Special Orient Express rail holidays in 2024
For those who wish to celebrate a special occasion in style, or if you simply would like to travel between Venice and Paris in a unique and luxurious way, the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express is the ultimate choice. From the moment you board the train, you take a step back in time to a bygone era when discerning travellers sought to travel in elegant style.
The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express is more than just a train; every journey feels like a special occasion and transports passengers back to an era when embarking on a journey was a glamorous and stylish affair which required fine-dining and high fashion. The classic journey begins in Paris at lunchtime and arrives in Venice the following afternoon, or travels from Venice in the morning and arrives in Paris the following morning.
Typical Itinerary:
Day 1. Enjoy a delicious lunch in one of the train’s elegant dining cars and watch the spectacular scenery as you climb into the Austrian Alps. Dinner is served in the restaurant cars, after which you may retreat to the atmospheric bar car with its baby grand piano. Retire to your cabin which has been transformed into sleeping berths by your cabin steward.
Day 2. Wake to breakfast in your cabin as the train arrives into Paris Gare de L’Est. On arrival, a driver will meet you at the head of the train and transfer you to the Gare du Nord to board the Eurostar back to London St. Pancras. We recommend extending your holiday to enjoy a couple of nights in Paris, before returning to London – other details available on request.
Special Offers & Dates
Northbound departures on 5, 12, 17 & 21 November and 10 December 2024
Southbound departures on 1, 14, 19, 23 & 28 November and 22 December 2024
4 night holiday price from £4,698 per person,
saving up to £1,040 per person.
Includes flights to or from Venice and Eurostar to or from Paris, private water taxi transfers, a three night stay in Venice and an overnight journey on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express with all meals and selected wines
WHAT'S INCLUDED on this special holiday!
• One-way flight between London and Venice or vice versa
• One-way Eurostar in Standard Premier Class between London and Paris or vice versa
• Return private water taxi transfers in Venice
• Three nights' accommodation with breakfast (3 nights for the price of 2), staying at the 4* Hotel Metropole in Venice
• One night's accommodation staying in a Historic Twin Cabin on board the VSOE, including all meals, served with wine
• A complimentary bottle of champagne in your cabin on arrival
• Complimentary entrance tickets for the Doge's Palace, Accademia Gallery or Peggy Guggenheim Collection
• Guide Notes to restaurants, museums and sightseeing
• The services of the Concierge to book expert local guides or a table for dinner
A new special offer for winter journeys in 2024
A journey on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express is on every discerning traveller's wish list, and this year the train will be operating a limited number of journeys in the winter months - when our clients can enjoy exceptional value for money with our new special offers.
Winter is the most magical time of year to visit La Serenissima, when the museums, galleries and churches are blissfully quiet and the morning mist rolls over Piazza San Marco from the lagoon. There is no better time to experience the combination of gliding through the Alps on the gleaming blue and gold wagons-lit of the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, with a few days exploring the canals, streets and world-class museums of Venice in the tranquility they deserve.
And remember to speak to the Concierge for a reservation at one of our recommended restaurants, or perhaps tickets for one of the new season's opera performances at Teatro La Fenice, which include a special 20th anniversary production of Verdi's La traviata.
Dining
One of the highlights of your journey is the delicious cuisine – all meals are included in the price (although drinks are extra). Chef Christian Bodiguel and his expert team take fresh ingredients on board throughout the journey and create varied menus which belie their compact kitchen. Breakfast is served in your cabin at the time of your choice, and includes fresh patisserie and fruits. For lunch and dinner – an occasion for which guests are encouraged to dress in glamorous 1920s style – you can choose to dine in one of the three elegantly restored restaurant cars:
Côte d’Azur: Built in 1929 and decorated with Lalique glass panels.
Etoile du Nord: Built in England with a lining of intricate marquetry.
L’Oriental: Originally a Pullman kitchen car, decorated with black lacquer panels.
After dinner, you may enjoy a cocktail in the stylish piano bar – or perhaps a glass of champagne in the Art Deco champagne bar.
