It is not precisely the faster means of transport and occasionally its services They are fogged For incidents in the roads or machinery, but conventional trains continue to have their unconditional faithful. And not only to move from one point to another. There are those who in 2024 continue to prefer them to the plane or ships to enjoy relaxing trips during their vacations, an choice that is well understood when known The transcantabrica luxury convoy, inspired by the Belle Époque And designed for passengers looking for the most exclusive services and want to squeeze the charms of The Cantabrian cornice.
After all, there are those who call it the Spanish Express Orient.
Cantabrian and luxury, winning recipe. The Transcantabrico Gran Luxury Let your letters see in the name itself, an advance of its two key ingredients: the pleasures of luxury and the charms of the Cantabrian cornice. The convoy is responsible for touring the arch between San Sebastián y Compostelarelying on the coach for some journeys, and offers their passengers the opportunity to enjoy localities such as Bilbao, Santander, Gijón, Oviedo, Luarca, Ribadeo, Viveiro or Ferrol. And if the deployment of coastal landscapes and lush forests was not enough, the trip is accompanied by nights aboard suites, dining cars inspired by the 20s, parties, restaurants and routes with tour guides.
A train with (double) history. It is not strange to find articles in which It nicknames to the transcantabrico as “the Spanish express expression”. And it is logical that it is. Renfe explains That the Transcantabrico was inaugurated in 1983, in León, it was reformed in 2000 and had just become comprehensively in 2011, when it became the transcantabrico great luxury. So well was his commitment to the premium market that Three years later He has already received international recognition. He was not the only one, nor the first. In 2009 the International Railway Travelers Society I had included it already in the ranking of the 25 best trains.
Materials. If the service has history, the material you use is not far behind. At least part of their cars date from the 1920s and were built for the Wagons-Lits international company by the company Leeds Forgean emblematic manufacturer of marine steam engines and rolling rail material. A few years ago the newspaper Commerce explained that the narrow via units arrived in Spain in 1928 and served until 70 in the Basque railroads.
“The original composition of the train was three cars pullman hall manufactured in the United Kingdom in 1923 (pub, bar and living room) and today are the cars-salons of ‘The Transcantabrico Grand Luxury’ reformed, conditioned and decorated in the style Belle Époqueauthentic jewels of historical-fertiary heritage-Point out the company Trenes Deluxe. The current train composition is four cars-salon, seven cars-chama, a kitchen car, a generating van and a service van. “
When traveling is a luxury. It is no accident that the transcantabrico has incorporated “great luxury” in his name. The train circulates through the metric width rail network and allows its passengers to “enjoy nature in all its splendor”, In words of the operator itself, which guarantees “glamor, landscape, culture and beauty” during the experience. In addition to the Pullman cars of 1923 Enabled as rooms, the railroad offers luxurious suites decorated with wood and that have their own living room, bedroom with a marriage or twin and private bathroom. The train has 14 suites distributed by seven cars.
In the Pullman of the 23, renovated to serve as rooms and decorated on purpose for the transcantabrico great luxury, breakfast is served in the letter and in its dining rooms the chef dishes are offered. On board comforts are completed with national and international press, library, panoramic hall and a pub car in which parties and live performances are held. Not all experiences concentrate on the train. Passengers are also offered Visits and excursions To museums, cathedrals, wineries, ports and mountain with polyglot guides.
Combing the north. The tours focus on the Cantabrian arch, between San Sebastián and Santiago de Compostela. Renfe has a detailed catalog in which he details how itineraries and conferences are organized, with visits to some of the most emblematic places in the north, such as the Guggenheim Museum, the National Park of Los Picos de Europa, Lagos de Covadonga, the beach of the cathedrals or the environment of the Cathedral of Compostela. Full trips are Eight days and seven nightsSan Sebastián-Santiago or Santiago-San Sebastián, although “short routes” of four days Oviedo-San Sebastián and Santiago-Gijón are offered.
“Imagine a luxury train in which you can enjoy and relax for eight days and seven nights (or four days and three nights with microviajes), making it your living room, your transport, your meeting place, your restaurant, your room or your dance floor “, Renfe stands outwhich also ensures that the Transcantabrico offers “a tour of the best gastronomy” Galician, Asturian, Cantabrian and Basque.
But … how much does it cost? Luxury is tempting, comfortable and exclusive, but it also has an important handicap by definition: it is expensive. The trips aboard the Transcantabrico Grand Luxury are not suitable for all the pockets. On your website Renfe already offers A detailed calendar With the departures scheduled for this year, which already start at the end of March and extend to October, and dismiss the minutes.
The prices per season start from 8,900 euros per person in the double large luxury suite and informed 6,500 euros of individual supplement and 4,200 triple supplement large luxury. As for the shortest routes, the price per person in double suite large luxury is 4,500 euros. The table shows an individual supplement of 3,200 and a triple supplement of 2,100.
Trains not to get bored. If you enjoy the experience you do not have to settle only with the great luxury. In his paragraph of “tourist and luxury trains” for the 2024 season, Renfe reports other options: the Costa Verde Expresswhich offers “a gastronomic and cultural trip through green Spain”; To the Ándalusin which “the entire Andalusian essence” is guaranteed; and Robla Expressexperience centered on the Santiago Francés road with a classic train.
Images | Luxo Train, Luxury Train Club (Flickr) 1, 2 and 3Renfe and Transcantábrico trains Deluxe
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*An earlier version of this article was published in January 2025