Everything you need to know about rail travel in 2026

In light of climate change, flygskam (Swedish for flight shame) and the ease of arriving at a city-centre train station instead of the hassle of a far-flung airport, the world is all aboard for train travel. Adventuring by rail is starting to feel a lot less like a nostalgic throwback and more like stepping into a new era of travel. No matter where in the world your 2026 trips take you, trains are ready to whisk you between capital cities and unforgettably scenic landscapes — here’s everything you should know about rail travel in the year ahead.

Europe gets a slew of new sleeper services

It’s becoming easier than ever to zip around Europe by train. A high-speed network is set to link the continent’s capitals by 2040, and night trains in particular are seeing a resurgence of interest. The sleeper service linking Paris, Berlin and Vienna was set to be scrapped after France withdrew funding — even though the trains had 70% occupancy — but European Sleeper, a Dutch-Belgian railway company founded in 2021, is taking over the route from March. It’s also launching night trains between Amsterdam, Brussels, Bern and Milan in June. In the UK, the Caledonian Sleeper is introducing a new overnight route from Birmingham to the Scottish Highlands in January, the first time the service has added a new calling point in more than 30 years.

Sleeper trains in Europe are also going luxe. La Dolce Vita Orient Express started high-end trips around Italy in 2025 in vintage refurbished carriages. Spain’s Al Andalus is marking its 40th anniversary in 2026 with a new itinerary that travels beyond Andalucia to take in more of the country, now starting or ending in Madrid. The Britannic Explorer is England’s first luxury sleeper train, which launched in 2025. This service from luxury operator Belmond takes in the scenery of Cornwall, Wales and the Lake District with departures from London.

Hit the slopes by rail in Europe and the US

This winter, skiers can hit the world’s largest interconnected ski area by train. The new seasonal Travelski Night Express, running from December to March, will transport snow bunnies from Paris to Bourg-Saint-Maurice, stopping at big resorts in Courchevel, La Plagne, Tignes, Méribel, Val d’Isère and more. For 2026, Eurostar’s Ski train from London St Pancras to Bourg-Saint-Maurice is extending its timetable from 14 weeks to 16 weeks, ending in early April instead of mid-March, too.

Across the pond in the United States, Amtrak’s Winter Park Express, running between Denver and Winter Park, Colorado’s longest continually operated ski resort, expanded its services and reduced ticket prices for the 2024/25 winter season and saw a record-breaking 150% increase in ridership. For a second year, the service continues to run four days a week from mid-December to the end of March, with 57 return trips.

Canyon Spirit extends scenic route to Salt Lake City, Utah

Previously called Rocky Mountaineer in the US, Canyon Spirit is expanding its luxury Rockies to the Red Rocks trip from Moab to Salt Lake City on one of the most scenic train routes not just in the country but the world, too. Moab, the gateway town to Arches and Canyonlands national parks, is a fraction of the size of Utah’s capital city and is better connecteced with an international airport and two interstate highways. The new route runs from April onwards.

Rocky Mountaineer starts a new route in Canada

In summer 2026, passengers can travel by train to the wild heart of the Canadian Rockies on the new Passage to the Peaks route, which runs between the mountain towns of Banff and Jasper. This new service is the only Rocky Mountaineer route that doesn’t go to Canada’s West Coast, instead focusing on the craggy mountains, electric blue glacial lakes and towering forests further inland.

Amtrak set to roll out new Airo carriages

In 2026, Amtrak, the United States’ only nationwide passenger rail service, is introducing new carriages to its medium-distance trains, including the Northeast Regional (Washington, DC to Boston) and Amtrak Cascades (Portland, Oregon to Vancouver, Canada). In August 2025, Amtrak launched the ‘next generation’ Acela carriages on North America’s only high-speed train line, continuing to improve the rail offering across the United States.

Saudi Arabia is getting its first luxury train line

All that glitters is gold, especially in a region known for its over-the-top decadence. Saudi Arabia is launching a new luxury train called Dreams of the Desert in autumn 2026, the first of its kind in the Middle East. Passengers will depart from capital Riyadh on an 800-mile journey that ends near the border with Jordan, passing through AlUla, an ancient Nabataean city, and necropolis Hegra, which is often compared to Petra in Jordan.

The first passenger trains will roll out in the United Arab Emirates

The UAE is introducing its first countrywide passenger train services in 2026 on Etihad Rail. The first stations will be in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah and Fujairah. The journey between Dubai and Abu Dhabi will take about 50 minutes until the high-speed line is unveiled, cutting journey times down to half an hour. A train link to Oman is also under discussion.

New Zealand cities get reconnected by rail

Revived after more than two decades out of service, a train route will once again link up Christchurch, Dunedin and Invercargill, the only passenger service on the South Island. From 20 January, the Mainlander will run monthly, with plans for more frequent services to be brought on board at a later date.

The South Island’s scenic lines are also getting updates to draw in more travellers. Passengers on the Taieri Gorge heritage railway can stop off at Deep Stream, a picturesque 1,804ft-deep gorge, and walk across the bridge to take photos of the 1960s locomotive amid the landscape only accessible by train. The train is also adding open-air viewing carriages from 2026.

Australia’s iconic trains get even more luxurious suites

In April, Journey Beyond is bringing a higher level of luxury to the Ghan, Indian Pacific, Great Southern and Overland trains in Australia. Travellers staying in the new art deco-inspired suites, called Aurora and Australis, can expect private butlers, personalised in-suite bars, an unpacking service, chauffeurs at arrival and departure, and exclusive off-train experiences. Aurora suites will be double the size of the Platinum cabins, and Australis suites give travellers three times the space with a separate bedroom with a queen-size bed.

Japan’s most popular bullet train is adding private rooms

Ridden by more than 150 million people a year, the Tokaido line connecting Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka is Japan’s busiest and the world’s oldest high-speed train lines, founded in 1964. In autumn 2026, some trains on this route are seeing a return of private rooms with closable doors for the first time in two decades since they were removed in 2003. The rooms — just two per train to start with — will be available in first class and include reclining seats, leg rests, wi-fi, adjustable thermostats, volume control and dimmable lights. Travellers using the JR Rail Pass need to pay an additional charge to upgrade to the room seats.

South Korea’s high-speed services are merging, boosting capacity

After splitting apart in 2013 in an effort to foster commercial competition, KTX (Korea Train eXpress) and SRT (Super Rapid Train) are set to recombine into a single government-run entity in 2026, fulfilling a presidential campaign promise to reunite the fragmented services. The operators previously ran trains out of their own separate stations in Seoul but will soon serve all stations, making travel easier for visitors. By the end of 2026, travellers will be able to book all high-speed train options through a single app after the ticketing systems are integrated, and the Korean government says the merger will increase the number of seats by 16,000, alleviating shortages on popular routes.

More tour operators add rail to their itineraries

Travellers booking trips through tour operators are also looking towards train travel. Tour operator G Adventures already started offering Rail Collection in 2025, while Byway offers only flight-free trips around the UK and Europe. Selective Asia is covering the cost of travellers’ train tickets when they use rail services instead of domestic flights in India, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Indonesia. Train specialist Railbookers is offering new 2026 itineraries of 29- to 48-day trips aboard some of the world’s most luxurious trains.