Flânons

Bangkok · Thailand · To stay

Eastern & Oriental Express

Location & practical

Malaysia, in green and gold

  • Green and gold carriages through Malaysia.
  • An open-air observation deck.
  • André Chiang’s menus, served on the move.
  • €1,400–5,000 / night
  • 32 rooms

A journey aboard the Eastern & Oriental Express in Thailand unfolds like a lacquered jewel box sliding through jungle and rice field. Restored 1930s carriages gleam with cherrywood paneling, Thai silk, and marquetry that recalls the grand hotels of colonial Asia. The train traces the old Malay Peninsula route from Bangkok toward the River Kwai, where history lingers near the bridge and the wartime railway. Evenings gather in the open air observation car, champagne in hand, as the tropics drift by in perfumed dusk. Writers and royalty have passed through these corridors. You arrive rumpled by wonder and faintly spoiled for all other travel.

  • Restaurant
  • Bar
  • Spa

Rooms.

The Flânons choice

Which room would we choose?

State Cabin (7.8 m²). Our pick for a three-night journey: two floor-level single beds instead of Pullman’s upper and lower berths, and noticeably more room to sit, dress and live between excursions. You enjoy the same dining cars, observation deck and steward service without paying the significant Presidential Suite premium.

All 3 room types

Pullman Cabin

2 adults

5.8 m²

Air conditioning · En suite shower · Private toilet · Upper berth · Lower berth · Daytime sofa · Personal safe

Ten cabins in total. At night the day sofa converts into upper and lower berths, making this the most compact sleeping arrangement. Both guests have the same access to the train’s dining cars and shared amenities.

State Cabin

2 adults

7.8 m²

Air conditioning · En suite shower · Private toilet · Floor level twin beds · Daytime seating · Personal safe

Twenty cabins in total. Daytime seating becomes two single beds at floor level. Rich panelling, decorative fabrics, private shower and toilet. Best overall compromise between comfort and cost on a multi-night journey.

Presidential Suite

2 adults

11.6 m²

Air conditioning · En suite shower · Private toilet · Floor level twin beds · Seating area · Complimentary minibar · Nespresso machine · Personal safe

Two suites in total. The largest cabin, with a more generous bathroom and extra daytime sitting space, but still only 11.6 m². Belmond advertises upgraded amenities, return transfers and a complimentary 45-minute Dior Spa treatment per person on current offers.

The Pullman Cabin (5.8 m²) is the most economical option, but its converted upper and lower berths require one guest to climb into bed. The Presidential Suite (11.6 m²) is the largest option, with a more generous bathroom, complimentary minibar, Nespresso machine and, under current Belmond inclusions, a 45-minute Dior Spa treatment per guest. There are only two Presidential Suites. All categories sleep no more than two; bed layouts are twins or bunks, not conventional hotel doubles. Confirm single occupancy pricing and requests for adjacent cabins in advance.

Good to know.

Location
52, 22-23 Soi Charoen Krung 41, Khwaeng Si Phraya, Khet Bang Rak, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10500, Thailand
Open map & directions
Parking
No guest car parking is provided aboard this train. Use the transfer arrangements included with the selected Singapore departure; any parking at the station would be a separate service.
EV charging
No vehicle storage or EV charging aboard the train. The availability of public charging near the Singapore departure point is unrelated to the train booking.
Getting around
Current journeys begin and end at Woodlands Train Checkpoint, Singapore. Belmond’s current itineraries advertise transfers from Singapore accommodation to the train and back; follow the pick-up instructions on your booking confirmation rather than making your own way to an assumed Bangkok departure.
Arriving
This is a moving train, not accommodation at a fixed Bangkok address. As checked on 7 November 2026, bookable Eastern & Oriental Express departures are round trips from Singapore Woodlands through Malaysia. Standard three-night itineraries generally leave on Monday afternoon (often quoted around 15:00) and return on Thursday morning (often around 10:20); these are train timings, not hotel check-in or check-out hours, and may change. Allow extra time for Singapore–Malaysia immigration, where passengers must alight with hand luggage. Thailand services have been proposed for 2027, but no confirmed bookable Bangkok route should be assumed.
Pets
Under Belmond’s trains-and-cruises carriage conditions, ordinary pets are not carried. Guide dogs may be considered in restricted circumstances and require advance agreement with Belmond.
Accessibility
Belmond asks guests with reduced mobility or other assistance needs to contact reservations.eoe@belmond.com before booking so the journey can be assessed individually. Cabin space, boarding arrangements, carriage passageways and off-train excursions may pose difficulties; do not assume step-free boarding or a fully adapted cabin without explicit confirmation.
Travelling with children
Families can enquire, but the train is primarily an adult-oriented experience and every cabin sleeps a maximum of two. Belmond does not publish a clear minimum age for this train on its current FAQ. Confirm any infant or child arrangements, supervision requirements and restrictions on particular carriages before booking; larger families need multiple cabins.
Dietary options
Vegetarian

