The Orient Express was a long-distance passenger train service created in 1883 by the Belgian company Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits (CIWL) that operated until 2009. The train traveled the length of continental Europe, with main terminal stations in Paris in the northwest and Istanbul in the southeast, and branches extending service to Athens, Brussels, and London.
First class is the most luxurious and most expensive travel class of seats and service on a train, passenger ship, airplane, bus, or other system of transport. Compared to business class and economy class, it offers the best service and most comfortable accommodation.
The Palace on Wheels is India's first luxury tourist train launched by the Indian Railways in joint collaboration with Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation (RTDC) to promote tourism in Rajasthan. The train was launched in 1982. The train has been renamed as Heritage Palace on Wheels.
The Deccan Odyssey is an Indian luxury train modeled on the Palace on Wheels luxury train and put into service to boost tourism on the Maharashtra route of the Indian Railways. The train, owned by travel company Cox & Kings since 2014, takes visitors on a variety of seven night, eight day trips across Maharashtra.
Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) is an Indian public sector undertaking that provides ticketing, catering, and tourism services for the state-owned Indian Railways. It was established in 1999 by the Government of India and operated under the administrative control of the Ministry of Railways. In 2019, it was listed on the National Stock Exchange and Bombay Stock Exchange with the Government holding a 67% ownership. As of December 2023, there are 66 million registered users with IRCTC with a daily average of 7.31 lakh tickets booked.
The Blue Train travels an approximately 1,600-kilometre (990 mi) journey in South Africa between Pretoria and Cape Town. It is one of the most luxurious train journeys in the world. It boasts butler service, two lounge cars, an observation car, and carriages with gold-tinted picture windows, in soundproofed, fully carpeted compartments, each featuring its own en-suite. The service is promoted as a "magnificent moving five-star hotel" by its operators, who note that kings and presidents have travelled on it.
Mandarin Oriental, Singapore is a luxury hotel located in Marina Centre next to Marina Square Shopping Mall and near Suntec City, home to one of Asia Pacific's largest convention centers – the Suntec Singapore International Convention and Exhibition Centre, and the city's financial district. The hotel includes 527 rooms and suites, 6 restaurants and bars, and a Spa at Mandarin Oriental, Singapore.
The Belmond Royal Scotsman is a Scottish overnight luxury train, started in 1985 by GS&WR, and run since 2005 by Belmond Ltd. Its itineraries include 2, 3, 4, 5 or 7-night journeys around the Scottish Highlands, visiting castles, distilleries and historic sites. Once each year, it also makes a 7-night journey around the whole of Great Britain.
The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express (VSOE) is a private luxury train service from London to Venice and other European cities. It is currently owned by Belmond.
Kowloon Shangri-La is a five-star hotel of the Hong Kong-based Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts group. It is located on Mody Road in Tsim Sha Tsui East overlooking Victoria Harbour and the Hong Kong Island skyline. It is the sister hotel to the Island Shangri-La in Admiralty district, Hong Kong.
The Great South Pacific Express was a luxury Australian train service, run in by Queensland Rail and Belmond, the operator of the Venice-Simplon Orient Express.
The Eastern & Oriental Express is a luxury cruise train that carries passengers between Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand.
Rovos Rail is a private railway company operating out of Capital Park Station in Pretoria, South Africa.
The Golden Chariot is a luxury tourist train that connects the important tourist spots in the Indian states of Karnataka, Goa, Kerala & Tamil Nadu as well as Puducherry, depending on the selected itinerary. The train is operated by the Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation and The Maple Group handles the hospitality services on the train.
Luxury trains are a premium passenger rail service. Some luxury trains promote tourism in destinations across a region, while others take passengers on a ride through a single country.
Indian Railways (IR), Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) and different state governments provide a variety of luxury rail travel in India. These are:
The Mark Hotel is a luxury hotel, situated at 25 East 77th Street, at Madison Avenue, on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, New York City. Originally constructed in 1927 in the Renaissance Revival style, the building was purchased by Izak Senbahar of Alexico Group and Simon Elias in 2006 and the building's interiors were reimagined by French designer Jacques Grange in 2009.
The Mahaparinirvan Express is a tourist train which was launched by the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) on 28 March 2007, to attract Buddhist pilgrims. The train takes passengers on an eight-day, seven-night spiritual tour which visits Buddhist sites across North India and Nepal.
InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort is a resort & spa in Da Nang, Vietnam. It is one of the resorts under the management of InterContinental Hotels Group in Vietnam. The resort opened on June 1, 2012.
Lorenzo Sousa Debarbieri is an entrepreneur, businessman and author from Lima who oversees large privately held tourism and railway companies in Peru.
