A New Stop on the Côte d'Azur
Belmond has added Monaco to the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express route network. From 10 May 2027, the train will run overnight from Paris to Monte Carlo, becoming an annual fixture on the schedule. The service will pause in Monaco before continuing to Venice, turning the principality into a waypoint rather than simply a terminus.
The new route addresses a gap in Belmond's European rail map. While the company operates trains through the Peruvian Andes, across Southeast Asia, along the Amalfi Coast and into the Scottish Highlands, Monaco has been absent despite its long association with luxury travel. The addition brings the train to a destination that shares its aesthetic: formal, expensive and nostalgic.
Tickets start at €4,870 per person for a Historic Cabin with double occupancy, a fare that includes the overnight journey, all meals with wine selections, soft drinks, transfers and round-the-clock steward service. That price point places the experience firmly in the luxury segment, though it is not the most expensive option Belmond offers.
The Journey Itself
Passengers board in Paris, where the train's midnight-blue carriages wait at the platform. Accommodation ranges from Historic Cabins to Suites and Grand Suites, all referencing Art Deco design. At the top end sits L'Observatoire, a private carriage created with French artist JR that includes a bedroom, bathroom with freestanding bathtub, living area, library and a concealed tearoom.
Dinner takes place in one of two restaurant cars, Étoile du Nord or L'Oriental, followed by drinks in Bar Car 3674, which features live piano. The format is familiar to anyone who has travelled on heritage trains: formal dining, period interiors and a schedule that prioritises atmosphere over speed.
The scenery shifts the following morning. After breakfast served in cabins, the train traces the Mediterranean coastline, passing the red cliffs of the Massif de l'Estérel and calling at Saint-Raphaël before threading through Cannes and Nice. The final stretch runs into Monaco, terminating at Monaco-Monte-Carlo station.
A Historical Footnote
Monaco has an indirect link to the train's modern history. In 1977, two original carriages were bought at an auction in the principality, a purchase that helped launch the project to revive the service. Pascal Deyrolle, Belmond's Europe area managing director for trains, noted the connection in a statement, describing the new route as a return to a place that played a role in the train's resurrection.
The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express is not a direct continuation of the original Orient Express, which ceased operations in 1977. Belmond's version, launched in 1982, uses restored carriages from the 1920s and 1930s but operates on different routes and under different ownership. The name and the carriages carry the legacy, but the service is a modern luxury product rather than a historical transport link.
Where It Fits
The Monte Carlo route joins Belmond's broader European rail programme. The company is also running a second year of its Villeggiatura by Train series, which links the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express with Belmond-owned hotels in Italy. That programme reflects a wider strategy: using the train not just as transport but as part of a longer, multi-property stay.
Luxury rail travel occupies a specific niche. It is slower and more expensive than flying, and the cabins, though styled with care, are smaller than hotel rooms at equivalent prices. The appeal lies in the journey itself, the period interiors and the sense of occasion. For travellers who prioritise those elements, the new route offers a way to reach Monaco that differs sharply from a flight to Nice Côte d'Azur Airport or a drive along the A8.
Whether the route becomes a fixture beyond its initial annual run will depend on demand. Belmond has not disclosed capacity or booking figures, but the fare level suggests the company is targeting a narrow slice of the market. The train is not competing with regional rail or budget flights; it is offering an alternative to private jets and chauffeur-driven cars, aimed at travellers for whom the journey is as important as the destination.
Bookings are open through Belmond for the May 2027 departure.
