Belmond's Royal Scotsman has been named the world's best train journey in the 2026 Readers' Choice Awards, with a score of 98.59. The Scottish sleeper edged out South Africa's Rovos Rail (98.05), a repeat runner-up prized for its Edwardian-style cabins, South African wine pairings and a house rule that politely discourages gadgets — so it's you, the wood-panelled carriage and the veld going by.
Third place went to a newcomer: the Britannic Explorer, Belmond's first luxury sleeper train in England and Wales. Launched recently with farm-to-fork menus from chef Simon Rogan and a dedicated spa carriage, it also wins points for scenery through the Lake District and Snowdonia. It's part of a wider boom in luxury rail — Italy's La Dolce Vita Orient Express, with its velvet, 1960s-inspired interiors, also made the list at number 13.
The rest of the top ten reads like a rail traveller's bucket list. The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express sits fourth (97.25), ahead of India's Maharaja Express (97.02) and Canada's Rocky Mountaineer (96.76), whose mountain and river panoramas were singled out. Belmond's British Pullman (95.87), the Golden Eagle Danube Express threading the Balkans (95.52), The Ghan across Australia (94.63) and the UK's Northern Belle (94.53) round it out.
Deeper in the ranking you'll find Switzerland's Glacier Express (12th), the Eastern & Oriental Express through Southeast Asia (11th), Peru's Andean Explorer (14th) and Australia's Indian Pacific (15th). Notably, Belmond operates five of the fifteen entries — the brand has effectively become shorthand for the slow-travel revival.
Why does this matter if you're plotting a trip? Train travel is having a genuine moment, with new timetables and rolling stock appearing across Europe, Africa and beyond. A ranking like this is a decent shortcut for deciding which splurge is worth it: the list covers everything from day-trip dining trains (Northern Belle) to multi-day continent crossings (Indian Pacific, The Ghan). If a sleeper cabin is the dream, the top three — Scotland, South Africa, England and Wales — between them offer highlands, wine country and national parks. Book early regardless: the newest entrants like the Britannic Explorer and La Dolce Vita are selling out fastest, and top-tier journeys such as the Royal Scotsman run limited departures each season.
