St James Rail offers one day trips and extended tours in Australia, as well as tours overseas. All our tours are planned and organised by the tour leaders who have great passion to introduce and share their unique experiences with you.
Our Next Tours
WORLDWIDE TOURS
ICELAND 2023
TEN DAYS EXPLORING ICELAND BY LAND TWELVE NIGHT CRUISE FROM REYKJAVIK TO SOUTHAMPTON ON SILVERSEA’S SILVER MOON
Join us on a twenty-four day tour to explore Iceland’s amazing landscape, from both land and sea. Experience ten days and nights on land in Iceland exploring its scenic beauty, then join Silversea’s luxurious Silver Moon for a twelve-day all-inclusive cruise around Iceland, before heading to the Isle of Lewis, Oban, Belfast, Liverpool, Waterford, Fishguard and Falmouth to Southampton. (There is also the option to continue aboard Silver Moon for another fourteen days to Honfleur, Saint Malo, Montoir de Bretagne, La Rochelle, Bordeaux, Bilbao, Vigo, Oporto and Lisbon – call for details.)
Date: Tuesday 15 August to Saturday 9 September 2023 - Fully Booked
ANTARCTICA, THE FALKLAND ISLANDS AND SOUTH GEORGIA
Fly to Buenos Aires, South America, enjoy three nights and local sightseeing, before a flight to Ushuaia. Visit Tierra del Fuego, then join our cruise to the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and the Antarctic Peninsula aboard Ponant’s L’Austral. Colonies of King penguins, Gentoo, Adelie and chinstrap penguins, as well as humpback whales, seals and seabirds, are some of the wildlife encountered on a journey to the White Continent – a land of icebergs, glaciers, mountains and frozen sea. Exceptionally good sole use stateroom fares are available.
Date: 18 December 2023 to 7 January 2024 - Fully Booked
SWISS AND AUSTRIAN RAIL JOURNEYS
LAKES AND ALPS IN WINTER
Join us for a twenty-one day tour to experience the beauty of winter in Switzerland – cruise on paddleboats on Lake Lucerne, enjoy stunning rail journeys, delight in wonderful mountain railways to the ‘top of the world’ and stay in lovely hotels - as we travel by rail through the remarkably beautiful snow clad mountains and valleys of the alps of Switzerland and Austria. Experience a northern hemisphere winter that reminds us of the seasons of the year and the patterns of climate and life that mark each season. As the temperatures cool, snow covers the mountains and fields, and daily life adapts. Winter is celebrated and the remarkable efficiency of the Swiss and Austrian Rail system makes it a delight.
Date: Saturday 13 January to Sunday 4 February 2024 - 3 places remain - BOOK NOW
AURORA BOREALIS
THE NORTHERN LIGHTS 2024
Join us for a twenty-one day tour to experience the beauty of winter in Norway – hunting the Aurora Borealis – the famed Northern Lights. The Aurora Borealis offer an entrancing, dramatic, magical display that fascinates all who see it — but just what causes this dazzling natural phenomenon? With many opportunities to experience the Northern Lights in the dramatic Norwegian landscape, from both land and sea, this tour offers a special insight into both nature’s amazing light show, and the beauty of the Norwegian fjords and coast in winter. Return by rail from Trondheim, Norway, through central Norway to the UNESCO world heritage town of Røros, and experience the beauty of winter with horse sleigh rides, dog sledding, walks in snow covered nature and the relaxing and refreshing facilities of our spa hotel.
Date: Sunday 4 to Wednesday 26 February 2024 - BOOK NOW
SRI LANKA ABOARD THE 'VICEROY SPECIAL'
THE NATURAL WONDERS OF SRI LANKA ABOARD YOUR PRIVATE TRAINN
Few places in the world offer such a remarkable combination of stunning landscapes, pristine beaches, captivating cultural heritage and unique experiences. Boasting eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites, 15 national parks, an abundance of wildlife, 250 acres of botanical gardens, 350 waterfalls, and a culture of over 2,500 years. The island has a wonderful broad gauge colonial-relic railway system very much as the British left it, none of it electrified. The railway reaches the highest summit anywhere in the world of broad gauge railway at an impressive 6228ft. We travel mostly with our private “Viceroy” train and explore the extremities of the island. The tour features culture and natural wonders, bird life, reserves boasting elephants, staying at excellent hotels with a dedicated coach and train.
Date: Sunday 25 February to Tuesday 19 March 2024 - NEW TOUR - BOOK NOW!
