Rail vacations FAQ’s
Will I have enough time in each place?
Railway vacations are as much about the vacation as the rail. They are designed for people who relish rail travel but also want to get off the train and explore more than on your average coach tour, for example. So, in general, railway vacation suppliers are proponents of slow travel, giving you a couple of days in favourite spots along the way. Transits are organised when necessary from the train station and back again, and unless it is a very independent style railway vacation, you will often be met by a local guide at the railway station.
Our Railway Vacations
Scotland by railway vacation
Experience authentic Scotland independently and car-free
From
£1135 to £1195
8 days
ex flights
Trans Mongolian railway vacation
Ride the Iconic Trans-Mongolian Railway in all it's glory.
From
£3145
16 days
ex flights
Southern Europe rail tour, 16 days
Tour through the best of Southern Europe in 3 weeks!
From
£1959
21 days
ex flights
Xian to Istanbul overland tour
Experience the Silk Road and the beautiful Caucasus
From
£9515
42 days
ex flights
Railway tour of Morocco
Rediscover Morocco's two greatest Imperial Cities by rail.
From
£595 to £650
8 days
ex flights
West Highland Line railway vacation in Scotland
Take the "The World's Best Rail Journey" to the Isle of Skye
From
£695 to £755
4 days
ex flights
Ireland vacation by train
Discover contrasts of Dublin, Galway and Belfast, car-free.
From
£1125 to £1245
9 days
ex flights
Reunification Express vacation, Vietnam
Most wonderful way to travel from north to south of Vietnam
From
US $1540 to US $1810
15 days
ex flights
Eastern europe by train, the Iron Curtain tour
Whizz around Europe's lesser-visited cities by rail!
From
£629
8 days
ex flights
Scotland island hopping vacation, car free
Explore three contrasting Scottish islands car-free
From
£1195 to £1295
8 days
ex flights
Trans Mongolian express rail tour, Beijing to St Petersburg
ride the rails on this once-in-a-lifetime trip
From
US $3485 to US $4099
19 days
ex flights
North india rail tour
Take the train right to the heart of India’s colourful cultural northern region
From
US $765 to US $1099
9 days
ex flights
Central Europe rail tour, 15 days
An exciting trip around the continent's fairytale cities
From
£1369
15 days
ex flights
India by Rail, Northeast & Darjeeling
Get off the beaten path and see India in a very untypical way – by train
From
US $1105 to US $1499
13 days
ex flights
Southern India and Karnataka rail tour
Take the train from Goa to Kochi via Karnataka and see the breathtaking ruins of Hampi
From
US $935
10 days
ex flights
Japan small group vacation by bullet train
Japan's must-see cities and beautiful, rural countryside
From
£4100 to £4570
14 days
ex flights
Balkans rail vacation
Travel through seven countries in the Balkans.
From
US $2660
16 days
ex flights
Bulgaria vacation by train
Self-guided trip by slow-ride train through best of Bulgaria
From
€485 to €595
12 days
ex flights
Complete India by rail, 6 weeks
A 6 week trip that circles India by train
From
US $4462
46 days
ex flights
Trans Mongolian vacation, tailor made
Ride the Iconic Trans-Mongolian Railway in all it's glory.
From
£2445
16 days
ex flights
West Highlands guided rail tour in Scotland
Discover Scotland's Highlands & distinctive islands by train
From
£1875
7 days
ex flights
Trans Mongolian tour, departing Ulaanbaatar
Trans-Mongolian adventure Ulaanbaatar to St Petersburg
From
£3950
18 days
ex flights
North India, Himalayas and Shimla toy train tour
North India: Inspiring Mountains, Culture and Communities
From
£1399 to £1799
14 days
ex flights
Silk Road 30 day overland tour
Travel through Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan & China
From
£6295
30 days
ex flights
Trans Mongolian westbound tour
The most comprehensive Hong Kong to St Petersburg adventure
From
£9945
28 days
ex flights
Cornwall and Isles of Scilly vacation
Admire England's south-western corner car-free
From
£1790 to £1950
8 days
ex flights
Ecuador by train vacation, culture and nature
Encounter Ecuador's stunning landscape by train
From
£3031
10 days
ex flights
Helsinki, Saint Petersburg and Lapland vacation
Visit Saint Petersburg by rail from Helsinki before Lapland
From
€3057
10 days
ex flights
20 day Japan tour, private departure
A comprehensive tailor-made journey through Japan
From
£5536
20 days
ex flights
Will I be traveling with a group?
