Charles Dickens once observed: “All locomotive engines are low-spirited in damp and foggy weather.”
And it is true that spending an hour commuting by train through gloomy industrial scenery is rarely the stuff of travel dreams.
Yet rail travel can also be one of the most atmospheric ways to explore a country — from sunrise rides beside the coast to warm, rain-streaked journeys through the Scottish Highlands.
The Daily Mail has rounded up some of the finest overnight railway adventures available, ranging from a £2,119-per-person expedition across the Australian outback to standout UK journeys and European routes costing less than £50.
Caledonian Sleeper
London – Inverness, UK
The Caledonian Sleeper is a classic UK overnight train journey and one every traveller should experience
The route through Scotland passes landmarks including St Andrews and Loch Lomond
Covering roughly 500 miles in 12 hours and 45 minutes, the Caledonian Sleeper is now the longest direct rail journey in the UK.
Passengers can watch for a succession of spectacular landmarks, including Rannoch Moor, Loch Lomond and Loch Ness, along with coastal scenery near St Andrews and Arbroath.
As the train nears its destination, the first light of morning spreading across the Highlands creates one of the journey’s most memorable sights.
Departing London Euston at 9.15pm six nights a week, from Sunday to Friday, the service travels overnight through Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen before reaching Inverness.
Travellers can choose from reclining seats costing about £50 to private compartments with beds, charging points and washbasins. Premium cabins, which include en suite facilities, cost up to £570, according to sleeper.scot.
Royal Canadian Pacific
Canada
The Canadian Pacific Railway winds through some of the country’s most breathtaking scenery
The Royal Canadian Pacific Railway uses restored trains dating from 1916 to 1931. Originally created to unite Canada and make cross-country travel possible, the railway now offers far more than simple transportation.
Today, the journey is presented as an experience in luxury as much as a means of getting from one place to another.
“The silver settings, brass fittings, burled tables, brocade chairs, wall paneling of Circassian walnut and bird’s eye maple imported from Russia, and open vestibules are the pinnacle of a bygone tradition of elegance,” the railway’s website says.
Among the train’s notable passengers have been US President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, as well as the late Queen Elizabeth II, according to royalcanadianpacific.com.
Maharajas Express
India
The Maharajas’ Express travels across India, although its lavish experience comes at a substantial price
The Maharajas Express is one of the country’s more luxurious travel options – here, live bands play music for departing passengers.
Measuring almost half-a-mile in length, it runs four routes that take round trips from Delhi, and from Delhi to Mumbai and back.
The cabins of the train are set inside carriages named after gemstones and there are four types to choose from – deluxe, junior suites, suites and a presidential suite.
Ticket prices for a deluxe cabin on the three-night Treasures of India itinerary start at $4,000 (£3,025), while the presidential suite costs up to $26,800 (£20,268), the-maharajas.com.
Santa Claus Express
Helsinki – Rovaniemi
Book a magical winter trip on the Santa Claus Express, which can take you to Rovaniemi
Lapland trips top Christmas season wish lists, and this night train can take you direct into the heart of this Finnish wonderland.
With the Santa Claus Express, you can travel to Lapland by taking the original train from Helsinki or Turku to Rovaniemi.
The double-decker night train has several daily connections, and you can choose between a seat or a sleeper cabin.
The trains feature Wi-Fi, cabins are equipped with power sockets and at your choice even your own shower and toilet.
Tickets start from €67 (£57), vr.fi/en/santa-claus-express
Venice Simplon-Orient-Express
Paris to Venice
The legendary Venice Simplon-Orient-Express is one of the most lavish options
The dining car provides a decadent array of treats with a 1920s feel
Aboard the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express you can travel to destinations including Paris and Venice, with extended routes to Vienna and Prague, in what can only be described as the utmost glamour.
1920s carriage accommodation includes historic cabins, suites, grand suites, and the extraordinary L’Observatoire, a private carriage designed in collaboration with world-acclaimed French street artist JR.
Each category has been restored or designed to reflect the heritage of the train, with grand suites offering additional space, private bathrooms and 24-hour dedicated butler service.
An uber-exclusive Paris-Istanbul journey is the creme de la creme of luxury, taking place only twice a year, and costing around £19,900 per person, belmond.com/en/trains/europe/venice-simplon-orient-express
Royal Scotsman
Scotland
Cinematic tours are the order of the day on board the Royal Scotsman
As the train weaves through the awe-inspiring peaks and valleys of Scotland, you can settle into your luxury cabin while being serenaded by bagpipes.
With 18 sleeper cabins, two dining cars and a lavish Dior spa, the Belmond train offers incredible trips, including a three-night Highland tour passing through Edinburgh, Keith, Kyle of Lochalsh and Boat of Garten, as well as a seven-night Grand Tour of Scotland.
In 2026, the train has introduced a ‘Tastes of Scotland Culinary Series’, a celebration of Scottish cuisine across three exclusive journeys.
