Travelling in style on the Orient-Express
Thursday March 19 2009
I would like to take my mother — who is in her late seventies and in very good health — on a two to three-night trip around Europe on the Orient- Express. I have never been and need some advice as to where we should commence our journey and which would be the most interesting and scenic route? Ger Lynch, by email.
I trust you’re thinking of the Venice-Simplon Orient-Express luxury train and not the Strasbourg to Vienna scheduled service, which is the true descendent of the classic train but runs on modern rolling stock.
While there are occasional VSOE services running elsewhere, including one service per year to Istanbul, the route served is usually slightly closer to home. The luxury train runs from March to November between London and Venice via Paris, Innsbruck in Austria and Verona. In fact, there are two services in operation: one luxury train running from London to Folkestone, then the train you probably have in mind, crossing France and the Alps before reaching Italy.
The best section of the Orient-Express involves leaving Paris in the evening, then rolling on through the night for a daytime crossing of the Alps, arriving in Venice in time for dinner. Exact fares depend on when you go, where from and where you stay, but the cost will be in the region of €2,000pp, including flights.
Bookings can be made through Trailfinders (www.trailfinders.ie) or direct at Orient-Express (www.orient-express.com).
