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Beyond Canada · Europe
Venice Simplon-Orient-Express
London → Venice
Restored 1920s carriages, black-tie dining and a slow theatre of European landscapes drifting past.
Route
London → Venice
Duration
2 days
Best season
Mar – Nov
From
From $4,200
Style
Ultra-luxury
The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express isn't a train — it's a restored idea of what train travel used to mean. Twenty-one original 1920s carriages, mahogany marquetry, three dining cars, a piano bar and a strict black-tie code after sundown. From London to Venice in two days, with the Alps as the second act.
The journey
Day by day.
Day 1
London → Paris
Board the British Pullman at Victoria, cross to Calais via the Channel, transfer to the continental train at Paris. Dinner is a three-course tasting in the dining car as the train rolls south through Burgundy.
Night
Across the Alps
Sleep in a wood-panelled cabin (Historic, Suite or Grand Suite) while the train crosses the Swiss-Italian border and descends into the Po Valley.
Day 2
Arrival in Venice
Brunch as the lagoon comes into view. Disembark at Santa Lucia and step directly onto the Grand Canal.
On board
What to expect.
- Strict dress code: jacket and tie by day, black tie at dinner.
- Cabins do not have private bathrooms in Historic class; Suites and Grand Suites do.
- All meals, brunch and afternoon tea are included; drinks are extra except in Grand Suites.
- Cabin attendants assigned per carriage — tipping is expected.
Insider tips
Call it like a local.
- 01Book the table d'hôte time first; à la carte fills last.
- 02The piano bar after midnight is the best room on the train — go.
- 03Pre-book the British Pullman day departure for the full London experience.
FAQs
Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, answered.
How much does the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express cost?+
From roughly CAD 5,000 per person in Historic Cabin to CAD 25,000+ for a Grand Suite, one-way London to Venice.
Is the Orient-Express the same train as in Agatha Christie's novel?+
It uses original carriages from the 1920s and 30s, restored by Belmond. The route is similar but the rolling stock is the same era.
Can I do it round trip?+
Yes, but most travellers go one way and fly home or extend by rail through Italy.
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