A Belmond Train · Sleeper
Eastern & Oriental Express
Green and gold through the peninsula — Round trips from Singapore through Malaysia
The Eastern & Oriental Express first ran in 1993, using carriages James B Sherwood bought in Japan and remodelled, taking cues from its sister train the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express. It then stopped for four years. On 11 February 2024 it returned to service with restyled interiors, new journeys and a new culinary direction — fifteen dark green carriages comprising eight sleeping cars, two restaurant cars, a Piano Bar Car and the open-air Observation Car.
Every current journey is a round trip out of Singapore's Woodlands Station into Malaysia. Belmond names Gemas, Perlis, Butterworth, Ipoh and Merapoh among the stops, reaching Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Langkawi and Taman Negara National Park. The Wild Malaysia route runs what Belmond calls the Jungle Railway along the eastern side of the peninsula, and was the first itinerary to reach Taman Negara.
Accommodation comes in three published tiers — Pullman Cabins, State Cabins and the Presidential Suite. In July 2024 a Dior Spa was added in its own carriage, the first in Southeast Asia, taking the rake to sixteen. It is worth being clear on one point: since the 2024 return this train runs Singapore and Malaysia only. The Bangkok and Thailand itineraries belong to the pre-2020 era and are not coming back on the current programme.
The journeys
Essence of Malaysia
3 nights
Singapore, Gemas, Perlis, Butterworth and Ipoh — the classic introduction. Departs Monday afternoon, back Thursday morning.
Wild Malaysia
3 nights
The Jungle Railway up the eastern side of the peninsula to Taman Negara National Park, devised with Save Wild Tigers.
Malaysian Celebration
3 nights
Singapore, Perlis and Butterworth, with New Year's Eve spent on board.
Festive Malaysia
3 nights
A December departure that puts Christmas in Penang.
Tastes of Tomorrow
3 nights
Guest-chef departures hosted by André Chiang, run on both the Essence and Wild Malaysia routes.
Tiger Express
6 nights
The long one — a night at Raffles Singapore, two nights aboard, then three nights at The Datai Langkawi, in partnership with Save Wild Tigers.
On board: the cabins
Pullman Cabin
The entry category, and the most numerous across the eight sleeping cars.
State Cabin
More room and more window, and the category most guests step up to.
Presidential Suite
The top tier on the train, and the first to sell on the festive and guest-chef departures.
The carriages
The Dior Spa carriage
Added in July 2024, the first Dior Spa in Southeast Asia, occupying a carriage of its own.
The open-air Observation Car
Open to the air at the back of the train, which in this climate is the whole point — the jungle comes right up to the track.
The Piano Bar Car
Where the evenings happen, alongside two restaurant cars.
Booking this train
All journeys are round trips from Singapore's Woodlands Station, so Singapore is the natural bookend and we usually build a night or two there either side. The standard journeys are three nights; the Tiger Express is six and includes hotel stays at Raffles Singapore and The Datai Langkawi, which makes it the best value in effort terms if the dates work. Belmond does publish per-journey day patterns but not a season calendar, and the widely repeated month windows for Essence and Wild Malaysia are press invention rather than Belmond fact — we confirm the live calendar before holding anything.
Questions, answered
Does the Eastern & Oriental Express still go to Bangkok?
No. Since the train returned to service in February 2024 it runs round trips from Singapore into Malaysia only. The Bangkok and Thailand itineraries belong to the pre-2020 era, and a lot of older articles and agency pages still describe them as current. If a Thailand rail journey is what you want, we would plan something else.
What are the cabin categories?
Belmond publishes three: Pullman Cabins, State Cabins and the Presidential Suite. Most first-time guests take a State Cabin. On the festive and guest-chef departures the Presidential Suite goes first, usually well before the rest of the train.
Which journey should I choose?
Essence of Malaysia is the classic introduction, taking in Penang and Ipoh. Wild Malaysia runs the Jungle Railway to Taman Negara and is the better choice if the rainforest is the draw. If you have the time, the six-night Tiger Express wraps the train inside stays at Raffles Singapore and The Datai Langkawi.
Is there a spa on board?
Yes. A Dior Spa was added in its own carriage in July 2024 — the first in Southeast Asia — which took the train from fifteen carriages to sixteen. Treatment slots are limited by the size of the train, so they are worth reserving alongside the cabin.
Enquire
Hold a cabin on the Eastern & Oriental Express
Tell us your dates and we will confirm live availability, hold the strongest cabin category, and plan the hotels at either end around the journey.
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