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British Pullman

The British Pullman offers 1920’s style luxury train travel across the UK

The belmond british pullman at a glance.

The Belmond British Pullman discount codes

Authentic & expertly restored 1920’s pullman carriages.

Dining Aboard The British Pullman

Guest Chefs

The Dinner hosted by Raymond Blanc

The dinner hosted by michel roux jr.

Belmond British Pullman Destinations

Just some destinations the Belmond British Pullman visits include:

Highclere Castle

Chatsworth House

Blenheim Palace

Sissinghurst Castle

Arundel Castle

Sandringham

Belmond British Pullman Prices

Belmond british pullman offers.

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Please contact our specialist luxury train travel customer service team, who will be more than happy to talk you through the options above, how to book, check prices, availability, or arrange a gift voucher to your requirements. Telephone: 023 9387 1007 or click here for instant live chat help All product and company names are trademarks™ or registered® trademarks of their respective holders. Use of them does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement by them. Orient Express is a registered trade mark owned by Societe Nationale Des Chemins De Fer Francais SNCF.

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Belmond British Pullman

Your initial glance heightens the anticipation: carriages gleaming in umber and cream livery, stewards resplendent in their immaculate uniforms, while they wait for you to board the train., video: belmond british pullman.

This is the Belmond British Pullman (sister train of the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express) , the most stately of trains. It's like stepping back in time. Because, over a century ago, George Mortimer Pullman, the originator, recognised that his passengers would be accustomed to unrestrained luxury and comfort. And, in order to accommodate them, he issued orders to the finest craftsmen of the day to construct in his words "Palaces on Wheels". His instructions were honoured in every respect.

Your steward will show you to your reserved seat in one of eleven carriages, each an original masterpiece from the 1920's or 1930's with their own name and unique personality.

On board passengers are seated in either ‘coupé’s (small compartments seating up to four people) or in the open car mostly at tables for two. There is a limited number of single tables and of tables for three persons in the open car.

The train can carry up to 226 passengers and consists of 10 parlour cars, of which 5 are kitchen cars, and a service car. The carriages seat between 20 and 26 passengers in each.

Superb Service

The service, like your journey, will be calm and unruffled. Settle back into your deeply comfortable seat and be transported into another age while Britain's glorious countryside unfolds past your window.

Step aboard and return to an age of luxury, comfort and glamour, when service was always impeccable and life was lived at a less hurried pace; the quintessential Venice Simplon-Orient-Express experience. Plush upholstery awaits, surrounded by intricate marquetry, mosaic floors, solid brass fittings and softly-shaded lamps. Your table is set with starched white cloths, shining silver and glittering glass. The cuisine is a delight and accompanied by wines judiciously chosen to complement the fine food.

Boarding Belmond British Pullman

Attentive service on board

Looking forward to a luxurious day out

Each carriage is an original masterpiece from the 1920s or 30's, resplendent in rare timber veneers, custom-loomed fabrics and solid brass work. Comprised of original carriages from the golden age of travel, lovingly restored with breathtaking attention to detail, each car is a symphony of intricate marquetry, inlaid mosaic floors, sparkling crystal and beautiful art deco design. Each carriage has its own name, its unique personality and its own colourful history. Even its own secrets.

The Belmond British Pullman matches destinations to your tastes; feed your artistic senses with music and magical works of art. Feast your eyes on an historic, horticultural, architectural and literary banquet. And, of course, pamper your taste palate with the finest food and wines.

Special Occasions

What better way to celebrate any occasion than a Pullman experience of a lifetime for you or someone special? These sparkling new excursions have been thoughtfully created to ensure you enjoy the sights and delights of both Britain and the Belmond British Pullman .

In their time, they have witnessed political and financial intrigue, uproarious celebrations and scandalous liaisons.

In your own time, experience this magnificent train and the very texture of history to the full.

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The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express

The original Orient Express passenger train has been re-created in all its glory for you to enjoy today.

The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express has become perhaps the most famous train in the world & is a must for any serious traveller – Celebrate a special anniversary or birthday in style. Despite the painstaking renovation of vintage carriages, guests can still rely on the highest levels of personal service and outstanding cuisine. Relax in the civilised bar carriage and meet other like-minded travellers.

Take a UK day trip aboard the Belmond British Pullman and enjoy the same glorious luxury vintage carriages and lovingly prepared food – all provided with the exacting standards of the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express.

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Overnight Journey from £3,530 per person

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Venice Simplon-Orient-Express Destinations

Current Venice Simplon-Orient-Express destinations are London, Paris, Venice, Verona, Istanbul, Vienna, Budapest, Prague, Florence, Rome, Portofino, Innsbruck, Geneva, Amsterdam, Brussels, Albertville, Moûtiers and Bourg-Saint-Maurice.

LONDON TO PORTOFINO

SPECIAL EDITION JOURNEY

LONDON TO VENICE

Includes Journey on Eurostar

Return Journey (no air)

VENICE TO LONDON

PARIS TO ISTANBUL

5 Night Unique trip

ISTANBUL TO PARIS

LONDON TO VIENNA

VIENNA TO LONDON

LONDON TO VERONA

Combine with Arena di Verona

VERONA TO LONDON

LONDON TO BUDAPEST

BUDAPEST TO LONDON

LONDON TO PRAGUE

PRAGUE TO LONDON

PARIS TO VENICE

Stay in Paris & Venice

VENICE TO PARIS

Stay in Venice & Paris

LONDON TO FLORENCE

FLORENCE TO LONDON

LONDON TO ROME

ROME TO LONDON

PARIS TO INNSBRUCK

Runs only on select dates

GENEVA TO INNSBRUCK

GENEVA TO VENICE

Also available to Verona

VENICE TO AMSTERDAM

Also available from Verona

AMSTERDAM TO VENICE

VENICE TO BRUSSELS

BRUSSELS TO VENICE

PARIS TO CANNES

Runs once a year

LYON TO CANNES

LYON TO VENICE

PARIS TO ALBERTVILLE

Runs only in December

ALBERTVILLE TO PARIS

PARIS TO MOUTIERS

MOUTIERS TO PARIS

PARIS TO BOURG-SAINT-MAURICE

BOURG-SAINT-MAURICE TO PARIS

2024 DEPARTURE DATES

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2025 DEPARTURE DATES

Take a day trip and experience a taste of the “Orient Express” with these luxury rail operators.

BELMOND BRITISH PULLMAN

Alternative luxury belmond trains in uk and beyond.

Whether you wish to stay closer to home and explore the rugged Scottish highlands or take an adventure into Asia, Belmond luxury trains can offer the unique and unforgettable experience of a lifetime.

THE ROYAL SCOTSMAN

BELMOND EASTERN & ORIENTAL EXPRESS

Venice simplon-orient-express train information.

Find out more about the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express Train, including cabin configurations, dining carriages, the bar car, the champagne bar and the colourful history surrounding the most famous train in the World.

Cabins and Suites

Choose from a Historical Cabin, Suite or Grand Suite.

Find out more, including sample menus from the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express

The Bar Car

Enjoy a pre-dinner cocktail in the train’s bar car complete with pianist!

The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express Bar Car

Enjoy a pre-dinner cocktail on board the train and soak up the unique atmosphere in the bar car complete with a baby grand piano! Let the head mixologist, Walter Nisi, create a cocktail for you to enjoy including the “Guilty Twelve” which is a secret combination of eleven spirits plus champagne invented by Walter to celebrate the 12 characters in Agatha Christie’s famous book – Murder on the Orient Express.

You can also head to the champagne bar to enjoy a glass or two from a selection of chilled vintage Champagnes.

After dinner, return to the bar car where the convivial atmosphere continues until the very last client call it a night. The after-dinner cocktail of choice is the Pousse Café du Train.

The Bar Car (3674) was built in France in 1931 and based at the Gare Saint-Lazare in Paris. After the war it ran as part of the Sud Express from Paris to Irún on the Spanish border and from Paris to Toulouse in Le Capitole.

Today it boasts a beautiful, Art Nouveau-style interior by Gérard Gallet and even manages to incorporate a baby grand piano within the carriage.

Take a look into a journey on board this famous train.

The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express Journey

The world’s most famous train – channel 4 feature documentary.

Find Out More about the origins of this train.

