The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express is a luxury train scheduled for its first trip to the Ligurian coastline in the summer of 2024, a one-way trip that will cost passengers approximately $8,500.
The Belmond train will run from Paris to Portofino across two days in June. The company stopped running its British Pullman service which linked the Paris-Venice route in London.
The VSOE will begin in Paris at 3 PM, move through France past Dijon, Lyon, and Avignon then wind along the Côte d’Azur, before crossing into Italy. The train will arrive in Santa Margherita Lingure, the gateway town to Portofino at 1 PM the following day.
Guests will then be transferred to Portofino and check in for two days at the Splendido, A Belmond Hotel, Portofino. The trip will only run one-way, however, so passengers will need to return on the regional train back up to Genoa and Milan, before continuing back to Paris on the swish high-speed Frecciarossa.
Prices for the luxury train journey begin at $8,525 per person for three nights. The menus are being planned by Michelin-starred chef Jean Imbert, and any imbibing will be accompanied by either the resident pianist or a swing band in the evening.
There are eight new suites onboard the train which debuted in 2023. Additionally, the Splendido will feature newly renovated rooms and a saltwater pool. Guests at the hotel will also enjoy a five-course tasting menu by Imbert (who will be attending in person), followed by cocktails on Friday night.
On Saturday, guests can also attend a private outdoor film screening on Portofino’s famous Piazzetta. This summer will be the first time that the train will visit the Italian Riviera, but it will become an annual event with 2025 dates yet to be confirmed.
The Splendido is closed for the season until June 8, when the cheapest room will cost $3,124 per night. A midweek stay at the end of September, before its closure, is slightly more affordable at $1,927 per night.
