As cliché as it may sound, travel replenishes your soul – at least when you embrace it as an extension of your lifestyle, and luxury European train travel is an original means of doing just that.
Europe personifies the romantic narrative, and when a luxury European train experience is added, slowing down feels like you have elevated your travels up a notch.
As ironic as it may sound, a train adventure through Europe is one of the most epic forms of slow travel.
Once lost to the past, tales of the Orient Express were never forgotten, and slow travel by train has found its way back as a quintessential element of luxury excursions.
To elevate opulence into an authentic, transformative experience, luxury European train travel is unrivaled.
Select options for luxury European train travel
Europe’s finest travel option is as much an indulgence as a form of transport.
Slow travel on a luxury European train epitomizes quiet luxury. However, the nostalgic reminder of how travel was once more than simply traversing from point A to B seems like an element of our history we should start to repeat.
The world of European luxury train travel is all about the lavishness of the experience, and the route provides a backdrop of natural elegance that serves as a sensory element more than a functional element.
The best thing about slow travel through luxury trains is that the journey begins the second you board.
Venice Simplon-Orient-Express
Route: France to Venice through Switzerland
It is impossible to speak about luxury European train travel and not begin with the famed – or infamous – Orient Express.
But, Agatha Christie’s journey is not the experience you will have today.
Unfortunately, Christie’s Orient Express and its Paris to Istanbul route no longer exists, and since it shuttered, Belmond and Accor have invested in the rights to use the name.
Today, Belmond’s Venice Simplon-Orient-Express is one of the most popular of all Europe’s luxury trains and does justice to its namesake.
Exuding old-world charm, this glamorous train was built in the 1920s.
Belmond renovated its classic cabins with period Art Decor embellishments and flooring. The Orient Express continues to be a truly legendary experience.
This five-star train offers various routes, making stops in different cities, including:
- Verona
- London
- Venice
- Prague
- Rome
- Innsbruck
- Vienna
- Stockholm
- Berlin
- Krakow
- Budapest
- Paris
The Orient Express cabins are spacious, with large windows. Natural light illuminates the entire cabin, accentuating every intricate detail that makes the setting classical and luxurious.
There are six private rooms, including the Grand Suite, and the interior of each suite is inspired by Europe’s old world luxury cities:
- Budapest
- Vienna
- Prague
- Paris
- Venice
- Istanbul
The Orient Express continues to be a world of decadence – free-flowing champagne and a 24-hour butler service.
The Grand Suites have spacious lounging areas and marble bathrooms.
Indulge in private in-cabin dinners prepared especially for you by world-class chefs.
The price of the Grand Suite is £10,165 per person.
The other suites are inspired by the lush landscape the train journeys through, expressed via the Art Deco era.
The space is convertible, so you can use it as a lounging space during the day and a bedroom at night—starting from £7,260 per person.
Lastly, are the Historic Cabins. They have perfect banquette seats that allow you to watch the beautiful landscape.
These cabins have convertible berths for a comfortable bed at night. The price for a Historical Cabin is £3,530 per person.
The Presidential
Route: From Porto to Douro Valley
Like most European luxury train travel, Portugal’s Presidential train is immersed in history and was used by Kings, Presidents, and sometimes even Popes for their expeditions.
Offering a once-in-a-lifetime experience, the Presidential has been renovated several times to maintain its luxurious stature and elegance.
When you think of Portugal, you think of colors, and that’s precisely what you’ll see as you travel from Porto through the Douro Valley.
As soon as you step inside The Presidential, you feel like you’ve become part of history, sitting in the exact seats where presidents and rulers altered the course of the world.
Portugal’s Presidential has five luxurious carriages:
- The Head of State
- Hall of Ministers
- Comity and Security Carriage
- Restaurant Hall
- Journalist Carriage
The Presidential is an experience beyond its transport function – the train carries on tradition, seamlessly balancing the weight of modernity and the country’s heritage.
The journey begins at the São Bento Station — the station itself is a case study for architecture; every corner exudes opulent timelessness.
From São Bento Station, the Presidential travels through the Douro Valley encountering some of the most prestigious vineyards in the history of Portugal’s wine tradition.
The natural beauty is like a living canvas, and the journey on the Presidential is a true symbiosis of man, nature, and heritage.
Each trip is reserved for only 72 passengers for 75 euros per person.
British Pullman
Route: From London Victoria to Faversham, Dover, and Canterbury
The British Pullman is reminiscent of the 1920s when grandeur was the standard – a time remembered as the golden age of luxury European train travel.
The British Pullman travels through the English countryside – a collage of magnificent architecture, undulating hills, and even the astonishing White Cliffs of Dover.
The train operates throughout the year with trips to various cities offering a seasonal perspective.
The British Pullman’s main departure is London Victoria; from there, the train travels to Kent, Oxfordshire, Surrey, and Hampshire.
There are 11 carriages on this five-star train, each unique in its presentation and experience.
Having hosted Kings and Queens, every cabin exudes a regal aura. The train is decorated in period Art Deco, perfectly curated for a timeless experience.
Prominent film director Wes Anderson renovated the Cygnus carriage to pay homage to the cinema and art of that era. It is as if the existing interior of the train never aged, it simply arrived in time for your reservation.
The Carriage Club is a superb example of British fine dining — free-flowing wine and culinary options immersed in the world of cabaret: in collaboration with Private Drama Events.
Tickets range from £340 to £745, with regular journeys lasting around five hours.
Transcantábrico
Route: From San Sebastian to Santiago de Compostela
A trip across Northern Spain in expertly renovated Pullman cars that echo the roaring 20s.
The Transcantábrico circumvents Spain’s Costa Verde — the ‘Green Coast’ in a breathtaking journey of majestic architecture and expansive landscape.
Though routes occasionally change, passengers travel through Basque Country, Cantabria, Asturias and Galicia on an 8 day – 7 night journey.
The luxurious journey includes the beautiful Cantabria Sea and the small fishing villages where Spain’s cultural heritage is daily life.
The Transcantábrico is a spectacular experience in culture and luxury.
The route is unique to the Transcantábrico with four different types of cabins providing various degrees of comfort.
The Grand Suite is the most lavish, followed by regular Suites that have separate living and sleeping spaces.
The Deluxe Cabins offer cozy ambiance, whereas the Superior Cabins are opulence simplified.
Truly a luxury hotel on rails, each of the 14 deluxe suites include a private bathroom with hydromassage tub, WIFI, and 24-hour room service.
The train features four century-old salon cars:
- The Tea Room
- Entertainment Room
- Living Room
- Panorama Car
Each an experience of its own – from a cocktail bar to a reading nook or even live music.
Enjoy authentic Spanish cuisine made from local ingredients procured from along the route prepared by acclaimed chefs.
Accommodations on the Transcantábrico range from €4200 to €8900.
Astons – Europe as an asset, not a destination
For Astons’ clients, Europe is not a destination, it’s an asset. And it is an asset that Astons continues to connect our HNW clients to.
Europe is multi-dimensional portfolio diversification via a single investment – most commonly real estate or an equity fund with the added ROI of EU residency.
As free access to the European Union is coming to an end, the value of EU residency is skyrocketing and now is the time to invest at the best possible buy-in.
Schedule your Free Confidential & Comprehensive Consultation today.
