The Luxurious Art of Slow Travel
- Karen Bartlett
- Mar 26
- 3 min read
Rail Journeys
The Eastern & Oriental Express traveling through Malaysia
There's such a sense of timelessness on a journey by rail. The hypnotic rumble of wheels on rails creates a sort of white noise that tempts the mind to let go of the chatter, allowing one to be fully present in the moment, knowing that every little detail will be taken care of by someone else. From panoramic window walls, domed glass ceilings and open-air observation cars, one can glide seamlessly through exotic lands, pausing for immersive experiences where the lines of history are blurred, and centuries-old cultures are celebrated in decor and cuisine. Dawn merges into daylight and then to starlight and night, inducing deep, dreamless sleep.
My first overnight train experience as a young child was hardly luxurious, but at age eight, I felt like royalty with the white linen dinner and turn-down services by smartly uniformed porters. I was mesmerized by the passing world through the window of my vintage Pullman sleeping berth. It's hard to imagine how my parents managed to contort themselves into those tiny sleeping spaces. Still, the thrill of those short rail trips bonded our family of five and left me with a lifelong yearning for more.
An Agatha Christie Moment
Fast forward a couple of decades to my first luxury train journey through tropical Malaysia between Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur aboard the Eastern & Oriental Express. The carriages were appointed throughout with fine embroidery, silks and rich wood paneling. Our berths were spacious, the amenities and bed linens luxurious, and instead of waving back at children along the tracks, we exchanged greetings with saffron-robed Buddhist monks from our open-air observation car. In Penang, musicians in traditional costume welcomed our arrival at the station and we explored the island's colonial architecture and temples by rickshaw. My passion for train travel was reignited.
Since then, the O&E joins its sister the Venice-Simplon Orient Express and an exclusive family of luxury rail lines, rebranded as Belmond, from the French words for "beautiful" and "world."
Interiors of L'Observatoire
L'Observatoire
In March 2025, Venice-Simplon Orient Express, which traverses Europe between Paris and Istanbul, welcomed the luckiest travelers in the world aboard the most extravagant train carriage ever imagined. Designed by acclaimed French photographer/graffiti artist Jean-Rene, known in the art world as simply JR, the 333 square-foot L'Observatoire Suite is appointed with the finest amenities and personally curated gifts selected by the artist himself. An oculus (domed skylight) opens on command atop the sumptuous bedroom with its spa-quality bath and the adjoining secret tearoom with its 1,000-book library. Chef-curated private dining and 24-hour butler service go without saying. Fares begin at $100,200 per night. Beautiful world, indeed.
The Scottish Highlands
Belmond extended its legendary rail experience into the Scottish Highlands when it acquired and updated the acclaimed Royal Scotsman. The train snakes around the ancient castles and legendary lochs, beneath mountain peaks and across Harry Potter's mythical (and very real) Glenfinnan Viaduct. There's a whiskey tasting at a famous distillery, traditional ceilidhs, and other memory-making off-train experiences. Lacquered wood paneling, rich plaids, and other touches evoke the storybook ambience of an Edwardian country house. The new Grand Suites come with a butler, spa treatments, and other luxuries to which I wish to become accustomed.
Peru: World's Highest Train Route
Belmond's Andean Explorer is both South America's first luxury sleeper train and the world's highest train route. It may also be the most colorful, with vibrant Peruvian colors, traditional cuisine and indigenous-inspired spa rituals. Highlights are Cusco, the ancient capital of the Inca Empire, Lake Titicaca, the colonial city of Arequipa, the floating islands of Uros, and Colca Canyon, the third deepest canyon in the world.
Left: A Belmond dining car
Middle: The Red Dunes of Sossusvei via Rovos Rail
Right: A Bengal tiger roams free in the vast wildlife reserve of Ranthambore National Park
Belmond holds the crown for luxury train travel, but there are other continents and other spectacular rail experiences. I dream of the 11-night Rovos Rail passage across the still-wild heart of Africa, to witness the sun rise over the red dunes of Sossusvei in the Namib Desert. That palace on wheels, and The Maharajas Express to the Ranthambore Bengal tiger sanctuary, the Pink City of Jaipur and the Taj Mahal. Even the one-day excursion aboard the glass-domed Rocky Mountaineer through vast canyons and deserts between Denver, Colorado and the Red Rocks of Utah. No glam suites or secret tea rooms; just the sheer joy of riding the rails.
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