World's 10 best luxury trains

These 10 spectacular trains promise the most exciting and luxurious journeys through historic places, rocky mountains, forests, deserts and even snowcapped landscapes.

Here's a list of the world's top 10 trains as listed by National Geographic.

Venice Simplon-Orient-Express

One of the world’s best luxury trains, the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express travels from London to Venice. 

Founded by James Sherwood in 1982, the train is owned by Orient-Express Hotels Ltd.

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The vintage carriages from 1920s-30s promise a romantic and memorable trip. It also offers a service from Paris to Istanbul in September.

Every carriage has been revamped to offer one of the finest luxury experiences. Grand cabins with a steward and European cuisine freshly prepared in the train’s kitchen are the other highlights. 

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Thalys Alstom

Thalys Alstom runs international high-speed trains between Paris and Brussels.

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Thalys trains also connect Antwerp, Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Liege, Bruges, Ghent, Charleroi, Aachen and Cologne. Thalys is a service offered jointly by the Belgian, French, Dutch and German railways.

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The Blue Train

A ‘5-star hotel’ on wheels, The Blue Train travels between Pretoria and Cape Town in South Africa.

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It has a butler service, two lounge cars, an observation car and carriages with gold-tinted picture windows and fully carpeted compartments.

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Royal Scotsman

The Royal Scotsman is a Scottish luxury charter train run by Orient-Express Hotels Ltd.

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The train has nine cars; two dining cars, five state cars, one crew car and one observation car. 

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Al Andalus Express

The Alandalus Express with elegant interiors and luxurious facilities takes travellers on a memorable journey across the Spain.

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The Alandalus has fourteen cars revamped to offer all modern amenities. The cars are equipped with air-conditioning and heating systems.

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Trans-Siberian Express

The longest railway line in the world, the Trans-Siberian Railway is a network that connects Moscow with the Russian Far East. The 9,259 km-distance from Moscow to Vladivostok is the longest railway route.

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Many trains offer services on different picturesque routes on this network. The Classic Big Trans-Siberian Moscow to Beijing is one of the popular trips on this route.

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The Royal Canadian Pacific

Operated by the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR), the service started on June 7, 2000.

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The train with eight luxury passenger cars operates from June to September through the rocky mountains in Alberta and British Columbia.

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The British Pullman

Pullman trains in Britain have some of the finest first-class coaches and a steward service. 

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The train takes you on a magical trip through Britain’s countryside with a five-course dinner with Champagne and half a bottle of wine per person. 

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The Rocky Mountaineer

Rocky Mountaineer trains run on four rail routes through British Columbia and Alberta. 

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Rocky Mountaineer has been awarded the ‘World's Leading Travel Experience by Train’ at the World Travel Awards seven times.

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The Ghan

The Ghan runs between Adelaide, Alice Springs, and Darwin on the Adelaide–Darwin railway in Australia.

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Operated by Great Southern Rail, the journey takes 54 hours with a four-hour stopover in Alice Springs.