Eastern & Oriental Express: Luxury Train Travel Through Malaysia
Image Credit: Railbookers
There are train journeys, and then there is the Eastern & Oriental Express.
Departing from Singapore and travelling through Malaysia, this legendary Belmond train combines some of Southeast Asia's most captivating scenery with superb food, beautifully designed cabins and experiences that take you well beyond the railway tracks.
For anyone considering a luxury train holiday in Asia, it is one of those journeys where getting there is very much part of the holiday.
What is the Eastern & Oriental Express?
The Eastern & Oriental Express is one of Asia's best-known luxury trains. Its distinctive green-and-cream carriages travel from Singapore into Malaysia, with current itineraries operating as three-night round trips from Singapore's Woodlands Station.
Inside, the atmosphere recalls a more glamorous age of rail travel, but the experience is very much designed for today's traveller.
There are just 32 sleeper cabins, alongside two dining cars, a Piano Bar, Observation Car and even a Dior Spa. Dining is overseen by acclaimed chef André Chiang.
And while the train itself is a major part of the attraction, you certainly don't spend three days simply watching Malaysia pass the window.
Where does the Eastern & Oriental Express go?
The train currently offers several journeys through Malaysia, beginning and ending in Singapore.
Essence of Malaysia
The three-night Essence of Malaysia journey combines Singapore with northern Malaysia, including Penang, Langkawi and Perlis.
Guests can explore UNESCO-listed George Town, discover the landscapes of Perlis Geopark and experience Langkawi before returning to the train for dinner and the next stage of the journey.
It is a particularly good choice if you'd like to combine cultural sightseeing with some of Malaysia's coastal scenery.
Wild Malaysia
For something more adventurous, Wild Malaysia travels deep into the Malaysian interior.
One of its highlights is Taman Negara National Park, home to one of the world's oldest tropical rainforests, alongside time in Penang and experiences led by local experts.
This itinerary gives you an interesting contrast: polished luxury on the train one moment, dense tropical rainforest the next.
There are also selected festive and celebration departures during the year.
Image Credit: Railbookers
What are the cabins like?
There are three principal cabin styles.
Pullman Cabin
The Pullman is the entry point to the Eastern & Oriental Express experience. During the day, it has a sofa and table beside the window. While you are at dinner, your steward converts the space into upper and lower sleeping berths.
Each has its own compact private shower room and air conditioning.
State Cabin
State Cabins offer additional space and two single beds at floor level at night.
Large windows make them particularly appealing if watching the scenery roll past is high on your priority list.
Presidential Cabin
There are only two Presidential Cabins aboard the train.
These provide considerably more space, a larger private bathroom, additional seating and extra touches including a complimentary minibar.
If you're making the journey part of a milestone birthday, anniversary or longer luxury holiday, this is the cabin to consider.
Dining aboard the Eastern & Oriental Express
Food is a major part of the experience.
The train has two dining cars – Malaya and Adisorn – with menus curated by chef André Chiang, accompanied by sommelier-selected wines.
Rather than treating meals as something fitted around the journey, dinner becomes one of the events of the day.
Afterwards, you can head to the Piano Bar or take a drink through to the Observation Car.
And that open-sided observation area may well become your favourite place on the train. Tropical vegetation, villages and Malaysian landscapes slide past while you're standing almost in the open air.
It's a much better view than seat 34E.
Image Credit: Railbookers
Is the Eastern & Oriental Express worth it?
If your priority is simply travelling from Singapore to somewhere else in Malaysia, clearly there are quicker and cheaper ways to do it.
That's really not the point.
The Eastern & Oriental Express is for travellers who want the journey itself to become one of the highlights of their holiday.
You are paying for the combination of private accommodation, food, service, excursions and the experience of spending several days aboard one of the world's great luxury trains.
For travellers already considering a luxury Malaysia holiday, a special anniversary trip or a major journey through Southeast Asia, it can make a memorable centrepiece.
Make Singapore part of the holiday
We wouldn't recommend flying all the way from the UK simply to step straight onto the train.
Singapore deserves time of its own.
Spending three or four nights there before the Eastern & Oriental Express gives you time for Marina Bay, Gardens by the Bay, Chinatown, the city's superb food scene and perhaps a Singapore Sling before boarding.
You could also extend your holiday afterwards with time elsewhere in Malaysia, Thailand or another part of Southeast Asia.
That is where booking the journey as part of a complete itinerary rather than simply reserving the train on its own really begins to make sense.
When does the Eastern & Oriental Express run?
Departures operate on selected dates rather than every day, so planning ahead is important.
Current schedules include regular departures from Singapore during the main operating periods, with the standard three-night journeys generally leaving Woodlands Station at around 3pm and returning on Thursday morning. Exact timings can change because the service operates on Malaysia's national railway network.
Cabin availability – especially for State and Presidential accommodation – can be limited.
If the Eastern & Oriental Express is something you've always wanted to experience, it is worth planning it early rather than trying to squeeze it into an already-booked Southeast Asia holiday.
Why book the Eastern & Oriental Express with One Extra Night Travel?
One Extra Night Travel works with our trusted partner Railbookers to arrange Eastern & Oriental Express journeys, giving you access to this remarkable rail experience while we take care of the wider holiday.
We can arrange:
Flights from the UK
Your Singapore hotel
Your Eastern & Oriental Express journey through Railbookers
Additional nights elsewhere in Malaysia or Southeast Asia
Airport transfers
Lounges and other travel extras
Rather than booking each part of the trip separately, we can bring everything together into one carefully planned itinerary, built around the dates, cabin and destinations that suit you.
And if you're deciding between Essence of Malaysia and Wild Malaysia, we can talk you through the options and arrange the Railbookers journey as part of your complete holiday.
Ready to experience the Eastern & Oriental Express?
If you'd like to include the Eastern & Oriental Express in a Singapore or Malaysia holiday, contact One Extra Night Travel. We’ll arrange the rail journey through our partner Railbookers and take care of everything else around it.
Contact us today to start planning your Eastern & Oriental Express holiday.