Search

railtour suisse · Luxury train journey

Venice Simplon-Orient-Express Paris - Istanbul

Luxury sleeper train Paris to Istanbul via Budapest, Bucharest, Varna

Illustration of Venice Simplon-Orient-Express Paris - Istanbul

Railtour Suisse operates the legendary Venice Simplon-Orient-Express route from Paris to Istanbul, one of the world's most luxurious train journeys. This 6-day, 5-night experience spans six European countries: France, Austria, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, and Turkey. You board at Paris Gare de l'Est and travel aboard the historic train for three nights, with two nights in hotels in Budapest and Bucharest. The journey includes opulent 4-course dinners and 3-course lunches in the dining car, all with wine included, plus dedicated steward service throughout. In Budapest you visit the Hungarian Parliament Building on a private city tour and dine on the Danube; in the Romanian Carpathians you tour Peles Castle, the 19th-century royal palace. The train descends to Varna on the Black Sea coast, where you step ashore for an aperitif on a private estate before the final dinner aboard. The route operates only twice yearly and fills up to a year in advance.

Price history

Across 4 checks, this price has risen CHF 3,780 since 4 Jul, to CHF 24,430.

CHF 24,430CHF 20,6504 Jul12 Sep

Each point is a day we checked this operator's own page, not a weekly average, and the line holds flat between checks rather than guessing at movement we did not see. 1 of 4 point is a live read of the operator's page. Hollow points are values shown when the trip was first listed here and never confirmed with the operator.

One reading is held out of the price above and this history: an unconfirmed large change. We only price on the operator's package from-price, read from its own page.

What to know before you look closer

  • Arrival and return journeys to and from Paris and Istanbul are not included; you arrange your own transport to these cities.
  • The route runs only in June, September, and October 2026, and May and June 2027; departures are fully booked up to a year in advance.

Day by day

  1. Day 1overnight: Train (Venice Simplon-Orient-Express)

    Paris

  2. Day 2overnight: Budapest

    Budapest

  3. Day 3overnight: Budapest

    Budapest

  4. Day 4overnight: Bucharest

    Bucharest

  5. Day 5overnight: Train (Venice Simplon-Orient-Express)

    Bulgaria

  6. Day 6

    Istanbul

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 1Board the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express at Paris Gare de l'Est in the afternoon and settle into your cabin; a 4-course dinner is served in the dining car that evening.
  • Day 3Private city tour of Budapest followed by a guided visit to the Hungarian Parliament Building, inspired by London's House of Parliament; return to the train for a 4-course dinner in the dining car.
  • Day 4Coach excursion from the mountain town of Sinaia to Peles Castle, a late-19th-century royal palace built by King Carol of Romania.
  • Day 5The train travels along the Danube to Varna on the Black Sea coast, where you alight for an aperitif on a private estate before the final 4-course dinner aboard.

Questions travellers ask

How much does it cost?
From CHF 24,430 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $29,964 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.
Are meals included?
Yes. All meals aboard the train are included: 4-course dinners and 3-course lunches in the dining car, with table d'hôte menus and wines. Meals in Budapest and Bucharest hotels and the designated restaurants are also included.
Is the tour escorted or independent?
It is escorted. Railtour Suisse provides dedicated steward service on board and local guides for city tours and excursions in Budapest, Bucharest, and Varna.
When does this route operate?
The Paris-to-Istanbul route runs only twice yearly: June, September, and October 2026, and May and June 2027. It is highly popular and fully booked up to a year in advance.
What is included in the package?
Train travel on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, three nights aboard and two nights in hotels in Budapest and Bucharest, all meals on board and in hotels, city tours of Budapest and Bucharest, visits to the Hungarian Parliament Building and Peles Castle, and travel documents.
What is not included?
Arrival and return journeys, gratuities and personal expenses, drinks and meals not in the itinerary, hotel accommodation on site, and cancellation and travel insurance.

Similar journeys