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The Orient Express

Legendary train.

This is the story of a train born from a dream, one that defies time.

Beginning in 2025, The Orient Express will invite travelers to relive the legend aboard 17 original Orient Express cars dating back to the 1920s and 1930s, adorned with exceptional décor – a set of cars formerly known as the ‘Nostalgie-Istanbul-Orient-Express.’

Reimagined by architect Maxime d’Angeac. An original design, inspired by the 1920s, created with the codes of contemporary luxury.

Maxime d'Angeac: a passionate architect

Inside the Orient Express train

The bar car, stay on track..., the dining car, orient express revelation.

The first liveable experience into the future Orient Express train, reinterpreted by architect Maxime d’Angeac. The hereunder video is a journey to discover the Bar Car and Restaurant Car as well as the train’s suites and corridors.

Accommodations

The presidential suite, the essence of the myth.

Occupying an entire train car of the former Nostalgie-Istanbul-Orient Express, the Presidential Suite invites travelers to step inside through a private entrance.

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Classic Orient Express: London to Venice

• £ From £4,499
• Catch the Eurostar to Paris in Business Premier class and spend the night
• Board the iconic Orient-Express and journey through the Alps via the heart of Switzerland and the Gotthard Pass
• The canals, gondolas and culture of Venice
• Return via a different route, over the Brenner Pass via the Bavarian city of Munich
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• Business Premier Class Eurostar from London to Paris
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• First Class travel from Venice back to London with Standard Premier Eurostar
• Transfer from station to hotel and hotel to station in Paris and station to hotel in Venice
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Suggested Itinerary

Start your luxurious holiday with a journey on the Eurostar in Business Premier to Paris. Enjoy lunch onboard, with a glass or two of champagne and on arrival, a private transfer will be waiting to take you to your hotel, Le Demeure Montaigne (or similar) where you have an overnight stay.

Enjoy an evening at leisure in the City of Light. Perhaps take a cruise along the Seine or choose a traditional brasserie for dinner.

Spend another morning in Paris and then, this afternoon, meet your transfer driver at the hotel and head to the Gare d’Austerlitz where you’ll check in to board the Continental Wagon-Lits carriages of the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express.

Once you’ve settled in and changed for the evening, enjoy a sumptuous dinner onboard. After dinner, head to the bar for a nightcap where you will be serenaded by a baby grand piano, then make your way back to your cabin, which has now been transformed into a cosy bedroom.

Awake this morning to the splendid scenery of the Alps and enjoy breakfast in your cabin, brought to you by your steward at your own convenience. The train twists and turns as it climbs up to the top of the Gotthard Pass, then down into Italy. Enjoy afternoon tea as you pass through the fair city of Verona and eventually into your final destination, the unique city of Venice.

Upon arrival, make your way down the Grand Canal to the Hotel Bisanzio (or similar) for a 2-night stay.

Enjoy Venice in all its splendour. Gravitate towards St Mark’s Square, the regal piazza that opens out onto the mouth of the Grand Canal and the Venetian Lagoon. Don’t miss the Accademia art collection or a boat trip to Murano or Burano, or even over to Venice Lido.

TMR RECOMMENDS: Extend your holiday in Venice by a night or two to take in more of this magical city. Why not combine Venice with the culture and history of Florence, only 1.5 hours away by train?

It’s time to leave Venice this morning, heading back across the lagoon and on towards the Alps. After Rovereto, the scenery gets more and more undulating until you travel into the Austrian Tyrol and through the beautiful Brenner Pass into Germany.

Disembark at Munich, where you will have an overnight stop at the Sofitel Bayerpost  (or similar).

Return to the station this morning and make your return journey by rail to London, with easy changes in Frankfurt and Brussels.

Typical hotels on this itinerary

Located in the Opera District of Paris, La Demeure Montaigne offers luxury accommodation within easy reach of the Rue du Rivoli and the Louvre. Bedrooms are air-conditioned with flat-screen TVs, coffee machines, dressing gowns and slippers. There is also an elegant restaurant, a spa & wellness centre with an indoor pool, a hairdressers and a bar with a billiards table.

Combining the traditional Venetian style with a great location and modern facilities, the Hotel Bisanzio is a great base in Venice, just 10 minutes’ walk from St Mark’s Square. Guest rooms come with free Wi-Fi, wooden floors and Murano-glass lamps. There is also a delicious buffet breakfast served daily.

Built into the southern wing of the railway station, this superb French-style property is amongst Munich’s best hotels. Relax in your spacious bedroom or in the heavenly spa and swimming pool. Enjoy a full, varied breakfast in the hotel’s fabulous restaurant.

Upgrade your accommodation

This luxury hotel is located in the heart of Paris’ fashion district. The rooms reflect the style of the area with traditional luxury matched with modern touches such as Wi-Fi and air conditioning. The hotel boasts a number of bars and restaurants, including Alain Ducasse Au Plaza Athenée which has been awarded three Michelin stars. An onsite spa offers a wide range of treatments.

One of the Leading Hotels of the World, the Luna Baglioni is simply the best in Venetian opulence. Housed in a magnificent Venetian Palace, the hotel boasts an award-winning restaurant, Canova, as well as Caffe Baglioni, where delicious coffees and pastries are available throughout the day.

A short boat ride on the hotel’s complimentary shuttle to St Mark’s Square, this landmark luxury hotel boasts elegant rooms with garden or lagoon views, free Wi-Fi and iPod docks. There is also a local area shuttle boat, restaurant, waterfront bistro, Olympic-sized outdoor pool, spa and tennis courts.

These prices are based on two people sharing a twin or double room. Single supplements will apply for sole occupancy. It is based on Standard Class rail travel and includes seat reservations as necessary. It is based on the best fares on the trains. If you travel during a peak period, particularly at short notice, then supplements may apply.

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In the tracks of the Orient Express: my train ride from London to Istanbul

The fabled railway service returns in 2025. But you don’t need to wait until then, or pay the eyewatering fares, to ride this classic route

O ne of the fruits of getting on a train is that it makes me want to chat. So instead of gazing at Kent as we proceed to Paris from London, I talk to my neighbour. Martha grew up in San Francisco, studied in Oregon, and puts syrup on everything. When we part ways on the concourse of Gare du Nord – she to lunch with a friend from Wisconsin, me to amble around before continuing towards Turkey – she says the best things about the US are Taylor Swift and meatloaf. It’s good to talk.

With just two hours to play with, I cold-shoulder the signature attractions and make a beeline for Shakespeare and Company bookshop on the Seine, where I once slept next to the poems for three months in my 20s while working on my first book. (The scheme is called Tumbleweeding and offers shelter to writers in exchange for helping out in the shop.) By heading there I’m being hopelessly nostalgic, but in the event the queue to enter the shop is round the block and I don’t make it inside. The search for lost time goes on.

My trip from the UK to Turkey has all been planned and booked via Byway , a tour operator which specialises in flight-free, sustainable travel. All I have to do is get on the right trains and find my accommodation. Simple. After Paris, the next stop is Stuttgart. The doubledecker TGV towers above the land it cuts through. Lowly fields go by in a flash, and so do Nancy, Strasbourg, Noisy-le-Sec. It’s been eight hours since London, and yet it hardly feels like 10 minutes. Train journeys can be spellbinding like that: clock time seems to melt away. Mind you, it’s no utopia in coach 13. A toddler three rows back has been kicking off since Karlsruhe.Stepping off the train at Stuttgart, the first thing I notice is the lack of a station (it has been levelled in readiness for a new one). The second thing I notice is that the city’s architecture is anything but uniform. Parts suggest Bath, others Milton Keynes, others the Tirolean Alps. The third thing I notice is a lady offering free hugs on the main square. I give her a cuddle and in return she informs me that the red-light district is good for Japanese food.

Travelling from Paris to Istanbul by train is an undertaking made famous by the historic Orient Express. In 2025 – nearly four decades since the original stopped serving Istanbul in 1977 – another iteration of the fabled pan-European service will launch, after the discovery of some 1920s carriages in a depot on the Poland-Belarus border, subsequently restored by the French hospitality group Accor.

