Luxury Rail Journeys in India & Southeast Asia

India and South East Asia offer some of the world’s most atmospheric luxury rail journeys, combining grand cultural landmarks, richly varied landscapes and the slower, more immersive rhythm of travel by train. Across this region, luxury rail can take very different forms: a private charter through India, a country-spanning journey through Vietnam, or a shorter but highly polished rail escape through Singapore and Malaysia.

What links them is the quality of the experience. These are journeys shaped as much by mood and setting as by destination count: royal cities, sacred places, colonial-era towns, jungle scenery, coastlines, mountain landscapes and heritage rail routes, all experienced with greater continuity than conventional touring. Travelling by train in this part of the world is not simply about moving between highlights. It is about allowing the journey itself to become part of the holiday.

Our current specialist journeys in this region focus on three particularly distinctive styles of travel: India by private Deccan Odyssey charter, Vietnam aboard SJourney, and Singapore & Malaysia aboard the Eastern & Oriental Express. Each offers a different take on luxury rail, which is exactly what makes this regional hub so rewarding.

● Why Travel by Luxury Train
● Key Destinations & Regional Highlights
● Luxury Trains in India & Southeast Asia
● Compare Luxury Trains at a Glance
● Practical Information & FAQs
● Enquire About Rail Journeys in This Region

Why Travel by Luxury Train in India & South East Asia

Luxury rail works especially well in this region because it turns long distances and strong contrasts into part of the pleasure. Instead of moving through airports and one-night stops, the journey unfolds more gradually. Royal cities give way to sacred riverfronts, plains to mountains, jungle scenery to heritage towns, and coastlines to countryside.

That slower rhythm is one of the great strengths of travel by train here. In India, it adds theatre and continuity to a country of immense scale. In Vietnam, it turns a north-to-south journey into something more connected and immersive. In Singapore & Malaysia, it creates a shorter but beautifully atmospheric luxury break built around one of South East Asia’s most elegant rail settings.

For travellers who value comfort, scenery, cultural depth and a stronger sense of progression, this region is one of the most compelling places in the world to travel by train. It is not simply that the trains are luxurious. It is that the landscapes, cities and cultural contrasts they connect feel especially well suited to this style of travel.

Choose Your region in India & South East Asia

India

Grand, varied and rail-led.

Luxury train tours in India and South East Asia


India is the broadest and most dramatic luxury rail destination in this regional collection. Our current focus is a private Deccan Odyssey charter: a larger India holiday that combines the train with major highlights including Mumbai, Udaipur, Jaipur, Agra, Varanasi, Darjeeling and Kolkata. It is the strongest fit for travellers wanting one expansive, high-contrast journey with a real sense of occasion.

Best for: royal India, Mughal landmarks, sacred places, wildlife, mountain contrast and one major rail-led holiday.
→ Explore Luxury Train Travel in India

Vietnam

One elegant journey through the country.

Luxury Train Journeys In Vietnam


Vietnam offers a more linear, country-spanning rail experience. SJourney is the standout luxury train here, creating a slower and more connected way to experience Vietnam from north to south. The emphasis is on continuity, scenery and the unfolding character of the country, rather than on one short rail interlude.

Best for: one coherent route, cultural depth, coast and countryside, and travellers who want the train to be the backbone of the holiday.
→ Explore Luxury Train Travel in Vietnam

Singapore & Malaysia

Shorter, polished and highly atmospheric.

Singapore Malaysia Luxury Rail Tours


Singapore and Malaysia suit travellers looking for a shorter luxury rail experience built around one flagship train. The Eastern & Oriental Express combines a stylish city gateway, refined onboard life and the lush scenery of Malaysia, creating one of Asia’s most elegant short-format rail journeys.

Best for: a shorter luxury break, old-world glamour, tropical scenery, and an easy first luxury rail trip in Asia.
→ Explore Luxury Train Travel in Singapore & Malaysia

Luxury Trains in India & South East Asia

Luxury rail travel in this region takes several distinct forms, reflecting the diversity of cultures, landscapes and travel styles found across South and South East Asia. The following luxury trains operate across India and Southeast Asia, each offering a distinct style of rail travel and itinerary.

