10 new rail routes to look out for in 2026 and beyond

With the 200th anniversary of the modern railway falling in 2025, this year has been huge for train enthusiasts.

But with new routes opening up in 2026 and beyond, the excitement doesn’t have to stop when the clock hits midnight on 31 December. Here are 10 new rail routes to look forward to next year.

Launching: 2026/27

With the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games on the horizon, the arrival of the first-ever luxury sleeper train on the West Coast is no coincidence. While the cabins of Amtrak’s existing Coast Starlight service (Seattle–LA) tend to err on the snug and utilitarian side, sketches of this inaugural nightly service from Dreamstar Lines – connecting the Bay Area to LA in just 12 hours – promise the exact opposite: spacious, boutique-style first-class cabins complete with their own en-suites and fine dining on tap. Yes, please!

More information: dreamstarlines.com

Read next: 5 reasons to visit San Francisco

Launching: November 2025

Thailand has a brand-new luxury sleeper service running from Bangkok. Using a refurbished set of Japanese sleeper carriages from the 1960s, the Blue Jasmine’s route takes in Ayutthaya, Uthai Thani, Chiang Mai and Sukhothai. The nine-day itinerary is heavy with World Heritage sites, with two nights spent on the train and a further six at boutique hotels. In between, you’ll enjoy tuk-tuk rides, a pottery workshop and lunch aboard a traditional rice barge on the Sakae Krang River.

More information: thebluejasmine.dth.travel

Read next: Back to the forest: A better life for Thailand’s captive elephants

Launching: Autumn 2026

As we could have predicted, the Middle East’s first five-star train won’t be skimping on the finer things when it begins its 1,300km one- and two-day journeys north of capital Riyadh. As well as taking in historic Ha’il and the prehistory of Al Jouf, among other stops, its 14 carriages will host 34 suites, while early imagery of the carved-wood interiors of the lounge areas recalls a traditional majlis – albeit one gilded to the nines. Having used the same design team behind the La Dolce Vita Orient Express in Italy, which launched in 2025, we’re excited to see the result in the flesh.

More information: sar.com.sa

Read next: The archaeological area of Al-Faw becomes Saudi’s newest World Heritage Site

Launching: Early 2027

The much-delayed Red Star by JR Hokkaido is set to hit the tracks between Sapporo and Abashiri in February 2027. Its route is timed to coincide with the drift-ice season in the Sea of Okhotsk, where you can see Steller’s sea eagles hunting on the floe. However, this is just one of its seasonal routes, as the focus shifts to the Shiretoko Peninsula in spring, a vast and remote wilderness in the east of the island. Meanwhile, its sister service, Blue Star, will take in gentler pursuits, visiting the blooming lavender fields during summer.

More information: jrhokkaido.co.jp

Read next: Japan by rail trip planner

Launching: Summer 2026 (Rocky Mountaineer); April 2026 (Canyon Spirit)

A new Rocky Mountaineer summer route (June and July) takes some of the best scenery from its classic Vancouver–Banff service and distils it into a glacier-filled, two-day slow crawl between Jasper and either Lake Louise or Banff. In other news, the Rocky Mountaineer service is withdrawing from its Red Rocks route between Colorado and Utah, to be replaced by a new sister train, Canyon Spirit. Its impressive glass dome carriages will put the stair-step cliffs of De Beque Canyon and gravity-defying red-rock arches on widescreen as it hurtles between Denver and Moab/Salt Lake City from April to November.

More information: rockymountaineer.com; thecanyonspirit.com

Read next: 9 brilliant things to do in Banff National Park 

Launching: It’s already here! Plus, there’s a new route scheduled in 2026

Late July saw the launch of the latest service to update the glory days of vintage rail in the UK. It didn’t disappoint, especially on the dining front. Menus by Michelin favourite Simon Rogan, botanical cocktails and a stop at Raymond Blanc’s imperious Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons more than whet the appetite. Its services currently take in Cornwall, Wales and the Lake District in three- and six-night journeys; however, a fourth route – as yet unannounced – has been mooted for 2026, and our fingers are firmly crossed for Scotland.

More information: belmond.com

Launching: May 2026

The latest long-distance high-speed day service (and summer night train) connecting the capitals of Czechia, Germany and Denmark in 11 hours promises more than just a new rail adventure. As the first in a slew of cross-border European services being supported by the European Commission, it hopefully points to a new era of fast and efficient routes linking the continent’s major cities, which is still a rarity even today. It also comes hot on the heels of a new Basel-Copenhagen-Malmö night service arriving in April.

More information: cd.cz

Read next: 5 of Czechia’s most magical Christmas markets

Launching: It already started in June

The first sleeper train to link five European countries (Poland, Czechia, Austria, Slovenia and Croatia) offers one-way fares from £43, making it a great option for epic escapes on a budget. It’s not high-speed, but it does slash what used to be a 30-hour route to just 19 hours. The only downside is that it only runs in summer (Jun-Aug). Highlights include the industrial heritage of Ostrava, the vineyards of Maribor and the coastal promenade of Opatija for a whistle-stop tour of lesser-sung Europe.

More information: intercity.pl

Read next: The Wanderlust guide to hidden Croatia

Launching: Late 2025/early 2026

A new fast service will soon allow travellers to flit between the Danube cities of Budapest and Belgrade, cutting a seven-hour route to less than three hours and removing the need to change trains. This is the same route used by the original Orient Express on its way to Istanbul, and it’s worth making a stop or two along the way. Temptations include Serbia’s Art Nouveau city of Subotica and the historic fortress of former Capital of Culture Novi Sad.

More information: mavcsoport.hu; srbijavoz.rs

Read next: A short break in Serbia, Belgrade

Launching: April 2026

The Golden Eagle Silk Road Express train sees its operator return to China and Central Asia for the first time since the pandemic hit. It promises a much-anticipated renewal of an epic journey between Beijing and Tashkent on a new train with distinctly old-school vibes: think live piano in the bar and an observation car that’s all plush sofas and marquetry. Other eye-catching routes include riding the highest railway in the world to Lhasa or unpicking the history of imperial China between Xi’an and Hong Kong.

More information: goldeneagleluxurytrains.com

Read next: Beyond the Great Wall: 15 lesser-known UNESCO World Heritage Sites in China