Forget flying by private jet or cruising the world on a superyacht: luxury rail travel is fast becoming the most desirable mode of transport for the richest 1%. Enticed by its eco credentials, not to mention the promise of romance, opulence, and the adventure that travelling by train offers, the mega-moneyed are going all out for going all aboard.

From splurging on trips on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express to chartering whole trains, read on to explore the most wildly expensive rail experiences, charters, and private trains – including the jaw-dropping "palace on rails" that's worth $350 million (£275m). 

We've ranked these rail experiences by cost per night per person based on double occupancy where data is available. All dollar amounts in US dollars.

South Africa offers two luxury train experiences: the Blue Train and Rovos Rail, with the latter the more expensive of the pair.

Rovos Rail boasts seven locomotives, each with a series of plush Edwardian-era accommodation carriages. The trains feature dining cars, lounge cars, observation cars, and open-air balconies.

Rovos Rail's most expensive trip actually takes place outside South Africa. A breathtaking 15-day, 14-night odyssey, the Copper Trail crosses Zimbabwe, Zambia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Angola, taking in Victoria Falls and other natural wonders. A three-day safari is also included.

Guests opting for the top-end Royal Suite package can expect to pay $23,600 (£18,570) for the trip, which works out at $1,686 (£1,327) per night.

The fare includes all meals and drinks – gourmet dishes such as prized game are served alongside the finest South African wines – as well as access to an onboard hair stylist, doctor, and historian.

Remarkably spacious at 172 square feet (16 square metres), each Royal Suite occupies half a carriage and features a private lounge area and ensuite bathroom, complete with a Victorian clawfoot bath.

Australia's swankiest rail experience started out in 1929 as The Afghan Express. Now considered one of the world's greatest train journeys, the renamed The Ghan trundles 1,851 miles (2,979km) through the Aussie outback on a route that takes it from Adelaide to Darwin via Alice Springs.

The epic Ghan Expedition package, which stretches over four days and three nights, is only matched by its epic fare prices. The most expensive option, the Platinum Service, comes in at $5,280 (£4,155), which works out at $1,760 (£1,385) per person per night.

Platinum passengers get dibs on the train's best ensuite cabins and have access to the Platinum Club, an exclusive bar carriage. There, they can sip on Bollinger champagne to their hearts' content and enjoy gourmet meals in the Art Deco-style Queen Adelaide Restaurant.

The Platinum fare includes several excursions, including a "spectacular dinner under the stars" in Alice Springs and a tour of the subterranean opal mining town of Coober Pedy.

Founded in 1989 by businessman Tim Littler, the UK's Golden Eagle describes itself as an operator of "the world's leading luxury private trains". 

The firm has indefinitely suspended its best-known service, the Trans-Siberian Express, due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. However, it has managed to pivot its business to its Central and Southern Asian and European offerings. These include the Danube Express, which the company acquired in 2015.

The upscale Danube Express's most expensive trip is its seven-day, six-night Castles of Transylvania package.

The trip includes one night at the five-star Pera Palace Hotel in Istanbul, the departure destination, and one night at the Four Seasons Gresham Palace in Budapest at the end of the line.

Aboard the train, passengers can enjoy a champagne reception and dine on regional specialities. Based on double occupancy, a Superior Deluxe Class cabin, which comes with all mod cons and a private ensuite bathroom, costs $14,095 (£11,295) per person or $2,349 (£1,882) per night. The single option is priced at $23,395 (£18,895), translating to $3,933 (£3,149) per night.

Royal Canadian Pacific's historic fleet of impeccably restored train carriages date from the early 20th century and have hosted a number of eminent travellers over the decades, including Queen Elizabeth II, Sir Winston Churchill, and Franklin D Roosevelt.

The venerable operator's flagship trip is the awe-inspiring Rockies Experience, a five-day, four-night tour of the mountain range that departs from Calgary.

It costs from $10,400 (£8,184) per passenger, so $2,600 (£2,045) per night. Even if you have the cash, tickets can be hard to come by. Seats are so in demand there's reportedly a very long waiting list.

