The most exciting new trains coming in 2025

By Ben Jones, CNN

(CNN) — Amazing adventures, extraordinary landscapes and fabulous cuisine — the world’s greatest railway journeys are an unforgettable experience that can immerse you in the culture of a new country.

Demand for luxury “land cruise” trains with five-star hotel-style accommodation is booming. 2025 will see several new trains take to the rails for the first time, offering new opportunities to explore Italy, France, Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom.

But the best railway journeys don’t have to be the most expensive. There’s an ever-evolving world of train trips out there. Here are some of the key developments in the coming year:

Paris-Berlin in 8 hours

Two of Europe’s great capitals are now linked by their first direct high-speed train connection. Germany’s Deutsche Bahn introduced a daytime InterCity Express (ICE) service between Paris and Berlin on December 16 and is planning to add a second route between the two capitals in 2026.

Taking advantage of its new fleet of 200 mph (322 kph) ICE3neo trains, the once-a-day service takes around eight hours in each direction, also serving Strasbourg, Karlsruhe and Frankfurt on its 546-mile (878-kilometer) journey.

Fares start from around $60, and each train has capacity for 444 passengers, of which 111 can enjoy the additional comfort of leather seats and at-seat refreshments in first class.

The new high-speed ICE service is the first direct daytime train between Paris and Berlin since the 1990s and complements the Nightjet sleeper service introduced in 2023.

It may not be as fast as flying — some of the journey has to use lower speed “classic” lines to bridge gaps in the European high-speed network — but it is undoubtedly a more sustainable and more stylish way to travel across Europe.

The world’s fastest trains

In a little over 15 years, China has built by far the world’s largest high-speed rail network. It has leapfrogged pioneers such as Japan and France with its astonishingly rapid developments in high-speed rail technology.

New trains, known as CR450s, will take this to a new level in 2025 when the first examples are rolled out into passenger service. An evolution of the hugely successful Fuxing high-speed train family, they have been tested at more than 280 mph (450 kph), although their usual scheduled maximum is likely to be “just” 248 mph (400 kph).

In theory, the CR450s could slash the journey time between Beijing and Shanghai from four to two-and-a-half hours, according to the South China Morning Post newspaper, but it remains to be seen whether this is technically and economically feasible.

Raising train speeds from the current maximum of 186 to 217 mph comes at a very high cost in energy demands, increased maintenance and safety vigilance. France, Spain and Japan have tested trains at very high speeds over the past two decades and concluded that the optimum is around 185 to 200 mph.

However, in June 2023, China Railway conducted a trial operation of a CR450 on the Fuqing to Quanzhou section of the Fuzhou-Xiamen line in Fujian Province, southeastern China, maxing out at 281 mph.

China already operates several routes at up to 217 mph. If it can establish a case for even faster operations, it has the technology in place to reinforce its position as the world leader in high-speed rail.

La Dolce Vita — Italy’s new Super Deluxe Train

This year looks set to be a milestone year for luxury train travel. Italy’s glorious super-deluxe train Orient Express – La Dolce Vita will finally welcome its first passengers in April 2025.

Created by the Accor Hotels group, the train is aimed at design-conscious travelers, foregoing the traditional Belle Epoque style of the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express for interiors celebrating Italian décor, art and architecture of the 1960s and an exterior look inspired by luxury motorboats such as the legendary Riva Aquarama.

It will traverse Italy from north to south on six regular itineraries showcasing the country’s myriad historical treasures, the Italian Alps, Venice and Rome to Matera and Palermo in the south.

Journeys to Sicily will include a memorable hop across the Strait of Messina on Europe’s last passenger train ferry.

The hyperluxurious 11-car train features a stylish Bar Car with live music and games, 12 deluxe wood-lined cabins and 18 master suites complete with double beds, a sofa, armchairs and private bathroom. Travelers will enjoy five-star service on board savoring Italian gastronomy, regional and seasonal produce and the finest wines.

Opening with six different one- or two-night itineraries from Rome starting at around $2,000 a person, international routes to Paris, Istanbul and Split on Croatia’s Adriatic Coast will be added later.

Brussels-Venice by Sleeper

With demand for overnight trains in Europe outstripping supply, several ambitious start-ups have unveiled plans to introduce exciting new routes in recent years.

The standout candidate so far is Belgian-Dutch co-operative European Sleeper, which hit the rails in 2023 and is winning lots of fans with its Brussels-Berlin-Prague overnight train.

Despite difficulties in gaining long-term schedules and route plans and disruption caused by short-notice track repairs in Germany, European Sleeper is pursuing new routes in 2025. During its winter hiatus, it will redeploy its sleeper train to the Brussels-Venice route for five return trips, appealing to winter sports and budget city break enthusiasts.

