Venice Simplon-Orient-Express — Historic Cabin
Paris to Venice
- Score
- 5.6 out of 10
- Fare
- from £4,275 per person, quoted by Luxury Trains, luxury-trains.co.uk, as of 21 September 2026
- Last checked
- Fare source
- Luxury Trains (luxury-trains.co.uk)
1 under an open licence
The review
The Historic Cabin is the lowest-priced way to travel on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, and you get the same dining cars, bar car and service as guests in the suites. The trade-off is the cabin itself: bunk berths, little room for clothes, and a walk to the lavatory at the end of the carriage. It suits a couple who are happy to climb a ladder and pack light; travellers who want their own bathroom should look at the Suites.
For
- Same restaurant cars, menus and bar car as the suites
- All meals with sommelier-selected wines and station transfers included on Paris–Venice
- Original 1920s carriages with a washbasin cabinet in each cabin
Against
- Shared lavatories at the end of each sleeper carriage, and no shower
- Upper and lower berths, with a ladder to the upper one
- Limited hanging space, and the main suitcase is not accessible until arrival
- Formal dress expected at dinner; jeans are not allowed at any time
How it scores
Five scores out of 10, weighted into the overall. How we score
- Space 25% of score
- 3.0 out of 10
- Belmond itself says the twin cabins have limited space, and a reviewer describes them as authentically small with bunk beds, narrow racks and a couple of hangers. 12
- Dining 20% of score
- 8.0 out of 10
- Historic Cabin guests eat the same multi-course meals in the restaurant cars as everyone else, cooked under a Michelin-starred chef, though solo travellers may share a table. 342
- Journey 20% of score
- 8.0 out of 10
- Restored 1920s carriages, a bar car with live music and Alpine scenery make the ride itself the event, though an afternoon departure means much of the route passes at night. 532
The facts
| Type | Compartment |
|---|---|
| Beds | Banquette seating by day, converting to upper and lower berths (ladder to the upper berth) at night62 |
| Bathroom | Shared6 |
| Dining | Restaurant cars; on Paris–Venice a four-course dinner with sommelier-selected wines, a three-course lunch and a French breakfast35 |
| Included |
|
| Fare | from £4,275 per person (quoted by Luxury Trains, luxury-trains.co.uk), as of 21 September 20267 |
| Journey time | One night on the signature Paris–Venice route (approx. 16:00 departure, 17:30 arrival next day); up to five nights on Istanbul–Paris53 |