Logo

The Society of International Railway Travelers, which celebrates its 25th year in 2008, said some on the list are over-the-top luxury, such as the all-first-class "Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian Express," Rovos Rail's "Pride of Africa" and India's "Deccan Odyssey".

Others offer the most stylish and comfortable way to see less-developed regions, such the world's newest private train, the "Danu be Express," which offers week-long, rail-based "cruises" through Central Europe. Per-person prices for these mostly private-train tours range from USD 2,895 for a week in Mexico's Copper Canyon aboard the "Sierra Madre Express" to USD 26,500 for a 16-day Vancouver-Montreal excursion aboard the exclusive "Royal Canadian Pacific," which hosted the likes of Sir Winston Churchill, King G eorge VI, Queen Elizabeth - and Bill Gates