This Trending Extravagant Train Riding Style Is Becoming Even More Popular With Travelers

Train travel is continuing to prove popular in the industry as travelers start planning and booking their 2026 trips. According to Travel Bulletin, President and CEO Frank Marini of Railbookers Group, a specialty train travel provider, said that 2025 was "our most successful year in company history," and adventure travel company Exodus notes "train travel continues to trend" for 2026. And while there are so many spectacular train journeys around the world to experience, there's one trend that's gaining traction. Condé Nast has named luxury train hopping one of the biggest travel trends for 2026.

Luxury train hopping differs from your standard luxury train travel by combining lavish train trips into a longer vacation. Travelers looking for opulence are connecting "multiple luxury rail journeys into romantic, multi-week trips spent hopping from one train to the next," per Condé Nast. Instead of one unique rail trip, those with the time — and the cash — to spare are combining luxe train rides to create a once-in-a-lifetime experience on board.

If this latest twist on the train travel trend has piqued your interest, there are a number of destinations to visit. Condé Nast advises that travel agencies are now creating packages including several luxury rail journeys. Those with a spare $130,000 can book their place on Railbookers' Around the World by Luxury Train package, a 60-day rail extravaganza which visits nine countries. Some of the luxury trains included are the Rocky Mountaineer in Canada, the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express in Europe, and Rovos Rail in South Africa. If you don't have the time — or an extra $130,000 — Railbookers will be launching four new month-long itineraries in 2026.

If you'd prefer to customize your luxury train adventure yourself, consider combining journeys based on a continent. In Europe, Spain's stylish new vintage train, Al Andalus, will launch in 2026 and traverse the south of Spain. Ride the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, a wildly luxurious train trip on a glamorous route that launches in May 2026, and travel from Paris to the Amalfi Coast in Italy. If you'd rather visit the U.K., the Britannic Explorer by Belmond, a new luxury sleeper train which launched in 2025, has routes through Wales, Cornwall, and the Lake District.

In North America, Rocky Mountaineer offers four rail routes in Canada, taking in the phenomenal scenery of the Canadian Rockies. They also operate a lavish train ride to see some of America's most gorgeous canyons on their Rockies to the Red Rocks route. In 2026, this journey will be operated by a "new elevated rail experience," Canyon Spirit. Travelers in Asia can combine an "adventure through the 'Five Stans'" on board the grand Golden Eagle with the new luxury train in Saudi Arabia, Dream of the Desert; this route launches in 2026 and will whisk guests between Riyadh and Al Jouf.