Rail enthusiasts and eco-conscious travellers now have the chance to take a worldwide trip without a single flight, visiting over a dozen countries and experiencing some of the planet’s most legendary train routes.
Around the World By Train in 100 Days is a new concept from Adventures by Train, an Undiscovered Destinations brand founded by Jim Louth, a UK-based tour operator who has worked for Trailfinders and been a lifelong rail fanatic.
Costing a whopping £112,900 (around €132,000), with discounts for couples, the adventure promises to take passengers by rail across Europe, Asia and North America, embracing 14 different countries: France, Switzerland, Austria, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Türkiye, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, China, Japan, Canada and the USA.
Connections to landscapes, cultures, and people
The itinerary sets out from Southampton, on the UK’s south coast, and first heads to Paris, via the Swiss Alps to Zurich and Vienna, and on to Sofia and Istanbul. Cultural experiences are part of the pleasure. In Vienna, guests go to a classical concert, while Istanbul features a Turkish marbling workshop. As Louth says, “These journeys are more than travel – they’re about connection: to landscapes, cultures, and people.”
Ankara is next, then Tbilisi and Baku. Romantic sea crossings are part of the equation, with a trip across the Caspian Sea taking travellers to Aktau, where they continue by train across the “Stans” and into China for high-speed rail to Xian, where they will see just one of the many UNESCO-recognised treasures along the way: the famous Terracotta Warriors.
Shanghai follows, and then an overnight cruise with private cabin, to Japan’s Osaka. From there to Kyoto, Hiroshima, and Tokyo and then its all aboard the North Pacific Passage Luxury Cruise for a 23-day sailing to Vancouver.
Luxury accommodation and Michelin-starred eating
The North American passage goes through Seattle, and takes in renowned landscapes such as Yellowstone and the Rockies, as well as the big skies of Montana and South Dakota, before heading off to Chicago and New York and culminating in “an elegant transatlantic crossing aboard Cunard’s Queen Mary 2.”
Accommodation includes Istanbul’s Pera Palace, where Agatha Christie is said to have penned parts of Murder on the Orient Express and guests will be treated to fine dining in Michelin-starred venues such as New York’s Atomix, as well as wine-tastings in Georgia’s Kakheti region, and traditional tea ceremonies in Japan.
Despite the high-end offering, it’s recommended that guests keep their wardrobes simple, as not all train services offer portering or checked luggage. To this end, $100 towards laundry services is included in the price.
Shorter trips are also available for those who do not have the budget or the time for the full slow travel round-the-world odyssey, but if the full adventure is within reach, book soon, as there are only 12 places left for 2026.
