Majestic train travel brings out the romance

Majestic train travel brings out the romance

IS there anything more romantic than train travel?

It is still one of the most enchanting ways to get from point A to point B _especially in Europe.APT Majestic Imperator

In centuries gone by Kings and Queens would enjoy train travel to their summer houses in absolute luxury.

Guests on APT European  river cruises can taste “royal life” on a day trip aboard the “Majestic Imperator Train de Luxe” between Passau and Linz.

For nostalgic train travel enthusiasts the Majestic Imperator, with its white linen and silver service, ticks all the boxes.

It is a thoughtful recreation of the train Franz Joseph I and Sisi (Elisabeth of Austria) used to travel to the seaside town of Opatija.IMG_0058

The original train ceased to operate at the end of the First World War with the collapse of the House of Habsburg and the Austrian Empire.  Thankfully photos and designs were preserved and that was all railway specialist Gottfried Rieck needed to bring the past back to life.

In 1991 Gottfried and Sibylle Rieck rolled out the red carpet for guests to once again indulge in luxury befitting a prince.

Royal Collection journey

The train ride is one of three royal experiences available to APT guests on selected Royal Collection River cruises in 2015.

The first is a visit to Namedy Castle, home of Princess Heide von Hohenzollern.  The castle is on the banks of the Rhine River. After a champagne reception in the Knight’s Hall APT passengers are treated to a banquet in the Hall of Mirrors.  You then also get a behind-the-scenes tour of the castle.

The second is a performance of the Mozart Boys’ Choir at the City Palace of the Liechtenstein family in Vienna. This is a night of romance and excess that will be etched in your memory forever.  This is one of those priceless occasions that you sit back and just take in the sumptuous surroundings.IMG_0078

The train journey is the third of my favourite royal experiences. From Passau _ in Germany_ to the Austrian town of Linz it takes just under two hours.  Along the way stewards top up wine glasses, deliver delicate treats and entertain with violin performances.

It’s like an exclusive restaurant on wheels, and that’s much of its charm.

If views of the German landscape you pass through are not enough to capture your imagination, then you can walk the length of the historical carriages and study some personal artworks that once belonged to the imperial family.

A trip made for celebrities

The train has already attracted a lengthy list of celebrity guests. They include former US president and Nobel Peace Prize winner Jimmy Carter and the Royal family of Jordan. The Swarovski family hosted a sparkling wedding ceremony on the train.

The music continues to play once guests arrive in Linz and board a bus for the journey to Salzburg. The city is famous for the unusual musical combination of Mozart and The Sound of Music.IMG_0082

I play the dutiful tourist and skip around one of the von Trapp fountains and follow that by consuming  a Mozart chocolate.

The celebrated composer was born in Salzburg on January 27, 1756. Our tour stops and gazes to the third floor of Hagenauer House at Getreidegasse 9 where the Mozart family lived.

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