Group Trip · United Kingdom
The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express
Fixed departures
Dates and itinerary set, organized end to end. Tailor-made available too.
Your own specialist
One named person and a 24-hour number while you travel.
Hundreds of five-star reviews
Rated Excellent on Trustpilot across ten years of LGBTQ+ luxury travel.
At a glance
The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express is one of the last surviving expressions of what long-distance rail travel was before it became purely functional. The carriages date from the 1920s and 1930s and have been restored to their original specification: marquetry wall panels, brass fittings, monogrammed linen, and the particular quality of stillness that comes from a well-made train moving through open countryside. Nothing about the experience has been updated for the sake of modernity, and that restraint is exactly right.
The journey begins at London Victoria and crosses to Paris before heading south and east through the night, the landscape shifting from French countryside to Swiss mountains to the plains of northern Italy as you sleep.
Read more
Dinner in the dining car is a properly dressed affair, with seasonal menus and wine chosen to match, and the bar car afterward, lit warmly, a baby grand piano in the corner, captures something of the atmosphere that made this train legendary in the first place.
Travelers in the 1930s crossed Europe this way because it was the only option. The people who choose it now do so because nothing that followed has quite replaced it.
You arrive at Santa Lucia station in Venice in the mid-afternoon, stepping from one of the most romantic journeys in the world directly into one of the most romantic cities. As a way to begin a honeymoon, it has very few rivals.
Day by day
Group departures follow a set route so everyone travels together. The nights and the order are fixed, but your specialist can add time either side. Prices are an entry-level guide; your quote will be exact.
Day 1: Depart London
Board the Eurostar from London to Paris, where the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express is waiting. The carriages date from the 1920s and 1930s and have been restored to their original specification: marquetry wall panels, brass fittings, and monogrammed linen that set the tone from the moment you step on board.
Settle into your private cabin before heading to one of the three art deco dining cars for a four-course dinner, with seasonal menus and wine chosen to match.
Afterward, the Bar Car 3674 is where the evening continues: aperitifs, a resident pianist on the baby grand, and the particular pleasure of a conversation that has nowhere it needs to be. By the time you retire, your cabin steward has transformed the space into a bedroom, the countryside moving quietly past the window as you sleep.
Day 2: Arrive in Venice
Wake to the Alps. Breakfast is served in your cabin at whatever time suits you, with the mountain scenery doing most of the work. The morning passes at the pace the train sets: the bar car, the view, no particular agenda. A three-course lunch is served in the dining car as the landscape shifts from Switzerland into northern Italy, the light changing as the train moves south.
Afternoon tea arrives in your cabin as the countryside flattens and the horizon opens up. Then, in the late afternoon, the train crosses the Venetian Lagoon, water on both sides, the city appearing ahead as it has appeared to travelers arriving this way for centuries. Santa Lucia station marks the end of the journey and the beginning of everything that follows.
The Orient-Express is at its best when paired with at least two nights in Venice. We recommend combining it with one of the city’s landmark hotels to carry the sense of occasion through the rest of the trip.
What's Included
- Three-course brunch with a Bellini aboard the Belmond British Pullman from London
- Welcome glass of sparkling wine on boarding the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express
- One night aboard the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express with 24-hour cabin steward service
- Four-course dinner with seasonal menu, cheeseboard, and petits fours
- Continental breakfast served in your cabin
- Three-course lunch in the dining car
- Afternoon tea with sandwiches, cakes, and pastries
- One night in Venice
About the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express
The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express runs between March and October, connecting London to Venice via Paris and the Alps in carriages that date from the 1920s and 1930s. The train is one of the few remaining examples of the golden age of European rail travel, restored to its original specification and still operating the route that made it famous.
The journey covers some of the most dramatic scenery in Europe, from the Swiss Alps to the plains of northern Italy, with the Venetian Lagoon as the final approach. On board, the three art deco dining cars, the bar car with its resident pianist, and the 24-hour cabin steward service give the trip a rhythm and a sense of occasion that modern travel rarely provides.
The Orient-Express also runs to a number of other European cities including Amsterdam, Budapest, Florence, Istanbul, and Prague. Speak to one of our travel experts to find out more about alternative routes and departure dates.
Please speak to one of our expert team to find out more and book your trip on board this luxury sleeper train.
Further information
Dining and Drinking
The three dining cars each have a distinct character worth knowing about. The Etoile du Nord is the most ornate, with detailed floral woodwork that reflects the craftsmanship of the original 1920s build.
Cote d’Azur is the most visually striking, its walls lined with original Lalique glass panels that cast the room in a particular quality of light. L’Oriental takes a different direction entirely, with black lacquer interiors that give it an atmosphere unlike anything else on the train. Whichever car you are seated in, the setting makes the meal.
Champagne Bar
Taste the finest champagnes in the world in this stunning bar. With a nod to the 1920s, you’ll find Art Deco interiors and signature Lalique glassware.
