The Truth About Travelling on the New E&O Express
All my friends, even many acquaintances, know how much I love the finer things in life, and as we age, those finer things become even more important.
I always venture somewhere special for my birthday. I call it running away, but where it’s still memorable for me. For my rather significant 50 plus a couple of decades birthday, I wanted to do something extra special and share it with friends, at least a few, if possible.
When I discovered the Eastern & Oriental Express train would begin running again in February 2024, after a Covid-enforced hiatus from 2020, I checked out the dates.
They had a journey over my birth date. Tick one. The journey was only four days and three nights, from Singapore to Malaysia and return. Tick two for the friends who still worked and didn't have much leave. Tick three was a little more restrictive – the price starting at US$3,410 per person with no special deals for single cabin use.
My invitation to friends to join me on the E&O Express.
I read the itinerary in detail. The inclusions, such as the 5-star gourmet meals, exotic cocktails, French champagne, and several off-train excursions were attractive. My mind loved the idea of such a prestigious train journey. I was sold.
After speaking with Belmond, the train owners, I learned they would offer a 10 percent discount if I had a group of 14 or more.
A friend designed the invitation, and emails flew around the world. Ten people were interested in coming along. Five cabins. Relaying this to Belmond was met with iciness. It was 14 or nothing.
But even with 10, they would only allow one person to pay the entire amount. If we paid individually, we could be spread all over the train, not together. We weren't using a travel agent as they also added their percentage. The entire amount, in US dollars, was a huge commitment for me, especially with the unstable exchange rate.
We met up in Singapore before starting our E&O journey.
I tried to negotiate an account that everyone could pay into. No, that wasn’t available. A few days later, I was advised that there weren't enough Pullman cabins for us. They would put me in a State cabin. Excellent, I thought. Then, the bombshell – at the State cabin price! I wondered if this trip was meant to be.
I was travelling in a remote area of Asia when I received a payment deadline. I had intermittent internet and wouldn't be back in time, so there was no way I could gather everyone's payments and make the deadline. I quickly emailed everyone to advise them of the situation, that sadly, my birthday trip was off.
A girlfriend's partner emailed back that he could do it. He also struggled with the brick walls I'd encountered at Belmond but finally prevailed. In the meantime, the numbers dwindled as friends emailed; they could no longer come. In the end, six of us were in three Pullman cabins. The payment was made. The big birthday celebration was back on, thanks to our saviour.
We met in Singapore during the Easter weekend and spent a few days exploring this beautiful city, enjoying pre-celebratory drinks, and getting to know each other. I was the only common denominator.
The smartly attired E&O staff welcome us at the station.
The train departed on Easter Monday. That morning, Belmond sent separate private limousines for each couple. We felt like royalty even before stepping foot on the train.
Expectations were high, but I tried not to let the nondescript, bland appearance of Singapore's Woodlands Station and combined security checkpoint, the small, basic waiting room with minimal seating, and the check-in staff's seemingly disorganisation dampen my spirits.
Once I was on the platform and eye-to-eye with the joyous, welcoming, smartly attired staff and the 15 majestic, shiny bottle green, and cream striped carriages with the renowned gold tiger emblem and wording twinkling behind them, I knew I was in grand, esteemed company.
Our personal cabin steward, Raffie, in his traditional Malaya silk uniform and dapper peci cap, welcomed us aboard and showed us to our Pullman cabins. We are all in the same carriage.
Our cabin steward, Raffie, with some welcoming cocktails.
My body tingled with excitement at the anticipation of the journey ahead. The low rumbling of the two locomotives at each end of the train echoed my impatience to get going.
While unpacking, Raffie returned with a refreshing iced flannel and a non-alcoholic cocktail adorned with colourful flowers.
Everyone is advised to bring only one carry-on-size suitcase aboard. Larger suitcases are stored and returned at the end of the trip. Although the carriage corridors are narrow, the cabin space is optimised.
All rooms have gleaming antique brass fittings, hand-cut marquetry walls, cupboards for storage, and even full-length hanging in the wardrobe for our evening wear. The ensuite bathroom has a marble hand basin and a full-size glass-door shower. In comparison, Pullman cabins in gold class on Australia’s Ghan, another luxury train on which I’d recently travelled, are slightly smaller with a step up to the stainless-steel bathroom and a shower curtain.
The gleaming colonial-era décor of the E&O Express.
Pullman cabins have a couch during the day, that converts into double bunk beds at night. Yes, it's cosy, and someone must climb that ladder. When we asked for the top bunk bed to be left down and made up as a bed all day, in case my friend wanted to rest, they left both beds made up. I wasn't happy having things dumped on my bed linen or being sat on all day. I gave up when the steward didn't understand I wanted a couch there. On the Ghan, I'd travelled solo and never had that worry.
Before booking, consider whether the additional cost for a State cabin with two ground-level beds is worth it. On reflection, I think so, especially when two people are occupying the cabin.
Despite its grand, old-world charm, the train itself, is young, originally built in 1972 by Nippon Sharyo and Hitachi in Japan. It operated as the Silver Star in New Zealand for 20 years until American-born Orient-Express Hotel founder and train enthusiast James B Sherwood purchased it. James employed Gérard Gallet to remodel the carriages as he'd done for the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express and British Pullman trains.
