The slow train to Budapest

The Danube Express will "spoil you for all future rail travel", says Robin McKie in the Observer. Combining modern comfort with "middle European retro-chic", this new service beats all the competition for sheer "sybaritic excess": at the deluxe end, passengers stay in wood-panelled cabins, with proper beds, en suite showers and deep carpets. But what really sets it apart from the likes of the Orient Express is that it makes the odd stop as it wends through central Europe, allowing travellers to indulge in "a little light tourism" in some "intriguing" cities, including (on the Budapest to Berlin route) Dresden and Kosice. The informality is also unusual – no need to dress for dinner here – as the emphasis is on fun: a sing-song around the piano can swiftly turn into an enforced conga down the train. A three-day trip costs from £1,150 based on two people sharing.

Contact 01462 441 400; danube-express.com. ·