Stepping aboard the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express at Gare de l’Est in Paris is an instantaneous portal to the 1920s. White-gloved cabin stewards in royal blue livery escort you down narrow corridors of polished mahogany and inlaid French marquetry. There are no televisions, no Wi-Fi, and no electrical outlets in the heritage cabins—only brass switches, crystal decanters of cognac, and the rhythmic, comforting clatter of steel wheels on rails.
As the sun sets over the French countryside, passengers dress in black-tie tuxedos and vintage silk gowns for dinner in the Étoile du Nord restaurant car, where French master chefs serve roasted Brittany lobster and Grand Marnier soufflés at 90 kilometers per hour.
The Alpine Dawn
Awakening the following morning, your steward serves warm croissants, silver pots of Earl Grey tea, and fresh berries directly to your cabin just as the train winds through the Brenner Pass. Snowcapped peaks reflect in pristine mountain rivers, framed by the bevelled glass windows of an authentic 1927 wagon-lits carriage.
Tanisha Panwar
Senior Travel Editor & Cultural Specialist
Tanisha is a seasoned travel journalist and cultural heritage researcher with over eight years of field reporting across Europe, Asia, and Latin America. Specializing in historic architecture, local artisan traditions, and slow-paced itineraries, she uncovers the deeper human stories behind the world’s most compelling destinations.
