Travelling is all about testing and tasting new culinary delights so why wait until you get there? Indulge in fine wines while you dine on the world's luxury trains.

Al Andalus Expreso

The hotch-potch of spicy Arabic flavours and traditional Spanish fare are enough to entice any culinary globetrotter to Andalucía.

Travelling on Al Andalus Expreso, passengers will have plenty opportunity to sample the electic southern Spanish dishes of Sevilla, Córdoba, Granada and Jerez.

Try traditional gazpacho, cured ham from Trevélez, tapas in Sevilla or Olla Cordobesa (worker’s stew) in Córdoba. Game is popular in the region too so save some space for one of the varied dishes available.

Vegetarians be warned; Andalucía caters little for non-meat eaters so if Al Andalus Expreso is of interest, discussing dietary needs before booking is recommended.

GrandLuxe Express

Formerly known as the American Orient Express, the GrandLuxe Express offers 13 different routes ranging from two to ten days.

Food fanatics will enjoy the Western Collection Routes which explore the restaurants of San Francisco and Santa Barbara and holds wine tasting events with dinner in California’s Napa Valley region.

A glass roofed carriage allows passengers to sit back and relax while taking in the rolling vistas across America but it’s advisable to check stop-offs on route as some of the trains travel mostly by night so there’s less time for sightseeing from the train.

The Grand Trans Siberian Express

The Trans Siberian railway is going through something of a revival, travellers have realised it’s a great way to discover parts of Russia and China that were once difficult to venture into.

Connecting Moscow in the west with Vladivostok in the east, the world’s longest railway melds culinary experiences with sightseeing in some of the lesser visited cities in the Northern Hemisphere.

Diners have the choice of three dining cars offering an array of local Russian, Mongolian and Chinese delicacies. While the Orient express it is not, the food served on board is still a higher class than that of the standard Trans Siberian trains so it’s worth the extra cash if the bank balance allows.

The Venice Simplon Orient Express

What culinary train listing would be complete without the best known train journey in the world? The epitome of glamour and decadence, the Orient Express explores the breadth of Europe and beyond.

There are no less than three restaurant cars laden with delights conjured up by the in-house chefs. And passengers take their meal times very seriously – dressing for dinner is a must, but it’s not a chore.

The Orient Express harks back to the days of grandeur and etiquette so to sit in an evening dress while over-attentive waiters pander to every whim only accentuates the experience, which begs the question, why could life not be like this every day? No doubt the answer to that would be lack of money so get raiding those piggy banks.

The Colonial Tramcar Restaurant

For something completely different, try Australia’s unique dining experience in Melbourne. The burgundy and gold tram seen roaming the wide boulevards of Victoria’s bustling capital dates back to 1927 but was transformed into a restaurant car in 1983.

On a three-hour trip, the tram circumnavigates the city’s landmarks while passengers indulge in a five-course-meal prepared aboard. Experience the flavours of kangaroo meat for the first time and savour a selection of Australian cheese and wines. It’s certainly a far cry from the over-packed tourist restaurants of Lygon Street to the north of the city.

This innovative dining affair is popular with visitors so bookings need to be made up to six months in advance; get planning, and enjoy.

Other Culinary Travel Articles:

• Food and Wine in Italy
• Valentine’s Day in London
• Dining Out in Melbourne, Australia
• Culinary Travel Resorts and Spas