I experienced the Blue Jasmine train in Thailand.

© Discovery Trains

What an adventure! Testing Thailand’s new premium train on its first official journey (following the inaugural run in November 2025) is more than an honor for a rail travel specialist — it’s a dream. On the one hand, because I get to enjoy this out-of-the-ordinary journey in exceptional conditions — I have the good fortune to stay in the lovely Jim Thompson Suite — and on the other, because the project is still very new, and the team is highly attentive to the feedback I can share. I have the feeling of witnessing the birth of one of those rail adventures that remain rare in the world of tourism.

A Swiss idea for Thailand

© Discovery Trains

The first thing to know about the Blue Jasmine is that it is, in fact, a Swiss idea. The original shareholders of DTH Travel, the operator behind the project, come from Switzerland — a country with a deeply rooted rail culture. Train travel in Switzerland is a global reference, and Swiss travelers are by far the most frequent train users in Europe.

The idea of operating a tourist train across Thailand had never really been considered before, and it was not easy to convince partners of its value.

“The Thai railways were not immediately convinced of the concept,” explains Stefan Bruns, Managing Director of DTH Travel Thailand. “Meetings and discussions went on for more than two years. But we persevered.”

A rail concept of its own

The idea is not only new in Thailand; it is also relatively innovative within the world of rail tourism. Train travel experiences generally fall into two categories: on the one hand, luxury rail cruises, where the trains themselves are the centerpiece and most nights are spent on board; on the other, itineraries using regular trains combined with hotel stays.

The Blue Jasmine stands apart. It is a chartered train, offering both Premium and Classic accommodations, on which travelers spend a few half-days and just two nights out of the eight-day itinerary. The closest existing examples of this concept might be Spain’s El Expreso de la Robla and, above all, the Orient Silk Road Express in Central Asia.

A premium train, but not a luxury one

The Blue Jasmine team is very clear on one point: this is not a luxury train. The goal is not to compete with Belmond’s iconic rail journeys, such as the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express or the Royal Scotsman. Technically, the Blue Jasmine is a well-maintained “vintage” train that has not been fully restored from top to bottom, featuring elegant shared spaces and two distinct categories of accommodations.

In addition to air conditioning, there are manual fans and a Japanese thermostat, typical of railway design from the 1960s.© Discovery Trains

Premium and Classic accommodations

The most distinctive feature is, of course, the Premium section, housed in cars from a former Japanese night train dating back to the 1960s, with their original period design. The Classic accommodations are installed in Thai sleeper cars, upgraded with mattress toppers, new duvets, and carefully chosen decorative touches.

Lanna Suite © Discovery Trains

Twin Premium © Discovery Trains

The two Premium cars are located at the rear of the train, allowing guests to make the most of the panoramic car and its open-air balcony. They include four interconnected Premium twin compartments, two single suites (the Jim Thompson Suite and the Mahanakhon Suite), as well as the Lanna Suite, featuring a king-size double bed. All compartments are equipped with a small washbasin and have access to a shower, either private or located nearby.

In the Classic car, there are twelve twin compartments, also potentially interconnected, with shared shower facilities and toilets. Given the pace of the journey, onboard showers remain secondary. Personally, I did not use the shower adjacent to my compartment: early-morning arrivals and immediate check-ins at hotels quickly provide access to a larger — and above all, more stable — bathroom.

Classic Twin © Discovery Trains

The Jim Thompson partnership: an immediate upgrade

Every compartment, both Classic and Premium, has been “upgraded” through the partnership between the Blue Jasmine and the Jim Thompson silk house. Curtains, cushions, artwork, placemats — more than 2,000 silk pieces are installed on board for each departure. The effect is immediate: a clear step up in comfort and atmosphere, particularly noticeable in the Premium compartments, where the silk colors complement the leather and wood finishes.

Elegant shared spaces

The shared spaces are particularly pleasant. The bar car, with its dark wooden chairs, has a warm, pub-like feel, while the large dining car — the Observatory Wagon — offers Classic-category passengers an unobstructed view of the passing landscape during meals. The dining car reserved for Premium guests, more intimate in style, also provides direct access to the outdoor platform.

© Discovery Trains

A refined cuisine at the heart of the experience

Another key element of the Blue Jasmine is its cuisine. The train features an attractive chrome-finished kitchen located at the rear of the bar car, where a team of chefs works throughout the journey. It is led by the young chef Patipat Lakhtong, under the supervision of his Swiss mentor, Chef Alessandro. At each meal, they come out to present the dishes to the guests. Watching them at work through the corridor porthole is a real pleasure.

© Discovery Trains

Beyond the cuisine, the train’s staff is one of the Blue Jasmine’s key strengths: friendly, attentive, elegantly presented, and always available, they play a major role in the quality of the experience.

© Discovery Trains

But the greatest pleasure of traveling aboard this train lies in the ability to take in the beauty of the landscapes along the way—whether through the large windows of the observation car, from the compartment windows, or from the Blue Jasmine’s small open-air platform.

 © Discovery Trains

On the train’s open-air balcony, the spectacle never stops. At certain moments of the journey, when the setting sun reflects off the steel rails, you feel the urge to leave the cool air-conditioning behind and step into the warm evening air. Rice fields and banana trees glide past before your eyes. An exotic bird lets out a call that, for a brief moment, softens the steady hum of the train… and you come close to a perfect moment.

A journey designed to avoid mass tourism

In conclusion, after eight days on this itinerary, I can say that I truly enjoyed this journey. Without being a luxury train, the Blue Jasmine is an exceptional one. The food is excellent, sleep is comfortable, long distances are covered without fatigue, all while enjoying the scenery. Days and nights spent on board are an experience in themselves, complementing a program designed to steer clear of mass tourism — a particularly sensitive issue in Thailand. It offers travelers genuinely rewarding conditions for discovery.

© Discovery Trains

Article written by Laure Jacquet,
 Laure Jacquet, Managing Director of Discovery Trains, a rail-travel specialist agency

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