The new service will run along the same lines as my itinerary (via Germany, Hungary and Romania). There the likeness ends. While passengers on board the resurrected carriages will probably enjoy a 14-course dinner involving wagyu beef and champagne, I’m served a bag of nuts and half a bottle of Hungarian sparkling wine, which I consume sitting on the edge of my bed, the wine getting fizzier with every bump and shake of our progress. There’s this to be said about the nightlife on board the EuroNight service to Budapest: it’s rambunctious and halting and two hours longer than scheduled. But I love it nonetheless. The simple magic of crossing an entire country in your sleep will comfortably offset any number of niggles (no disrespect, Austria).

Emerging from Budapest Keleti station, I wander down to the Danube and spot Shakespeare outside Starbucks. Not far from the bard, I find a bench in the sun and sit there for an hour contemplating Buda. I resist the pull of the city’s infamous ruin bars (been there, done that, lost my T-shirt) and walk to Heroes’ Square, where I take a self-conscious dip at the Széchenyi Baths , a palatial complex that offers a dozen ways of getting wet.

In town I eat a bowl of Hungarian ratatouille ( lecs ó ) at Menza , and a Michelin-starred pork chop at Borkonyha . Then I make a trio of mistakes. First, I order a glass of Olaszrizling wine (rough as old boots). Second, I eat an entire chimney cake (which is exactly what it sounds like). And third, I whimsically walk into a screening of Barbie, which turns out to be dubbed rather than subtitled. To avoid making a fourth, I go back to my hotel, T62 , which is trendier than I’ll ever be – and sleep for 14 hours.

The following evening, I board the Ister night train to Romania. I soon realise I’ll be sharing a compartment with four Swiss teenagers and a Moldovan dentist. The conversation flows freely, and not for the first time on my journey do I express thanks for the English of others. The Moldovan tells me about the price of veneers and the disputed territory of Transnistria. The Swiss teenagers tell me about Roger Federer’s private life and their plans for the future. In the absence of wifi and a buffet car, we share pistachios and plums and viewpoints and lager. It’s a fruitful, friendly environment. That said, earplugs are a blessing when the largest Swiss starts to snore like a trooper.

We pull into Brașov a few hours late. The station is burnished by morning sunlight. After dropping my bag at the Villa Prato , I head into the medieval old town for a delayed breakfast. At Bistro de l’Arte , I eat a bowl of soup (bean), a pancake (cheese), and a papanas (a sort of doughnut-cheesecake). I walk around Brașov’s ancient lanes, weigh up its elderly headliners (the Black Church is a standout), and then withdraw to the town’s lofty outskirts to do a lap of the centre, huddled in the sunlight below.

On top of dental tourism and Dracula, Brașov is known for its mountainside sign done in the Hollywood style. Because the views of Transylvania are said to be better up there than they are down here, I consider hiking up to it, but am dissuaded by a public notice suggesting I might cross paths with a bear. I return to the main square and get chatting to a local photographer called Radu , who is good enough to snap me in front of the town hall and then introduce me to the local moonshine, țuică .

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The next afternoon, after a three-hour meander through the Carpathian mountains, I arrive in Bucharest. I deposit my gear at the Hotel Moxa , and hit the streets. Straight off the bat, the Romanian capital stops me in my stride. Epic porticos give shelter to homeless people. A giant ad for 5G sits atop a ruined tower. Queues for ice-cream suggest communist-era shortages. The main street – Calea Victoriei – is a swaggering catwalk that would make a Parisian runway blush. The Athenaeum is a wonder. The Arcul de Triumf is a curio. The old town is a hedonistic zone par excellence. And the Palace of the Parliament is a folly of epic proportions. It was commissioned by Nicolae Ceaușescu – the nation’s former communist leader – at a time when his people were surviving on scant rations. Local people didn’t take to their leader’s latest vanity project. Things came to a head in 1989. The resolution was indelicate.

I board my final train, which connects with the Sofia-Istanbul Express, at 10.50am. For the next 20 hours, I share a compartment with a precocious German and a Dutch couple. I move into the side corridor and gaze at passing fields of sunflowers, before sticking my head in the compartment next door and chatting football with the cabin steward. It’s a good carriage – friendly, boisterous, respectful, safe. Even the hour-long wait at Dimitrovgrad in Bulgaria for our carriage to join the Istanbul train, or the need to disembark at the Turkish border in the middle of the night, does little to dampen the good mood.

They say it’s the journey that matters, and I agree. It’s the deep vistas that appear on turning certain Bulgarian corners. It’s the easy companionship that comes with shared intent and shared incapacity. It’s the steady staccato on certain stretches of track. Granted, each of these things isn’t much on its own but, taken together, they somehow elevate train travel to another level of going. It must be so, for when a final delay is announced on the approach to Istanbul, the news is met with the most philosophical of shrugs. Someone cheers. You’d be forgiven for thinking no one wanted to arrive.

But arrive we do – and at Sırkecı station no less. This was the terminus for the Orient Express on its maiden crossing in 1883. And it was here – or close to here – that Agatha Christie conceived her Poirot. I part from the others, rest a while in the station lobby, then step out into a teeming metropolis of 20 million divided between Europe and Asia.

Faced with all that Istanbul has to offer, my wish in the first instance is modest: a good cup of tea.

The trip was provided by Byway , which specialises in flight-free, sustainable travel. A 10-day London to Istanbul package, including all transport and private accommodation (six nights in hotels, three in private cabins on night trains), plus 24/7 support along the way, costs £930 pp, based on two people sharing. Ben Aitken is the author of several travel books, including A Chip Shop in Pozna ń and The Gran Tour , both available at guardian.bookshop

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Rail Holidays by Planet Rail

Planet Rail specialises in First Class train and rail holidays to Europe and beyond, including Venice Simplon Orient Express train holidays. Perfect train holidays are as much about the enchanting journey as the enticing destination that awaits you. 

We are an independent, family-run business with a responsible approach to train travel and a belief in providing the more personal and professional service you deserve. In other words we are committed to doing our very best to tailor-make your train holiday. Let us create your perfect rail holiday.

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Train travel in europe..., train travel in asia..., train travel in africa..., train travel in america..., train travel in australasia, the luxury vintage train to venice.

If you can afford it, the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express is the most romantic and luxurious way from London or Paris to Venice.  Its vintage carriages are a delight and the food & on-board service are truly world class.  Unlike many expensive tourist experiences, this train really does live up to its five-star and you won't be disappointed.  Watch the video .

The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express

The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express (VSOE) is a privately-run train of beautifully-restored 1920s, 30s & 50s coaches, providing a 5-star luxury train experience between London, Paris, Verona & Venice, running roughly once a week from March to November.  The journey from London to Venice takes 24 hours and costs over £3,300 per person one way, including meals.

The train is run by Venice Simplon-Orient-Express (VSOE) Limited, part of Belmond, who also operate the equally luxurious Eastern & Oriental Express from Singapore to Bangkok, the Royal Scotsman cruise train and the PeruRail trains to Machu Picchu .  The VSOE should not be confused with the real Orient Express, the true descendant of the original 1883 Orient Express, a regular scheduled train which was finally withdrawn on 12 December 2009, see here for an explanation .

The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express also runs occasional trips to Florence, Rome, Krakow, Budapest, Stockholm and even Istanbul once a year, in August.

Important changes for 2024

2023 was the last season in which VSOE passengers travelled from London Victoria to Folkestone by British Pullman , got ferried through the Channel Tunnel by road coach and boarded the Continental train at Calais.  From 2024, the VSOE will operate between Paris Gare de l'Est and Venice , with connections to/from London St Pancras by Eurostar .  No more British Pullman.  This is due to Brexit, delays caused by longer border checks made the Folkestone-Calais coach transfer increasingly unreliable which in turn delayed the departure of the VSOE train from Calais.  A great shame.

Southbound dates , London to Venice

2024 :  14, 21, 28 March.  4, 11, 25 April.  5, 20 May.  27 June.  11 July.  3, 14 August.  5, 22 September.  6, 22 October. 1, 19, 23 November.  5, 12, 22 December.

Northbound dates , Venice to London

2024 :  5, 12, 19, 26 March.  9, 27 April.  10, 15 May.  1, 6, 12 August.  14, 24 September.  1, 15, 20 October. 5, 17, 21 November.  3, 10, 14 December.

Timetable 2024 (subject to confirmation)

How much does it cost .

