The most luxurious ways to travel are, in our ranking, a superyacht first, then a first-class seat on an Airbus A380, a car worth tens of millions, a hand-built motorcoach and a private sleeper train. Whether you go by rail, road, air or sea, the principle is the same: luxury is superiority in quality, and it costs accordingly.
| Rank | Way to travel | Example | Key figure |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yacht | Azzam | 180 m, estimated $605 million |
| 2 | Plane | Airbus A380 | 525 seats typical, 853 maximum |
| 3 | Car | Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé | EUR 135 million at auction, 2022 |
| 4 | Motorhome | Hand-built US coaches | Reportedly from about $2.8 million |
| 5 | Train | Belmond Royal Scotsman | 2 nights from £14,800 per cabin (2027 listing) |
Whether you pick a car, plane, yacht, RV or train, you want the experience to be as good as possible, especially if you can afford it. Here are the five most expensive ways to travel, with the prices we could check in 2026.
#5 Train
Who said trains were mainstream? The Belmond Royal Scotsman has run since 1985 and runs 2, 3, 4, 5 or 7-night journeys around the Scottish Highlands, visiting castles, distilleries and historic sites. Once a year it makes a 7-night trip around Great Britain. A specialist agent lists a 2-night Taste of the Highlands round trip from Edinburgh from £14,900 per double cabin and £26,000 per Grand Suite for 2027 departures, with all meals, drinks and excursions included. Our old figure of $6,620 for four nights is gone: prices have moved, so ask Belmond.
#4 RV (motorhomes)
The road trip, with a full kitchen. American builder Newell Coach hand-builds a few dozen coaches a year, and it was reported in 2026 that new coaches start at about $2.8 million, though we could not open the manufacturer’s price list. Our earlier example, the Featherlite Vantare Platinum Plus at $2.5 million, comes from a builder that was bought by Amadas Coach in 2008, so we have replaced it. The idea survives: a home on wheels with a salon, a galley and, in the best ones, a garage under the floor.
#3 Car
The most expensive car ever sold is the 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé, sold by RM Sotheby’s to an unknown collector at the Mercedes-Benz Museum on 5 May 2022 for €135 million. Rudolf Uhlenhaut, the engineer, used one of the coupés as his personal car, and it could approach 290 km/h (180 mph). It replaces the W196R, which Bonhams sold at the Goodwood Festival of Speed on 12 July 2013 for £19.7 million ($29.6 million with premium), then a record. See also our list of the most expensive cars sold at auction.
#2 Plane
The Airbus A380 is the largest passenger airliner ever built. It has 550 square meters of usable floor space, 40% more than the Boeing 747-8, and seats 525 passengers in a typical three-class layout and up to 853 in an all-economy one. First delivered to Singapore Airlines in October 2007, the last of 251 aircraft went to Emirates on 16 December 2021. The unit cost in 2018 was $445.6 million, so our old $300 million figure is out of date. If you want your own plane, our list of the most expensive private jets starts there.
#1 Yacht
Azzam, built by Lürssen and delivered on 9 September 2013, is 180 meters long, the longest private motor yacht on record. Its main salon is 29 meters long, it tops 32 knots with two gas turbines and two diesels, and its cost is estimated at $605 million. We removed the History Supreme yacht that stood here before: the gold-and-platinum figures were never verifiable. Nothing says travel luxury like owning the ship.
Keep reading
- The most expensive yachts ever built: a longer look at number one
- The world’s most expensive iPhone case: the designer credited with the History Supreme yacht also made this
FAQ
What is the most luxurious way to travel?
In our ranking it is a superyacht, with Azzam (180 meters, estimated $605 million) the longest private motor yacht on record.
What is the most expensive car ever sold?
The 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé, sold for €135 million by RM Sotheby’s on 5 May 2022.
How much does the Royal Scotsman cost?
A specialist agent lists a 2-night Highlands round trip from £14,900 per double cabin and £26,000 per Grand Suite for 2027 departures, all-inclusive. Confirm with Belmond.
Is the Airbus A380 still being built?
No. The last of 251 aircraft was delivered to Emirates on 16 December 2021.
How much does a luxury motorhome cost?
Hand-built coaches such as Newell reportedly start at about $2.8 million for a new unit, based on a 2026 report we could not verify.
How we put this list together
We ranked by cost and exclusivity, using auction records, shipbuilders’ announcements and operator pages, rechecked in October 2026. Where a price is a listing or a report, we say so.
Last updated: October 2026.
