The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express has rolled through some of Europe's most storied corners, but Monte Carlo has somehow never been on the map. That changes on May 10, 2027, when Belmond launches a new Paris-to-Monaco route that will become a permanent fixture on the train's annual schedule.
The overnight trip leaves Paris in the train's signature midnight blue carriages, with a choice of Historic Cabins, Suites or Grand Suites, all styled with Art Deco flair. Anyone with serious budget to burn can book L'Observatoire, a private carriage dreamed up with French artist JR — it has a bedroom, a living area, a library, a secret tearoom and, remarkably, a freestanding bathtub in the en-suite bathroom.
Evening means dinner in one of two restaurant cars, Étoile du Nord or L'Oriental, then cocktails and live piano in the legendary Bar Car 3674. Breakfast arrives in your cabin the next morning, timed for the best part of the trip: the Mediterranean stretch. The line runs past the red cliffs of the Massif de l'Estérel, through Saint-Raphaël, then along to Cannes and Nice before pulling into Monaco-Monte-Carlo station.
There's a neat historical twist here too. Back in 1977, two original Orient Express carriages were bought at an auction in Monaco — the purchase that set the whole Belmond project in motion. So the new route is less a novelty than a homecoming. "Bringing the romance of luxury rail travel to a locale that has always understood the art of arrival," is how Belmond's Pascal Deyrolle put it at the announcement.
The route joins Belmond's growing European rail portfolio, including a second year of the "Villeggiatura by Train" itinerary, which pairs the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express with the brand's hotels in Italy.
The catch, unsurprisingly, is the price. Fares start at €4,870 per person (roughly $5,450) based on two sharing a Historic Cabin. That covers the overnight journey, all meals with sommelier-picked wines, unlimited soft drinks, transfers and round-the-clock steward service — so once you're aboard, there's essentially nothing left to pay for. If a suite or the JR carriage appeals, expect that starting figure to climb steeply.
Who is this actually for? It's a splurge, clearly — a honeymoon, a milestone birthday, or a once-in-a-lifetime treat rather than a regular getaway. But it also solves a practical problem elegantly: Paris to the Riviera without an airport, with the scenery doing the work while you sleep. If the price is a stretch, keep an eye on booking early for the cheaper Historic Cabin fares, or consider the existing routes to Venice, the Amalfi Coast or the Scottish Highlands for a similar experience at comparable levels.