Solo travellers:   The prices above are per person assuming two people share a 2-berth compartment in an LX-type type sleeper dating from 1929.  If you're a solo traveller, sole occupancy costs the same price if you book a single-berth compartment in a slightly less intricate slightly smaller mid-1920s-built S-type sleeper, but costs significantly more if you book a 2-berth compartment in an LX sleeper for sole occupancy, see the advice & explanation below .

Children:   Infants under 2 sharing a berth travel free.  Children under 12 sharing a compartment with a full-fare-paying adult get a 20% reduction.

The extra-cost cabin suites & grand suites are explained below .

How to buy tickets

Can a 24 hour train ride to venice be worth £3,350 per person , single travellers.

The VSOE consists almost entirely of luxurious LX-type sleeping cars built 1927-1929.  But there is usually one mid-1920s S-type sleeping-car on the train with 10 compartments which it sells as singles for the same price per person as two people sharing a 2-berth in an LX.  When booking at www.belmond.com with 1 adult selected you'll be sold sole occupancy of an S-type sleeper compartment if one remains available, otherwise you'll see a significantly higher price which is for sole occupancy of a 2-berth LX sleeper compartment.

The compartments in an S-type sleeping-car are very slightly smaller and have less intricate wood marquetry than an LX, but they are just as comfortable and just as historic - indeed, had you travelled from Calais to Istanbul in the 1930s you'd have travelled in an S-type sleeper rather than an LX-type, as the Calais-Istanbul car was usually an S, although the other (Paris-Istanbul) sleeping-car on the Simplon Orient Express was usually an LX.  My advice?  It's simply not worth paying so much more for a compartment in an LX if a single compartment in the S class is available.  And if you're lucky enough to get S-type car number 3425, Mrs 61 & I got engaged in the corridor, send me a photo!

Journey suggestions

Which is better, a southbound or northbound trip.

Either is great, but in my opinion the southbound has the edge.  Although the northbound journey tends to be less popular, so often has better availability and sometimes better rates.  But personally, I feel the journey works best going out from London with the arrival in Venice over the causeway a fitting climax.  You'll also see more of the Alpine scenery in daylight in the morning from a southbound train than (depending on the time of year) in the evening from a northbound train.

One way by VSOE, one-way by TGV & Eurostar

If you only take the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express one-way, you don't need to fly the other.  Take Eurostar from London to Paris in 2h15, have lunch at the amazing Train Bleu restaurant inside Paris Gare de Lyon, then take the afternoon TGV or Frecciarossa from Paris to Turin in 5h40, a comfortable & scenic journey through the French Alps, see the video & photos here , arriving in the evening.  Stay overnight in Turin, and next morning take a high-speed train from Turin to Venice in around 4h30.  This works equally well in either direction, see the London to Italy by train page for all you need to know.

For the ultimate scenic ride between London & Venice, take Eurostar & a TGV-Lyria to Zurich on day 1, then take the wonderful narrow-gauge Bernina Express through the Swiss Alps to Tirano with connections for Venice on day 2, see the Bernina Express page .  You can easily arrange this yourself, or you can ask custom-made tour agency www.railbookers.co.uk to arrange both your Venice-Simplon-Orient-Express trip and your scheduled trains and suggest some excellent hotels in Venice.

VSOE to Krakow, Budapest, Prague, Rome & Istanbul

As well as its regular London-Paris-Venice route, the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express runs occasional departures to Krakow, Vienna, Budapest, Prague, Rome, Stockholm and sometimes even Istanbul (London to Istanbul usually in late August, 5 nights for around £7,000 pp), see www.belmond.com/venice-simplon-orient-express or call Railbookers .

Day trips in the UK by Belmond's British Pullman & Northern Belle

The VSOE's British Pullman cars run a regular programme of day-trips, dinner trips and excursions around the British Isles, mostly around London and typically £210-£420 per person.  Belmond also used to own (but have now sold) a set of more modern cars dating from the 1970s converted to classic Pullman standard which is used on Northern Belle excursions in the north of England, see www.northernbelle.co.uk for routes, dates, prices & tickets.

Back to top

Option 1, call Railbookers

Railbookers are train specialists who often have special rates for the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express.  They can also arrange hotels and regular scheduled European trains to create a customised trip - for example Eurostar & high-speed TGV-Lyria from London to Zurich, 1 night at the superb Hotel Schweizerhof (first introduced to me by Railbookers, now a personal favourite), onward travel through the Alps via the wonderfully scenic Gotthard Pass route to Venice, 3 nights 4-star hotel in Venice, then by fabulous Venice Simplon-Orient-Express from Venice to London.  Railbookers take good care of their clients, and they now have offices in the UK, US & Australia.

  UK call 0207 864 4600, www.railbookers.co.uk . 

  us call free 1-888-829-4775, www.railbookers.com .,   canada call free 1-855-882-2910, www.railbookers.com .,   australia call toll-free 1300 971 526, www.railbookers.com.au . ,   new zealand call toll-free 0800 000 554 or see website ., option 2, call tailor made rail.

UK-based Tailor Made Rail can also organise a trip on the Venice Simplon-Orient Express.  Call their dedicated seat61 phone line 020 3778 1461 and quote seat 61 when booking.  From outside the UK call +44 20 3778 1461.  Lines open 09:00-17:30 Monday-Friday.  See www.tailormaderail.com/trains/venice-simplon-orient-express .

Option 3, book at belmond.com

You can also buy tickets at www.belmond.com/venice-simplon-orient-express .  If you feel like packing some lucky loved one off to Paris or Venice, you can buy Venice Simplon-Orient-Express gift certificates.  Double cabin or Suite cabin?   See the explanation here .  However, I'd call Railbookers before booking, as sometimes Railbookers can offer VSOE plus hotels more cheaply than a train-only booking with Belmond.

What's a journey on the Venice-Simplon-Orient Express like?

London to paris by eurostar.

From 2024, passengers no longer use the British Pullman from London to Folkestone, and the Continental train no longer starts from Calais.  From 2024 onwards, passengers take Eurostar from London St Pancras to Paris Gare du Nord , which is a short 7-minute walk from Paris Gare de l'Est .  I expect Belmond will bus you from station to station, but it really is just a 7 minute walk !

See more about the Eurostar journey here .  Passengers bound for the VSOE travel in Business Premier, a meal with wine and champagne is served at your seat.  There are power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

The Venice Simplon Orient Express

In the evening at Paris Gare de l'Est you board the VSOE's continental train of restored blue-and-gold 1920s Wagons-Lits sleeping-cars for Innsbruck, Verona & Venice.  You've time to take photos.

The sleeping-cars

Historic compartments - authentic, see car layout.

Your sleeper attendant greets you at the door and shows you to your compartment.  The VSOE's sleeping-cars are mostly classic 1929-vintage LX-series cars with ten 2-berth compartments that convert to private sitting rooms with sofa and small table for daytime use.  With their inlaid wood marquetry, the LX-types were the most luxurious sleeping-cars ever built for La Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits (CIWL, the original operator of the Orient Express), and the VSOE's restored LX-series cars were originally used on various CIWL trains including the Calais-Paris-Nice Train Bleu, the Paris-Rome Rome Express , the Paris-Berlin-Warsaw-Riga Nord Express .  One Paris-Istanbul sleeping-car and the Calais-Trieste sleeping-car of the Simplon Orient Express would also have been an LX-type in the 1930s.

VSOE also own two earlier 1927-built S-series cars which had less fancy woodwork and slightly smaller compartments, but they were both gutted in 2018 to create Belmond's modern Suites & Grand Suites.  In the 1930s, the Calais-Istanbul sleeping car & Calais-Athens sleeping-car of the Simplon Orient Express would normally have been an S-type.

Sleeper facilities :   Each historic compartment has a large sofa convertible to an upper and lower berth at night, a footstool, small folding table.  There's a broad luggage rack towards the ceiling capable of taking fairly large items.  In a corner (either by the door or the window), two doors open to reveal a washstand with soap, towels, flannels and hot & cold water.  Mineral water, slippers & dressing gown are provided, and (a modern addition) there are two plug sockets of the normal 2-pin European type.  Authentic 1920s sleeping-cars don't have en suite toilets or showers, they also didn't have air-conditioning, but this has now been fitted.  You can still wind the window down, great for reflection-free photos of the scenery.

