Train travel is my favorite kind of travel.  I can stretch out my legs, walk around, watch the scenery rush by, and chat, eat and play cards with my fellow travelers.  In fact, when it comes to train travel, the longer the journey the better the trip.

The most famous of all train journeys is undoubtedly the Orient Express.  While other train journeys might be longer or more scenic, none match the luxury and allure of the Orient Express, according to a nice piece on CNN.com.

There are actually a couple of “Orient Expresses” but only one which truly replicates the days of upscale, pampered train travel: The Venice Simplon Orient Express.  Passengers travel 1,066 miles from London to Venice in restored vintage trains from the 1920s and 30s.  A staff of 40 caters to their needs during the 31 hour journey, serving breakfast in bed and a sumptuous dinner in the dining car—an event for which passengers wear dinner suits.  In fact, there is actually a dress code onboard to uphold the dignity and opulence of the luxury train travel experience. 

And luxury it is, at $2,440 per person.  This is just another one of those trips where the journey is more important than the destination itself.

Filed under: History, Europe, Italy