11 of the world's most luxurious train journeys

The Hokkaido Railway Company train, which takes just over four hours to reach the famed ski haven, offers an 18-seat luxury "Gran Class" carriage featuring plush reclining seats and high-end dining.

Passengers in this seating class also have access to Tokyo Station's View Gold Lounge, which includes complimentary beverages and snacks.

Four hours of pampering just isn't enough?

Japan's trains aren't all about speed.

"Seven Stars in Kyushu" is the country's most luxurious train and features seven carriages that hold just 30 people in 14 suites. (More on the journey below.)

Indeed, long-haul train travel has made a resurgence in recent years and luxury carriages have returned with a vengeance.

Never have there been so many contenders promising to pamper you through landscapes remote and exotic.

Here are 11 of the world's most incredible train journeys.

Venice Simplon-Orient-Express: London to Venice

No other train journey evokes romance and adventure quite like the famous Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, setting of notorious Agatha Christie mystery "Murder on the Orient Express."

The train still rolls by some of Europe's most captivating scenery through cities that have become legends in themselves: London, Paris, Innsbruck, Verona and Venice.

Its Art Deco glamor has persevered through the decades while the train's elegant suites recall an older, more stylish age.

Most guests board the train in London for the one-night journey to Venice. But passengers traveling from Italy might notice a set of unusual crates being delivered personally to the head chef on the Paris platform.

They are filled with freshly caught lobsters to be served during a delicious brunch before the train reaches the French port of Calais -- only available on the westward route.Hardcore travelers say you haven't really experienced train travel until you've rode the Trans-Siberian Express, with its intimidating itinerary that spans a whopping eight time zones.

The Golden Eagle is a luxury version of the Trans-Siberian, featuring en-suite bathrooms, air-con in the summer, full heat in the winter, laundry services, TVs, a resident pianist and an English-speaking doctor.

The two-week passage feels more like a cruise than a train ride as it stops for daily excursions along the way.

It rides along Lake Baikal, hauled by a Soviet Era steam locomotive, and makes a detour to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia's capital.

To help passengers acclimatize in extravagance, five-star accommodations in Moscow and Vladivostok are provided.

Blue Train: Pretoria to Cape Town

The Blue Train's 27-hour, 1,600 kilometer journey crosses South Africa diagonally, stopping at the diamond mines of Kimberley on the way south and at the eccentrically colonial outpost of Matjiesfontein on the way north.

Luxurious surroundings apart, the image that lingers afterward is of the friendly and helpful staff.

Many of the butlers have worked on the train for years and are on call 24/7 for a drink, a snack or even to iron clothes.

Some of the luxury double suites have full size bathtubs -- there's nothing quite like lying in a sea of bubbles, glass of champagne in hand as the savannah rolls by.

Past passengers include Nelson Mandela, Quincy Jones, Paul Simon, Mia Farrow, Margaret Thatcher and Kylie Minogue.

Celebrating its 70th anniversary in 2016, the Blue Train is now offering special journeys from Pretoria to Hoedspruit, in the Kruger Park area.

From $976 per personThe Ghan: Adelaide to Darwin

The Ghan is a three-night, 2,979-kilometer tour from Darwin to Adelaide that allows travelers to cross the Australian continent while peering into the endless uniformity of the red-earthed antipodean bush.

The Platinum service offers more cabin and ensuite space, chauffeured transfers, access to an exclusive dining carriage, breakfast in bed and five-course meals.

The menu highlights Australia's exotic local fare, like saltwater barramundi fish and grilled kangaroo fillet.

The Ghan offers scheduled excursions in Katherine and Alice Springs, while special stops provide an opportunity to experience either an outback sunrise in Marla going north, or a nightcap under the Milky Way in Manguri going south.

(CNN)