How Belmond scores
Ultra-luxury rail, but structured differently from Rocky Mountaineer — a portfolio of separate named trains rather than one brand with a few routes.
These are fit scores, not review scores. They measure who a trip actually suits, not whether Belmond runs a good journey.
Two honest notes. Destination breadth scores meaningfully higher than Rocky Mountaineer's — seven trains across Europe, the UK, Southeast Asia, and Peru genuinely cover more ground than a single Canada-focused brand, even though each individual train still runs a fixed route. Independence from conglomerates scores as low as it can — Belmond is owned by LVMH, the world's leading luxury goods group, a genuinely different ownership category from every other operator on this comparison.
Seven trains, one legendary name
Rocky Mountaineer is one brand with a handful of routes. Belmond is a portfolio of separately named, separately storied trains.
Belmond operates seven distinct luxury trains: the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express (Europe), British Pullman (day and weekend trips around Britain), Royal Scotsman (Scotland), Eastern & Oriental Express (Southeast Asia, currently operating round-trip journeys from Singapore through Malaysia), Andean Explorer (southern Peru and Lake Titicaca) and Hiram Bingham (the dedicated Machu Picchu train), and the newest addition, Britannic Explorer, which joined the fleet in July 2025 covering the British countryside in a new take on the classic touring format. Each train has its own identity, restored carriages, and specific route — this isn't one product sold under different names, it's genuinely seven different trips.
Who owns it, and why the name changed
Belmond was founded in 1976 by American entrepreneur James Sherwood, beginning with the acquisition of Hotel Cipriani in Venice, and traded for decades as Orient-Express Hotels. That corporate name changed as part of a trademark and licensing arrangement: SNCF, France's national rail operator, held the rights to the "Orient Express" name itself, and the company retired it from its corporate identity in 2014. It rebranded as Belmond — though it kept a specific licensing deal to use "Venice Simplon-Orient-Express" as the name of that one train's service, which is why the train itself still carries the name the parent company no longer can.
In 2019, LVMH — the world's leading luxury goods group — acquired Belmond for $3.2 billion. That makes Belmond a genuinely different kind of company from every other operator in this comparison: not private equity, not a family business, but a division of a luxury-goods holding company that also owns fashion houses, jewelers, and champagne producers.
The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express route changed in 2024
Through 2023, London passengers reached the Continental train by a specific multi-leg journey: British Pullman from London to Folkestone, then an executive coach through the Channel Tunnel to Calais, where the sleeper train was waiting. Since 2024, that connection no longer exists. Paris is now the principal Continental departure point for the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, including the classic Paris–Venice journey and a growing collection of special routes elsewhere in Europe — Istanbul, Florence, Rome, Vienna, Prague, Budapest, and Portofino among them. London travelers make their own way to Paris separately, typically via Eurostar. If you've read older accounts of the London-to-Venice journey, know that the actual routing has changed.
Which train actually fits your trip
| Train | Region & best for |
|---|---|
| Venice Simplon-Orient-Express | Europe (Paris–Venice core route) — the flagship, for the classic overnight sleeper-train experience. |
| British Pullman | Southern England, day and weekend trips — a shorter, lower-commitment taste of the same era of rail glamour. |
| Britannic Explorer | British countryside, multi-day — the newest train, for a longer UK touring format. |
| Royal Scotsman | Scotland — multi-day journeys through the Highlands. |
| Eastern & Oriental Express | Southeast Asia, currently operating round-trip journeys from Singapore through Malaysia — the only Belmond train outside Europe, the UK, or South America. |
| Andean Explorer | Multi-day sleeper journeys across southern Peru, including Lake Titicaca — not a Machu Picchu train. |
| Hiram Bingham | The luxury day train to Machu Picchu specifically — a genuinely different product and region within Peru from Andean Explorer. |
Who Belmond fits — and who should look elsewhere
You want the storied, historic-carriage version of luxury rail — restored Art Deco cars with real history, not modern glass-dome coaches. You're drawn to a specific named train and its specific story, rather than a general "scenic rail" category. You want options across multiple continents rather than one region. Or you're comfortable at the top of the luxury market and want the recognition that comes with a globally known name.
You're budget-conscious — this sits well above Rocky Mountaineer and most other operators on our comparison. You want one consistent brand experience across every route; Belmond's seven trains genuinely differ from each other. You're planning an old-style London-to-Venice overnight connection; that specific routing ended in 2023. Or you're confused between this and Accor's competing Orient Express trains — confirm which company you're actually booking with before paying a deposit.
If you asked us to pick
Don't assume all seven Belmond trains are interchangeable versions of the same experience — they genuinely aren't, and the right one depends heavily on region and format, not just brand name. If Peru is the destination, compare Andean Explorer against Hiram Bingham directly rather than assuming either is the default. And if you're booking a London-to-Venice trip specifically, confirm the current Paris-based routing before assuming the old Channel Tunnel connection still exists — it doesn't.
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Quick answers
How many trains does Belmond operate?
Seven, spanning Europe, the UK, Southeast Asia, and Peru: the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, British Pullman, Royal Scotsman, Eastern & Oriental Express, Andean Explorer, Hiram Bingham, and the newest addition, Britannic Explorer, which joined the fleet in July 2025.
Why was Belmond called Orient-Express Hotels before?
A trademark and licensing dispute with SNCF, France's national rail operator, which held the rights to the Orient Express name, led the company to retire it from its corporate identity in 2014. It rebranded as Belmond, though it kept the right to use "Venice Simplon-Orient-Express" as a specific service name through licensing.
Did the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express route change recently?
Yes. Through 2023, London passengers traveled by British Pullman to Folkestone, then by coach through the Channel Tunnel to board the Continental train at Calais. Since 2024, Paris is the principal Continental departure point for the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, including the classic Paris-Venice journey and a growing collection of special routes elsewhere in Europe. London connections are made separately via Eurostar to Paris.
Who owns Belmond?
LVMH, the world's leading luxury goods group, which acquired Belmond in 2019 for $3.2 billion. It's a genuinely different ownership category from every other operator in this comparison — not private equity, not a family business, but a luxury-goods holding company.
Are Belmond and the other Orient Express the same company?
No. Belmond's Venice Simplon-Orient-Express and Accor's newer Orient Express trains are separate, competing products from different companies. Both have historical carriages, but Accor holds the broader Orient Express brand rights, while Belmond has a specific licensing deal to use the name only for its Venice Simplon-Orient-Express service.