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Base price: $5,000 per night
What You'll Experience
Private Suite: Handcrafted by Japanese artisans with king-sized bed, sitting area, panoramic view
Gourmet Meals: Three meals daily prepared by Michelin-starred chefs
Exclusive Experiences: Private tea ceremonies, temple visits, bamboo forest walks
Personal Guide: Multilingual cultural guide (English, Japanese, French)
Transfers: Round-trip Mercedes-Maybach airport transfers
How Seven Stars Compares
| Feature | Seven Stars in Kyushu | Rovos Rail | Palace on Wheels | Orient Express |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price per person | $5,000+ per night | $4,800 per person | $3,000-$4,000 per person | $3,500 for 2 nights |
| Maximum guests | 100 per year | Up to 40 | Up to 80 | Up to 30 |
| Exclusivity | Extremely high - private experience | High - luxury safari | Medium - mass luxury | Medium - reimagined classic |
| Wi-Fi/TVs | None - designed for silence | Available | Available | Available |
| Focus | Cultural immersion & silence | Safari experience | Indian royal aesthetics | European elegance |
The most expensive train journey in the world isn’t just about moving from point A to point B. It’s about time, exclusivity, and experiencing the world through a window that costs more than most people’s cars. In 2026, the title goes to Seven Stars in Kyushu, a luxury train operated by JR Kyushu in Japan. A single night on this train starts at $5,000 per person, and a full three-night journey can push past $15,000. But why? What makes this train worth more than a week in a five-star resort?
Why the Seven Stars in Kyushu Costs More Than a Private Jet
The Seven Stars isn’t just a train-it’s a floating hotel built on steel rails. Each of its seven cars is handcrafted by Japanese artisans. The woodwork uses century-old techniques. The carpets are woven with silk threads. The bathrooms have heated floors and rainfall showers. Even the tea sets are custom-made porcelain from Arita, a town known for its ceramics since the 1600s.
There are only 30 rooms total on the entire train. Every suite is a private suite, not a cabin. Each has a king-sized bed, a sitting area, and a large window that unfolds into a panoramic view of Kyushu’s countryside. There’s no Wi-Fi. No TVs. No distractions. The only thing you’re meant to do is watch the seasons change outside-cherry blossoms in spring, golden maple leaves in autumn, snow-dusted mountains in winter.
The meals are prepared by chefs from Michelin-starred restaurants in Fukuoka and Kumamoto. Dinner might include Matsusaka beef cooked over binchotan charcoal, fresh sea urchin from the Ariake Sea, and seasonal wild vegetables foraged from nearby forests. Breakfast is served on the train’s observation deck as it glides past hidden hot springs and abandoned tea plantations.
And you can’t just book it online. Reservations open six months in advance, and only 100 people get to ride it each year. Most guests are Japanese billionaires, but you’ll also find European royalty, Hollywood producers, and tech founders who’ve sold their startups and want to spend their money on something that can’t be replicated.
How It Compares to Other Luxury Trains
There are other expensive trains, sure. But none match the Seven Stars in precision, privacy, or cultural depth.
- Rovos Rail’s Pride of Africa costs around $4,800 per person for a 15-day journey from Cape Town to Dar es Salaam. It’s stunning-wood-paneled lounges, vintage brass fixtures, game drives along the way-but it’s a safari with rails, not a cultural immersion.
- Palace on Wheels in India runs for $3,000-$4,000 per person for seven nights. It’s opulent, with elephant-themed decor and royal-style dining, but it’s designed for mass luxury-up to 80 guests at a time.
- The Orient Express in Europe charges $3,500 for a two-night trip from Paris to Venice. Elegant, yes. But it’s a reimagined classic, not a one-of-a-kind experience.
The Seven Stars beats them all because it doesn’t just offer luxury-it offers silence. In a world where everything is loud, fast, and connected, this train forces you to slow down. To notice the texture of the fog over a rice field. To taste the difference between two types of miso. To realize you’ve spent three days without checking your phone once.
What You Actually Get for $15,000
Let’s break it down. For the full three-night journey, you pay for:
- A private suite with butler service (24/7)
- Three gourmet meals per day, plus premium sake and Japanese whisky
- Exclusive shore excursions: private tea ceremonies, visits to hidden temples, guided walks through bamboo forests
- A custom-made souvenir: a hand-painted fan, a ceramic tea bowl, or a silk obi belt
- Round-trip airport transfers in a Mercedes-Maybach
- A personal cultural guide who speaks English, Japanese, and French
There are no hidden fees. No tipping required. No group tours. No waiting in lines. Even the train’s route changes slightly each season to avoid crowds and highlight lesser-known spots. One winter, it paused for two hours at a remote onsen so guests could bathe alone under the stars.
It’s not about the price tag. It’s about the fact that no one else will ever have this exact experience. Not because it’s rare, but because it’s designed to be unrepeatable.
