“Where do we stay and what do we eat?”

What are the hotels like? 

Good service, individual style and a warm welcome are the criteria that we look for when selecting our hotels. Great Rail Journeys do not have a 'typical' star rating or hotel chain that we look for, although all of the rooms on our tours have en suite facilities. Whenever possible we prefer hotels which are run by local families because we often find that they have a more personal atmosphere. We have worked with many of our hotels for over 10 years, and as a result have established a good relationship with them. 

For convenience we normally use hotels which are close to a railway station for single night stays on inbound or outbound journeys. If our guests are staying in the same place for a few nights we pick hotels that are close to attractions. The star ratings (if applicable) and names of the accommodation used on a specific tour are available under the 'Hotels' section of the holiday description. Upgrades for larger rooms or additional features such as an ocean/lake view are available in some of our hotels.

What about the hotels on “Holidays by Rail for Single Travellers”? 

Every customer on a tour from our Holidays by Rail for Single Travellers programme enjoys the privacy and comfort of their own en suite room, without paying any single supplement. Friends who are travelling together can share a room if they wish; please let us know if that is the case.

All of our hotels have been selected due to their location, facilities and value for money. For these reason you will find that many of the single night stays on inbound or outbound journeys are close to a railway station, whilst hotels which are the base of a holiday are located close to the heart of the destination.

Do we sleep on the train? 

Great Rail Journeys' essentially offers holidays by rail. In other words, we travel by rail but we are accommodated in well-appointed hotels at our various destinations.

On our European holidays most of our journeys are by day and therefore you do not bed down for the night on the train. Occasionally we use sleeper trains to get us quickly and efficiently overnight to or from our destination. Details of these trains may be found in the 'Trains' section of the holiday description.

Many of our holidays in North America also use sleeper trains. Amtrak sleeper trains feature on a number of our USA holidays whilst customers on some of our Canadian holidays travel on overnight trains such as the Canadian and Ocean.

Some of the holidays in our Worldwide programme incorporate 'hotel' trains into their itinerary. These luxurious trains generally feature en-suite cabins and elegant dining cars where you can enjoy freshly prepared meals from on-board chefs. Customers on our South African rail tours travel on the luxurious Pride of Africa, which offers the  same the amenities and service that you would expect from a 5-star hotel. Two of our Indian rail tours offer customers the chance to experience the exotic opulence of the Palace on Wheels.        

What are the meals like? 

The price of our holidays includes a variety of meals taken in the hotel or local restaurants. On our European holidays we normally include a buffet breakfast and either a lunch or dinner each day. We also try to make sure our customers have a wide choice of local restaurants on occasions that meals are not included. On free days we only include breakfast, so that guests do not feel like they have to rush to get back to the hotel.

The number of meals provided on holidays from our Worldwide programme varies; details of the meal arrangements for each tour can be found on the holiday description.

Dinner (when included) is generally served between 6.30pm and 8pm depending on trains, excursions and local custom. The group normally dine together, making meals a sociable occasion, with three course table d'hôte menus and if possible a choice of main course.

What happens at meal times on the “Holidays by Rail for Single Travellers”? 

Sociable meals are one of the best features of our Holidays by Rail for Single Travellers. With Great Rail Journeys' you never have to ask for a "table for one" unless you prefer to eat alone. On a typical evening our hotels and restaurants provide tables for between six and eight people, turning mealtimes into a highlight of your holiday. On free evenings, which do not include meals, you can join your Tour Manger for a meal at their favourite local restaurant (at your own expense)