Aboard Belmond's Venice Simplon Orient-Express, you’ll find all the typical bells and whistles of a luxury sleeper train — multiple fine-dining carriages, a friendly staff clad in crisp uniforms and white gloves, beautifully-outfitted accommodation.
But what sets the Orient-Express apart is the spectacular details, like the resident pianist in the Bar Car, the French-polished cherry wood accents within the cabins. These, alongside a rich, decades-long history that began in 1977 when Belmond’s founder, James B. Sherwood, bought two vintage train cars that would soon be joined with several others (cars from the famous Le Train Bleu and the Rome Express) to debut on the rails in 1982.
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After years of careful restoration by artisan craftsmen, the Orient-Express now travels as a piece of art and a book-able homage to old-world sophistication and elegance. Vintage trains with midnight-blue cars, and a roaring 1920s saloon offering multiple journeys through Europe, from London to Venice, Paris and beyond.
Tour Belmond’s Venice Simplon Orient-Express sleeper train, below.
Accommodation
The chic art-deco guest cabins, restored from the 1920s are the epitome of “timeless glamour,” as described by Belmond. With single, twin, and double options, rooms transform between a seating area and sleeping space, both cozy with elegant.
Food & Drink
At each stop along the journey, Executive Chef Christian Bodiguel sources local produce (seafood from coastal France, truffles from the countryside) to craft a fresh menu for guests aboard the train. There are three different dining cars: 3674, the elegant blue-and-gold bar car; Côte D’Azur, built in 1929; and Etoile du Nord, the white-tablecloth dining cart complete with velvet armchairs and a particularly romantic atmosphere. The Champagne Bar offers the finest vintage champagne, served in Lalique glassware within a cart that harkens back to the glamour of the roaring twenties.
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Journeys
No matter which journey guests choose to embark on, the luxury nature of this railway experience will be felt every minute spent aboard the Orient-Express. The train travels between multiple cities, the London to Venice route through the romantic French countryside and Swiss Alpine valleys being the original. Other routes include Paris to Istanbul over the course of six days, Paris to Berlin, Paris to Verona, and London to Verona (one-way or return journeys available depending on dates of travel).
To see the routes in more detail, head to Belmond.com.
