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
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Once a means of transport for only the wealthy,
has further committed to investing in expanding
train travel over the years has broadened its
its rolling stock, having recently acquired its first
scope; advances in engineering have resulted in
two state-of-the-art Bombardier TRAXX MS3
faster, more efficient commuters while, at the
multi-system locomotives.
other end of the spectrum, a growing desire for
In North America, Rocky Mountaineer has
leisurely experiences has seen a return to the
added a new route between Denver, Colorado, and
romance of rail.
Moab, Utah on board its glass-domed coaches.
In recent months, investment on the tracks
The luxury fleet was unveiled in 2019 and
has given rise to new carriages and experiences
expanded in 2020 due to popular demand, with
across Europe, the Americas and Asia, with both
the project marking the company’s largest capital
the business and leisure traveller in mind. In
investment in its 30-year history. With a focus on
Europe, RegioJet and Dutch start-up European
passenger comfort and experience, the coaches
Sleeper are planning a new night train connecting
were developed in collaboration with Stadler
Prague, Berlin, Amsterdam and Brussels. Slated
and feature improved suspension, redesigned
to launch in 2022, the venture supports the
galley kitchens, and heated composite-leather
pan-European initiative for the development
seats that recline without impacting the guest
of an environmentally-friendly night train,
behind and can spin 180 degrees for a more
and is in line with the EU’s 2021 Year of Rail
social setting. The highlight however is the
enterprise, which highlights the benefits of rail as
domed windows that extend overhead on the
a sustainable, smart and safe means of transport.
upper level of the train, allowing for panoramic
RegioJet’s trains will offer seating as well as
views of the snow-capped peaks of the Rockies.
sleeping compartments, and the private carrier
Using a similar technology to that seen on yachts
