The Belmond Royal Scotsman
Over two nights, Belmond’s Taste of the Highlands itinerary takes passengers on a whistle-stop tour through Scotland’s most glorious landscapes with opportunities to disembark for clay-pigeon shooting, fishing and even a bit of whiskey-tasting. Boarding at Edinburgh Waverley, passengers are treated to a bagpiper pacing the platform before the train heads north towards Fife. Much like an old Edwardian house on wheels, this train gleams from polish, with soft herringbone throws on tweed upholstery along with the luxurious smell of Bamford products in the bathrooms. During the day passengers can brace against the wind on the open viewing platform as the tracks snake behind the train, rivers rushing alongside and walkers waving from the woods. Unlike other luxury services, this one parks at quiet stations for the entire night so passengers can sleep soundly before it sets off again in the morning during a breakfast of scrambled eggs, haggis, and sausages bursting their skins.
A cabin for one starts from $7,000. Visit Belmond.com
Eastern Express trainGetty Images
Ankara to Kars, Türkiye
The Dogu Express (Eastern Express) from Ankara to Kars in the northeast is Türkiye’s longest train journey, with snowscapes and icy gorges in winter, and teal-green lakes and meadows blooming in summer. Existing in various forms since the 1930s, the train now features in two guises: a regular commuter train and a tourist version that influencers have leapt on. However, the daily classic train is where there’s a true spirit of community and adventure. In the chatty warmth of the dining car, Turkish medical students, delivery drivers and large groups of friends share gooey boxes of baklava and sip tea, amid the scent of grilled lamb kebabs and soup. Outside, the Euphrates river winds alongside, curling around rock faces and farms, trees bending into its mint-green waters as it surges towards Syria.
