Venice Simplon-Orient-Express: London/Paris - Venice

Accommodation
Travelling and sleeping in private cabins, passengers are attended by train stewards throughout the journey, and are assured of attentive yet discreet service.

Each cabin has:
• Original washbasin cabinet with hot and cold water
• Luxurious towels, fresh linen and toiletries
• International electricity sockets
• Individually controlled heating
• 24 hour steward service called by your personal bell

By day: all cabins feature a sofa, foot stool and table
By night: cabins convert into a comfortable bedroom.
Single cabins: one single bed.
Double cabins: upper and lower beds.

For that extra touch of luxury, Cabin Suites are also available. Cabin Suites are a combination of two private interconnecting cabins to create a private lounge and a separate sleeping cabin with an upper and lower bed.

Note: There are no shower facilities on-board however toilet facilities are located at either end of the sleeping car.

Day Car Seats: It is possible to experience the luxury of the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express on short daytime journeys, with day car seating. Seats are allocated in one of the restaurant carriages; from here you can enjoy the scenery and sample the exquisite cuisine.

Dining & Cuisine
Dining on board the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express is an unforgettable delight. All dishes are freshly prepared on the train by skilled French chefs, with the finest supplies taken onboard during the train's journey.

Lunch, dinner and brunch are served by waiters in one of the three individually styled Restaurant Cars: Cote d’Azur, Etoile du Nord or L' Oriental. Breakfast and afternoon tea are served to passengers in the comfort of the train's luxury cabins.

Table d'hôte meals are included in the fare, while an à la carte menu and 24-hour compartment service is available additionally. The Maitre d' will come to your cabin to take your lunch and dinner reservations in advance of your meal.

The Bar Car is the ideal rendezvous to enjoy relaxed conversation before or after dinner, and to warm to the skills of our resident pianist.

Famous for its delicious cocktails and welcoming atmosphere the Bar Car is the heart of the train. It is truly a unique, intimate and stylish experience that resounds to the voices of royalty, heads of state and celebrities.

Special Diets and Allergies:
Special diets can be accommodated with our Chef. Please be sure to tell us in advance of any allergies, food related or not, so that we can do our best to make your journey with us as enjoyable as possible.

Crossing the Channel
The Pullman train terminates at Folkestone West (a small station just west of Folkestone Central), where passengers transfer to a waiting fleet of executive road coaches. Until 2007 the VSOE went down to Folkestone Harbour to meet the buses, reaching the Harbour station via a slow descent of the steep 1 in 30 gradient on the weed-strewn branch line to the seafront, a historic line once used by regular boat trains. The coaches cross the Channel somewhat unauthentically on board a vehicle-carrying shuttle train though the Channel Tunnel. At Calais, the coaches drive off the shuttle train at the Eurotunnel terminal and head for Calais Ville station.

Itinerary

Your vacation includes:
• All table d'hôte meals
• Tea and coffee
• Accommodation on board based on two people sharing

London to Venice via Paris
Day 1:
As you board the gleaming carriages of the British Pullman train at London Victoria station, your steward will show you to your reserved seat. Sit back and enjoy Brunch served with a Bellini as you travel throughout the Kentish countryside. After crossing the channel board the blue and gold carriages of the Continental Wagons-Lits.

Throughout your journey you will be attended by your own personal Steward. After you have settled into your comfortable private compartment it will soon be time to dress for dinner. Why not sip a pre-dinner cocktail before making your way to one of the magnificent restaurant cars. Here you will be served a delicious four-course dinner, prepared by our skilled French chefs. After dinner you may want to linger in the bar car, listening to the sound of the baby grand piano. When you are ready, retire to your compartment, which has now been transformed into a cozy bedroom.

Day 2:
You awake to the magnificent scenery of the Swiss Alps as breakfast is served in your compartment at a time to suit you. Spend the morning in the Bar Car chatting to fellow guests over coffee. Enjoy a leisurely three-course lunch served in another of the beautiful restaurant cars. While away the afternoon with a visit to the on board Boutique to purchase souvenirs, or relax in your compartment and admire passing scenery as the train travels through the Italian Dolomites. Later, afternoon tea is served in your compartment as you travel through the Brenner Pass. All too soon it is time to prepare to disembark as the train crosses the Venetian Lagoon and pulls into Santa Lucia station.

Venice to London via Paris
Day 1:
Board the splendid Wagons-Lits carriages of the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express at Venice Santa Lucia station. Your steward will show you to your private cabin and will attend you throughout your journey.