The correct term is 'Compartment' not 'Cabin':   These sleeper compartments are described on the Belmond website as historic cabins .  Trains don't have cabins, that is a nautical term used for a room on a ship.  The correct term on a train is a compartment .  Travellers in the 1920s & 1930s would have known this perfectly well, travellers unused to trains & ships now seem to use 'cabin' for everything and even Belmond don't seem to know the correct term.

Suites & Grand Suites - not authentic

For the 2018 season, Belmond created 3 luxurious Grand Suites with double bed, parlour area and en suite shower & toilet, they also now offer several smaller Suites with either twin or double beds and en suite toilet & shower.  These modern suites were created by taking one of the VSOE's two historic S-type sleeping-cars (car 3425, the car my wife & I got engaged in, as it happens), completely gutting the car's original 1920s interior (it had ten 1 or 2 berth compartments with washbasin) and building these new suites from scratch inside the empty bodyshell.  The suites are a modern creation for the 21st century tourist market and completely unauthentic - the real Orient Express of the 1920s and 1930s would have no suites, no showers, and no en en suite toilets, just a chamber pot kept in a hidey-hole under the sink (hence the famous CIWL sign, Sous le lavabo se trouve une vase ...).  In fact the Orient Express wouldn't have had a bar car or piano either, just sleeping-cars and a restaurant car.  If you want the authentic 1920s/30s experience, save your money and stick with the basic, original, historic LX sleeper compartments.  Check prices for the suites & grand suites online at www.belmond.com or call Railbookers .

The place to go before or after dinner is the VSOE's lively bar car, with lounge area, cocktail bar and piano.  Needless to say, the real Orient Express even in its 1920s & 1930s heyday would have not have had any such fripperies as a bar or lounge, let alone a piano, just sleeping-cars and a restaurant.  It was a much more work-a-day train than most people imagine.  The piano-bar-lounge has been created for modern-day tourists out of a former Wagons-Lits Company pullman car built in 1931 - but it's still great place to mingle.  You'll find a small VSOE Boutique counter in these cars.

The 3 restaurant cars

The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express has three restaurant cars, each with unique decor: 

The Cote d'Azur was originally a 1st class Pullman car built in 1929, first used on the Cote d'Azur Pullman Express.   With lovely Lalique glass panels, it's my favourite.

The Etoile du Nord restaurant car was built in Birmingham in 1926 for the Paris-Brussels-Amsterdam Etoile du Nord Pullman train, it was later used on the Edelweiss from Amsterdam to Switzerland and the Lusitania from Madrid to Lisbon.

L'Orientale was originally a Pullman kitchen car, built in Birmingham in 1927 and also used on the Etoile du Nord and later the Lusitania , and it features Chinese-style lacquer wall panels.

Soon after departure the Maitre d' comes down the sleeping-cars handing out dinner reservations.  You'll be allocated a restaurant car but feel free to request a table in your favourite.  Make sure you experience two different ones at dinner and lunch.

Dinner in the diner

Meals are included in the fare on the VSOE, and the food is truly excellent.  Drinks on the Continental train cost extra, reckon on the cheapest half bottle of wine costing €35, a full bottle €50.  A dress code applies in the evening, for men a dark suit is essential, but the majority of passengers bring a dinner jacket and bow tie as dressing up is part of the fun.  You can't be over-dressed on the VSOE!

Time for bed

You'll return from dinner to find your compartment converted into a bedroom by the sleeper attendant, with upper and lower berths.  The beds are the most comfortable I have ever slept in on a train, in fact they're more comfortable than many hotel beds.  There are toilets at each end of the corridor.  The door locks securely with both a lock and security chain.

Scenery next morning in Switzerland, Austria & Italy

In spite of its name, the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express no longer uses the Simplon route via Lausanne, Brig & Milan.  Instead, it runs overnight from Paris to Switzerland and you'll probably wake up just beyond Zurich.  When I last took it, I found the train running alongside the sparkling waters of the Zürichsee or Walensee with a breathtaking mountain backdrop, heading for the Arlberg Pass then the Brenner - although from 2016 it travels via the Gotthard Pass to Milan, only using the Brenner and Arlberg northbound.  A Continental breakfast of excellent coffee, juice and fresh croissant is served on a tray in your compartment by your sleeper attendant.  When I took it, the train clipped a corner of Liechtenstein and entered Austria via the wonderfully scenic Arlberg Pass - which once gave its name to the Paris-Switzerland-Vienna Arlberg Orient Express which used this route.  The VSOE turned right after Innsbruck, and as a 3-course lunch was served in the restaurant cars we headed into Italy via the almost equally scenic Brenner Pass to Verona, passing Padua and Venice Mestre before finally rumbling slowly across the 2km causeway to Venice Santa Lucia station on the banks of the Grand Canal in central Venice, just 15 minutes walk from the famous Rialto Bridge or 25 minutes walk from St Mark's Square.

Video guide:  Venice Simplon-Orient-Express

More videos:   arlberg pass scenery video    brenner pass scenery video.

These two videos show the scenery through the Arlberg and Brenner Passes which you'll see over breakfast and lunch on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express.  They were shot from scheduled trains on the route, but the scenery is of course the same!

Travel tips

Dress up!   You'll need (for men) at least a dark suit and tie for dinner on the VSOE Continental train, but many travellers change into a dinner jacket with bow tie for dinner - indeed, you may feel under-dressed in just a suit.  A significant number of travellers dress up in 1920s or 30s style, you won't feel out of place if you do!  During the day dress code is smart-casual, you can't wear jeans on the VSOE.

Ask for your favourite restaurant for dinner - and a different one for lunch next day.   There are three restaurants on the VSOE continental train, each unique.  The Maitre d' will make a dinner reservation for you, feel free to request a table in your favourite restaurant - my favourite is the Cote d'Azur with its lovely glass panels by Lalique.  Next day, request a table in one of the other two, to experience a different car.

Are there showers?   Not in the original authentic 1920s sleeper compartments, no.  These were built in an era when hotel rooms didn't have en suite bathrooms, people survived without taking a shower every few hours and Sunday night was bath night whether you needed it or not.  The sleeper compartments have a washstand with hot & cold running water which was a luxury for the 1920s, when many hotel rooms didn't even have this.  Incredibly, Belmond tell me that the lack of en suite showers is the biggest thing that surprises many VSOE travellers even though they know they're going on an authentic 1920s train!  However, the more expensive suites and grand suites have en suite toilet & shower, as these are a modern innovation, they are not original or authentic.

Is there WiFi?   The train now has WiFi and there's decent mobile data reception all along the route, even inside the Channel Tunnel.

Are there power sockets?   Not on the British Pullmans, no.  But each sleeper compartment on the VSOE Continental train has two European-style 2-pin sockets, one under the sink, one under the window.  A post-1920s addition!

Special dietary needs. You can request these when you book, yes.

Smoking.   The VSOE train is all non-smoking.

Tips.   The fare includes service, although you can always tip a member of staff who gives particularly good service.

Dress code.   Jeans & trainers aren't allowed on the VSOE.  The dress code is smart casual during the day, and at least dark suit with tie for men in the evening.  But I'd take a DJ (that's a tuxedo if you're American) if you have one.

Luggage.   One large suitcase per person can be checked in to your final destination, and one item of hand luggage plus a suit carrier or overnight bag can be taken into your sleeper compartment.  In London, you can check your overnight bag or suit carrier in and you'll find them waiting for you in your sleeper compartment when you board the VSOE Continental train.  However, don't worry too much about luggage limits as unlike airlines, VSOE seem relaxed about exact bag weights or dimensions, as long as you don't take the Mickey.  There is a reasonably large luggage rack in your sleeping-car compartment.

Can children travel on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express?   Yes they can, of any age, see the fares section above .

Do you have to go from London to Venice?   Belmond will sell journeys from London to Verona or Venice, or Paris to Verona or Venice, and in the opposite direction.

Is a northbound or southbound trip best?   See my answer here .

Does the train go across the Channel?   No, and the Orient Express never did. 