Shorter journeys start from £4,500 per person, making this a once-in-a-lifetime break for many, belmond.com/en/trains/europe/uk/royal-scotsman
Belmond Andean Explorer
Peru
The Belmond Andean Explorer is one of Peru’s best travel experiences
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Passengers can admire the scenery from the observation car on the train
The Belmond Andean Explorer is a super-luxury piece of transport taking passengers from Cusco, the ancient capital of the Inca Empire to the reflective beauty of Lake Titicaca, onto Arequipa, a Unesco World Heritage site.
Customers can choose from a range of cabins for their accommodation, including suite/double, twin and bunk bed configurations.
These bedrooms all come with their own en suite toilet and shower.
There are also two dining cars where chefs from Belmond Hotel Monasterio, Cusco, will serve up dishes using locally sourced ingredients from the Peruvian Andes.
Prices start from £2,500, belmond.com/en/trains/south-america/peru/andean-explorer
The Ghan
Adelaide-Darwin, Australia
The Ghan, which makes a return journey twice a week, is for those wishing to explore the Australian Outback
In Australia, the fabulous Indian Pacific sleeper train goes across from Perth to Sydney, but our pick of the top train is The Ghan, which goes from north to south.
With 44 carriages and two locomotives all measuring at 0.7 miles in length, The Ghan is one of the longest trains in the world.
The journey takes four days and three nights, and departs on Wednesdays and Saturdays from March to November.
Occasionally, the train stops early morning (around 5.30am to 6am) if there’s a particularly good sunrise.
Prices start from £2,119 per person, journeybeyondrail.com.au/journeys/the-ghan
Seven Stars
Kyushu, Japan
Inside a deluxe suite of the Seven Stars excursion train
Those wishing to sleep on the move might want to journey to the Japanese island of Kyushu for the luxurious Seven Stars train experience.
Travelling through breathtaking scenery, this train hotel offers five-star service with spacious suites for its guests and a fine dining room where food is served from Japan’s top chefs.
There is also a cocktail bar, so travellers can relax in style as they stare at the scenery out of the panoramic windows and listen to live piano performances.
Following cancelled journeys due to the Kumamoto earthquake of 2026, the service is back up and running again, cruisetrain-sevenstars.jp/english/train
SJ Norge
Norway
SJ Norge is another European sleeper train, ideal for exploring Norway
A daily sleeper is operated by SJ Norge, with standard seats, premium plus ‘rest seats’ (with more recline) and sleeper compartments.
‘This is an especially good summer ride when it’s light into the early hours of the morning and you can watch Norwegian fjords and mountains pass by,’ writes the Daily Mail train expert Tom Chesshyre, author of Ticket To Ride: Around The World on 49 Unusual Train Journeys.
He adds: ‘But the journey is enjoyable at any time of year.’
Trondheim and Bodo on the route are both great for the Northern Lights, sj.no/en/front-page
Blue Train
South Africa
The Blue Train travels from Cape Town to Pretoria in South Africa
The Blue Train, which runs from Pretoria to Cape Town, dates back to the 1900s and tickets include meals, drinks and deluxe suites with full-sized baths.
On your journey, you can expect views to range from vast savannahs to sculpted mountain ranges.
Private suites have butler service, while all passengers can make the most of the classic private club-style Club Car, and even enjoy a handmade Cuban cigar.
‘Everything was perfect,’ one guest wrote of their experience on board. ‘The service and meals were excellent! The staff were friendly. It was my first time on The Blue Train – this journey was unbelievable, you will see me again.’
Visit bluetrain.co.za
Nightjet
Across Europe
Nightjet trains provide budget-friendly journeys between many major European cities
On board Nightjet services, you can travel between Vienna, Brussels, Amsterdam and Berlin – among other routes.
The best value is achieved by booking tickets early.
For example, the Sparschiene ticket for the Vienna – Amsterdam or Innsbruck – Amsterdam route in a seated carriage is available from just €34.90 (£30) per person and direction.
For families or groups, saver fare tickets in couchette cars (compartment space for four to six people) are available from €54.90 (£47.20), and the new Mini Cabins for solo travellers are also offered with a saver fare ticket from €54.90 (£47.20).
For extra sleeping comfort and even more space and privacy, a berth in a sleeper compartment can be booked with a saver fare from €89.90 (£77.30), nightjet.com
European Sleeper
Brussels-Amsterdam-Berlin-Prague
Instead of jetting off around Europe this summer and worrying about luggage and flight times, you can go from Paris to Berlin by sleeper train
The European Sleeper is easy to incorporate into travel itineraries and allows travellers to wake up in a new destination. It may not be fancy, but it’s not too pricey either.
There are routes to some of the most popular cities in Europe including Amsterdam, Berlin, Brussels and Prague.
European Sleeper launched the new route on March 26 and it operates three times a week.
The journey from Paris, to Brussels, to Berlin provides a direct, overnight connection between the three bustling cities.
It takes around 15 hours and is one of the best budget-friendly routes on the list, with budget Paris-Berlin seats from €80 (£68), europeansleeper.eu