Fifty Years On, the Orient-Express Returns to Monte Carlo

For half a century, Monte Carlo has held a special place in the story of the world’s most famous train. In 2027, that place becomes a platform. Belmond has confirmed that the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express will travel from Paris to Monaco for the first time. The inaugural departure leaves on 10 May 2027, and the route returns every year after that.

A Homecoming Fifty Years in the Making

In 1977, the American-British businessman James Sherwood bought two original 1920s sleeping cars at a Sotheby’s auction held in Monte Carlo. He later joined them with more than 20 other carriages, each brought back to its Art Deco finish. The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express then made its first journey in 1982.

Sherwood’s company eventually became Belmond, the group that still operates the train. The 2027 arrival therefore lands exactly fifty years after the auction that started it all.

Pascal Deyrolle is general manager of the train. Speaking to Robb Report, he described Monaco as a place that has “always understood the art of arrival.” Few residents would argue with him.

From Austerlitz to Monte Carlo: The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express Monaco Route

Guests board at Paris Gare d’Austerlitz in the afternoon. Belmond lists a 15:00 departure and an arrival at Monaco-Monte-Carlo station at around 10:35 the following morning. Timings on the national network can shift, however.

The evening belongs to the train. Dinner takes place in the restaurant cars Étoile du Nord or L’Oriental. Afterwards, the evening moves to the Bar Car 3674 for cocktails and live piano. Breakfast then arrives in the cabin, just as the Mediterranean comes into view.

From there, the coastal line does the work. It runs past the red cliffs of the Massif de l’Estérel and on through Saint-Raphaël, Cannes and Nice. Next comes the foot of the Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat peninsula. Finally, it cuts into the mountainside. Monaco-Monte-Carlo station sits inside the rock itself, within minutes of the Casino and the Carré d’Or.

Cabins, Suites and L’Observatoire

Accommodation ranges from Historic Cabins to Suites and Grand Suites.

At the very top sits L’Observatoire, the private carriage created with the artist JR. It holds a bedroom, an en suite bathroom, a living area, a library and a hidden tea room.

Fares, Inclusions and the Wider Schedule

Fares start from €4,870 per person, based on two guests sharing a Historic Cabin. That covers the overnight journey, 24-hour steward service, every meal with the sommelier’s choice of wines, unlimited soft drinks and transfers. Full details sit on Belmond’s Paris to Monaco journey page.

Monaco also joins two longer itineraries. The Paris to Venice journey now runs via Cannes and Monaco. Paris to Verona, meanwhile, travels via Cannes or Monaco, and both share the same starting fare. In addition, the new stop coincides with the second season of Belmond’s Villeggiatura by Train series. The series pairs the train with stays at the group’s hotels.

One point of confusion deserves clearing up. Belmond’s train operates separately from Accor’s Orient Express brand, whose sailing yacht Corinthian also lists Monte Carlo among its Mediterranean calls.

A City Built Around the Art of Arrival

The principality has always grown along its transport lines. When the railway from Nice reached Monaco in 1868, Monte-Carlo had carried its name for barely two years. Villas, grand hotels and Belle Époque apartment buildings soon followed the tracks. Gradually, the district took the shape that buyers still compete for today. The history of Monaco’s real estate carries that imprint on almost every street.

Each generation has since added its own way in. Port Hercule welcomed the superyachts, and Nice Côte d’Azur Airport the private jets. A legendary sleeper train arriving from Paris extends that lineage, with a romance few rivals can match.

What the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express Means for Monaco Property

An annual train will have no measurable effect on prices per square metre. Its value lies in reputation. Belmond, part of the LVMH group, has now placed Monaco on its most famous timetable. That choice confirms where the principality stands in the luxury world.

For buyers, the practical case is just as clear. A client can leave Paris after lunch, sleep aboard and step off the next morning within minutes of Monte-Carlo’s finest addresses. Baldo Realty Group arranges off-market property viewings around precisely this kind of arrival. We plan the day in full before the train leaves Austerlitz.

Those weighing a longer stay can start with our guide on how to become a Monaco resident. Alternatively, explore our Monaco portfolio.