Who Actually Books This Train?
You’d think it’s just the ultra-rich. And yes, many are. But the real surprise? A growing number of tech entrepreneurs who’ve cashed out early. One Silicon Valley engineer told me he spent his entire Series A exit on the Seven Stars. Not because he wanted to show off-but because he needed to remember what stillness felt like.
Another guest, a 72-year-old widow from London, booked it after her husband passed. She said, "I didn’t want to travel to see the world. I wanted to travel to remember how to breathe."
There’s no marketing campaign. No influencers. No Instagram posts. The train doesn’t even have an official social media account. Word spreads through private networks-friends of friends, concierges at the Ritz-Carlton, hotel managers in Kyoto.
Is It Worth It?
If you’re asking whether it’s worth $15,000, you’re asking the wrong question. The real question is: What would you give up to have three days where nothing is expected of you?
Most luxury experiences sell you excitement. The Seven Stars sells you peace. It doesn’t offer a view of Mount Fuji. It offers the quiet moment when you realize you’ve been holding your breath for years.
There’s no other train like it. Not in Japan. Not in the world. And it’s unlikely there ever will be. The craftsmanship is too slow. The demand too small. The cost too high.
So if you’re considering it-don’t wait for the "right time." There won’t be one. The next available departure is in November 2026. And by the time you read this, half the cabins are already gone.
Alternatives If Seven Stars Is Out of Reach
If $15,000 is beyond your budget, you still have options that capture the spirit of luxury rail travel:
- Rovos Rail - Best for safari lovers and history buffs. The oldest private train in Africa.
- Palace on Wheels - Best for those who want royal Indian aesthetics without the crowds of regular tours.
- Belmond Andean Explorer - The highest luxury train in the world, crossing the Peruvian Andes. Starts at $2,200 per night.
- Golden Eagle Danube Express - A European classic with vintage charm. Routes from London to Istanbul.
None of these match the Seven Stars in exclusivity-but they all deliver something rare: a journey that feels like a story you’ll tell for the rest of your life.
Final Thought: The Real Cost Isn’t Money
The most expensive train journey isn’t the one with the highest price tag. It’s the one that makes you realize how little you’ve truly lived.
The Seven Stars doesn’t just take you across Kyushu. It takes you back to yourself.
Is the Seven Stars in Kyushu the most expensive train journey in the world?
Yes, as of 2026, the Seven Stars in Kyushu holds the title for the most expensive train journey in the world. A full three-night trip costs up to $15,000 per person. It’s priced higher than other luxury trains like Rovos Rail or the Palace on Wheels because of its extreme exclusivity, handcrafted interiors, Michelin-starred dining, and limited annual capacity of just 100 passengers.
How do I book a trip on the Seven Stars in Kyushu?
Bookings open exactly six months in advance through JR Kyushu’s official website or authorized luxury travel agents. You cannot book directly online. A deposit of 50% is required at the time of reservation, and cancellations are non-refundable after 90 days prior to departure. Only 100 people are allowed to ride per year, so securing a spot requires planning far ahead.
What’s included in the price of the Seven Stars journey?
The price includes a private suite with butler service, all meals (three per day), premium Japanese whisky and sake, exclusive shore excursions like private tea ceremonies and temple visits, round-trip airport transfers in a Mercedes-Maybach, a personal multilingual cultural guide, and a custom-made souvenir. There are no additional fees or tipping expectations.
Can I take the Seven Stars train with children?
No. The Seven Stars in Kyushu is an adults-only experience. Children under 18 are not permitted. This policy ensures the quiet, reflective atmosphere the train is designed for. Even families with older teens are discouraged-this is not a vacation for kids, but a retreat for those seeking deep stillness.
Are there any other luxury trains that come close to the Seven Stars?
No train matches the Seven Stars in exclusivity and cultural depth. Rovos Rail and the Palace on Wheels offer luxury and scenic routes, but they carry more passengers and focus on adventure or heritage. The Seven Stars is designed as a moving temple of silence-each detail is intentional, and nothing is replicated. It’s less a train and more a once-in-a-lifetime ritual.
Why doesn’t the Seven Stars have Wi-Fi or TVs?
The absence of Wi-Fi and TVs is deliberate. The train was designed to disconnect you from the noise of daily life. Guests are encouraged to read, write, observe the landscape, or simply sit in silence. Many report that the first 24 hours feel strange without their devices-but by day two, they say they’ve remembered what it’s like to be present. That’s the point.
Next Steps: If You’re Serious About Booking
If you’re even considering the Seven Stars, start now. Don’t wait until next year. The next available departures are already filling up. Contact a luxury travel agent who works with JR Kyushu. Ask for the 2026 autumn schedule-it’s the most popular season, with perfect weather and falling leaves. Bring a journal. Leave your phone behind. And if you’re lucky enough to ride it? Don’t just take photos. Remember the quiet.