CHERRY BLOSSOMS - JAPAN BY RAIL 2024
EXPERIENCE THE BEAUTY OF JAPANESE NATURE AND CULTURE
Join us for one of our most popular tours to Japan - a twenty-two-day tour to view cherry blossoms on the Japanese islands of Kyushu, Honshu and Hokkaido. Even if you’ve been to Japan before, you’ll visit different locations and have a deeper cultural experience. Travel first class on the 'Shinkansen' trains, enjoy slow trains through the countryside. A range of accommodations from modern city hotels, convenient simpler business hotels and luxury Japanese traditional ryokans with ocean view. Splendid scenery, food and culture. A highlight of the tour is meeting with the local people and sharing a wonderful seafood barbecue with the local fishermen. Learn of arts and crafts, textiles and fabrics, as well as seeing splendid gardens. Join our options cooking class with local Tokyo residents and learn how to prepare a simple home style Japanese meal.
Date: Wednesday 20 March to Thursday 11 April 2024 - Only a few places remain
SWISS AND AUSTRIAN RAIL IN SUMMER
Enjoy stunning landscapes of Switzerland and Austria by Rail. Amazing rail experiences – mountains, lakes, rivers – fantastic scenery, great hotels
Date: Tuesday 11 June to Wednesday 3 July 2024 - brochure will be available 4 August 2023
GREAT RAIL JOURNEYS OF GREAT BRITAIN
Join us for a great rail discovery of Great Britain. Explore the splendid scenery of coast and mountain by scheduled and heritage trains. Beautiful rail experiences with. Good food and comfortable hotels. To Cornwall along the Dawlish sea coast; the North Yorkshire Moor railway to Whitby; the night sleeper to Fort William; the Welsh Highland Railway and the great little railways of Wales and more. A
Date: Wednesday 3 to Monday 29 July 2024 - Fully booked - Contact us if interested in the next tour
THE ARCTIC
GREENLAND, BAFFIN BAY, THE THULE REGION OF THE HIGH ARCTIC, CANADA’S NUNAVIT
Join us to experience an extraordinary journey to the far reaches of the planet. Discover the mythical region of Thule, the territory of the Far North, on a seventeen day cruise along the coastline of Baffin Bay. From Kangerlussuaq, along Greenland’s western shores, to the high Arctic of the Thule Region, revered for its untouched icescapes and sparsely populated Inuit communities. Encounter the region's rich culture and experience its magnificent nature. From the ice cap to the ice floes, via glaciers, icebergs and brash ice, you will sail among the Northern Hemisphere’s largest ice producers. North of the Baffin Sea, in the region of Thule, you will experience a tricky but spectacular sail between drifting icebergs and sheets of ice floe. If fortunate you may observe one of the many polar bears that roam this favourable environment
Date: Friday 2 – Saturday 24 August 2024 - NEW TOUR - BOOK NOW!
EASTERN AND ORIENTAL EXPRESS
WILD MALAYSIA
Enjoy three nights in Singapore in a luxurious five-star hotel before you experience the Eastern and Oriental Express luxury rail journey from Singapore through Malaysia to Gemas, Merapoh and the Taman Negara National Park, as well as through Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Langsar and to Butterwroth to visit Penang Island, and return to Singapore. Over 2,000 kilometres of rail travel in Malaysia, with included off train excursions and all-inclusive dining. Enjoy three nights aboard this luxurious train, with fine ensuite cabins and staterooms, with excellent dining, lounge and observations cars. Overnight in a five-star hotel in Singapore and then to Australia, or join our Autumn Colour & Festivals tour to Japan (…)
Date: Friday 27 September – Friday 4 October 2024 - NEW TOUR - BOOK NOW!
ATUMN COLOURS & FESTIVALS
JAPAN BY RAIL 2024
Join us for one of our new Autumn Colours tour to Japan – a twenty-three day to experience autumn colours and seasonal festivals on the Japanese islands of Honshu, Hokkaido and Shikoku. The tour begins with the famous autumn festival in Takayama. As well as autumn colours in nature - the tour has a special focus on experiencing the culture, art and regional foods of Japan. Enjoy five nights in lovely hot spring resorts; travel first class on the high speed 'Shinkansen' trains – making your journey relaxed, exhilarating and very comfortable; experience special scenic rail journeys through colourful forests (…)
Date: Sunday 6 October – Tuesday 29 October 2024 - NEW TOUR - BOOK NOW!
TOURS IN AUSTRALIA
THE ROYAL TRAIN IN VICTORIA
Join the heritage Royal Train in Victoria. Experience four days travel aboard our private train, including the Parlor and State Cars of the original Royal Train. Sydney to Melbourne return aboard the NSW TrainLink XPT in First Class seating, with Takako’s lfamous refreshments. The ‘Royal Train’ from Melbourne to Camperdown with breakfast in the Dining Car; road coaches along the Great Ocean Road to Warrnambool for two nights. Explore Port Fairy, Tower Hill and Warrnambool, before rejoining the Royal Train from Warrnambool to Geelong and on to Bendigo for two nights. Visit Echuca, ride a paddlesteamer on the Murray River, travel on the ‘Royal Train’ to Deniliquin in NSW, explore Bendigo and their trams. Enjoy a number of meals aboard the Royal Train in the dining car.
Date: Thursday 23 to Wednesday 29 November 2023 - Only a few places remain
