This article from The NY Times , is an eye opener about luxury and privilege and its ignominious cousin , poverty and despair .. BUT !! before you read this article , this excellent travelogue from 1977 written and presented by British historian Michael Wood , will prepare you to understand the underlying story of South Africa . ( I saw this video when it was first aired, and the impact it had on me remains to this day . ) The Michael Wood video - https://youtu.be/LRwtABg21YA?si=i0cJQj1E_wCt3ZQH and the NY Times article - https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/25/travel/south-africa-blue-train.html?unlocked_article_code=1.604.L0XR.B1CvyWrGWSG_&smid=url-share
Posted by
Oregon, USA
225 posts
Thank you for sharing these, especially the video. Indeed, it provided background that made the NY Times article so much more meaningful.
Posted by
Republic of Texas / U.S.A. / Magyarország / Budapest
22605 posts
Another interesting one is the Golden Eagle. Trains in Europe and Asia. Some as affordable as $11.000 for a 7 day trip. https://www.goldeneagleluxurytrains.com/
Posted by
new york
493 posts
I took the BlueTrain a few years ago. They call themselves a luxury train and it is, indeed, very comfortable, but there are very many issues with this train. The biggest is that the train often runs very late. I will not go into our details right here but let's say we had to be flown to our game lodge when the train called outside Pretoria for many hours.. I'd love to talk South African travel. We've been several times and had such wonderful experiences...the land, the people, the food!!!!
Posted by
Long Island, New York
4 posts
The Belmond Royal Scotsman Train has numerous itineraries that take guests overnight through the Scottish countryside. It screams luxury, as it's the same company that was inspired by Agatha Christie's The Orient Express route, which is equally as luxurious. Below are links to their website, which displays their exorbitant prices.
Posted by
OP
white plains, ny, usa
4189 posts
I'm glad that everyone enjoyed this . At the risk of being overbearing , While my curiosity about South Africa was piqued by the Michael Wood video over 45 years ago , this lavish film , from BBC and based on the Antony Thomas biography of Cecil Rhodes , takes this story to great depth . Nine hours in length ( serialized in eight episodes ) this will be very much like a book one cannot put down .. This is not a tale that attempts to lionize Rhodes , but an objective way to tell this often heartbreaking story and the effects on the peoples of South Africa . I do hope you will give this a try , dear readers . https://youtu.be/5wVadAzGg48?si=aKbWVT8iyh-oxW4q
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32473 posts
There are a number of "luxury" trains these days and the Blue Train is one of them. There's also Rovos Rail in South Africa, This One in Spain and This One in Japan (I believe the latter one requires an "invitation" just to get a ticket).
If you have time, have a look at this website on YouTube to see what it's like to travel on these. The videos are posted by a guy that travels on nothing but luxury trains, cruises and flights, and he shows a cost breakdown at the end - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6x2e4sgwtyc .
You can be sure that the majority of them are way above my budget, although I've been contemplating a short trip on the Rocky Mountaineer. I've also looked at taking a trip on The Ghan but that would be a major excursion for me.
Posted by
new york
493 posts
I took the Orient Express years ago, to Istanbul, in second class.
It was NOT luxurious ride!!
Posted by
Massachusetts, USA
463 posts
Thanks for the video. Unfortunately I cannot read the NY Times article.