Modern-day conveniences have killed the joys of the journey, as travelling becomes a means to an end devoid of a leisurely experience. Air travel used to be a luxury, but the rise of budget airlines have made it the most convenient mode of commute to one’s destination. There is the occasional breath-taking bird’s-eye view of a natural landscape, but that disappears as quickly as it appears.
In order to truly experience nature’s gifts at a leisurely pace, one should eschew the skies and board the most trusted mode of transportation before airliners – trains. For starters, one has to get out of the one-track mind about public trains that we dread during peak hours as the selection below could not be any more different. Luxurious and contemporary, these are the trains that will make one feel like royalty. Due to recent rail development, one is able to travel further distances up to as far as Moscow.
Rail travel allows one to take things at a laid-back pace. So ease into the first class cabin, which offers more than just extended legroom, as you rediscover your love for the journey and not just the destination with these luxury trains in Asia.
Seven Stars in Kyushu
Seven Stars in Kyushu offers an excellent experience for travellers wanting to experience Japan beyond its modern cityscapes. Taking travellers through the region’s expanse of alluring landscapes, the four-day train ride covers five out of seven prefectures of Kyushu and includes a one-night ryokan stay in Yufuin. The Seven Stars’s red-and-gold exterior alludes to the elegant journey ahead while the interior boasts an exquisite blend of Japanese and Western traditions, both old and new, with the varied use of timbre and printed upholstery fabrics. It is as luxurious as it is intimate, receiving only 14 pairs of guests across 14 cabins for each trip. The most exquisite cabin, Deluxe Suite A, is 21 sq m with a wall-to-wall window to offer the most panoramic vista onboard. The Blue Moon lounge car allows fellow travellers to mingle under the starry skies as live piano music serenades in the background. The dining car, Jupiter, serves dishes specific to each journey and employs seasonal ingredients used by Kyushu’s master chefs. At the time of writing, Seven Stars in Kyushu is fully booked till September, so be ready to reserve a trip between October 2019 to February 2020 when bookings open in this April.
Eastern & Oriental Express
The Eastern & Oriental Express travels through Southeast Asia’s lush greenery, from Singapore through Malaysia, across central and southern Thailand to Bangkok. The elegant 82-guest colonial train has air-conditioned cabins with two dining cars, a bar car, and an outdoor observation car for travellers to take in the scenic landscapes. Relax with tipples in hand within the nostalgic Indochina interiors or the observation car as the handsome green-and-gold carriages meander through the region’s lush jungles and quaint villages. The Eastern & Oriental Express offers four types of accommodation with the Presidential Suite offering 11.6 sq m of space to hold a small soirée. With three restaurant cars, of which only two joins the Eastern & Oriental Express for every journey, travellers can look forward to the most scrumptious dining options onboard. Internationally renowned chefs create Asian-rooted fare such as Roast Duck Breast accompanied by Tian Vegetables in black pepper sauce. Complimentary tea and coffee are available at all times, and the bar car stays open throughout the journey. Travellers can extend their trip to Bali, Koh Samui, Cambodia, and Laos through prior arrangements made with the company.
Read the full article in Men’s Folio’s February’19 New Love issue.
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