Worth knowing

  • Location and route: as of 7 November 2026, the published bookable services are Singapore–Malaysia round trips, not the historic Bangkok–River Kwai route. Thailand announced plans for a Bangkok–Kanchanaburi–Hua Hin–Padang Besar service in 2027, but a confirmed public timetable and fare should be verified with Belmond before making plans. This record’s Thailand location should therefore be reviewed separately.
  • Budget in EUR per person for the entire standard three-night rail journey, normally based on two people sharing a cabin, not per cabin and not per night. Specialist-published 2026 lead-in examples are around €4,100 for Pullman, €5,750 for State and €10,440 for Presidential. The €15,000 upper budget is an indicative high-end planning allowance, not a fare cap: departure, cabin, solo occupancy and special or six-night journeys can cost more.
  • Choose the itinerary for its stops: Essence of Malaysia favours Langkawi, Perlis, Penang and Ipoh; Wild Malaysia explores Taman Negara rainforest and Penang. Selected departures and excursions vary, so read the current day-by-day itinerary.
  • Three-night journeys generally begin on Monday afternoons at Singapore Woodlands and conclude Thursday mornings. Train times can change under railway operating constraints; do not book tight flight connections.
  • Singapore–Malaysia border formalities require all passengers to disembark with their hand luggage. Check passport validity, visas and entry declarations for both countries before travel; Belmond advises at least six months of passport validity.
  • Cabins are genuinely compact, ranging from 5.8 m² to 11.6 m². Belmond allows one suitcase of up to 30 kg plus one item of hand luggage per passenger; large cases may be stowed out of reach until arrival. Keep essentials in the cabin.
  • The journey price includes accommodation, steward service, meals, a selection of house drinks and scheduled excursions. Premium drinks, drinks ordered to the cabin and most Dior Spa treatments cost extra; check the specific itinerary and cabin package for transfer and treatment inclusions.
  • For dinner, Belmond suggests smart-casual clothes with a jacket or equivalent; jeans and trainers are discouraged. Pack comfortable, light clothing and suitable footwear for tropical excursions.
  • Advise Belmond of dietary requirements at least 14 days before travel. Vegetarian dishes are offered, but the operator says it cannot provide food requiring strict religious observance in preparation.
  • The existing description refers to restored 1930s carriages. Historically, the rolling stock was built in Japan in the early 1970s for New Zealand’s Silver Star and extensively remodelled before the Eastern & Oriental Express launched in 1993. The original description has intentionally been left unchanged.

A few places to make it your own.

Sakkwa สัก-กะ-วา

To eat · Bangkok

Sakkwa สัก-กะ-วา

Named after a form of Thai poetry, Sakkwa revisits childhood favourites and regional recipes with fine dining finesse. Expect inventive sharing plates and a convivial atmosphere above Bangkok's historic Talat Noi neighbourhood.

Discover this place
Bangkok Kunsthalle

To discover · Khwaeng Pom Prap

Bangkok Kunsthalle

There is a quiet intellectual provocation in the name Bangkok Kunsthalle. In a city of temples, traffic and tropical excess, it borrows a distinctly German term that traditional...

Discover this place
About this edit · 11 sources