The Bar Car
Experience the glamour of pre-dinner drinks and cocktails, mingle with your fellow passengers, or enjoy a nightcap before retiring to bed. There’s a baby grand piano too which is complete with a resident piano.
The Cabins
The sleeping cars are the original 1920s carriages, restored to their period specification with marquetry paneling, brass fittings, and made-to-measure furnishings that reflect the craft of the era.
Each cabin has its own washbasin with hot and cold water, along with towels, bathrobes, and slippers. Many cabins connect through adjoining doors and can be configured as a Cabin Suite, making them well suited to couples who want additional space. WCs are located at the ends of each sleeping car.
Included
- 1 night accommodation on board
- 1 night in Venice
- Meals as mentioned
- Itinerary as described
Not included
- International Flights
- Travel insurance
Our Experts
The UK is home to not one, but four magical countries. Many tourists choose to combine a couple into one trip, perhaps Wales and Scotland.
London is one of my favourite destinations and can so easily be combined with the equally chic city of Paris into one twin-city trip.
Stellar service. Stellar products. Stellar people and it gets so much better when you pick up the phone and call.
Anthony S.
Super client centred service. From first contact I have had warm, efficient, friendly and flexible service.
John
I’m confident in giving Out Of Office a 5-star review! They are one of the leaders in this space without a doubt.
Tiberiu
Similar tours
Gay Group Trip: Sicily & Malta Explorer
Catania · Siracusa · Malta Group TripTwo islands and three thousand years of Mediterranean history, brought together in ten days. This LGBTQ+ group trip moves from the volcanic baroque of Catania and the slopes of Mount Etna, through the old island city of Ortigia in Siracusa, and across the sea from Sicily to Malta, one of the most progressive countries in Europe for LGBTQ+ travelers.
10 days group departure from $4,790 per person View trip
Luxury Gay Matera & Puglia Tour: Caves, Masserie & Coast
Tailor-made VacationThere are few places in Europe quite like Matera. Carved into a limestone ravine, its ancient Sassi are a maze of cave dwellings, rock-cut churches, hidden courtyards and steep lanes that seem to fold into one another.
8 days tailor-made from $7,550 per person View trip
World War II Tour of Europe: London, Normandy, Berlin & Krakow
Tailor-made VacationThis route follows the war's actual turning points, London's underground command center, the beaches where the Allies broke through, the capital of the regime being fought, and the site of its worst crime, in something close to chronological order. Four stops, each one a different piece of how the war was run, fought, caused, and ultimately answered for.
12 days tailor-made from $9,780 per person View trip
The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express
See your complete itinerary before you decide.
Frequently asked questions
What does Out Of Office do?
Out Of Office is a luxury LGBTQ+ travel company specializing in tailor-made vacations and extraordinary journeys around the world. We create bespoke luxury vacations, LGBTQ+ honeymoons, safaris, cruises, beach escapes, private tours and group trips, with every itinerary designed around you. Our travel specialists combine global expertise, first-hand destination knowledge and trusted local partners to create seamless, highly personalized experiences.
Is Out Of Office a gay travel agency?
Out Of Office is an LGBTQ+ owned and run luxury travel specialist, with particular expertise in gay and LGBTQ+ travel. We understand the additional considerations that can come with traveling as an LGBTQ+ person or couple, from local laws and customs to finding genuinely welcoming hotels and experiences.
We welcome every traveler, including friends, families and allies. Many of our clients are not members of the LGBTQ+ community, but choose Out Of Office for our luxury travel expertise, personalized service and discretion.
Do you create tailor-made LGBTQ+ vacations?
Yes. Every tailor-made trip with Out Of Office is designed from scratch around your interests, travel style, budget and the way you want to experience a destination. We can arrange luxury hotels, private transfers, flights, guides, excursions, cruises and special experiences as part of one personalized itinerary. The journeys shown on our website are there to inspire you rather than restrict you; only clearly identified group departures operate as fixed itineraries.
How do you choose LGBTQ+ friendly hotels and destinations?
We combine first-hand destination knowledge with trusted local expertise to recommend luxury hotels, resorts and experiences where LGBTQ+ travelers can feel informed and welcome. We also consider the laws, customs and attitudes of each destination, because LGBTQ+ rights and experiences differ around the world. Our team regularly visit many of the properties we work with and where a destination requires greater awareness, we give you clear and considered advice so that you can make an informed decision about where and how you travel.
We plant trees for every booking
For every booking made with Out Of Office we commit to planting trees in your name to help reduce the impact of travel on future generations. You'll even get a link to see where your trees are planted in the world via our partner Ecologi.
We donate to Rainbow Railroad with every booking
Rainbow Railroad helps LGBTQ+ people escape state-sponsored violence and persecution. A donation goes with every trip we sell, funded by us and never added to your price.
Speak To Us About This Group Trip
Tell us which departure interests you and one of our LGBTQ+ travel specialists will confirm availability and talk you through the trip, including any tailor-made extensions you would like to add before or after the group dates.
One named specialist, first inquiry to homecoming. No call center, and nothing is charged until you decide to book.