Today's VSOE journey is described above .  When it started in 1982 passengers used a ferry from Folkestone to Boulogne with the sleeper train waiting for it at Boulogne Maritime station, in the later years until 2023 they used an executive road coach from Folkestone to Calais which went through the Channel Tunnel on a car-carrying Eurotunnel shuttle train.  From 2024 onwards, VSOE passengers will use Eurostar from London to Paris Gare du Nord and board the VSOE continental train at the nearby Gare de l'Est .

Historically, the Orient Express always started at Calais with a totally separate British 'boat train' and ferry providing a connection from London.  The only passenger train ever to be physically ferried across the Channel on board a ferry were the London-Paris (and later, London-Brussels) sleeping-cars of the Night Ferry , which start in 1936, suspended during WW2, and discontinued in 1980, see en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Night_Ferry .

Is the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express the original Orient Express?   You'd better read the next section!

Is this the original Orient Express ?    See the Orient Express history page

No.  Because there is no such thing as the original Orient Express.  The Orient Express was a service, not one specific set of coaches.  The Orient Express used different rolling stock at different times in its long history, and at any given time it required more than one set of coaches to operate - common sense, really, as in the 1920s & 1930s the Simplon Orient Express left Paris every day on a 3-night journey to Istanbul so clearly required at least 6 separate sets of coaching stock to operate.

In fact, by the 1930s there were several different Orient Express routes, including the Orient Express (Paris-Munich-Vienna-Budapest-Bucharest/Istanbul), Simplon Orient Express (Calais-Paris-Lausanne-Milan-Venice-Belgrade-Athens/Istanbul, as featured in Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express), Arlberg Orient Express (Paris-Zurich-Vienna-Budapest-Bucharest) and Oostende-Vienna Orient Express (Oostende-Brussels-Frankfurt-Vienna-Budapest-Belgrade-Istanbul, as featured in Graham Greene's novel Stambul Train ), all taking different routes across Europe and switching cars between them at key points.

Furthermore, these were not huge long trains going from a single point A to one point B like today's 16-car VSOE.  They were relatively short trains of individual sleeping-cars from different starting points to different destinations, with cars switched between trains at key interchange points such as Vienna or Belgrade.  Restaurant cars would be attached for all main sectors, but there would not have been any bars, lounges or pianos.  More work-a-day than most people imagine. 

To give you a flavour of what it was really like, in the 1930s the Orient Express would leave Istanbul Sirkeci station at 10pm consisting of just 4 sleeping-cars and 2 baggage vans ( fourgons in French).  No restaurants, no bars, no lounges nor seats cars, just those 4 sleeping-cars and two fourgons, nothing more.  Two sleeping-cars and a fourgon were for Paris Gare de Lyon via Venice & Lausanne on the Simplon Orient Express , usually an LX and an S, with the S-type sleeping-car going through to Calais for the London connection attached to a Paris-Calais boat train.  Depending on the day of the week, the third sleeping-car was either for Brussels & Oostende via the Oostende-Vienna Orient Express or for Paris Est via Vienna and Munich on the (plain) Orient Express.  Again depending on the day of the week, the fourth sleeping-car was for either Prague or Berlin via the Balt-Orient Express.  A restaurant car was added at the Bulgarian border (where it had been detached from an eastbound Orient Express a few hours previously) in time to serve breakfast.  Still no lounges or pianos!

In addition to the various Orient Express routes, the Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits (the company which ran the Orient Express) operated sleeping-cars and restaurant-cars all over Europe, both as all-luxury trains such as these and providing the sleeping- and restaurant-car service attached to regular trains in many countries.  Cutting a long story short, the CIWL handed over responsibility for the sleeping- and dining-cars to the various national rail operators themselves in 1971, but the company still exists.  For example, if you take Austrian Railways Nightjet sleeper trains , the sleeper attendants and catering are provided by NewRest, a subsidiary of the CIWL.  VSOE has been allowed to use the CIWL's name and crest on its vintage carriages under licence.

Most of the sleeping-cars on today's VSOE are 1929-built LX-type cars.  If you'd travelled from Calais to Istanbul on the Simplon Orient Express in the 1930s you'd have travelled in an S-type car built in 1927, with slightly smaller compartments than the LX-type and lacking the intricate wood marquetry decoration that distinguishes the more glamorous 'LX'.  In the 1950s and 60s, you'd probably have travelled in a newer Z-type sleeping-car which replaced the S-type on those routes after World War 2.  VSOE own a couple of S-type cars which they tend to use for solo travellers because of their smaller compartments.

Is it the one that stopped running in 1977?  Was it restored & put back into service?

No.  It is sometimes suggested that the 'original' Orient Express made its last run in 1977, and was taken out of service, then bought and restored and put back in service as today's Venice Simplon-Orient-Express.  VSOE's marketing department don't exactly disabuse you of this notion.  Again, this is some way from the truth. 

The Simplon Orient Express (which ran daily, with direct sleeping-cars from both Calais and Paris to Istanbul) was replaced in 1962 by a slower train called the Direct Orient Express , which included one direct sleeping-car from Paris to Istanbul just three times a week.  The Direct Orient Express was almost entirely composed of ordinary seats & couchette cars belonging to the various State-run national railways along the route, with just one Z-type sleeping-car (a type of car not owned by VSOE) going through to Istanbul, still staffed by the Wagons-Lits Company.  The last Direct Orient Express left Paris Gare de Lyon at 23:56 on 19 May 1977 - in fact it left a little late, on 20th May.

But although the end of the Direct Orient meant the end of direct trains between Paris and Istanbul, it didn't mean the end of the (plain) Orient Express .  This was a separate train on a different route, Paris-Munich-Vienna-Budapest-Bucharest, originally conveying a thrice-weekly through sleeping-car from Paris to Istanbul which was attached at Belgrade to the Simplon Orient Express cars from Calais and Paris which had come via Venice.  The Paris-Istanbul car via this route ceased in the early 1960s.  This (plain) Orient Express was indeed the true descendant of the very first 1883 Orient Express which took a similar route, and it continued in one form of another until it's withdrawal in December 2009, by which time it had evolved into a Strasbourg to Vienna EuroNight sleeper train, run by the Austrian Railways with modern air-conditioned seats, couchettes and a 1980s-built sleeping-car.  It had been cut back in 2007 from running Paris to Vienna when the Paris-Strasbourg TGV-Est high-speed line opened.  All is explained in more detail on the Orient Express history page .

So what exactly is the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express?

In 1977, a number of classic pre-war Wagons-Lits Company sleeping-cars and restaurant cars were offered for sale at an auction in Monte Carlo.  James Sherwood of Sea Containers Inc bought most of them, with the dream of restoring them and recreating a 'Train de Luxe' for modern-day travellers on part of the route of the fabled Simplon Orient Express.  He subsequently acquired a series of 1920s and 1930s Pullman cars for the London-Folkestone part of the operation. 

VSOE's LX-type sleeping-cars originally ran on front-rank Wagons-Lits Company trains all over Europe, including the Train Bleu from Calais & Paris to Nice & Monte Carlo, the Nord Express from Paris to Berlin, Warsaw & Riga, and the Rome Express from Calais/Paris to Rome.  The Calais to Trieste sleeping car attached to the Simplon Orient Express would have been an 'LX', as would a Paris-Istanbul and a Paris-Athens sleeping-car, even if the Calais-Istanbul and Calais-Athens cars would have been slightly older S-types.

Today's tourist-orientated VSOE has been running since 1982, London-Paris-Venice once a week from March to November.  Although it is a 'resumption' of the Orient Express more in spirit than in terms of historical accuracy but the VSOE has superbly-restored pre-war carriages, top-class food and service, and it has now become an institution in it own right.  Don't miss your chance to ride it!

The British Pullman train

This is a beautiful train of restored 1920s/30s/50s British Pullman cars, from 2024 it's no longer used as part of the London-Paris-Venice journey, but the train is still used for excursions within Britain so I shall leave this section here.

