Rail holidays FAQ’s
Will I have enough time in each place?
Railway holidays are as much about the holiday as the rail. They are designed for people who relish rail travel but also want to get off the train and explore more than on your average coach tour, for example. So, in general, railway holiday suppliers are proponents of slow travel, giving you a couple of days in favourite spots along the way. Transits are organised when necessary from the train station and back again, and unless it is a very independent style railway holiday, you will often be met by a local guide at the railway station.
Our Railway Holidays
Scotland by railway holiday
Experience authentic Scotland independently and car-free
From
£1025 to £1125
8 days
ex flights
Trans Mongolian railway holiday
Ride the Iconic Trans-Mongolian Railway in all it's glory.
From
£2710 to £2780
16 days
ex flights
Railway tour of Morocco
Rediscover Morocco's two greatest Imperial Cities by rail.
From
£595 to £650
8 days
ex flights
Ireland holiday by train
Discover contrasts of Dublin, Galway and Belfast, car-free.
From
£820 to £1000
8 days
ex flights
Trans Siberian railway tour
Watch this epic land glide by through the window of a comfortable train
From
£2210 to £2699
17 days
ex flights
West Highland Line railway holiday in Scotland
Take the "The World's Best Rail Journey" to the Isle of Skye
From
£685 to £735
4 days
ex flights
Complete India by rail, 6 weeks
A 6 week trip that circles India by train
From
£3299 to £3729
46 days
ex flights
Thailand by rail holiday
Get a real taste of Thailand by travelling the local way
From
£1145
13 days
ex flights
Scotland island hopping holiday, car free
Explore three contrasting Scottish islands car-free
From
£1025 to £1150
8 days
ex flights
North india rail tour
Take the train right to the heart of India’s colourful cultural northern region
From
£510 to £739
9 days
ex flights
Central Europe rail tour, 15 days
An exciting trip around the continent's fairytale cities
From
£1259 to £1589
15 days
ex flights
Reunification Express holiday, Vietnam
Most wonderful way to travel from north to south of Vietnam
From
£1130 to £1265
15 days
ex flights
Trans Mongolian express rail tour, Beijing to St Petersburg
Ride the rails on this once-in-a-lifetime trip
From
£2380 to £2939
19 days
ex flights
Edinburgh and Hadrian’s Wall tour by train
Explore Edinburgh and Hadrian’s Wall
From
£665 to £895
4 days
ex flights
India by Rail, Northeast & Darjeeling
Get off the beaten path and see India in a very untypical way – by train
From
£760 to £1099
13 days
ex flights
Japan small group holiday by bullet train
Japan's must-see cities and beautiful, rural countryside
From
£3595 to £3995
14 days
ex flights
Balkans rail holiday
Travel through seven countries in the Balkans.
From
£2099 to £2199
16 days
inc UK flights
Bulgaria holiday by train
Self-guided trip by slow-ride train through best of Bulgaria
From
€485 to €585
12 days
ex flights
Trans Mongolian holiday, tailor made
Ride the Iconic Trans-Mongolian Railway in all it's glory.
From
£2430
16 days
ex flights
Kolkata to Kochi rail tour, India
Travel northeast to southeast India spotting innumerable beautiful sights along the way
From
£2349 to £2749
33 days
ex flights
Southern India and Karnataka rail tour
Take the train from Goa to Kochi via Karnataka and see the breathtaking ruins of Hampi
From
£555 to £769
10 days
ex flights
Festive Russia holiday by rail
Experience the frosty and festive delights of Russia
From
£2030
13 days
ex flights
Christmas on the Trans Mongolian express
Christmas in Siberian Russia & celebrate New Year in Moscow
From
£6070
24 days
ex flights
India rail tour, Southern India & the East Coast
Hop on board and see India in a whole new light.
From
£847 to £1199
14 days
ex flights
Vietnam tour, Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh
Adventure getting to know Vietnamese food, culture & people
From
£565 to £630
11 days
ex flights
Trans Siberian rail journey, winter in Russia
From Moscow to Baikal, tailor-made
From
€1800 to €2350
12 days
ex flights
Trans Siberian Railway holiday, Russian Summer
Remarkable Moscow to Vladivostok train journey, Tailor-Made
From
€3800 to €4600
18 days
ex flights
Delhi to Kochi rail tour in India
On this 21 day rail tour you would be hard-pressed to feel like you have missed out on anything
From
£1449 to £1649
21 days
ex flights
Britain tour by train
Explore England and Scotland's cities & landscapes by train.
