It is the question that follows every daydream about the Orient Express. Yes, but what does it actually cost, and is it really worth it? It deserves an honest answer rather than a brochure one.
Below is a realistic look at what a journey on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express costs, what you get for the money, what the day on board is like, the extras to budget for, and who the experience is really worth it for.
How Much Does the Orient Express Cost?
The train fare is the headline figure. On the classic Paris to Venice journey, 2027 fares start from:
- Historic Twin Cabin: from €4,510 per person. The classic 1920s cabin and the entry fare.
- Suite: from €10,500 per person. A private bathroom and far more space.
- Grand Suite: from €14,070 per person. A sitting room, a double or twin bedroom and a private bathroom.
Longer routes cost more. The Paris to Istanbul journey, five nights including hotel stays, starts from €20,940 per person in 2027. Fares are per person based on two sharing. They change with the season and with availability, and the best cabins on popular dates sell first. Our fares page has every route and cabin, including the few remaining 2026 departures.
What You Get for the Money
The fare covers far more than a bed on wheels. On Paris to Venice it includes:
- Your cabin, with your own steward on call throughout the journey
- A four-course dinner by chef Jean Imbert, with the sommelier's choice of wines
- A midnight brunch in the Bar Car for those still awake
- Breakfast served in your cabin
- A three-course lunch the next day as the train crosses northern Italy
- Transfers from your Paris hotel to the station, and from Venice station to your hotel
Then there is the setting. The carriages are originals from the 1920s and 1930s, with marquetry panels, Lalique glass and polished brass. Dinner is served in three restored restaurant cars, each with its own character, and the evening ends in Bar Car 3674 with a pianist at the baby grand. You simply cannot buy this anywhere else.
Dinner is the high point of the journey, served in restored 1920s restaurant cars.
A Day on Board the Orient Express
It helps to picture the journey. The train leaves Paris at about 16:00. Your steward shows you to your cabin, porters see to the luggage, and you have time to settle in as Paris slips away.
As evening falls you dress for dinner. Black tie is very welcome, and you can never be overdressed. Dinner is a long, candlelit affair, and while you are at the table your steward turns your cabin from a sitting room into a bedroom. Afterwards come cocktails and the piano in the Bar Car, and night owls stay for the midnight brunch. Through the night the train climbs into the Alps.
Breakfast arrives in your cabin as the mountains give way to the plains of Italy. Lunch is served around midday. In the late afternoon the train crosses the lagoon and pulls into Venice Santa Lucia at about 17:30, and a transfer is waiting to take you to your hotel. It is a single night, but a remarkably full one. Our Paris to Venice journey page has the full timetable.
What Is Not Included
This is where people underestimate the true cost, especially from the UK. Budget also for:
- Getting to Paris. UK guests travel by Eurostar from London St Pancras, which adds about £400 per person.
- Hotels. Most guests add a night in Paris before the train, and two or three nights in Venice afterwards.
- Drinks in the Bar Car. Cocktails, champagne and wines beyond those served at dinner are extra.
- Gratuities and extras. Tips, the on-board boutique and any treats along the way.
A Realistic Budget for Two
Here is a rough guide for a UK couple taking the classic trip in 2027: a night in Paris, the train to Venice in a Historic Twin Cabin, then two nights in Venice. Hotel figures are typical ranges for good four and five star hotels, and will vary with the dates and the hotel you choose.
| Item | Two people |
|---|---|
| Train fare, Paris to Venice, Historic Twin Cabin | from €9,020 |
| All meals on the train, and transfers in Paris and Venice | Included |
| Eurostar, London to Paris | about £800 |
| One night in a Paris hotel | £350 to £900 |
| Two nights in a Venice hotel | £700 to £2,500 |
| Bar drinks, tips and extras | £200 to £500 |
So the train fare is the fixed part, and the rest flexes with your choices. Choose a Suite and a grander hotel and the total rises well beyond this. When we arrange your trip, we bring it all together into one clear price.
So, Is the Orient Express Worth It?
It depends on what you want from it.
It is worth it if you are buying an experience, not transport. The Orient Express is one of the last true golden-age travel experiences left in the world. Original 1920s carriages, dressing for dinner, crossing the Alps by night and arriving in Venice by train. For a landmark anniversary, a big birthday, a retirement, a honeymoon or a lifelong ambition, it gives you something a hotel or a flight cannot, and most guests feel it is worth every penny.
Be clear about the trade-offs. Historic Twin Cabins are true to their era. That means a washbasin in the cabin, shared WCs at the end of the carriage and no shower. If a private bathroom matters to you, choose a Suite. And Paris to Venice is one night on the train. If you want several days on board, look at the five-night Istanbul journey, or compare the La Dolce Vita Orient Express, which runs journeys of up to four nights in Italy. Our guide to La Dolce Vita vs the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express compares the two.
How to Get the Most Value
- Book early. Fares tend to rise as cabins sell, and the best cabins on popular dates go first.
- Choose your cabin honestly. Do not overspend on a Suite if the charm of a Historic Twin Cabin appeals, but do not under-book and spend the trip wishing you had your own bathroom.
- Think about spring and autumn. Late spring and early autumn bring lovely Alpine light and often better availability than high summer.
- Make it a proper holiday. A few nights in Venice turn a very special night into a complete trip.
- Check the offers. Belmond runs occasional offers, such as four for the price of three, which we list on our special offers page.
How to Book
As UK specialists in luxury rail travel, we arrange the whole journey for you: the train, your cabin, the Eurostar from London, hotels in Paris and Venice, and every transfer in between. Read our guide to travelling on the Orient Express from the UK for how the connection works.
Call our specialists on 0333 405 0192 or send an enquiry for a full quotation.
Frequently Asked Questions
For 2027, Paris to Venice fares start from €4,510 per person in a Historic Twin Cabin, €10,500 in a Suite and €14,070 in a Grand Suite, based on two sharing. The Paris to Istanbul journey starts from €20,940 per person.
For a special occasion or a lifelong ambition, most guests feel it is. The fare includes dinner with wine, brunch, breakfast, lunch and transfers, in original 1920s carriages. As simple transport to Venice it is not meant to compete, and should not be judged that way.
On Paris to Venice, the fare includes your cabin, a four-course dinner with the sommelier's choice of wines, a midnight brunch, breakfast in your cabin, a three-course lunch, and transfers from your Paris hotel to the station and from Venice station to your hotel.
Eurostar from London, hotels before and after the train, drinks in the Bar Car beyond those served with dinner, gratuities and anything from the on-board boutique.
Paris to Venice is one night on board. The train leaves Paris at about 16:00 and arrives in Venice at about 17:30 the next day. The Paris to Istanbul journey takes five nights, including hotel stays.
No. Historic Twin Cabins have a washbasin in the cabin and share WCs at the end of the carriage, with no shower. Suites and Grand Suites have private bathrooms.
Guide updated 12 November 2026. Fares and dates change through the year, so we always confirm current prices before booking.