Each car features plush armchairs in open-plan saloons, arranged as intimate tables for two each side of the aisle.  It's strange how 80 years of ergonomics haven't produced anything as luxuriously comfortable as a 1920s Pullman seat.  Most Pullmans also have an enclosed 4-seat compartment at one or both ends known as a coupé, these can be requested if you want privacy though I prefer the more convivial open saloon.  You can read a brief history of each individual VSOE Pullman Car at www.belmond.com/british-pullman-train/british-pullman-carriages , worth checking as the history is fascinating, and many of the cars have links with famous trains or famous people.  You'll find a booklet about the history of the Pullman cars at your seat on board the train which you can keep.  Some cars were used on the Golden Arrow boat train between London & Dover, others on the Brighton Belle between London & Brighton, a couple were used on Winston Churchill's funeral train, and so on...  If one car particularly interests you, by all means request it!  The British Pullman train leaves Victoria station, rumbles slowly across the Thames past Battersea Power Station, then takes one of several possible routes to Folkestone.  Indeed it sometimes goes the long way round via Canterbury and Dover, dropping off day-trippers at Canterbury and doubling back along the coast to Folkestone.  A 3-course brunch is served on the way to Folkestone with sparkling Bellinis, all included in the fare.

Orient Express books, gifts & souvenirs

Venice simplon-orient-express gift certificates.

Belmond offer gift certificates, if you want to make someone a present of a journey on one of their trains:  https://www.belmond.com/venice-simplon-orient-express/monetary_gift_certificates .

Books about the Orient Express

If you want to learn more about the Orient Express, you can click the pictures to buy these books online at Amazon.  The book on the left has more about the history of the Orient Express, the book on the right concentrates on the restored Venice Simplon Orient Express.  Also recommended is 'The Orient Express - The life and times of the world's most famous train' by E H Cookridge.  Although out of print, you can buy it second hand through Amazon - click here for details .  The Orient Express also features heavily in fiction.

Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie (actually set on the Simplon Orient Express, as she knew full well)

Murder on the Orient Express (DVD, 1974 film)

Stamboul Train by Graham Greene (actually set on the Oostende-Vienna Orient Express, not the Orient Express)

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Orient Silk Road Express & Silk Road Train Tour Packages

The Silk Road Express train provides the perfect way to visit Central Asia’s magnificent main features while being treated to spectacular scenery along the way. An Orient Express Silk Road holiday will give you a chance to take in some man-made wonders, such as the ancient cities of Bukhara and Samarkand, as the Silk Route Train wind’s its way from Almaty in Kazakhstan to Tashkent in Uzbekistan on one of The Luxury Train Travel Company’s Silk Road Train travel packages.

View the tours on offer below or explore the cabin classes, life on board and frequently asked questions sections using the buttons below.

Of course, if you have any questions at all please do not hesitate to contact us.

View all the Orient Silk Road Express tour to get your trip going.

Cabin Classes

Full details of the cabin classes on the Orient Silk Road Express.

Life On Board

Learn about life on board the Orient Silk Road Express.

Frequently asked questions on the Orient Silk Road Express.

Tours on The Orient Silk Road Express Train

Below are the rail tours we offer that use the Orient Silk Road Express. Just click on any tour to open a PDF containing all you need to know about the trip.

● Please remember that booking as far ahead as you can in advance is essential for these trains ●

14 Nights From UK £ 3,430 / US $ 4,460

Contact us for quotes in other currencies

Almaty ● Bishkek ● Tashkent ● Kokand ● Shahrizabz ● Samarkand ● Khiva ● Bukhara ● Tashkent

13 Nights From UK £ 3,520 ,/ US $ 4,580

Tashkent ● Khiva ● Bukhara ● Dushanbe ● Samarkand ● Bishkek ● Almaty

13 Nights From UK £ 3,520 / US $ 4,580

Almaty ● Bishkek ● Samarkand ● Dushanbe ● Bukhara ● Khiva ● Tashkent

Orient Silk Road Express Train Gallery

A selection of photos below give a flavour of life on board the Orient Silk Road Express Train.

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How Can We Reach You?

How can we help, which orient silk road express trips are you interested in, how did you hear about us, experience the silk road railway for a once in a lifetime central asia train tour.

Although Central Asia’s Silk Route railway and its destinations may not be as world-famous as other railway journeys, that by no means makes a Silk Road Train trip any less spectacular or memorable. Orient Express Silk Road holidays are a once-in-a-lifetime adventure for most travellers and will offer unforgettable and magical moments. From the vast steppes and desert landscapes between the cities, Silk Road rail tours allow one to take the past less trodden and step away from the already beaten track. These spectacular Central Asia rail tours provide an abundance of opportunities for passengers to explore ancient excavations, witness the manufacture of traditional silks and carpets, and immerse in the breathtaking natural wonders the region offers during an Orient Silk Road Express train tour.

Your Central Asia Silk Road rail tour could start in one of the five available classes of cabins and depart from either Almaty or Tashkent. Almaty is the largest city in Kazakhstan and is tucked neatly in the foothills of the Trans-lli mountains, making it a great starting point for your 13-14 night experience onboard the Silk Road luxury train. Or begin your Silk Road rail tour in Tashkent and leave Almaty as the final spectacular destination for your Orient Express Silk Road holiday. Whichever one of these Silk Road rail tours you decide to adventure on, you’re guaranteed to experience and see things that will leave an indelible impression in your memory that will keep you wanting to return to this provocative and intriguing part of the world for another Orient Express Silk Road holiday again in the future.

Absorb Central Asian History, Culture And Cuisine From The World Famous Luxury Orient Silk Road Express Train

Central Asia has a vibrant history, with many of the region’s countries having a past steeped in yesteryear’s nomadic empires and tribes. Travelling through Central Asia on the Silkroad railway opens up a new world of cultural experiences you won’t find on more well-known train journeys. The options you’ll find for new and exciting cuisines are almost endless. Central Asian cuisine has seen a heavy influence from Turkish, Chinese, Mongol, African, Arab, Indian, and Persian cooking, all of which can be enjoyed onboard and during off-train excursions during your Silk Road Train trip. Many passengers boarding the Silk Road Train for a tour would be unfamiliar with much of the cuisine as the region is not renowned for its culinary delights. But, during your Silk Road rail tour, you’ll feast on many incredible culinary delicacies, including soups such as Laghman and Borscht and main courses like Plov, the national dish of Uzbekistan, made from rice, carrots, onions, and either mutton or beef, giving you a wonderfully unique insight into the history and culture of the people during your Orient Express Silk Road tour.

As well as being able to treat your palate to new tastes and flavours on your Central Asia train tour, the Central Asian region will flood your senses with incredible historical insights and cultural learnings. You’ll experience the excavations of the ancient Afrosiyob town in Samarkand, the Ulug Bek observatory in Bukhara, and visit Lake Issyk-Kul in Kyrgyzstan on your magical journey onboard our Central Asia train tours. You’ll have a truly unique opportunity to enjoy lunch with an Uzbek family during your Silk Road train trip and savour a traditional folk performance. Our Orient Express Silk Road tours will hand you plenty of liberty to explore off-train excursions that you won’t find anywhere else but on these superbly curated Central Asia train tours.

Our Silk Road Tours By Train Offer Exceptional Value With Jampacked Guided Itinerary Stops Throughout Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan And Uzbekistan

Whichever Silk Road Train trip you choose, you’ll have the vacation of a lifetime. Our options for Central Asia rail tours include 13-15 night trips on the Silk Route Railway departing from either the southeastern city of Almaty in Kazakhstan or Tashkent, the capital city of Uzbekistan. Each Silk Route Train trip has an incredibly well-curated itinerary that allows passengers onboard the fabulous Silk Road Train to experience the best of Kazakhstan, Turkistan, and Uzbekistan. These countries are often forgotten when it comes to vacation destinations, but each of the itineraries offered by The Luxury Train Travel Company has been perfectly curated to allow passengers onboard these Central Asia rail tours to recognise and experience just how much they have to offer.

The Orient Silk Road Express journey through Central Asia lets you see the world’s second-largest mountain lake, meet local families, experience how traditional bread is baked, and enjoy local handicrafts. Silk Road rail tours also visit four UNESCO World Heritage Sites at Khiva, Bukhara, Samarkand, and Shakhrisabz. These Silk Road Train tours overflow with fabulous and exciting sights, experiences, and adventures, proving why Central Asia train holidays provide such great value. If you’ve ever been curious about this region of Central Asia, or if you’ve not previously considered Central Asia train tours, an Orient Silk Road Express Train tour in 2024 or 2025 could be a life-changing journey you wish you’d taken many years before.

