Interested in a one-of-a-kind travel idea that travel industry gurus say is the modern-day counterpart of a 20th century luxury ocean cruise? You might want to consider rail cruising, which unites keen travelers with vintage luxury trains riding the rails through some of America's most picturesque countryside. Lasting anywhere from just a few days to a week or more, these train trips offer luxurious surroundings, five-star cuisine and world-class service to a small clientele that is generally limited to just a hundred or so passengers.



You may already be familiar with the concept of rail cruising from a travel documentary frequently broadcast on the Travel Channel about the American Orient Express (AOE). Now re-christened the GrandLuxe Express (AOE's parent company changed its name to GrandLuxe Rail Journeys in April 2006), this train features svelte aerodynamically-shaped lounge and dining cars originally from the 1940s and 1950s. Inside the train has an elegant art-deco flair accented with mahogany and brass fittings that recall the Golden Age of train travel.

GrandLuxe Rail Journeys sends its trains on excursions that offer passengers views and experiences never dreamed of by earlier of steamship cruisers. One of the most spectacular must be National Parks of the West, a 10-day luxury rail cruise that starts its south-to-north leg in Albuquerque, New Mexico. From there, the train carves out a route that takes it to Santa Fe, Sedona, the Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, a choice of Bryce Canyon or Zion National Parks, Salt Lake City, Yellow Stone National Park and ultimately, Wyoming's Grand Teton National Park. There's also a version of the excursion that starts in Wyoming and then moves south (instead of north) to finish up in Albuquerque.

Another noteworthy journey must be the 9-day journey that takes in four of the Pacific Northwest's most scenic national parks. For those who choose to start their trip with the eastbound leg of the Great Northwestern National Parks tour, the trip begins in Seattle, Washington, and heads first to Mt. Rainier National Park, where train passengers can enjoy a stunning view of the Cascade Range's highest peak (14,410 feet). After that it's on to the Columbia River Gorge, beautiful Coeur D'Alene, Idaho, pristine Glacier National Park, Helena, Montana, and finally Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. Westbound travelers start at Grand Teton and wrap up their excursion in the Emerald City of Seattle.

Mind you, these are high-end tours that offer outstanding comfort and five-star cuisine in a truly unique environment, so expect to pay accordingly. Fares for the 2008 season, which includes eight separate departure dates between early May and late June, start at 5,250 dollars per person for the National Parks of the West Tour. The Northwestern National Parks tour starts at 4,710 dollars per person. The fare includes the cost of travel, some of the finest cuisine on rails and on board sleeping accommodations in two-person, original Pullman sleeper cars. Taking advantage of early booking can cut the cost of the trip by an average of about 250 dollars.

If fares like these are just too steep for your wallet, you can still enjoy the luxury of rail cruising. GrandLuxe Rail Journeys also offers rail trips that are significantly easier on the pocketbook. For example, you can cruise from Chicago to Los Angeles for 1,599 dollars or take one of many 789-dollar trips that service like Washington, D.C. and Miami, Denver and San Francisco, Denver and Chicago, and Chicago and Washington, D.C.