Guests aboard this "five-star hotel on wheels" are treated like royalty and can dine from a locally and ethically sourced menu that boasts specialities such as caviar and Alberta venison, not to mention the most prized Canadian wines.

The staterooms are every bit as luxurious as you'd expect. Each features its own indulgent amenities, including a three-piece ensuite bathroom.

Described as Vietnam's premier rail experience, The Vietage offers one of the world's most extravagant rail excursions.

Its two elegant train carriages seat 12 guests apiece and are each available to hire in their entirety from a hefty $2,750 (£2,164) for a six-hour one-way trip, according to Luxury Train Club.

Launched in 2020 by hotel group Anantara, the superlative service runs from historic Hoi An to the coastal resort of Quy Nhon (198 miles/319km to the south). It's recently added beach destination Nha Trang to its destination list.

In addition to a sit-up bar, each carriage has six stylish booths with two window seats, through which lucky guests can marvel at the gorgeous scenery of central Vietnam.

With cocktails and wine flowing, ticket holders can enjoy a lavish three-course meal that fuses Vietnamese and French cuisine. Delicacies like wagyu beef and foie gras are on the menu, with champagne and caviar on the side.

Best of all is the wellbeing cabin, where pampered passengers can enjoy a blissful head and shoulder massage as they watch the world go by.

Owned by LVMH, Belmond has an enviable portfolio that includes some of the world's most renowned hotels and restaurants, as well as four of the most prestigious rail experiences: the fabled Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, Royal Scotsman, Andean Explorer, and Eastern & Oriental Express.

The latter, launched in 1972, travels between Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. It recently underwent a stunning refurbishment and will return to service in 2024 following a four-year hiatus.

The Eastern & Oriental Express offers two four-day, three-night trips departing from Singapore that explore Malaysia. Guests will get to relish gourmet local dishes, while artisans, musicians, and storytellers will be on board to provide immersive cultural experiences.

The 125-square-foot (12 square metre) Presidential Suite is the most expensive option. Supremely comfortable, it features a large ensuite bathroom, top-class amenities, and superlative service, with caviar on arrival and champagne on tap.

Both trips start from $8,600 (£6,767) per person based on double occupancy or $17,200 (£13,533) for a single, which works out to $2,867 (£2,256) and $5,733 (£4,511) per night respectively.

South America's most elegant train, Belmond's Andean Explorer connects the ancient Peruvian cities of Cusco and Arequipa, offering astonishing vistas of the Andes Mountains.

Decorated with furnishings that marry traditional Peruvian style with Art Deco elements, the 16-carriage midnight blue train is a real gem.

Guests are taken on culinary adventures exploring local cuisine in the train's two dining cars. They can also relax with a cocktail in the lounge car or boost their wellbeing in the spa carriage.

According to Luxury Train Club, the most expensive option is a 141-square-foot (13 square metre) double ensuite cabin on the one-night Spirit of the Andes Trip.

It costs $3,500 (£2,754) per person based on double occupancy or $6,125 (£4,819) for a solo passenger.

Amid surging demand among the super-rich for luxury train experiences, Le Grand Tour launched last summer to great fanfare.

The brainchild of French theme park company Puy du Fou, it's a six-day, five-night immersive tour of France aboard a beautiful Belle Époque-style train.

Billed as "a theatre in motion" by Puy du Fou, the unique experience takes guests on a 2,485-mile (4,000km) cultural and gastronomic journey like no other. The adventure begins in Paris, and there are curated stops in Carcassonne, Avignon, and Arcachon, with excursions to the chateaux of the Loire Valley and Avignon's Palace of the Popes.

The train comprises 18 cabins named after French historical figures, along with a sumptuous bar and restaurant cars, where guests can indulge in fine champagne and exquisite cuisine designed by three Michelin-starred chef Alexandre Couillon, who's featured on the hit Netflix show Chef's Table.

The Adjoining Suites are Le Grand Tour's more extravagant cabins. They each span an extra-generous 269 square feet (25 square metres) and include a double bedroom, lounge, and private bathroom. A dedicated butler caters to guests every whim. Prices start from $17,816 (£14,018) per person, which works out at $3,563 (£1,865) per night.

