The Golden Eagle Journal

It is the only private train of its kind operating in this part of the world, so the long distances between the Silk Road cities are covered overnight while you sleep. You unpack once, guides meet the train at every stop, and transfers, porterage and gratuities are all arranged for you. The result is a route that would otherwise take a series of flights and hotel changes.

There are three: the Imperial Suite at 120 square feet, Gold Class at 77 square feet and Silver Class at 60 square feet. Every cabin is en-suite, with individually controlled air conditioning and heating, a safe and a DVD and CD player. The grades differ mainly in floor space and in the services included.

Jewels of the Silk Road is the shortest, nine days from Baku to Almaty. Republics of the Silk Road takes fourteen days through four republics, either Tashkent to Almaty or Almaty to Samarkand. The Caspian Odyssey adds Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan over sixteen days, and The Grand Silk Road runs twenty-two days from Tashkent to Beijing, changing to the Golden Eagle Silk Road Express at Kashgar.

Beyond the extra space, a large double bed and a separate sitting area, Imperial Suite guests have a complimentary minibar, laundry service, in-cabin dining on request and drinks from the standard and premium bar lists. There are private car and guide options in selected cities, and a bottle of Dom Perignon waits on boarding.

Gold Class has a lower double bed with a single upper berth, and Silver Class has a smaller lower double with a single upper berth. Gold Class bathrooms have a separate power shower with underfloor heating; Silver Class has an en-suite wet room with shower, basin and toilet.

Yes. A doctor, usually UK-registered and English-speaking, travels with the train for the whole journey, is on call around the clock and carries medical facilities on board. Bring enough of any prescription medication to last the trip and let the doctor know what you are taking. Full medical travel insurance is still required.

Depending on numbers there are one or two Restaurant Cars, and all guests dine in a single sitting with open seating. The Executive Chef and his team cook with locally sourced ingredients wherever possible, and the menus mix the cooking of the countries you pass through with international dishes. Some meals are taken off the train in local restaurants.

A generous drinks allowance is included, with international wines at lunch and dinner. In the Bar Lounge Car, Gold Class guests have the standard bar list included and Imperial Suite guests the standard and premium lists. Anything outside your allowance can be run on a tab and settled in cash at the end of the journey, as cards are not accepted on board.

Most dietary requirements can be accommodated if you tell us before you travel. The one exception is kosher catering, which the remote regions on the route make impossible to guarantee.

No formal one. Casual clothing is right during the day and smart casual suits the evenings. Every journey involves a fair amount of walking, so bring comfortable shoes with rubber soles.

Cabin space is limited and there is no room under the beds, so soft-sided cases are best. You unpack on the first evening and your attendant stores the empty cases at the end of the carriage; a smaller bag is useful for hotel nights and excursions. Porters handle luggage at every hotel and station.

There is no Wi-Fi. A few internet USB adaptors are available in the Bar Lounge Car for personal laptops on a first-come basis, and mobile coverage is limited, mainly near larger towns and cities. Most guests find the lack of connection one of the pleasures of the trip.

Your cabin and the hotel nights in the itinerary, the meals listed with the drinks allowance, guided off-train excursions with Freedom of Choice options, arrival and departure transfers, luggage porterage, a tour management team, the onboard doctor and all gratuities on and off the train. International flights, visas, travel insurance and personal expenses are not included.

Local guides meet the train at each stop and lead the touring set out in the itinerary; coaches carry up to 35 guests and larger groups are divided. In selected cities Freedom of Choice lets you pick between several excursions at no extra cost, though options depend on train times, numbers and the weather. The Tour Manager runs through each day's plan in the Bar Lounge Car.

Yes. On the Golden Eagle you may stay on board, or make your own plans ashore. Tell the Tour Manager first, as the train sometimes moves to another platform or depot during the day, and be back before departure — the train runs to schedule and cannot wait.

Visas are not included, and the requirements depend on your nationality. Because most journeys cross four or more countries, check the entry rules for each one for your passport well before you travel. For vaccinations, speak to your doctor or a travel clinic.

Yes. Cabins can be booked for sole occupancy on the Golden Eagle journeys, subject to availability, and single cabins on a private train of this kind are limited. Ask early and we will confirm what is open on your chosen departure.

It is an adult-oriented train, with no cots, changing facilities or interconnecting cabins, though families booking several cabins are placed next to one another. Children can be booked, with child rates in two age bands, under 5 and 5 to 11. Talk to us first so we can confirm the arrangements.

Tell us at the time of booking and we will do our best to help. Wheelchair users can join off-train excursions, with a charge if assistance is needed to manoeuvre the chair, but not every excursion will be possible.

The Central Asian departures are concentrated in late summer and autumn, broadly from late August into October. Each journey page lists its current departures and availability by cabin grade.