Quite a few of our rail vacations are tailor made to suit your timing, but some, like the Reunification Express in Vietnam, Trans-Mongolian Express and the Moorish Spain to Marrakech by rail vacations are in small groups with maximum group size of 16 travelers. However, this doesn’t mean that you will feel ‘chaperoned’ – it is your vacation after all, but it means that a group leader will be on hand to assist with anything you need during your time in the places you visit along the way. And it means you can totally chill when it comes to connections and reservations.Will I be in a first class carriage?
Again this depends on the trip. It’s first class all the way on the super luxurious “El Transcantabrico” train that shimmies its way rather sleekly across Northern Spain. Or the Maharajas’ Express, which takes you to all points on India’s Golden Triangle in award winning luxury. As part of the Scotland Luxury Rail Vacation, you travel first class on the Jacobite steam train from Fort William to Mallaig, over the equally first class Glenfinnan viaduct and top notch highland scenery, as well as a first class Scotrail service back down through the Highlands to Pitlochry.Do we always sleep on trains?
On most of our rail vacations, you get off the train at night and stay at locally owned accommodation. There are sleepover parties to be had, however, especially on the long distance journeys such as the Tran-Mongolian Express or the Reunification Express in Vietnam. Traveling by night means that you often have the whole day free for sightseeing as well, such as on the Maharajas’ Express.
How will the food be?
In general, it is always good to stock up on snacks before you board a train. There are exceptions, of course, but food and trains do not usually a happy marriage make. You will have an adventure, however, on board the likes of the Trans-Mongolian Express, where the buffet cars change according to the country you are in: Russia, Mongolia and China. So, lunch is chicken or meat borsht in Russia, with vodka flowing freely, rice and mutton in Mongolia, and a proverbial Chinese cacophony once you cross that border.Our top Railway Vacation
Scotland by railway vacation
Experience authentic Scotland independently and car-free
From
£1135 to £1195
8 days
ex flights
Tailor made:
This trip can be tailor made from April to the end of October.
This trip can be tailor made from April to the end of October.
Travel Team
If you'd like to chat about Railway or need help finding a vacation to suit you we're very happy to help.
Are there luggage restrictions?
The joy of not flying is that you don’t have the luggage restrictions. However, you really don’t want to be hauling big, cumbersome suitcases on and off trains, especially if they are crowded and there isn’t much time at one spot. Try and pack lightly, and have all your immediate requirements in a daypack that is kept by your feet, or overhead.
More about Railway
The journey is often more exciting than the destination - and never is that more apparent than on a railway vacation.
Take a look at our interactive map, below, to see our railway vacation highlights around the world.
There are opportunities for you to dip in and out of this style of travel depending on how hardcore you want to go.
There are some destinations that make you think of classic train journeys - the most famous being Siberia and India, where spending several days rattling along the rails is as quintessential an experience as you can imagine.
One of the world’s most splendid railway journeys, The West Highland Line takes you through mountains, moors and marine marvels, between Glasgow and Mallaig on the west coast.
Trans Siberian Railway tours are one of the most authentic ways to explore all of Russia.
Although nicknamed 'bullet', which is kind of apt due to the shape and speed, Japan's Shinkansen trains provide peace, safety and comfort for passengers traveling north, south and west in Japan.
Take a ride on a train that you won’t want to get off although it would be a shame to miss out on Agra’s Taj Mahal and Jaipur’s Amber Fort, as you’re passing.
The Kyle Line is otherwise known as the Kyle of Lochalsh to Inverness Line and takes you coast to coast between the Kyle on the west coast and Inverness on the northeast.
Our railway gurus have shared their top rail vacation tips with us - from what to pack (not too much!) and what to eat, to meeting your fellow passengers and getting a good night's sleep.
Responsible train vacations are pretty much a given: you're embracing slow travel, stepping outside of the multinational resorts and in some cases, cutting down on domestic flights.
Find all of our rail vacations guides in one place, for rail travel in particular places such as India and Scotland.
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Photo credits: [Page banner: Belur Ashok] [Will I have enough time?: Dave Sizer]
[Do we always sleep on trains: plusgood]
[Are there luggage restrictions?: Ian Keefe]
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