Another jewel in Belmond's crown, the Royal Scotsman has been traversing Caledonia's glorious Highlands and Lowlands since 1985. It now offers 12 services that depart from and return to Edinburgh.

Richly decorated with mahogany panelling and fine tweed and tartan furnishings, the train's carriages include two dining cars where the onboard chefs work magic with the finest Scottish ingredients, such as Aberdeen Angus beef and wild salmon.

Passengers can kick back in the bar with a dram or live it up by taking part in a traditional ceilidh, with entertainment provided every evening. They can then soothe their tired muscles with a treatment in the Dior Spa, where therapists are reportedly trained to synchronise massages with the movements of the train.

New for 2024 are the Royal Scotsman's Grand Suites, which have no doubt been introduced to meet the demand for ever more luxurious rail experiences. Larger than the standard cabins, they're more plushly outfitted too, with each featuring a double bed, lounge area, and spacious ensuite.

Each Grand Suite also comes with a butler service. Unsurprisingly, the Grand Suite option isn't cheap, starting from $7,625 (£6,000) per person for a two-night Highland journey, so $3,813 (£3,000) per night.

The Orient Express brand belongs to French rail operator SNCF and AccorHotels, each controlling 50%. Accor snapped up its share in 2017 and is launching its first Orient Express-branded rail service this year.

The train pays homage to Italy's fabulous Dolce Vita period of the late 1950s and early 1960s, and its slick midcentury-modern interior design harks back to that era.

Eight one-night and two-night trips are on offer, from a wine-themed tour of Tuscany to a journey along the coast of Sicily.

Guests can expect a unique immersive experience that even includes onboard ballet, and can dine on refined Italian classics and delicacies such as sea urchins and truffles. And of course, meals are paired with the finest Italian wine.

Prices for the fanciest accommodation on board, the achingly stylish 118-square-foot (11 square metre) La Dolce Vita Suite, start from $4,020 (£3,167) per person per night. The suite features a master bedroom, lounge, and private bathroom.

Now that its Trans-Siberian route is a no-no, Golden Eagle's eponymous train operates in Central Asia, tracing the ancient Silk Road.

The Bar Lounge car is the heart of the train and the setting for an array of activities and entertainment. It even boasts a resident pianist. Two restaurant cars offer high-end international and local specialities, including caviar and sturgeon.

The 14-day, 13-night Republic of the Silk Road tour, which travels through the "Five Stans" (Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Turkmenistan), is the train's most expensive trip.

For this journey, the Imperial Suite option – which offers passengers 120 square feet (11 square metres) of floor space, a king-sized bed, a lounge area, and a bathroom – is priced at $52,495 (£41,305) per person based on two sharing, or $103,895 (£81,749) for single occupancy. That's $4,038 (£3,177) and $7,992 (£6,288) respectively per night.

Officially India's most luxurious train, the Maharajahs' Express draws inspiration from the wonderfully ornate private rail carriages of the nation's bygone royalty ("maharajah" is Sanskrit for "great king").

Launched in 2010 by the tourism arm of the state-owned Indian Railways, the regal train operates four captivating itineraries departing from Mumbai or Delhi, including Agra for the Taj Mahal, Jaipur, Mumbai, and various other must-see destinations.

Guests are spoiled with exemplary service, with each cabin allotted a personal butler. Two fine-dining restaurants showcase the finest regional Indian cuisine and international dishes, together with a chic bar and lounge.

The majestic Presidential Suite is the most expensive of all the cabins. The largest suite in our round-up at an incredible 448 square feet (41 square metres), it wows with two double bedrooms, a capacious living area, and two ensuite bathrooms, including one with a full-sized bathtub.

Naturally, it doesn't come cheap: the suite will set you back $52,269 (£41,499) for a seven-day, six-night trip, the equivalent of $7,467 (£5,928) a night.

As well as being one of the priciest luxury train experiences in the world, Japan's Seven Stars in Kyushu has got to be the most exclusive.

Simply being super-rich isn't enough to secure a seat on the highly desirable train: with each journey restricted to just 20 guests, potential passengers sometimes have to apply for their tickets, with winners selected lottery-style.

The seven-carriage "cruise train" debuted in 2013 and has been a hit from the beginning.

