Rail is undergoing a renaissance, with the demand for slow, reflective journeys driven by the acknowledgement of sustainable travel. Slow travel adds to the wellness benefits of living in the moment and mindfulness. Back in 1804, the world’s first train journey, a self-propelling steam locomotive, pulled iron along with 70 passengers over 10 miles, and South Wales Railways ignited tourism. Over 200 years later (after a pandemic and the rise of climate consciousness) we are witnessing a return to slow and sustainable travel and the wonderment of how train travel can connect us to so many places, from stylish environments to places less known.

Research by the UK’s London North Eastern Railway (LNER) even found that 53% of people enjoy travelling by train because it provides them with an opportunity to unwind and relax. As French photographer and street artist JR, who just designed an “over-the-top” sleeper carriage for Belmond, said, “There is something about viewing the changing landscape from a bubble, as if you are traveling through different worlds.”

Travel by rail is hot: 2024 witnessed a 43% increase in luxury rail travel compared to 2023, according to Andrew Channell, the senior vice president of product at Railbookers, a specialist train travel agency. Travel booking platforms are reporting a growing demand for luxury rail trips. Responding to this growing demand, Railbookers plans to launch an Around the World by Luxury Train voyage, a 59-day global journey across four continents, 12 countries, and seven opulent trains, with the first voyage departing in September 2025. Hauled by both historic and iconic steam locomotives, Steam Dreams Rail Co. is operating day trips in 2025 through England and Wales, offering relaxation in restored vintage carriages reminiscent of a bygone era.

Japan offers scenic train journeys such as the exclusive Train Suite Shiki-shima, which quickly closed applications for its 2024 trips due to high demand. New train journeys round trip from Rome will also commence April 2025 under Accor’s La Dolce Vita brand, building on the legacy of the famous Orient Express and offering cultural, historical and gastronomic experiences, such as lunch in a cave restaurant in Matera.

But it’s not just luxury train travel that’s growing. In the US, more than 24 million travelers rode on an Amtrak train between October 2023 and July 2024, the Wall Street Journal reported. That’s 18% more than the previous year, says Business Insider, putting the US train company in a position to transport a record number of travelers in 2024.

Train travel is one of the most sustainable ways to get around, and as more travelers think about their carbon footprint, train travel benefits. In the US, Amtrak reports that its service is on average 46% more energy efficient than travel by car and 34% more efficient than domestic air travel, while in Europe, Eurail reported that traveling by train contributes between 66% and 75% less carbon than driving or flying.

For more information, please visit Global Wellness Summit.