Belmond Trains: Who They Suit Best
Belmond now operates a portfolio of trains — the Orient-Express, the Eastern & Oriental, the Britannic Explorer, the Andean Explorer. Each suits a different traveller.
Belmond now operates a portfolio of trains — the Orient-Express, the Eastern & Oriental, the Royal Scotsman, the Andean Explorer, the Royal Train of Cambodia, and the upcoming Britannic Explorer. Each suits a different traveller, and we choose between them based on the geography, the rhythm and the temperament of the journey.
The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express.
The most iconic, the most photographed, the most expensive. Best for couples on milestone trips and for travellers for whom the historical atmosphere is the point. The 1920s carriages and the dining car create a cinematic experience that newer trains cannot replicate.
The Eastern & Oriental Express.
Operates between Singapore, Malaysia and (when running) Thailand. The atmosphere is more colonial, the food has Southeast Asian influences, and the routes pass through landscapes — jungle, paddy fields, river valleys — that suit travellers who want something less familiar. Best for travellers who want a luxury rail experience in Asia, or who want to combine the train with a Southeast Asia trip.
The Royal Scotsman.
Three- to seven-night itineraries through the Scottish Highlands. The train is smaller and the atmosphere is intimate — typically twenty to thirty guests. The excursions matter more than on the Orient-Express — distilleries, castles, garden visits. Suits travellers who want a Scotland holiday with rail as the spine.
The Andean Explorer.
Cusco, Lake Titicaca and Arequipa in Peru. Higher altitude, dramatic landscapes, shorter journey duration than the European trains. Best for travellers combining the train with a wider Peruvian itinerary including Machu Picchu.
Britannic Explorer (launching 2025).
A UK-only itinerary on a new train. We will know more once it has run for a season. Early signals suggest it will suit travellers who want luxury rail without leaving Britain.
When the train is the wrong choice.
For families with younger children — cabins are small, the structured rhythm is restrictive, and the long stretches without easy entertainment options are difficult. For travellers on tight time schedules — the train moves slowly and is part of the destination, not a way to cover ground. For first-time visitors to a destination who want to spend more time at it — the train passes through, it does not allow deep exploration of any one place.
How we usually frame it.
A Belmond train is one segment of a journey, not the whole journey. We design the bookend stays in the cities at each end. The train is the moment that ties them together.
Let us help you think through it.
We work through these conversations carefully, one journey at a time.
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