Enjoy An Exceptional Dining Experience During Your Orient Express Silk Road Tour, Both On And Off The Train

Silk Route Train prices include all your meals onboard, including breakfast, lunch, and dinner. During your Silk Route Train trip, you can order drinks from the dining car or one of the conductors in your carriage. You’ll run a tab throughout the Silk Road Train trip, which you can settle at the journey’s end by paying in USD or Euros. As well as the onboard dining, you’ll be spoilt for choice when visiting destinations. Central Asian cuisine tends to get overlooked by Indian, South East Asian, and Middle Eastern foods, but an Orient Express silk road tour will introduce you to some incredibly famous culinary delights you’ve probably heard of but didn’t know where they came from. You can try Uzbek’s shivit oshi, a green noodle dish, or obi non, wonderful flat Uzbek bread. Each Silk Road train tour and Silk Road train route will give you ample opportunity to indulge in some spectacular traditional Central Asian foods.

Heavily influenced by the culinary cultures of Russia, the Chinese, Indian, Persian, Mongol, Africa, Arab, and Turkish, you’ll find no shortage of new and exciting tastes and aromas on an Orient Silk Road Express Train. Central Asia train tours will introduce you to Uighur’s pulled noodle dish, Halva, and dessert made using flour, sugar, milk, and nuts, or Paklama, a localised version of Baklava that comes drenched in honey. There are no limits to the variety of provocative and breathtaking new culinary experiences on the Silk Road Train route. This part of Asia loves a sweet dessert as much as other parts of the globe, and you’ll be spoilt for choice in what to eat and what to take home from your Central Asian Silk Road Rail tour.

The Orient Silk Road Express Train is One of The Top Luxury Trains in The World, Making Your Silk Road Train Tour A Highly Memorable Experience!

Taking a luxury train tour is something that many people from all walks of life dream of doing at least once during their lifetime and slowly winding their way through stunning scenery, visiting incredible destinations on the route, and indulging in a feast of new culinary experiences. The Orient Silk Road Express provides passengers onboard to do all these things on our carefully curated Silk Road luxury train tours. Your first decision is which of the cabin classes you want to call home during your Silk Route Train trip. Silk Road tours by train are between 13 and 15 nights in duration and provide a wonderful level of comfort and relaxation during your Silk Road Train trip.

With five classes of accommodation available for your journey along the Silk Road Train route, you’re spoilt for choice, from the Habibi class cabin that sleeps four passengers and shared washroom facilities to the most luxurious cabin, the Kalif class. The Kalif class accommodation is the finest offered on the Orient Silk Road Express Train, and all four suites have their own bathroom facilities with separate showers. These Central Asia rail tours are incredible experiences, whichever cabin you frequent, and they all offer outstanding value to the passengers travelling on a Silk Road Train trip. If the Kalif class cabins are already fully booked by the time you register your interest in a Silk Road Train tour, each of the accommodations available onboard the Silk Road Train provide passengers with an incredible level of opulence and relaxation, allowing you to enjoy every second of your Central Asia train tour.

Explore Our Extensive Orient Silk Road Express Journey Options And Silk Road Train Tours Throughout 2024 And 2025

If you’ve always dreamt of taking a long-distance journey by rail or want to treat yourself as a retirement gift or give yourself and your significant other an unforgettable anniversary, these Orient Express Silk Road holidays provide the perfect way to enjoy rail travel to some fabulous destinations. When most people think of the Orient Express, they don’t think of Central Asia, which makes our Orient Express Silk Road tours all the more intriguing and exciting. When thinking about the Orient Express, most people would think about leaving from Paris, but Silk Road Train tours through Central Asia have grown remarkably in popularity as the destinations offer more intrigue and adventure than the more common European route.

We offer a selection of Central Asia train holidays that will travel through Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan, taking in some truly spectacular scenery between destinations. Silk Route train prices are incredibly competitive, and you’ll adventure on a less travelled path and create beautiful memories that will stand up to any trip on the Orient Express. Check out our Silk Road Train price list and itineraries for 2024 and 2025, and get your place booked for one of these Silk Road tours by train. The places available onboard Silk Road Train tours are very exclusive due to high demand and limited departures throughout the year. We suggest you book your Central Asia train tour onboard the Orient Express as far in advance as possible, especially for the high-level cabins, to avoid disappointment and missing out on an Orient Express Silk Road holiday.

Speak to Our Orient Express Silk Road Tour Experts Today!

If you’re considering hopping onboard the Orient Express Silk Road Train and heading off on a Central Asian adventure, contact our team of Silk Road railway experts and learn how we can help you accomplish the vacation of a lifetime. Along with providing a selection of Orient Silk Road Express Train itineraries for 2024 and 2025, departing from Almaty or Tashkent, The Luxury Train Travel Company’s in-house experts can assist you in organising and booking any off-train excursions that interest you. With our Silk Road train tours, you’ll never find yourself short of options concerning outings and jaunts you can enjoy along the Silk Road railway.

Off-train excursions could be visiting a cathedral, church, museum, or palace or spending time on a culinary adventure. Whatever you’d like to add to your Silk Road Train travel itinerary, our experienced and skilful team will do their best to accommodate your desires within the Orient Silk Road Express Train schedule. Contact our team today if you have any questions or queries or require more information regarding our Orient Silk Road Express holiday packages! Here at The Luxury Train Tavel Company, we endeavour to assist you in creating a unique experience when you book one of our Orient Express Silk Road tours. All the itineraries in our 2024/2025 Silk Road Rail tours are customisable, and our experienced Silk Road Railway experts are here to help.

THE MOST POPULAR QUESTIONS

Orient silk road express central asia tour faqs, what counties does the orient silk road express train tour travel through.

The Orient Silk Road Express travels through four countries in Central Asia during a Silkroad Railway tour. Depending on which Central Asia train tour itinerary you opt for, you could begin your vacation in Kazakhstan and then proceed to journey through Kyrgyzstan, Tadzhikistan, with and final destination of Tashkent, the capital city of Uzbekistan.

How much do Orient Express Silk Road tours cost?

Silk Road Train prices will vary depending on the length of your Silk Road Rail tour and what class of cabin you choose to stay in. A 13-night stay onboard the Orient Silk Road Express departing from Almaty in Kazakhstan will cost less than £3700 as of May 2024. If you board the Orient Silk Road Express for a longer journey and want to stay in one of the top Kalif suites, your Silk Road train price will increase but still represent incredible value for a once-in-a-lifetime trip onboard the Orient Express.

Why does the Orient Silk Road Express offer the best Central Asia train tour?

The Orient Silk Road Express Train provides a beautiful blend of luxury and affordability for those looking to adventure in a less well-known setting. When most people think of the Orient Express, it’s fair to say that the majority would think of the Paris to Istanbul route. But going off the more familiar path and exploring Central Asia on the Silk Road Express Train makes for a wonderful variation on what has been done many times before. The Orient Silk Road Express is the most luxurious train that journeys the tracks of Central Asia, which is why it has become incredibly popular and regarded as the finest Central Asia train tour.

Do your Orient Silk Road Express holiday tours offer different Silk Road train route options?

Current 2024 Silk Road Express Train routes include 13-14 or 15-night Orient Express Silk Road holidays from Almaty to Tashkent or from Tashkent to Almaty. We can also offer a Silk Road Train route from Almaty with a final destination of Ashgabat in Turkmenistan for booking in 2024.

Which of your Silk Road Rail tours is the most popular?

All of the Silk Road Rail tours that we offer are favoured by passengers, and places onboard are at a premium and get booked quickly. The Legendary Silk Road tour from Almaty has proven to be a very popular choice among luxury Silk Road tour fans. This particular Silk Road Train trip takes in seven wonderful destinations across Uzbekistan, Kazakstan, and Kyrgyzstan. It gives the onboard guests a real insight into the culture of this beautiful region of Central Asia. As well as visiting incredible destinations, this Central Asia train tour introduces those onboard to the people who live there and the wonderfully diverse and rich culinary cultures. In truth, each of the Orient Express Silk Road tours that currently offer would provide an excellent opportunity to immerse in Central Asian culture that is often overlooked and ignored. We have curated each itinerary to allow passengers to soak up as much of each destination along the Silk Road Train route while maintaining a relaxed and laid-back pace.

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