Monster Machines: These Japanese Ultra-Luxury Trains Are Penthouses On Rails

Monster Machines: These Japanese Ultra-Luxury Trains Are Penthouses On Rails

The golden age of railways is steaming back into the modern era — in Japan at least. Since the island nation privatised its extensive rail network in the late 1980s, there has been an explosion of high-end designer trains all culminating in these gorgeous, luxurious rail cars from former Ferrari designer Ken Okuyama.

Monster Machines: These Japanese Ultra-Luxury Trains Are Penthouses On Rails

Dubbed the “cruise train” by JR East, the Japanese train company developing them, these $US50 million rail cars spare their riders no luxury. Just look at those interiors, they’re like rolling Park Avenue apartments replete with full length glass windows and ceilings, full baths and split-level sleeping accommodations.

Monster Machines: These Japanese Ultra-Luxury Trains Are Penthouses On Rails

The new trains are already in production and are expected to enter service in the Spring of 2017. There’s no word yet on pricing yet, although, given that each hyper-exclusive outing will only carry 34 passengers in total, you can be that tickets will be astronomically priced and almost entirely out of the reach of normal folks. [JR East via Spoon Tomago]


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