Exciting New Train Tours to Try in 2025

These trips are a relaxing way to explore new places

A three-Michelin-starred chef will prepare meals on La Dolce Vita Orient Express. These new train tours can carry passengers to off-the-beaten-path destinations.

Railbookers

Bobbi Dempsey,

AARP

Published February 13, 2025

For those who love a good road trip but aren’t so fond of spending long hours behind the wheel, train tours are the perfect way to explore new regions and revel in views of beautiful scenery. Best of all, you just relax comfortably and enjoy the leisurely ride.

According to the 2024 AARP Travel Trends survey, bucket list trips are the most popular type of trip planned by the 50-plus international traveler. That’s a trend that industry experts are noticing, as well. Dan Reisig, communications manager at Railbookers, a provider of independent rail vacations, says travelers in the 50-plus demographic value “taking their time on vacation, crossing places and activities off their ‘bucket list’ or creating once-in-a-lifetime experiences that they may not have had the time or resources to do previously.”

In addition to taking those “bucket list” trips, the AARP travel survey showed that nearly 1 in 4 travelers want to venture to unusual or off-the-beaten path destinations. There are plenty of train travel options that check any or all those boxes.

Even for luxury tours and bucket list trips, there’s still often the opportunity to save money. For example, people traveling by train in Europe can use the Eurail Pass, a convenient way to travel among 33 countries across Europe by buying one universal pass. Travelers 60 or older get a 10 percent discount on Eurail Passes (the discount can be used on either first-class or second-class travel).

Timing your trip strategically and choosing off-the-beaten path locations can help you save money. “Eurail recommends avoiding over-touristed areas, especially during the peak summer months,” says Hugo Van Vondelen, a product specialist at Eurail. “There are many incredible lesser-known and lesser-visited European destinations that travelers can visit and have a more immersive and culturally rich experience.”

One of the best things about train travel is the opportunity to immerse yourself in different environments. Whether you’re relatively new to train travel or a veteran at riding the rails, plenty of tours will take you to places you haven’t seen before. These new train trips (prices are listed in U.S. dollars and are dependent on currency exchange rates) offer some great options for exciting adventures.

Passengers can choose from deluxe or suite cabins on this trip that launches in April.

Railbookers

La Dolce Vita Orient Express, Italy

Starting price: $3,633 per passenger for the two-day, one-night Tastes of Tuscan Vineyards tour

Reisig notes that Italy is one of the most popular destinations among Railbookers’ travelers, whose average age is 57. Launching in April, this luxury train will offer eight itineraries – involving either one or two nights – that travel throughout some of Italy’s most popular and beautiful locations. Highlights include iconic cities such as Venice and Rome, but some routes also include stops at picturesque villages and views of the cliffs along the shores of Sicily. Choose from deluxe or suite cabins and enjoy fine wine and meals prepared by a three-Michelin-starred chef.

An 18-day Flavours of Aotearoa New Zealand tour pairs amazing scenery with culinary delights.

Great Journeys New Zealand, Louisa Turner

Great Journeys, New Zealand

Starting price: $7,046 for March departures (per person, twin/share) for the Flavours of Aotearoa New Zealand tour

This 18-day tour combines incredible scenery and unforgettable culinary delights. Launching in March, this tour focuses on food, wine, and culture. The trip travels from Auckland to Queenstown – a route that allows passengers to watch for dolphins in Kaikōura, take part in wine tastings at vineyards in Marlborough, and enjoy the relaxing fragrances of lavender fields. Tours and excursions include a wine & dine tour, a Zealong Tea Estate tour and tea ceremony, a Haast River safari, and a Cook Strait ferry crossing. Over the course of the trip, travelers will stay on three different trains or in four- to five-star hotels. While this trip is the ultimate version of this tour, travelers can opt for shorter trips, such as a six-day Christchurch to Queenstown tour.

a train on a bridge with mountains around it

The Aurora Winter Train, which travels a 12-hour route between Anchorage and Fairbanks, Alaska, is offering new add-on winter excursions and adventures.

Alaska Railroad

Alaska Railroad Aurora Winter Train

Starting price: $226 one way for a full-price adult ticket for the full Anchorage to Fairbanks trip; Alaska Railroad’s Half Fare Program gives adults 65-plus, Medicare card holders, and individuals with certain disabilities 50 percent off during non-peak times

This train travels a 12-hour route between Anchorage and Fairbanks. This is a great trip for those who want to enjoy stunning winter landscapes and perhaps spot Alaskan wildlife, such as moose strolling in the background. The route winds through areas where you can also watch Mother Nature put on a spectacularly colorful fireworks show, as it’s a great area to view the northern lights. The train isn’t new, but it offers a new experience thanks to some new add-on winter excursions and adventures, such as a visit to Borealis Basecamp — where activities include reindeer walks — or a trolley tour in Anchorage and helicopter tours in Seward. The railroad is also adding more departures with midweek service in February and March 2025.

Amtrak Gulf Coast service

Starting price: Coach fares expected to range from around $19 to $71 each way for the Mobile, Alabama, to New Orleans trip; Amtrak offers a 10 percent discount for travelers 65 and older

Some details are still being finalized for this new Amtrak service — including a name, fares, and an exact start date — but the route will be significant for the area. Expected to launch in summer, this twice-daily roundtrip service between Mobile and New Orleans will represent a return to passenger train service in the Gulf Coast region for the first time in 20 years. Passenger trains haven’t serviced Mobile since Hurricane Katrina caused major destruction to the region in 2005. “Fares will be similar to other routes of about the same distance, such as Chicago-Grand Rapids [Michigan], with coach fares ranging from $19-$71 each way,” says Marc Magliari, an Amtrak spokesperson.

Belmond Train Britannic Explorer, England and Wales

Starting price: Cabins from $7,210 per passenger (based on Suite-Twin) for the three-night Wales or Cornwall trips

The United Kingdom ranks among the most popular destinations for Railbookers’ travelers, says Reisig, and Great Britain was one of the top international destinations according to AARP’s travel survey respondents. Launching in July, the Britannic Explorer will be a trailblazer as England and Wales’s first luxury sleeper train. The train will offer seven itineraries ranging from three to six nights, with destinations including Wales, Cornwall, and the Lake District. The train car interior evokes a sense of nature — picture lots of botanical designs — combined with nostalgia and sophistication, while the dining emphasizes a farm-to-fork theme. You can add a variety of adventures and excursions, such as a tour of the Tremenheere Sculpture Gardens, a Fowey boat tour or Lingholm Estate, where author Beatrix Potter spent many summer holidays.

The Good Night Train departs from Brussels and passes through Cologne, Munich, and other major cities before arriving in Venice.

European Sleeper

Starting price: Around $93 for the Brussels to Venice trip

This train — which connects travelers from Belgium and the Netherlands to Austria and Italy — will run twice a week from February through mid-March. It’s called The Good Night Train, and as you can probably guess from the name, it’s an overnight trip that departs from Brussels, passing through Cologne, Innsbruck, Munich, and other major cities before arriving in Venice. Encompassing five countries, the route offers amazing views, especially as the train nears the Austrian Alps, and the schedule coincides with the Venice Carnival and winter sports seasons. The train includes a dining car, and travelers can choose from seats, couchettes, and sleepers.

%{postComment}%

Bobbi Dempsey is a freelance writer who has written about a variety of topics, including health and entertainment, for aarp.org and AARP The Magazine. Her work has also appeared in Parade, The New York Times, Harper’s and other outlets.

Unlock Access to AARP Members Edition

Join AARP to Continue

Already a Member? Login