A ravishing fusion of Japanese and Western design, the wood-panelled carriages include a dining car serving epicurean delights from the region, a piano lounge, and a traditional Japanese tea room.

The train's two Deluxe Suites are the most expensive, so naturally the hardest to secure. The larger of the pair is 226 square feet (21 square metres) and features a lounge area, sleeping area, and ensuite bathroom. But the pièce de résistance is most definitely that sensational rear window (shown here). 

A Deluxe Suite costs 1.5 million yen per person for a two-day, one-night trip, which equates to a whopping $10,150 (£8,059).

The world's most iconic train, Belmond's Venice Simplon-Orient-Express is simply the crème de la crème of travelling by rail. 

The Art Deco beauty, which travels between London and Venice, as well as a number of other destinations around the continent, exudes timeless glamour and offers unbridled luxury.

Made up of 17 impeccably restored 1920s and 1930s carriages, the train transports its well-heeled passengers back to the golden age of European rail travel.

Highlights include the Art Nouveau Bar Car and three opulent restaurant cars, where guests can feast on haute cuisine accompanied by premium wines.

The six magnificent Grand Suites are the largest and most decadent booking options for guests looking to travel in serious style. They each feature their own distinctive décor, a double bed, lounge area, and private bathroom. Each Grand Suite is subject to a 24-hour butler service, and guests can enjoy unlimited champagne. 

Of course, this doesn't come cheap. A Grand Suite for the classic London to Venice journey costs from $12,906 (£10,165) per person based on double occupancy – a jaw-dropping price when you consider that passengers spend just one night on the train.

But for travellers with a limitless budget, there are even more spectacular options to consider...

A once-in-a-lifetime adventure for the mega-wealthy rail enthusiast with time to spare, the Around the World by Luxury Train package from US travel operator Railbookers is an 80-day extravaganza.

It includes journeys on seven of the world's most splendid trains: Canada's Rocky Mountaineer, Rovos Rail, Danube Express, Eastern & Orient Express, Royal Scotsman, Maharajahs' Express, and Venice Simplon-Orient-Express.

Needless to say, the mind-blowing package, which covers 13 countries, is mind-blowingly expensive. Tickets start from $113,559 (£89,462) per person, based on two sharing.

Mega-wealthy passengers who want to travel in privacy are hiring entire railcars, paying through the nose to do so directly or via brokers such as the Luxury Train Club, Train Chartering, and Luxury Train Tickets.

In fact, just about every luxury train experience, from Rovos Rail to the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, allows passengers to lease carriages.

Prices are available on application only. The most luxurious carriages are likely to cost tens of thousands of dollars to hire on a daily basis.

For high-net-worth individuals who want to take their love of rail travel to the next level, there's an even more tempting option: chartering an entire luxury train.

Again, most high-end trains can be chartered, with prices typically starting from around $47,000 (£33,316k) per day, according to the Luxury Train Club and Train Chartering. But that's the bare minimum, and the cost of chartering the very best trains likely reaches hundreds of thousands of dollars daily.

The ridiculously rich – think centimillionaires and billionaires – are going even further by buying their own railcars and giving them luxe makeovers. In fact, private railcar sales are positively booming in the USA. 

For example, John Paul DeJoria, the billionaire founder of Patrón Spirits Co, snapped up a disused 1927 railcar and spent around $2 million (£1.6m) restoring the vintage beauty.

The extremely wealthy even have the option of purchasing an entire luxury train.

Usually the preserve of dictators and royalty, a private luxury train comes at a price even the wealthiest billionaire would baulk at. We're talking hundreds of millions of dollars – just look at the showstopping $350 million (£275m) G Train by way of example...

The world's first commercially available private luxury train, this "palace on rails" spans 1,312ft (400m) and comprises 14 cars, with space for 18 passengers.

It rocks an incredible glass casing that switches from transparent to opaque, as well as a series of unbelievable spaces including a garden and an art gallery. There are even wings that fold down to create alfresco terraces.

The handiwork of Steve Jobs' yacht designer Thierry Gaugain, the G Train is envisaged as a green alternative to a private jet or superyacht. It could become the ultimate status symbol for the eco-conscious billionaire.

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