Train travel has long captivated the imagination. L’Observatoire, the new private suite designed by French artist and photographer JR, aims to further engage that curiosity.
The rail carriage was fashioned for the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, A Belmond Train, with routes running from Paris to Portofino, Amsterdam to Venice, and Istanbul to Paris, among others. But around the world, other luxury brands also offer train trips that offer a glimpse into a glamorous old-world mode of slow travel, combining plush comfort with a promise of adventure—including Seven Stars in Kyushu, Japan; Rovos Rail in South Africa; The Ghan in Australia; and the soon-to-launch Britannic Explorer, A Belmond Train in England and Wales.