Bookings Open for Saudi Arabia's First Luxury Train

A new way to cross Arabia is on the horizon. Dream of the Desert, Saudi Arabia's first luxury train, opened reservations this week at World Travel Market London, with the first passenger departure from Riyadh scheduled for 21 October 2027.

Billed as the world's first ultra-luxury desert journeys by train, the project pairs the Kingdom's tourism ambitions with Italian hospitality group Arsenale. In its first phase the train will carry just 48 guests in 24 suite cabins across 11 carriages, with a restaurant carriage and a Majlis carriage inspired by the Saudi tradition of gathering and hospitality.

Two journeys to begin

The inaugural collection offers two itineraries through the Kingdom's little-visited north. The Desert Kingdoms runs four days through Al Jouf and Hail, including a gala dinner and performance at Marid Castle in Dumat Al-Jandal and a wilderness experience in the Aja Mountains with Arabian horses, poetry and storytelling.

Shadows of Aja is a three-day journey through Hail and Al Qassim, with a 4x4 excursion, dinner beneath the stars alongside astronomers and a farm-to-table feast called The Oasis Table. Depending on the season, some departures will also visit the striking white salt landscapes of Al-Awshaziyah, and a dedicated AlUla itinerary is planned as the collection grows.

Slow travel, Saudi style

The promise is unhurried: private suites, Saudi-inspired cuisine and curated stops in regions whose ancient settlements, mountain landscapes and desert expanses remain largely unfamiliar to international visitors.

"Dream of the Desert is another important milestone in Saudi's tourism journey, bringing together our rich heritage, extraordinary landscapes and world-class hospitality in an entirely new travel experience," said Ageel Al-Shaibani, chief executive of the Saudi Tourism Authority.

The practical details

Journeys are priced from SAR 86,250 per couple, roughly US$23,000, and can be booked through the train's official reservation site from the first available departure dates. Private journeys, from a one-day Signature Escape to a two-day Desert Odyssey in the Aja Mountains, will also be offered.

For travellers who like their adventures slow, scenic and steeped in story, the desert is about to gain a railway worth the wait.