Golden Eagle

The Golden Eagle is a hotel that moves. For most of each journey it is where you sleep, dine and gather, and as the only private train of its kind operating in this part of the world it turns a route that would otherwise mean a string of internal flights and hotel changes into one unhurried progress — Khiva to Bukhara to Samarkand, and on over the mountains into Kyrgyzstan. You unpack once, on the first evening, and the train does the rest.

The days keep a clear rhythm. The Tour Manager sets out the next day's programme in the Bar Lounge Car, a printed itinerary follows with train times, the weather forecast and the excursion notes, and guided touring fills the day. In selected cities Freedom of Choice options let you see a different side of a place at no extra cost, and if you would rather spend a morning aboard instead, the Golden Eagle allows it — you simply tell the Tour Manager.

Evenings belong to the train. The Bar Lounge Car is its social heart, with a resident pianist and a bar that stays open until the last guest leaves; on travelling days there are talks and language lessons as the landscape goes by. Dinner in the Restaurant Car is served in a single sitting with open seating, prepared by the Executive Chef and his team from local ingredients wherever they can be had. Two cabin attendants look after every ten guests, a UK-registered doctor travels on every departure, and all gratuities, on and off the train, are already taken care of.

Imperial Suite

The most spacious accommodation aboard, at 120 square feet (11.1 square metres), with a large double bed of 6ft 2in by 5ft, a separate sitting area with dressing table, and two large picture windows. The en-suite bathroom has a full power shower and underfloor heating. Suite guests are welcomed with a bottle of Dom Perignon and have a complimentary minibar, laundry service, in-cabin dining on request, drinks from both the standard and premium bar lists (the premium wine list excepted) and private car and guide options in selected cities.

Gold Class

At 77 square feet (7 square metres), a well-proportioned cabin arranged as a lower double bed with a single upper berth. There is a large picture window, wardrobe, personal safe, recessed lighting and individually controlled air conditioning and heating, and the en-suite has a separate power shower cubicle with underfloor heating. Drinks from the standard bar list in the Bar Lounge Car are included; laundry is available at an additional charge.

Silver Class

The most compact grade, at 60 square feet (5.5 square metres), with a small lower double bed and a single upper berth, a large picture window, wardrobe, safe and individually controlled air conditioning and heating. The private en-suite is a wet room with washbasin, toilet and shower. Laundry is available at an additional charge.

In every cabin

Bathrobes, slippers and L'Occitane toiletries, a DVD and CD player with LCD screen, a personal safe, and tea, coffee and mineral water at any hour. Towels and linens are changed every second day, or daily on request, and a 24-hour cabin attendant looks after housekeeping and the evening turndown. Space for luggage inside the cabins is limited, so empty cases are stored at the end of each carriage.

Bar Lounge Car

The social centre of the train: armchairs, cards and books, the resident pianist in the evening and a bar that stays open until the last guest leaves. The Tour Manager briefs the group here each day, and expert talks and language lessons fill the travelling hours. There is no Wi-Fi aboard, but a small number of internet USB adaptors can be borrowed for personal laptops, first come, first served, with coverage mainly near larger towns.

Restaurant Cars

One or two Restaurant Cars run, depending on the number of guests, and everyone dines in a single sitting with open seating — sit where and with whom you like. Breakfast is a buffet of fruit, cereals, juice and cold plates, with cooked dishes brought to the table. Lunch and dinner are prepared by the Executive Chef, reflect both the countries on the route and international cooking, and are served with wine as part of a generous drinks allowance.