Photographs: Courtesy, Orient-Express Hotels Ltd
These 10 spectacular trains promise the most exciting and luxurious journeys through historic places, rocky mountains, forests, deserts and even snowcapped landscapes.
Here's a list of the world's top 10 trains as listed by National Geographic.
Venice Simplon-Orient-Express
One of the world’s best luxury trains, the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express travels from London to Venice.
Founded by James Sherwood in 1982, the train is owned by Orient-Express Hotels Ltd.
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World's 10 best luxury trains
Image: A restaurant inside the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express.Photographs: Courtesy, Orient-Express Hotels Ltd
The vintage carriages from 1920s-30s promise a romantic and memorable trip. It also offers a service from Paris to Istanbul in September.
Every carriage has been revamped to offer one of the finest luxury experiences. Grand cabins with a steward and European cuisine freshly prepared in the train’s kitchen are the other highlights.
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World's 10 best luxury trains
Image: Thalys Alstom train.Photographs: Ale Sasso/Wikimedia Commons
Thalys Alstom
Thalys Alstom runs international high-speed trains between Paris and Brussels.
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World's 10 best luxury trains
Image: Refurbished Thalys.Photographs: Mauritsvink/Wikimedia Commons
Thalys trains also connect Antwerp, Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Liege, Bruges, Ghent, Charleroi, Aachen and Cologne. Thalys is a service offered jointly by the Belgian, French, Dutch and German railways.
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World's 10 best luxury trains
Image: The Blue TrainPhotographs: Andrew Balet/Wikimedia Commons
The Blue Train
A ‘5-star hotel’ on wheels, The Blue Train travels between Pretoria and Cape Town in South Africa.
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World's 10 best luxury trains
Image: The Blue Train.Photographs: Shine 2010/ Wikimedia Commons
It has a butler service, two lounge cars, an observation car and carriages with gold-tinted picture windows and fully carpeted compartments.
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World's 10 best luxury trains
Photographs: Courtesy, Orient-Express Hotels Ltd.
Royal Scotsman
The Royal Scotsman is a Scottish luxury charter train run by Orient-Express Hotels Ltd.
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World's 10 best luxury trains
Image: Royal ScotsmanPhotographs: Courtesy, Orient-Express Hotels Ltd.
The train has nine cars; two dining cars, five state cars, one crew car and one observation car.
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World's 10 best luxury trains
Image: Al Andalus ExpressPhotographs: Courtesy, luxurytrainclub.com
Al Andalus Express
The Alandalus Express with elegant interiors and luxurious facilities takes travellers on a memorable journey across the Spain.
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World's 10 best luxury trains
Image: Al Andalus ExpressPhotographs: Courtesy, luxurytrainclub.com
The Alandalus has fourteen cars revamped to offer all modern amenities. The cars are equipped with air-conditioning and heating systems.
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World's 10 best luxury trains
Image: Trans-Siberian ExpressPhotographs: Courtesy, Trans-Siberian Railway
Trans-Siberian Express
The longest railway line in the world, the Trans-Siberian Railway is a network that connects Moscow with the Russian Far East. The 9,259 km-distance from Moscow to Vladivostok is the longest railway route.
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World's 10 best luxury trains
Image: Trans-Siberian RailwayPhotographs: Reuters
Many trains offer services on different picturesque routes on this network. The Classic Big Trans-Siberian Moscow to Beijing is one of the popular trips on this route.
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World's 10 best luxury trains
Photographs: Jerry Huddleston/Wikimedia Commons
The Royal Canadian Pacific
Operated by the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR), the service started on June 7, 2000.
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World's 10 best luxury trains
Image: The Royal Canadian PacificPhotographs: Jerry Huddleston/Wikimedia Commons
The train with eight luxury passenger cars operates from June to September through the rocky mountains in Alberta and British Columbia.
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World's 10 best luxury trains
Image: The British PullmanPhotographs: Courtesy, Orient-Express Hotels Ltd.
The British Pullman
Pullman trains in Britain have some of the finest first-class coaches and a steward service.
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World's 10 best luxury trains
Photographs: Courtesy, Orient-Express Hotels Ltd.
The train takes you on a magical trip through Britain’s countryside with a five-course dinner with Champagne and half a bottle of wine per person.
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World's 10 best luxury trains
Image: The Rocky MountaineerPhotographs: Leonard G/Wikimedia Commons
The Rocky Mountaineer
Rocky Mountaineer trains run on four rail routes through British Columbia and Alberta.
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World's 10 best luxury trains
Image: Rocky Mountaineer enroute from Banff to Vancouver.Photographs: Leonard G/Wikimedia Commons
Rocky Mountaineer has been awarded the ‘World's Leading Travel Experience by Train’ at the World Travel Awards seven times.
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World's 10 best luxury trains
Image: The GhanPhotographs: Courtesy, The Ghan
The Ghan
The Ghan runs between Adelaide, Alice Springs, and Darwin on the Adelaide–Darwin railway in Australia.
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World's 10 best luxury trains
Photographs: Courtesy, The Ghan
Operated by Great Southern Rail, the journey takes 54 hours with a four-hour stopover in Alice Springs.
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