The quick answer is book as far in advance as you can, though it's not always that simple...
Booking a luxury train journey is a considerable purchase, therefore time should be taken to research which journey is right for you. That said, it is also best to book a luxury train as far in advance as possible, so give yourself plenty of time to make your considered luxury train ticket purchase.
Having been involved in luxury train bookings for many, many years now, there is a trend to point out; in a high percentage of cases the closer to the departure date you book, the more expensive the tickets become, there are exeptions, which I will come to later. For most of the luxury sleeper trains, journey schedules are released in 12 month batches, meaning that there is never more than a 24 month window before a departure date is advertised. For day trip luxury train tickets, this is slightly less and you can really only book as far in advance as 18 months.
How far in advance should the Royal Scotsman luxury sleeper train be booked?
The Royal Scotsman is an intimate train with a maximum of 40 guests onboard, it is extremely popular with the American audience, to make sure you get the cabin choice you desire, it would be best to book a Royal Scotsman vacation a year in advance.
How far in advance should one book a Venice Simplon-Orient-Express journey?
The Venice Simplon Orient-Express is “The” luxury train that has the closest links to the Georges Nagelmackers Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits and for this reason the demand for a journey aboard the fabled train is always high. Book a journey as far in advance as possible. There are as I mentioned earlier expectations, where in cases where the train is not nearing its capacity, there is a chance to get a deal. For example, solo occupancy fees are sometimes waived, there are also sometimes opportunities to receive a night stay in one of Belmond’s celebrated hotels, which include the Cipriani in Venice. This usually applies only to one-night journeys though, the iconic Paris to Istanbul or Istanbul to Paris routes are limited to just one run a year, therefore there’s little chance for a deal on a route involving Istanbul. Book your Istanbul journeys as soon as the dates are released, the prices for these routes usually increase dramatically when cabin options are taken up. If you are looking at this route and it’s currently full you can be added to the waiting list for the following year’s journey.
How far in advance should British Pullman tickets be ordered?
Depending on which journey you wish to take aboard the British Pullman will depend on how far in advance you should book tickets. For journeys aboard the British Pullman to Highclere Castle (Downton Abbey) for example you would be best booking these a year in advance where you can. Highclere Castle is a journey that is always in demand and only takes place a handful of times. For journeys to Bath, these are occurring regularly throughout the season which runs from February to December, therefore the urgency to book your tickets is not as high. Christmas Lunch journeys usually take some time to sell out, though when the Autumn arises then sales for Christmas Lunches pick up and therefore it would be good to book a Christmas Lunch journey in the Summer to avoid any disappointment.
How far in advance should an Orient Express La Dolce Vita journey be booked?
Orient Express La Dolce Vita is a fairly new train in the sense that it launched in 2025 to passengers. Initial demand for journeys aboard La Dolce Vita was extreme, now that the excitement has settled, it is possible to book a journey aboard Orient Express La Dolce Vita within weeks of a departure.
