal Mansour, Marrakech
39. Amangalla, Galle
40. Le Bristol, Paris
41. Gleneagles, Auchterarder
42. Castello di Reschio, Lisciano Niccone
43. Suján Jawai, Rajasthan
44. Singita, Kruger National Park
45. Six Senses Zighy Bay, Zaghi
46. The Connaught, London
47. The Brando, Tetiaroa
48. Hotel Esencia, Tulum
49. The Tasman, Hobart
50. Kokomo Private Island, Yaukuve Levu Island

Want to get ahead of the travel pack? The hot travel trends and destinations are already forming for next year, from the safari scene to ultra-luxe hotel openings, active pursuits and top destinations. If you’re looking for the best luxury vacations to book, here’s your starter’s guide. Wild, unspoiled nature and low formality are two things that will set the tone, says the founder of trend forecasting website Globetrender, Jenny Southan. “Sometimes when people are investing a lot in a trip, it can create a lot of pressure,” she explains. “When everyone is in a relaxed state of mind then time together becomes more enjoyable.” From hotel merchandise to padel games, here are some of the top trip styles and places to travel in 2025.

1. The “it” hotel

One of the top trends Jenny has noticed is what Globetrender is calling “hotel hotlisting”. “High-net-worth travellers are chasing new hotel openings around the world to tick off, and in so doing may find themselves exploring places they hadn’t considered before,” she explains. Some of her top openings to watch in luxury vacation destinations for 2025 include the Corinthia Bucharest in Romania, Six Senses Papagayo in Costa Rica and One&Only Moonlight Basin in Montana. Luxury Gold’s tours tick off many of the most sought-after hotels on the planet: your hotel hotlist might include Belmond Hotel das Cataratas, at Argentina’s Iguassu Falls (the Grand South America tour), South Africa’s striking Twelve Apostles Hotel & Spa (Spectacular South Africa), and Ireland’s Ashford Castle (Castles & Kingdoms tour).

Brazil’s Belmond Hotel das Cataratas, by Iguassu Falls, might make your hotel hotlist

2. Accessible safaris

Safaris are for everyone – or they should be. Jenny points to a leader in this field – Ximuwu Lodge, in South Africa’s Klaserie Private Nature Reserve – as a pioneer of accessible safaris. Ximuwu’s vehicles are adapted for wheelchair users, as well as its lodge bedrooms, pool, corridors and communal areas; there are mobile ramps to access wildlife hide locations, strategically positioned for optimal lighting so all visitors can capture great images of the Big Five.

3. Nature for family bonding

Some of the best luxury vacations for the year ahead will be in naturally bountiful nations, says Jenny. “Nature-based retreats trump cities, for example. And less formality will enable everyone to feel more relaxed than white glove service,” she observes. “The emphasis will be on time together as a family – not leaving your children in a kids’ club all day, or with a nanny. In Italy, the Borgo Egnazia hotel is organising ‘Family Happiness Breaks’, for example.” Whether nature immersion means rugged National Parks or white sand beaches to you, think about getting the family out to an outdoors-focused destination such as Norway, Ireland or Australia.

National Parks like Banff in Alberta, Canada, could be the place for your next family vacation

4. Padel in paradise

Luxury vacation destinations are getting sporty with the latest fitness trends. “We have identified a trend for ‘Racketeering’, whereby people are seeking out hotels and resorts where they can play tennis and other popular racket sports, such as padel and pickleball,” says Jenny. Even the billionaires are at it. “Necker Island, Richard Branson’s resort in the British Virgin Islands, recently installed new padel and pickleball courts, while other high-end properties and cruise ships are following suit. Unlike tennis, padel courts are smaller and the games are easier to master. Plus they’re social,” says Jenny. 

5. The screen-inspired trip

“Nantucket on the US east coast and luxury Thailand will be big due to ‘jet setting'”, says Jenny – the two destinations feature in new Netflix show The Perfect Couple, starring Nicole Kidman, and the upcoming series of The White Lotus respectively. Other inspiration for 2025’s best luxury vacations will be the upcoming film Paddington in Peru and the Mediterranean island of Malta, which served as a location for both Jurassic World Rebirth and the highly anticipated Gladiator II. For southeast Asian serenity, White Lotus style, try Luxury Gold’s Inspiring Indochina itinerary; for Paddington worthy landscapes, book Treasures of the Incas.

6. Winter sun outside the box

New openings in classic locations such as the Seychelles will be big for next year, says Jenny, who cites the new Cheval Blanc in the islands as one of the most exciting openings on her radar. A Four Seasons is also coming to Belize, putting this less well-trodden Latin American destination on the luxury map. “I saw that Bahrain is promoting itself as a winter sun holiday destination,” she adds, “and there are a number of new luxury hotels opening on Saudi Arabia’s Red sea coast”. Get ahead of the high-end travel crowd by booking less obvious winter sun destinations before everyone else gets there.

Ancient spa practices from Cambodia to India will inspire wellness trips

7. Wearable hotels

One huge travel trend in the hospitality world is luxury merchandise, says Jenny. “More and more luxury hotels are jumping on the ‘shoppable stays’ trend, where they launch highly covetable branded merchandise, fashion apparel, sports gear and homeware. These are often in partnership with couture brands such as Dior and Fendi, but also the likes of Lacoste and Superga,” she says. “Pioneers include the One&Only and Four Seasons groups, as well as Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc, Marbella’s Puente Romano Beach Resort, the Beverly Hills in LA, and Grand Hotel Tremezzo and Passalacqua in Lake Como.” 

8. South America for digital nomads

South American countries including Argentina, Brazil and Colombia are emerging as the new digital nomad destinations, Globetrender has found. Good value living costs, sunshine, nature and vibrant communities are all thought to be draws for the world’s wealthy entrepreneurs -and where the working-from-abroad crowd goes, the luxury travellers will follow. Some of the best luxury vacations for 2025 can be found in magical Peru, Brazil, Chile and Argentina. See the best of the Latin American continent on Luxury Gold’s epic, 23-day Grand South America tour.

9. Authentic spa destinations

Tapping into historical spa and healing practices will be a big trend of 2024, say Jenny and Globetrender – they recently reported on the Skjol bathing ritual you can experience in Iceland. In terms of the best luxury vacations, the world’s top spa destinations will include India for Ayurvedic practices (the luxe hotels on the Imperial Rajasthan tour have you covered), Peru’s Inkaterra lodges for ancient medicinal treatments (Treasures of the Incas) and Cambodia and Laos for steam baths, meditation and massage (Inspiring Indochina).

10. Fabulous rail journeys

Taking the train will be a core part of the luxury experience in 2025, says Jenny – going on recent Globetrender reports of The Vietage train’s new experiences in Vietnam, and champagne catering on Belmond’s luxury trains in Singapore and Europe. Bucket-list rail experiences abound in Luxury Gold’s itineraries: from Switzerland’s mountain scenery aboard the Glacier Express to Norway’s Flam Railway and Japan’s iconic bullet trains, you can ride the rails in style on several continents.