Luxury Trains in India & South East Asia – At a Glance

TrainPrimary RegionJourney StyleTypical DurationBest For
Deccan OdysseyIndiaPalace-style, long-distance luxuryMulti-nightGrand Indian rail journeys
Maharajas’ ExpressIndiaUltra-luxury heritage routesMulti-nightGolden Triangle & North India
Palace on WheelsIndiaClassic royal-era experienceMulti-nightTraditional Indian luxury rail
Golden ChariotIndiaSouthern India explorationMulti-nightSouth India culture & landscapes
SJourneyVietnamBoutique contemporary luxury2–3 nightsVietnam by rail
Eastern & Oriental ExpressSingapore & MalaysiaClassic international luxury2–4 nightsSoutheast Asia rail elegance
Deccan Odyssey luxury train

India

Deccan Odyssey

This luxurious train offers a relaxing way to travel across India. Two restaurant cars serve Indian and international cuisines of the highest quality. Golden Eagle runs this as a private charter.

Discover The Deccan Odyssey
Palace on Wheels luxury train

India

Palace on Wheels

Palace on Wheels train tour packages provide passengers with the perfect way to enjoy all that this magnificent country has to offer in comfort and style.

Take The Palace On Wheels
Golden Chariot luxury train

India

Golden Chariot

The Golden Chariot is a luxury tourist train that operates in the southern region of India, covering popular destinations in the states of Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Goa with frequent departures.

Ride The Golden Chariot
Maharajas Express luxury train

India

Maharajas’ Express

The Maharajas’ Express is a luxury tourist train that operates in India, covering popular destinations across North-West and Central India, including Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh.

Enjoy The Maharajas’ Express
SJourney vietnam luxury train

Vietnam

SJourney

SJourney is a brand new luxury train in Vietnam running the route from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh north and southbound stopping to explore many of the highlights of this fabulous country in comfort and style.

View The SJourney Train
EOE train box

Singapore & Malaysia

Eastern & Oriental

Step aboard The Eastern & Oriental Express for luxurious train travel through Southeast Asia with elegant cabins, gourmet dining, and scenic excursions.

View The Eastern & oriental

Compare India, Vietnam & Singapore & Malaysia

DestinationJourney styleBest forRail character
IndiaBroad, rail-led private charter holidayBig contrasts, iconic sights, grandeurRegal, expansive, highly varied
VietnamCountry-spanning luxury rail journeyOne coherent route through a single countryCultural, immersive, progressive
Singapore & MalaysiaShorter flagship train experienceElegant short luxury escapePolished, tropical, atmospheric

Which Luxury Rail Journey Is Right for You?

Choose India if you want the most dramatic and wide-ranging luxury rail holiday in the region, with palaces, Mughal landmarks, sacred cities, wildlife and a Himalayan extension.

Choose Vietnam if you want one long, connected journey through a single country, with the train acting as the backbone of the trip and the holiday unfolding with a clear sense of progression.

Choose Singapore & Malaysia if you want a shorter, more polished and more compact luxury train experience built around one iconic South East Asian route.

If you are unsure which suits you best, the key question is simple: do you want one grand and varied holiday, one flowing country journey, or one elegant short-format rail experience? That distinction usually makes the right choice much clearer.

Frequently Asked Questions About Luxury Rail Journeys in India & South East Asia

This page is a regional overview of luxury rail travel across India, Vietnam, and Singapore & Malaysia. Rather than focusing on one train alone, it introduces the three main styles of journey we currently feature in this part of the world and helps you understand which destination may suit you best. Some travellers are looking for one grand, wide-ranging holiday, while others want a shorter or more country-focused rail experience. This page is designed to help make that choice clearer.

No. That is one of the main strengths of this region. India offers the broadest and most dramatic rail-led holiday, with major cultural contrasts and a stronger sense of scale. Vietnam offers a more linear, country-spanning journey in which the train becomes the backbone of the trip. Singapore & Malaysia offers a shorter and more polished experience built around one iconic luxury train. All three are luxury rail holidays, but they feel very different in pace, length and atmosphere.

