Financial Tribune- An Iranian company has launched luxury train tours of the country geared toward foreign tourists.

While touring Iran aboard five-star trains is not a new phenomenon, this is the first time an Iranian firm, the Tehran-based Khaneh Safar-e Pars Company, is conducting a luxury rail tour.

The company claims its Persian Caravan tours provide an "affordable journey" with service quality and amenities akin to tours conducted by the UK-based Golden Eagle Luxury Trains, whose popular Jewels of Persia route is usually fully booked.

Financially, they may be right: Jewels of Persia costs upward of $20,000 per person, while the Persian Caravan charges �4,231 ($4,483) per person.

The company's website reads, "This journey offers an affordable opportunity to visit the cultural and historical heritage sites of Iran, boarding on a 5-star train which offers a high level of comfort and services in a pleasant atmosphere."

Passengers are served aboard the train or in five-star hotels during the 12-day trip.

The Persian Caravan train offers unique excursions with tours ranging from popular Iranian cities such as Isfahan, well known for its beautiful historical architecture and magnificent Persian gardens that trace their design principles to the days of Shah Abbas.

The trip also includes visits to Pasargadae and Persepolis, world heritage sites dating back to the Achaemenid Empire that rank among the world�s greatest sites of antiquity and the warmness of the Iranian people.

Passengers will stop by Yazd, which is very well known for its Zoroastrian fire temples, Persian handicrafts and its high quality confectionery, as well as Kerman that is known for its tropical fruits and dates, excellent beef and dairy products.

After settling in their hotel in downtown Tehran, tourists are given a tour of the sprawling Iranian capital before embarking on the journey that will take them to Kashan and Isfahan. Passengers are then taken to Bam and Kerman before traveling to Yazd in central Iran. They will then visit Meybod and Sa'adat-Shahr before making their way south to Shiraz where they will also get to see Pasargadae and Persepolis.

Tourists will then make their way back to Tehran where they will stay at a hotel overnight before catching their flight back home.

To book a trip or find more information, visit http://iranrailtours.com.