7 of the best new rail holidays in 2025

With luxury train travel heading to Middle East in 2026, now is the time to get acquainted with services available now

The romance of rail travel is hard to resist: the slow simmer of a destination as passengers journey past windswept coastlines, vertiginous mountains and tiny villages, enjoying it all from their carriage window. 

Appetite shows no signs of abating, with vacation rail packager, Railbookers, reporting at its second annual global summit in December 2024 that the company saw a record year with 30% growth in revenue and an already strong start to bookings in 2025, leading 31% ahead of the previous year at the time. 

Luxury rail travel is heading to Middle East in 2026, with Saudi's Arabia's Dream of the Desert set to become the region's first five-star rail journey. The train will run northwest from Riyadh towards Al Haditha near the border with Jordan, passing Majmaah, Qassim, Hail, Jouf and Qurayyat, and offer passengers stops at historic attractions and curated cultural programmes. 

In the meantime, for a true taste of 'slow travel', here are some of the best new train journeys your clients in the Gulf region could be hopping aboard.

1. The GoldenPass Express, Switzerland
The scenic Swiss towns of Montreux (lead image) and Interlaken are worthy destinations, but the real joy is in the three-hour train ride that connects them.

“The GoldenPass Express can now travel all the way from Montreux to Interlaken without the need to change, with beautiful views along the route,” says Hannah Green, Senior Product Executive at Inghams. 

Panoramic windows will make passengers feel as if they’ve bagged a front-row seat to Switzerland’s Alpine scenery as the train meanders among wildflower meadows, chocolate-box villages and glassy lakes. 

2. Alaska Railroad Aurora Winter Train, Alaska
Mother Nature outdid herself with the larger-than-life landscapes of Alaska, from the icy vistas of Denali National Park to aurora spotting by night. Take a trip that puts the four-hour Alaska Railroad Aurora Winter Train – one of the best ways to appreciate Alaska’s scenery – front and centre, and dip into the Indigenous heritage with cultural museum visits.

Kelly Jackson, Managing Director at TTC Tour Brands, says: “Cosmic activity is at an all-time high, so it’s a wonderful time to book a trip to see the northern lights. We even have a professional night photographer to ensure everyone walks away with a high-quality photo.”

3. Britannic Explorer, Wales
Belmond needs little introduction as a curator of indulgent rail journeys, but Britannic Explorer takes things up a notch. Fred Holidays, which released a new-look rail brochure in December, makes the most of the new route, whisking clients from London to Wales for a gentle glide through the craggy Pembrokeshire coast and the rugged scenery of Snowdonia.

Sally Barlow, Rail Product Manager at Fred Holidays, says: “England and Wales’ first luxury sleeper train – from the makers of the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express – is a work of art in motion.”

4. Vistadome, Peru
Walking the Inca Trail might be the most famous way to reach Machu Picchu, but the Vistadome train is a lot more comfortable. This year, its carriages have been upgraded with panoramic windows for all-encompassing glimpses of the Sacred Valley. Passengers are treated to theatrical performances en route, from Andean dances to an alpaca clothing fashion show.

“From the jagged peaks of the Andes to the fascinating juxtaposition of Inca culture and colonial architecture in its vibrant cities, Peru is one of the most intriguing South American countries to visit,” says Christian Locke, Head of Long-haul Product at Riviera Travel. 

5. Amtrak, The Deep South, US
Devastated by hurricane Katrina in 2005, the rail links along the US Gulf Coast are getting a new lease of life 20 years later thanks to the rebirth of Amtrak’s twice-daily service from New Orleans, Louisiana to Mobile, Alabama. Scheduled to start in summer (but subject to change), the route will stop at four places in Mississippi along the way, offering doses of small-town America.

Cath Pusey, Product Director at America As You Like It, says: “A twin-centre holiday between these two cities is now much easier, because it doesn’t require visitors to have a car.”

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6. Indian Pacific, Australia
Few train journeys are as epic as those on the Indian Pacific – an odyssey through rust-red plains, wine regions and Gold Rush history. Bookended by Perth and Sydney, the trip is even more impressive in 2025, with an extra night and new off-train excursions.

“These experiences tell a unique story of the land, providing a sense of place, people and culture,” explains Renee Cornelissen, Group Manager for International Sales at Journey Beyond.

7. European Sleeper, Central Europe
Train travel in Europe often veers between the utilitarian and uber luxury. Now, the European Sleeper service is offering visitors a way to navigate the continent on rails in a comfortable, yet affordable manner. The inaugural service from Brussels to Prague via Berlin launched in 2023 and has paved the way for a new European Sleeper line from Brussels to Venice, which began in March 2025 (albeit with a few teething issues) and pauses in several major cities en route, including Eindhoven, Munich and Innsbruck.

Anna Davies, Director of Partnership Marketing at Railbookers, says: “Travelling by train continues to enjoy growing demand year after year, and it’s a fantastic opportunity for agents. Central and eastern Europe are doing particularly well for 2025 and, with the European Sleeper route to Prague, there has never been more flexibility for travelling to this part of the world by rail.” 

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