Is traveling around the world possible by train?…See below…

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We certainly enjoyed traveling through India on the luxurious Maharajas’ Express in 2020, before the lockdown. For more photos, please click here.

From Travel+Leisure online magazine:

“You Can Now Travel Around the World by Luxury Train on These Epic 29- to 60-Day Journeys

Railbookers’ new itineraries feature icons like the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express and Belmond Royal Scotsman. By Madeline Weinfield Published on October 7, 2025

Few things conjure the old-world glamour of golden age travel like trains. And if there’s anything more bucket list-worthy than a luxury train ride, it’s a luxury train ride around the world.

To that end, train vacation company Railbookers introduced four around-the-world journeys ranging from 29 to 48 days, the company shared with Travel + Leisure. These itineraries utilize seats on some of the most sought-after railcars in the world, from the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express to the Belmond Royal Scotsman, and beyond.

In addition, Railbookers offers a signature 60-day around-the-world train journey (with a few plane rides over the oceans, of course).

“Luxury train travel continues to be one of the biggest trends and desires we see among our guests, and we’re delighted to bring back our signature trip along with a newly-expanded lineup of journeys that showcase everything travelers desire on a five-star, luxury jaunt across the globe,” Frank Marini, the president and CEO of the Railbookers Group, said in a statement shared with T+L. “Whether it’s new luxury trains, iconic and unique hotel accommodations, and much more, our team has improved upon this already remarkable experience.”

The new itineraries cover huge swaths of the planet. The shortest route is a 29-day trip, which begins in Venice and ends in South Africa. Along the way, travelers will board the Golden Eagle Danube Express and ride it all the way to Istanbul before flying to South Africa for a safari in Kruger National Park and a trip to the iconic Victoria Falls.

Travelers can also board a 31-day grand tour of Europe, which visits some of the continent’s most sought-after places, including London, Edinburgh, Rome, Venice, Paris, and more.

The company’s 35-day journey combines both rail and safari, crossing parts of Asia, Africa, and Europe. This journey begins in Singapore, where travelers will board the Eastern & Oriental Express before flying to South Africa for a trip on the Rovos Rail and eventually making their way to London to board the Britannic Explorer. The trip concludes with a glamorous finale in Venice aboard the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express.

Finally, Railbookers’ 48-day expedition will take travelers from Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City to Edinburgh with the chance to travel aboard the Golden Eagle Silk Road Express, Rovos Rail, La Dolce Vita Orient Express, Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, and the Belmond Royal Scotsman trains.

There has been a spike in interest in luxury train travel in recent years, with new routes popping up around the world. In the United States, for example, the Canyon Spirit is expanding, offering luxurious journeys across the Southwest with plans to extend its route to Salt Lake City next year.”

We look forward to the opportunity to travel to new destinations by train in the future, should the opportunity arise at an affordable price and befitting our itinerary. We found that train travel is not unlike cruising, with small cabins, “port of call” stops along the way, delicious meals, and pleasing accommodations.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, October 12, 2015:
Breadfruit growing in the yard is a popular item in the islands. We’d love to try this, which is the size of a grapefruit, but it contains 26 grams of carbohydrates and 11 grams of sugar in 1/4 of a fruit. For more photos, please click here.

We’re on the Maharajas Express train speeding through the countryside of India…

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One of the two dining cars.

Note: We had many more photos we’d intended to post today, but the WiFi signal is too weak to upload more today. We’ll save all of our photos and upload them later when hopefully, the connection improves.

The magic of our non-stop global travels that sustains us through all the challenges, that never cease to amaze us as we traverse the world.

Here we are, today, on February 2, 2020, the whimsical day when reversing the date is 2020,02,02, and we’re traversing the countryside in India on a fast-moving luxury train.

An interesting vegetarian dish was served at lunch.

Comparable to the Orient Express, the Maharajas Express has every imaginable amenity and is known throughout the world as one of the finest coach experiences available to the most discriminating travelers.

Pinch me. Is this real? How many times have I said this in this past seven years of world travel? More than I can count. But this experience, along with others, leaves us breathless, grateful, and in awe.

Our cabin isn’t much larger than the queen-sized bed, but we’re excellent, especially having our en suite bathroom.

There are approximately 70 passengers on board with a crew close to 100, with each cabin assigned a butler who’s available 24 hours a day to fulfill each passenger’s every need and whim. Nothing is spared. Service is impeccable. Design is tasteful and commensurate with Indian culture and customs. 

And India…the country where so many warned us about the water, food, pollution, and crime rate…we see beyond all of this. We embrace its culture, people, and colorful existence entrenched in the Hindu beliefs of peacefulness, calm, and harmony.

We saved these two chairs at our table for a lovely couple from Scotland we’d met earlier in the day. The four of us had a delightful lunch together.

The sacred cows, the exquisite temples, the powerful beliefs of its people leave us hungering for knowledge and experience, which surely over these next two months, we’ll capture every day in photos, stories, and rich experiences we can’t wait to share with all of you.

Leave your preconceived notions at the door and enter this magical world with us as we scour the country, hungry to learn, anxious to grow, and eager to embrace this heart-pounding adventure, like none other in our recent past.

As we’re situated in our tiny cabin with en suite bathroom, with a surprisingly decent Wi-Fi signal, while jiggling from the harmonic role of the cars meandering over the tracks, I’m practically lulled to sleep by the sensations.

Locals on a passing train.

Having worked on the railroad for over 42 years, Tom only knows this sensation too well, hardly giving it a thought. For me, the novice, I’m enraptured by it all. But the opportunity to share this adventure is indescribable and undoubtedly awe-inspiring.

After a fabulous lunch in one of the two dining cars, with a visit from the head chef, John Stone, an Indian man of excellent knowledge of food and catering, we’re confident he will compose meals for me befitting my strict dietary guidelines. 

As we passed a local train…

He didn’t waste a moment appearing at our table with a sincere goal to provide attention and enthusiastic support in preparing delicious and suitable meals for me. We were both impressed as my first meal proved to be exactly as prescribed. I’m content and at ease.

Over these next six nights and seven days, we’ll continue to post, as long as WiFi remains consistent enough to do so, sharing every last detail of this particular time in our world travels.

Please check back. There’s so much more to come.

Photo from one year ago today, February 2, 2019:

Many refer to impalas as “McDonald’s “due to the big “M” on their backside and…how they provide ample meals for the big cats. For more photos, please click here.