From
£2775 to £3025
15 days
ex flights
Will I be travelling with a group?
Quite a few of our rail holidays are tailor made to suit your timing, but some, like the Reunification Express in Vietnam, Trans-Mongolian Express and the Moorish Spain to Marrakech by rail holidays are in small groups with maximum group size of 16 travellers. However, this doesn’t mean that you will feel ‘chaperoned’ – it is your holiday after all, but it means that a group leader will be on hand to assist with anything you need during your time in the places you visit along the way. And it means you can totally chill when it comes to connections and reservations.Will I be in a first class carriage?
Again this depends on the trip. It’s first class all the way on the super luxurious “El Transcantabrico” train that shimmies its way rather sleekly across Northern Spain. Or the Maharajas’ Express, which takes you to all points on India’s Golden Triangle in award winning luxury. As part of the Scotland Luxury Rail Holiday, you travel first class on the Jacobite steam train from Fort William to Mallaig, over the equally first class Glenfinnan viaduct and top notch highland scenery, as well as a first class Scotrail service back down through the Highlands to Pitlochry.Do we always sleep on trains?
On most of our rail holidays, you get off the train at night and stay at locally owned accommodation. There are sleepover parties to be had, however, especially on the long distance journeys such as the Tran-Mongolian Express or the Reunification Express in Vietnam. Travelling by night means that you often have the whole day free for sightseeing as well, such as on the Maharajas’ Express.
How will the food be?
In general, it is always good to stock up on snacks before you board a train. There are exceptions, of course, but food and trains do not usually a happy marriage make. You will have an adventure, however, on board the likes of the Trans-Mongolian Express, where the buffet cars change according to the country you are in: Russia, Mongolia and China. So, lunch is chicken or meat borsht in Russia, with vodka flowing freely, rice and mutton in Mongolia, and a proverbial Chinese cacophony once you cross that border.Our top Railway Holiday
Scotland by railway holiday
Experience authentic Scotland independently and car-free
From
£1025 to £1125
8 days
ex flights
Tailor made:
This trip can be tailor made from April to the end of October.
This trip can be tailor made from April to the end of October.
Helpdesk
Hello. If you'd like to chat about Railway or need help finding a holiday to suit you we're very happy to help. Rosy & team.
Are there luggage restrictions?
The joy of not flying is that you don’t have the luggage restrictions. However, you really don’t want to be hauling big, cumbersome suitcases on and off trains, especially if they are crowded and there isn’t much time at one spot. Try and pack lightly, and have all your immediate requirements in a daypack that is kept by your feet, or overhead.
More about Railway
The journey is often more exciting than the destination - and never is that more apparent than on a railway holiday.
Take a look at our interactive map, below, to see our railway holiday highlights around the world.
There are opportunities for you to dip in and out of this style of travel depending on how hardcore you want to go.
There are some destinations that make you think of classic train journeys - the most famous being Siberia and India, where spending several days rattling along the rails is as quintessential an experience as you can imagine.
One of the world’s most splendid railway journeys, The West Highland Line takes you through mountains, moors and marine marvels, between Glasgow and Mallaig on the west coast.
Trans Siberian Railway tours are one of the most authentic ways to explore all of Russia.
Although nicknamed 'bullet', which is kind of apt due to the shape and speed, Japan's Shinkansen trains provide peace, safety and comfort for passengers travelling north, south and west in Japan.
Take a ride on a train that you won’t want to get off although it would be a shame to miss out on Agra’s Taj Mahal and Jaipur’s Amber Fort, as you’re passing.
The Kyle Line is otherwise known as the Kyle of Lochalsh to Inverness Line and takes you coast to coast between the Kyle on the west coast and Inverness on the northeast.
Our railway gurus have shared their top rail holiday tips with us - from what to pack (not too much!) and what to eat, to meeting your fellow passengers and getting a good night's sleep.
Responsible train holidays are pretty much a given: you're embracing slow travel, stepping outside of the multinational resorts and in some cases, cutting down on domestic flights.
Find all of our rail holidays guides in one place, for rail travel in particular places such as India and Scotland.
Why book with Responsible Travel
Photo credits: [Page banner: Belur Ashok] [Will I have enough time?: Dave Sizer]
[Do we always sleep on trains: plusgood]
[Are there luggage restrictions?: Ian Keefe]
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