With the amenities and attractions offered on luxury and first-class train tours—vintage wood-paneled cars, fine dining, spectacular scenery, and off-train activities as varied as fly fishing and world-class golfing—you might just want to make a train tour your honeymoon destination.
The Kuranda Scenic Railway in Queensland, Australia, is one of the tie-in activities on Rail Australia's Sunlander Route. (Photo: Rail Australia)
Choose a scenic route through an interesting part of the world, book first-class or luxury accommodations, then sit back and enjoy the scenery—and one another—while someone else drives you to one fascinating destination after another.
The possibilities for a honeymoon by train are as nearly as diverse as possible honeymoon destinations, with hotel-quality first-class and luxury rail services abounding, especially outside of the United States. A variety of short-run heritage railroads adds to the possibilities for a rail experience on your honeymoon without the need for overnight accommodations.
Here is a sampling to give you an idea of what to expect; see the “Useful Resources for Your Honeymoon by Train” section, below, for more resources with more information.
United States
If you’re hoping for an overnight train experience in the United States, you’ll be taking Amtrak. (Other romantic train trips are available on the many short-run heritage railroads; these often take a few hours to a day, and many include gourmet dining.) Amtrak offers first-class accommodations on most of its longer routes; first-class service includes a bedroom for two people, with an en-suite toilet and shower, as well as attendant service and the cost of all on-board meals included in the price of the tickets.
Interested in bumping your experience up a notch? L.A. Rail operates vintage rail cars dating from the 1940s and ‘50s; the cars are attached to Amtrak trains, but offer their own luxury dining service and sleeping accommodations.
Amtrak has helpfully provided a listing of its “most scenic routes,” many of which incorporate major tourist destinations. The Lake Shore Limited, for example, runs along the shores of Lake Michigan, Lake Erie, and Lake Ontario before passing through New York state’s Finger Lakes wine country; the route terminates in either New York City or Boston. Another popular option is the Empire Builder, which takes travelers from Chicago, along the Mississippi River, through the Great Plains, and over the Rocky and Cascade mountain ranges, with a stop at Montana’s breathtaking Glacier National Park. The route features two possible destinations: the Portland route offers views of the Columbia River Gorge, while the Seattle route takes travelers through the seven-mile Cascade Tunnel and through Olympic National Park.
Canada
Photo: Royal Canadian Pacific
The Royal Canadian Pacific takes a limited number of passengers—just 32—on a luxurious journey through the Canadian Rockies. The service features modern amenities in elegantly restored carriages featuring wood-paneled walls, silver settings, brass fittings, burled tables, and open vestibules. Guests enjoy gourmet cuisine, fine wines, and off-train activities as varied as fly-fishing in pristine Rocky Mountain streams, world-class golfing, and heritage tours.
Europe
The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express is a private luxury train service that travels from London to Venice, offering five-star dining, luxury accommodations, vintage carriage cars, on-board entertainment, and a variety of off-train experiences across continental Europe. Yeah, you’re going to pay for this—north of $3,000 per person for the two-day journey from London to Venice—but keep in mind that the price includes transportation, dining, entertainment, and overnight accommodations, all with the highest levels of service.
Africa
Ravos Rail’s Pride of Africa takes travelers through South Africa and neighboring countries in vintage wood-paneled cars featuring five-star service. Cape Town, the Great Karoo, Pretoria, Hwange Game Reserve, and Victoria Falls are just some of the attractions along the rail service’s many routes. Ravos Rail offers off-train tours, as well as a “golf safari” tour that combines world-class golfing with excursions to view wild African game at local preserves.
Australia
Rail Australia is an alliance of several different rail companies that operate many scenic routes “Down Under.” The Society of International Rail Travelers recommends the Sunlander, which it calls one of the better ways to sample some of Australia’s iconic pleasures, such as the Great Barrier Reef, the Kuranda Scenic Railway, the islands of Fraser and Whitsundays, and the northern rainforest. Or take one of the longest train journeys in the world, the Indian Pacific, which travels between Sydney (on the Pacific Ocean) and Perth (on the Indian Ocean), with plenty of scenery and history in between.
Interested in pursuing a train honeymoon? See the links below for much more information.
Useful Links for Your Honeymoon by Train
World’s Top 25 Trains
A comprehensive list with detailed overviews from the Society of International Railway Travelers.
The Most Scenic Amtrak Tours
Amtrak’s pick of twelve routes that “will keep you glued to the window.”
L.A. Rail
The privately-owned vintage rail service attached to Amtrak’s trains; official site.
List of Heritage Railways
A comprehensive list of heritage railways around the world, from Wikipedia.
Royal Canadian Pacific
Official website.
Venice-Simplon Orient Express
Official website.
Ravos Rail
Official website.
Rail Australia
Official website.
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