After you have settled in it will soon be time to enjoy a three-course lunch in one of the beautifully restored restaurant cars. Spend the afternoon relaxing in the comfort of your cabin gazing at the beautiful passing scenery of the Italian Dolomites and the Swiss Alps, or chatting with fellow travellers in the Bar Car. Afternoon tea is served in your cabin.

Time for dinner. Although not a prerequisite, black-tie certainly adds to the sense of occasion and atmosphere on board. Sip an aperitif in the Bar Car, listening to the sounds of the baby grand piano before taking your seat in another of the magnificent restaurant cars. A leisurely four-course dinner is served, prepared on board by our skilled French chefs. After dinner you may want to linger in the Bar and when you are ready, retire to your cabin which has now been transformed into a cosy bedroom.

Day 2:
Breakfast is served in your cabin by your steward at a time to suit you. The train pulls into Paris Gare de l’Est and halts for 40 minutes. Take this opportunity to stretch your legs along the platform and watch the bustling activity; passengers boarding, chefs choosing produce for brunch, Parisians coming and going. A delicious brunch is served in the restaurant cars as you travel on towards the French coast for the Channel crossing.

Join the cream and umber carriages of the British Pullman for the journey to London.   A traditional afternoon tea accompanied by a glass of champagne, is served to you at your table and you watch the gentle scenery of Kent pass by. Suddenly, you are drawing into London Victoria station.

New for 2012: The above itinerary will be slightly amended as the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express will travel via the Gotthard Route between 13 June - 28 September.

Please note: the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express route is subject to change without prior warning due to last minute railway engineering works or similar.

For full details regarding the itinerary for this journey are also available to download simply click on the "Download Itinerary" button.

Departure Information

2012
London to Venice via Paris
Thursdays between 22 March - 12 April and 8 November
Thursdays and Sundays between 19 April - 01 November

The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express departs London at 9.55am, arriving in Paris at 9.17pm, departing Paris 9.44pm on day one and arrives in Venice at 5.46pm on day two.

Venice to London via Paris
Wednesdays between 22 March - 18 April and 7 November
Most Wednesdays and Saturdays between 21 April - 01 November

The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express departs Venice at 10.57am, arriving in Paris at 8.22am, departing Paris 9.29am on day two and arrives in London at 5.30pm on day two.

Full list of Venice Simplon-Orient-Express Journeys
Paris-London (1 day)
London-Paris (1 day)
Venice-Vienna (1 night)
Venice-Budapest (1 night)
Venice-Prague (1 night)
Vienna-Paris (1 night)
Budapest-Paris (1 night)
Prague-Paris (1 night)
Paris-Venice (1 night)
Venice-Paris (1 night)
Vienna-London (1 night)
Budapest-London (1 night)
Prague-London (1 night)
Venice-Vienna-Paris (4 nights)
London-Venice (1 night)
Venice-London (1 night)
Venice-Budapest-Paris (4 nights)
Venice-Prague-Paris (4 nights)
Venice-Vienna-London (4 nights)
Venice-Budapest-London (4 nights)
Venice-Prague-London (4 nights)
Paris-Venice (Return) (4 nights)
London-Venice (Return) (4 nights)
Venice-Krakow-Dresden-Paris (7 nights)
Venice-Krakow-Dresden-London (7 nights)
Istanbul-Bucharest-Budapest-Venice (5 nights)
Paris-Budapest-Bucharest-Istanbul (5 nights)

To Book
This product is not currently available to book through our online booking system.
To book, please contact one of our Rail Specialists on 1300 360 823 or email details of your requirements to info@railtickets.com.au
Orient Express requires a Passenger Information Form to be completed in order to confirm bookings.
Download a copy of the form here.

Terms and Conditions
Bookings require a 30% deposit at the time of confirmation, with full balance payable 60 days prior to the departure date.

Once a booking has been made cancellation penalties apply:
21 or more clear working days before train departure date: 30% cancellation penalty;
3-20 clear working days before train departure date: 70% cancellation penalty;
Within two days of departure or no show: 100% cancellation penalty (no refund).

Once a booking has been made and a change is required then the following administration fees apply:
More than 56 working days before departure date: One free change then 10% amendment fee;
21-55 clear working days before train departure date: 20% amendment fee;
3-20 clear working days before train departure date: 60% amendment fee;
Within two days of departure or no show: 100% amendment fee.

Administration Fees are imposed for change of passenger’s names, departure dates or compartment types.

Photo credit: Images courtesy of Orient Express © Orient Express Trains