Departing Brussels at 7 p.m., it runs overnight via the Netherlands and Germany, calling at various points including Munich, Innsbruck, Bolzano and Verona before reaching Venice at 2 p.m. the following day.

Renovated carriages feature sleeping compartments, couchette beds and reclining seats with modern features such as charging points and Wi-Fi aimed at travelers on different budgets.

European Sleeper’s Brussels hub offers an ideal connection for British and French travelers to reach the Alps and northern Italy comfortably through easy connections with Eurostar international trains in the Belgian capital.

Amtrak to New Orleans

After a gap of 20 years, US passenger train operator Amtrak is relaunching its train between Mobile, Alabama, and New Orleans in 2025. The service was suspended after Hurricane Katrina destroyed coastal rail tracks in August 2005, and it has taken years of discussions between rail companies and lawmakers to bring it back.

Two round trips per day will run over the 140-mile Gulf Coast route with stops in Bay St. Louis, Gulfport, Biloxi and Pascagoula. The trains will re-establish reliable rail links across the region, connecting growing population centers and tourist destinations, and support diverse jobs in health care, higher education, beaches, casinos and multiple military bases.

With an eye on extreme weather events that are becoming more likely in a changing climate, the trains are also highlighted as a critical evacuation route for Gulf Coast cities in the event of another hurricane the likes of Katrina.

It may not have the luxury appeal of the Orient Express, but it will be a vital connection across the Deep South of the United States for business travelers, tourists and locals alike.

Britannic Explorer – England and Wales

For more than 30 years, the United Kingdom’s most luxurious hotel train has been the Royal Scotsman, running lavish rail trips into Scotland. Starting in July 2025, it will have a new rival for that crown.

Owned and operated by Belmond, the same company as its Scottish sister train, The Britannic Explorer is the first luxury sleeper train to launch with extended itineraries from London to the iconic scenery of Wales, the Lake District and Cornwall.

With just 18 sumptuous cabins, including three grand suites, the Art Deco accommodation is inspired by the landscapes of its destinations. The exquisitely refurbished 1980s carriages — previously used for Belmond’s short-lived Hibernian hotel train in Ireland — feature velvet sofas, luxury striped wallpaper, a cocktail bar, observation car and even an on-board spa to help passengers relax as they travel.

No luxury hotel train is complete without an extraordinary gastronomic experience – in this case Michelin-starred chef Simon Rogan has designed menus focusing on seasonal, locally sourced ingredients and sustainability for lunch, dinner and afternoon tea.

Le Grand Tour France

Every year, the Tour de France cycle race completes a grueling circuit of the country, hustling through — and over — some of its finest landscapes. If that sounds too much like hard work, why not take a similar tour by luxury train?

Le Grand Tour France train promises a unique journey around some of France’s highlights, rolling in a leisurely six-day loop from Paris through the Champagne region and Burgundy to Lake Annecy in Alps, Avignon, Arcachon and the world-famous Châteaux of the Loire Valley before heading back to the capital.

The Belle Epoque-styled luxury train is set to immerse guests — just 42 per trip — in French and European history while admiring France’s rich culture of architecture, arts, crafts, music, cuisine and wines.

Le Grand Tour France is being created by the team behind the Puy du Fou historical theme park in the Vendee region and will include immersive shows and gourmet dining during its 2,500-mile journey.

The train will have just 18 deluxe cabins, a Bar Car and restaurant car where three-star Michelin chefs will serve gastronomic delights created with fresh and local products from the regions visited by the train. Prices for the six-day tour start from around $8,950 a person or $16,500 a person for a suite, each of which has its own butler.

Saudi Arabia’s Dream of the Desert

Saudi Arabia might not come immediately to mind when thinking of great railway journeys, but the country is hoping that will change in November 2025 with the launch of its Dream of the Desert luxury train.

The bespoke 41-cabin Italian-built train will explore the kingdom’s stunning desert and mountain landscapes during an 800-mile itinerary, stretching from the capital city of Riyadh to Al Qurayyat, near the Jordanian border.

Travelers to this rarely explored country are promised otherworldly landscapes, rugged peaks and excursions such as a visit to the King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Royal Natural Reserve.

Saudi Arabian Railways is collaborating with Italy’s Arsenale Group, creator of the Orient Express La Dolce Vita, on the $53 million train, which it says will “redefine luxury travel with an array of exquisite amenities and personalized services.”

Up to 80 lucky passengers can also expect an exceptional culinary journey, with a blend of international and local Saudi cuisines prepared by world-class chefs.

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