That depends on the sort of experience you want. Singapore & Malaysia is often the easiest introduction because it is shorter, more compact and very polished. Vietnam is ideal for travellers who want a fuller rail-led holiday through a single country. India is best for those drawn to the grandest and most varied journey, with royal cities, sacred places, major monuments and a much broader sense of scale. A first trip does not always mean the shortest one; it means the one that best matches your travel style.

India offers the greatest variety within one holiday. It can combine major cities, princely capitals, Mughal monuments, sacred riverfronts, wildlife experiences and mountain scenery in a single route. That makes it the strongest choice for travellers who want one larger, more theatrical luxury rail holiday rather than a simpler point-to-point journey. It is the most expansive option in this regional collection.

Vietnam is the strongest choice for travellers who want one flowing route through a single country. The appeal lies in the sense of progression: the train carries the journey forward in a way that feels natural and connected, rather than fragmented. It is particularly well suited to travellers who like the idea of seeing one country gradually unfold through landscape, culture and regional change.

Singapore & Malaysia is the best fit for travellers seeking a shorter luxury rail experience without sacrificing atmosphere or style. It combines a polished gateway city, elegant onboard life and lush tropical scenery, making it one of the most accessible and refined rail holidays in the region. It suits those who want something highly distinctive but not overly long or logistically complex.

Yes. All three work well as part of tailor-made holidays, though they do so in different ways. India can form the centre of a broader, charter-led holiday with hotels and touring built around the train. Vietnam works well as a rail backbone with extra time in key cities or coastal destinations. Singapore & Malaysia is particularly easy to combine with city stays, beach time or additional South East Asia touring. One of the advantages of this region is that rail can either be the whole point of the holiday or the elegant core of something wider.

India is positioned differently because our current focus there is a private Deccan Odyssey charter rather than a simple scheduled train departure. That gives the India experience a broader structure, with the train forming the centre of a larger holiday rather than standing entirely alone. As a result, the India page naturally feels more expansive and more destination-rich, while Vietnam and Singapore & Malaysia are more clearly defined around one flagship train each.

It is about both, and that balance is exactly what makes the region so appealing. The trains provide the atmosphere, continuity and sense of occasion; the destinations provide the cultural depth, scenery and memorable contrasts. A great luxury rail holiday in this part of the world should never feel like a generic train ride. It should feel like a meaningful journey through places that genuinely suit travel by rail.


This region works especially well for luxury rail because it combines long distances, varied landscapes and very strong cultural contrasts. Rail turns those contrasts into part of the pleasure. Royal cities, colonial-era towns, sacred places, jungle scenery, coastlines and mountain landscapes all feel more connected and more atmospheric when experienced this way. Few regions offer such a wide range of rail styles within one broad part of the world.

Heritage and nostalgia are certainly part of the appeal, but they are not the whole story. These journeys are also about comfort, continuity and depth of experience. In some cases, the train brings old-world glamour; in others, it offers a more modern kind of slow travel. What matters most is that rail changes the way the destination is experienced, making it feel more immersive and more elegantly paced than conventional touring.

India usually offers the strongest sense of grandeur and theatre, particularly for travellers drawn to royal cities, iconic monuments and a more dramatic journey overall. Singapore & Malaysia offers elegance and polish in a shorter format, while Vietnam offers a deeper sense of progression and country-wide immersion. The right answer depends on whether you define occasion as grandeur, refinement or the satisfaction of a long connected route.

All three do this well, but in different ways. India balances cultural intensity with visual drama and major landmarks. Vietnam blends scenery and cultural depth through a more flowing country journey. Singapore & Malaysia combines urban sophistication, tropical landscapes and a gentler pace. Travellers looking for an even balance often choose between Vietnam and India depending on whether they prefer one country in depth or a broader, more theatrical route.

Start Planning Your Luxury Rail Holiday in India & South East Asia

Luxury rail in this region is not one single style of travel, which is exactly what makes it so appealing. Whether you are drawn to India’s scale and grandeur, Vietnam’s flowing north-to-south narrative, or the elegance of Singapore and Malaysia, the right journey depends on the sort of experience you want the train to create.


We can help you choose the right destination, the right train and the right wider itinerary, shaping a rail holiday that feels both distinctive and well judged from beginning to end

enquiry@theluxurytraintravelcompany.com

Tel: +44 (0)20 8191 0620

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