Trend: The Year of Rail

The Year of Rail

Winding their way through city and countryside, a host of new trains are reinventing the romance of rail travel for the 21st century.

Recent launches on the tracks include (left to right) Kyushu Railway Company’s 36+3, Rocky Mountaineer’s glass-domed coaches, and Anantara’s The Vietage

Once a means of transport for only the wealthy, train travel over the years has broadened its scope; advances in engineering have resulted in faster, more efficient commuters while, at the other end of the spectrum, a growing desire for leisurely experiences has seen a return to the romance of rail.

In recent months, investment on the tracks has given rise to new carriages and experiences across Europe, the Americas and Asia, with both the business and leisure traveller in mind. In Europe, RegioJet and Dutch start-up European Sleeper are planning a new night train connecting Prague, Berlin, Amsterdam and Brussels. Slated to launch in 2022, the venture supports the pan-European initiative for the development of an environmentally-friendly night train, and is in line with the EU’s 2021 Year of Rail enterprise, which highlights the benefits of rail as a sustainable, smart and safe means of transport. RegioJet’s trains will offer seating as well as sleeping compartments, and the private carrier has further committed to investing in expanding its rolling stock, having recently acquired its first two state-of-the-art Bombardier TRAXX MS3 multi-system locomotives.

In North America, Rocky Mountaineer has added a new route between Denver, Colorado, and Moab, Utah on board its glass-domed coaches. The luxury fleet was unveiled in 2019 and expanded in 2020 due to popular demand, with the project marking the company’s largest capital investment in its 30-year history. With a focus on passenger comfort and experience, the coaches were developed in collaboration with Stadler and feature improved suspension, redesigned galley kitchens, and heated composite-leather seats that recline without impacting the guest behind and can spin 180 degrees for a more social setting. The highlight however is the domed windows that extend overhead on the upper level of the train, allowing for panoramic views of the snow-capped peaks of the Rockies. Using a similar technology to that seen on yachts

and private jets, the windows can be dimmed to moderate the intensity of incoming sunlight.

While Rocky Mountaineer was forced to cancel its 2020 season, the operator believes that with the new route and carriages, not to mention the natural beauty of the region, travel will return. “We have high hopes for the preview season of our newest rail route in the Southwest USA, Rockies to the Red Rocks,” comments Peter Armstrong, founder and interim CEO of Rocky Mountaineer. “We are seeing a strong interest from travellers with some high-demand dates nearing capacity, and signs are pointing to a strong US domestic travel season for the year ahead.”

Operators in Asia meanwhile are seeking to reinvent the romance of rail travel. Japan’s Kyushu Railway Company has launched 36+3, a restored train that takes a circular route around the island of Kyushu, with carriages – housing a lounge, snack bar and private compartments – fully refitted with tatami flooring, intricately carved woodwork and jewel-hued upholstery.

And as hotel groups continue to look to transportation for a door-to-door travel experience, Minor Hotels has launched a luxury railway journey connecting two of its resorts in Vietnam. Departing from Danang and available as a package with accommodation at Anantara Hoi An and Anantara Quy Nhon Villas, The Vietage journeys through city and countryside, immersing its guests in Vietnamese culture, nature and history along the six-hour route.

Stepping aboard the 12-person carriage, passengers are transported back to an age of romantic rail travel through elegant interiors by Le Ha Hoang, Director of ShapeUs Studio in Ho Chi Minh City, who was also behind Anantara Hoi An’s restaurant, bar and art gallery. Large picture windows flood the carriage in natural light and frame the passing scenery, which is best enjoyed from the comfort of the plush seats designed to be more like individual armchairs than the standard 2+2 formation of commuters.

The design scheme also hints at a bygone era through Indo-China influences in the materials and colourways. Soft furnishings in earthy tones complement the landscape, while wooden features and warm textiles channel a sense of calm; a selection of prints by Hoi An-based photographer Réhahn further remind guests of their surroundings. Crew uniforms have been paid special attention too, created by Vietnamese fashion designer Tom Trandt and inspired by traditional national costume, with column-style embroidery added to imitate railway tracks.

Separating the carriage’s six private booths are a series of semi-transparent partitions crafted from locally-sourced rattan, which provide an element of seclusion while maintaining an airy feel. When passengers do want to let off some steam, they can take a seat at the semi-circular shaped, black marble bar and enjoy cocktails, local craft beers, wines and snacks, or unwind with a head and shoulder treatment in one of the wellness area’s spa-style chairs – just the ticket before arriving at their final destination.