The full Tangula luxury train experience will be unveiled in the US - Europe and China, in May 2007, after which bookings will be taken.

Kempinski Hotels and Tangula International have agreed that Kempinski will manage the new Tangula luxury trains in China. Inaugural journeys will depart from Lhasa, Lijiang and Beijing in Spring 2008.

The purpose-built Tangula trains will take guests on two distinctive routes through China, crossing wild grasslands, desert plains and vast plateaus. Departing from Beijing, the five-day/four night journey to Lhasa ventures across the mystical Tibetan plateau.

The Beijing to Lijiang route also takes five-days/four nights and explores the inspiring landscapes of Guangxi and Yunnan provinces. Tangula trains leaving both Lhasa and Lijiang for Beijing will follow a four-day/three night itinerary. On all routes, daily off-train excursions will enable guests to further immerse themselves in local cultures and traditions.

Each Tangula luxury train will accommodate up to 96 passengers in 48 spacious suites. The suites will feature an en-suite bathroom with shower, mini bar and in-room entertainment system with music, TV and satellite internet. A butler is on call throughout the journey, while a doctor is available during the ascent to Lhasa.

"Tangula trains will provide passengers with unique and unforgettable luxury travel experiences," said Josh Brookhart, Tangula International's Co-Founder and CEO, during the signing ceremony in Geneva in February. "The journeys will enable discerning travellers to immerse themselves in the stimulating landscapes and cultural traditions of China that were previously inaccessible to them."

"Tangula is a very exciting project that matches Kempinski's pioneering spirit perfectly," said Reto Wittwer, President and CEO of Kempinski. "We are delighted to manage the Tangula luxury trains. We can introduce our guests to a very new and exclusive travel experience in China, courtesy of Kempinski."