How Many Nights Do You Spend on the Orient Express? Complete Guide to Journey Lengths

When you think of the Orient Express, you picture velvet curtains, polished brass, and a clatter of wheels on ancient rails cutting through the European countryside. But how long does the journey actually take? The answer isn’t simple. Unlike a flight with a fixed departure and arrival time, the Orient Express isn’t just transportation-it’s an experience. And experiences don’t come in standard lengths.

There’s No Single Answer-It Depends on the Route

The original Orient Express, which ran from Paris to Istanbul in the 1880s, took about 80 hours. Today, that exact route doesn’t exist. What you’re booking now is the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, operated by Belmond. And the length of your trip depends entirely on which route you choose.

Most travelers book one of three signature journeys:

• Paris to Venice - 2 nights, 1 day (24 hours on the train)
• London to Venice - 3 nights, 2 days (48 hours on the train)
• Paris to Prague - 3 nights, 2 days (48 hours on the train)

These are the most common options. You won’t find a 5-night or 7-night trip as a standard offering. The train doesn’t run daily, and the itineraries are designed to fit within a long weekend or a week-long vacation. If you want more time, you’ll need to combine it with hotel stays in the cities you’re traveling between.

What Happens During Those Nights?

Spending two or three nights on the train isn’t like being stuck on a plane. You’re not just sleeping-you’re dining, dancing, and watching the landscape change outside your window.

On a typical 2-night journey from Paris to Venice:

• Night 1: You board in Paris, settle into your cabin, and enjoy a welcome cocktail. Dinner is served in the dining car-multi-course, candlelit, with white linen and crystal glasses. The train rolls through the French countryside as you eat.
• Day 2: Breakfast in bed, then you spend the morning in the observation car. Lunch is served as you cross the Alps. Afternoon tea in your cabin. Dinner again, this time with a live pianist in the bar car. You sleep as the train enters northern Italy.
• Night 2: You wake up near Venice. The train glides into Santa Lucia station just after lunch. You disembark with your luggage, already packed for you.

That’s it. No long waits. No airport security. No missed connections. Just 36 hours of uninterrupted luxury.

Why Not Longer Trips?

You might wonder: why not do Paris to Istanbul like the original? The answer is practicality.

The full route through Eastern Europe requires multiple train changes, border crossings, and different operators. The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express only operates on a select few routes where it can maintain its standards: private carriages, staff trained in 1920s service, and strict maintenance schedules. The infrastructure along the old route no longer supports the train’s vintage coaches.

Some tour operators offer extended itineraries that include the Orient Express as one leg. For example, a 7-day luxury trip might include:

1. 2 nights on the train from London to Venice
2. 2 nights in Venice
3. 2 nights in Florence

But the train itself? Still only two or three nights. That’s by design. The magic lies in the intensity-not the duration.

What’s Included in the Price?

A three-night trip on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express costs between $6,000 and $12,000 per person, depending on the cabin type. That’s not just for a seat-it’s for everything.

• Accommodation in a restored 1920s cabin with a private sink and toilet (some have en-suite bathrooms)
• All meals, including wine and champagne with dinner
• Onboard entertainment-pianist, live music, storytelling
• 24-hour cabin steward service
• Transfers to and from the train station in major cities
• Access to the observation car and bar car

You won’t need to carry cash. Everything is included. No tipping required. No hidden fees. It’s all part of the experience.

Who Takes the Orient Express?

It’s not just for honeymooners or retirees. The typical traveler is a couple in their late 30s to early 50s who values time over speed. They’ve done the bucket-list destinations. Now they want something that feels timeless.

Business executives use it as a retreat. Writers come for the quiet. Photographers book it for the light-sunrise over the Dolomites, the fog rolling over the Swiss Alps. You’ll see people in evening gowns and tuxedos, but also people in jeans and sweaters. There’s no dress code, only atmosphere.

And yes, it’s still a rare experience. Only about 20,000 people ride the train each year. That’s fewer than the number of people who fly between New York and London in a single day.

What If You Want More Than 3 Nights?

If you’re craving more time on the rails, the closest alternative is the Eastern & Oriental Express in Southeast Asia. It runs between Singapore and Bangkok in 3-day itineraries. But even that doesn’t go beyond three nights.

There’s no luxury train in the world that offers a 7-night journey. The logistics are too complex. The trains are too delicate. The demand is too niche.

So if you want a longer train journey, you’ll need to combine multiple trips. For example:

• Take the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express from London to Venice (3 nights)
• Then book a separate luxury rail journey through the Swiss Alps on the Glacier Express
• Finish with a stay at a lakeside hotel in Lake Como

But again-each leg is separate. The Orient Express itself? It’s designed to be a jewel, not a highway.

Is It Worth It?

Let’s be honest: you can fly from London to Venice in 2 hours for $150. So why spend $8,000 and three nights on a train?

Because it’s not about getting from A to B. It’s about the in-between. The clink of ice in a gin and tonic as the sun sets over the French vineyards. The way your cabin steward remembers your name and your favorite tea. The quiet hum of the train at 2 a.m., the rhythm of the wheels like a lullaby.

People who ride the Orient Express don’t come back saying, “I wish I’d flown.” They come back saying, “I wish I’d stayed longer.”

And that’s the point. Three nights isn’t long enough. But it’s long enough to change how you think about travel.