After nearly four years, the Eastern & Oriental Express is back on track.
The train, operated by luxury travel company Belmond, welcomed passengers this week for the first time since it was suspended due to the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.
This luxury train has been operating in Southeast Asia since 1993, when it first began transporting travelers between Singapore and Bangkok.
what’s new
However, some key elements about the train have changed, including the route.
Thailand is now over and replaced with two new journeys that start in Singapore and explore different aspects of Malaysia.
Arnaud Champenois, Belmond’s senior vice president of marketing and brand, told CNBC that this is because travelers have changed over the past four years and prefer to explore destinations on a deeper level.
“The idea here was to focus on one country and offer two different routes, so on the west coast you go through Singapore to Penang and then Langkawi, and on the other side you go to Malaysia. It goes through the national park and really gives you a feel of the jungle and nature.”
The new routes will be seasonal, with Essence of Malaysia running from November to February and Wild Malaysia running from March to October.
E&O’s new route
“The Essence of Malaysia” — Passing through Kuala Lumpur, then arriving at Langkawi and Penang islands
‘Wild Malaysia’ – Explore Taman Negara National Park before heading to Penang
As a result of the new route, the train received a Malay-inspired makeover, from cabin interiors to food. The dinner and afternoon tea service was created by Andre Chan, the renowned Taiwanese chef behind Singapore’s two-Michelin-starred restaurant Andre, which closed in 2018.
cost
The price for a 3 night 4 day trip is: $3,410 per person (includes meals, drinks and scheduled activities).
This is cheaper than other trains that use a version of the “Orient Express” name, such as Belmond’s Venice Simplon Orient Express, which has operated throughout Europe since 1982. Prices start from £3,530 ($4,430) per person. -Overnight trip in a historic cabin, according to the website.
Accor’s Orient Express La Dolce Vita train, scheduled to start operating in 2024, will cost 2,500 euros ($2,686) per person per night in a deluxe cabin, according to a press release. According to the company’s website, travelers can pre-register for trips operating primarily within Italy.
Prices for Accor’s La Dolce Vita train have increased since pre-booking began in December 2022, when the listed price was 2,000 euros ($2,153) per person per night.
