Venice to London on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express
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Venice Simplon-Orient-Express … Rarely have so many travel
fantasies been caught up in just four short words. So I’d be lying if I didn’t say we were
mildly disappointed to be checking in at a portable desk on a platform at Venice’s
bustling central station, an Orient Express rug laid on the floor in a strange
bid at exclusiveness.
The check-in girls were glamour personified, slim, Italian,
beautiful – a real eyeful for the appreciative male passengers. But they seemed strangely incongruous as they
led their smartly-dressed clients through crowds of travellers with backpacks
to a reserved corner of the station buffet for coffee and biscuits. A rather different deal from the private check-in
lounge at London’s Victoria Station at the opposite end of the journey.
My husband and I were returning from ‘La Serenissima’ after
an Adriatic Cruise, the ultimate finale to a special occasion holiday. We’d enjoyed a daytrip from London on the British
Pullman part of the operation the year before, so were eagerly anticipating the
chance to see Europe slide past the windows of our luxury carriage and be
waited on hand and foot.
Check-in may have been slightly underwhelming, but the
experience stepped up a gear when we were summoned from cafe to train and shown
to our private cabin by our uniformed steward. It doesn’t take long to explore your compact quarters – a bench seat in
patterned upholstery, gleaming walls of polished wood and, in the corner behind
a curved door, a bijou vanity unit with complimentary toiletries. Clothes are hung opposite the bench seat,
your overnight baggage – only one holdall or suit carrier per person – stowed
on a high level rack. Every inch of
space is utilised to create your own private cocoon for the next 36 hours.
At this point it’s worth mentioning a few practical issues
which do, it has to be said, deter some potential passengers. These beautifully restored carriages all date
from the 1920s so there is one shared toilet per carriage and no shower
facilities. Dressing gowns are provided
(on loan) and complimentary slippers (to keep). And if you have issues with travelling
backwards on a train, this trip is definitely not for you.
We had the engine behind us as we powered
out of Venice across the lagoon, only to find that after a one of several stops
along the way, the engine had changed to the other end and we were going
forwards.
One of the big highlights of any trip on the Orient Express
is the dining experience and I still don’t understand how they can turn out
such high class food and dress the tables so elegantly in such cramped
surroundings. The staff training and
general running of the operation is seriously impressive. Table d’hote menus, with a choice, are
included in the basic price, with a la carte options, and they seemed willing
to cater for guests with food allergies or strong dislikes at no extra
charge. The odd glass of fizz is
included, but otherwise drinks are on top.
We had naively imagined that we would while away many of the
hours at table, enjoying lunch with a view, but meals are served in two carefully-timed
sittings in one of several different but equally elegant dining cars, all intricate
marquetry and gleaming crystal. You can
choose to eat à deux or – as we did - join another couple which we much
enjoyed. Nor do you get landed with the
same couple if you choose to share, which offers a chance to make new
friends.
There was, however, no chance for us to make friends over a
drink. The one beautiful bar car was
crammed with Japanese visitors and as we had opted for the 9.30 dinner sitting,
there was little chance of negotiating the restaurant cars in search of a quiet
drink at the front of the train. Choose
the earlier dinner sitting however and you return at 9.30 to find your bench
seat transformed into bunks and nowhere to sit.
All of which sounds hugely picky. The
chance to relive the golden age of international rail travel, to eat lobster
for brunch, and dress up in your gladrags (DJs for men; posh frocks for us
girls) was the perfect way to end our special holiday. But although some people become addicted to
the trip, for us it was really a one-off – partly on price (expect to pay
around £2,200 a head, though you might – like us – find a good-value cruise and
train package through an agent) and partly on comfort.
The bunks are surprisingly comfortable, but I didn’t sleep
well on a moving train – at least not until we got to France and hit the
high-speed rail tracks – which makes the second day long and rather
tiring. It starts with nearly an hour in
Gare de l’Est in Paris around 7 am, before taking a circuitous route to Calais
where we left the Orient Express and transferred to a coach for the trip
through the Channel Tunnel. At
Folkestone we then waited for the Belmond British Pullman to arrive whilst
entertained by a period jazz band. Sinking
into the luxury of our wing chairs for a sumptuous, calorie-laden afternoon tea,
we trundled through Kent and south London past platforms of bemused commuters –
a serious case of Us and Them!
We wouldn’t have missed the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express trip
for the world, but next time we want to travel in period style, I think we’ll
stick to a day trip on the Belmond British
Pullman.
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About the trip on the Orient express. .true class and nostalgia of a bug one erra. .food and comfort seem above class. .and would love to experience. ..maybe ..one day I will .