The inaugural E&O Express departed Singapore for Bangkok on 19 September 1993, quickly gaining an unsurpassed reputation for providing the world's most adventurous and elegantly colonial atmosphere train. Ownership changed to Belmond in 2014.
The Kuala Lumpur inspired colours of the Pullman cabin.
During the Covid-enforced hiatus from 2020, the E&O Express underwent a complete soft furnishing refurbishment. When services resumed in February 2024, it wasn't to Bangkok. They are now only offering two four-day return trips between Singapore and Malaysia. The 'Wild Malaysia: Exploring Sights Unseen' operating from March to October, and the 'Essence of Malaysia: A Gateway into Malay Culture' operating from December to February.
My friends and I are participating in a Wild Malaysia journey, and from the moment I stepped aboard, I was enveloped in a world of sensory delights.
The floor-to-ceiling polished marquetry elm, cherry, teak and rosewood panelling in every room and carriage corridor blends elegantly with the new Malaysian handcrafted silk, embroidered upholstery, and handmade Thai carpets. Each new room colour reflects the regions the train travels through, fusing with the passing environmental richness.
Kuala Lumpur inspired the burgundy reds and azure blues of the ten Pullman cabins. The 20 State cabins' intense oceanic blues and greens mirror Penang's seaside position, while the Presidential full carriage suite is draped in deep golden hues that ooze regal splendour and abundance.
Cheers, as the journey gets underway.
Our journey is finally underway. Crossing the kilometre-long Johor causeway from Singapore onto the Malay Peninsula, an announcement declares the bars are open and advises guests that afternoon tea will begin thirty minutes later in the dining rooms.
I head to the rear tropically green and gold-hued Observation Bar. With a glass of French champagne in hand, I step onto the al fresco timber viewing deck with several other guests.
We're all excited. Some are also celebrating milestone birthdays. Others, anniversaries, retirement or fulfilling a lifelong dream of this enchanting journey. But surrounded by 90 per cent humidity and views of dilapidated warehouses, graffitied housing blocks, and the rear locomotive still attached, we retreat to the cooler serenity of the beautifully golden-themed Piano Bar carriage. I befriended Kishen, the Indian mixologist who seems to know precisely what beverage I want each time I return to his bar.
We meet more of the 48 fellow passengers (64 at full capacity) here and during meals in the jungle-green Adisorn or the ruby-red Malaya dining room. Throughout the journey, passengers are alternated between both dining rooms, ensuring we meet and mingle with almost everyone aboard.
Champagne in the beautiful Piano Bar carriage.
Both bars offer a range of signature Malaysian-inspired cocktails and other premium alcoholic drinks all day, as well as excellent Malaysian barista-made coffees or espresso martinis.
As the city outskirts morph into emerald countryside and rows of palm trees shade grazing cattle, we move to the Adisorn dining room for afternoon tea. Four- and two-seater tables are covered with crisp white linen cloths, an assortment of crystal glasses, silverware, and signature embossed fine bone china.
Dainty tropical fruit bowls, bite-size melting-moment chocolate cups, and slithers of sweet caramel tart are tastefully arranged on a two-tier platter. Champagnes are poured, and we toast to the bespoke journey as a wandering magician entertains each table with slick card tricks.
Evenings are glamorous, upmarket affairs. The minimum standard is jackets for men and formal wear for women. It's a sight to behold. Everyone looks elegant and at one with the surroundings, from velvet jackets and tuxedos to gold lurex gowns and flowing silk dresses.
The well-stocked drink cart in the Adisorn dining room.
Sunset cocktails begin at six at either of the bar carriages. I mostly chose the Piano Bar for its coolness, delicious canapés, and relaxing piano tunes, letting my mind savour the intricate palatial surroundings as I sipped a champagne or cocktail while gazing out the large picture windows as the sky turned from pink to orange and inky blue behind the passing jungle and small village scenes.
Dinner is at eight. Before and after dinner, the Piano Bar embodies a jazz-club ambience. Music, whether piano, saxophone, or sultry singing, fills the air. Stewards serve signature cocktails, champagne or after-dinner nightcaps. It's a world of inspiring opulence that lingers to the wee hours.
Instead of a chocolate on our bed each night, there was a practical gift: a stainless-steel monogrammed water bottle, a functional decorative fan, a carry bag made from the train’s old soft furnishing fabrics and a lavender eye pack.
All the in-room breakfasts, three-course lunches, afternoon teas, and four to six-course dinners with paired wines have been curated by Taiwanese-born, three-Michelin-star chef André Chiang. He owns the two-Michelin-star restaurant RAW in Taipei and previously owned Singapore's two-Michelin-star restaurant André, which he closed in 2018 to focus on RAW and train others.
The practical nightly gifts that were left on our beds.
His innovative seasonal menus are mouth-wateringly exciting and feature sustainably sourced ingredients. They blend French techniques with Southeast Asian flavours and highlight Malaysia's kaleidoscopic cultures.
Every dish is perfectly five-star plated and superbly executed by Chef Ivan Mah, personally trained by Chiang, in the narrow galley kitchen. Think tenderly spicy laksa bouillabaisse, inspired by the traditional aromatic noodle soup of the Peranakan cuisine; succulent Kimchi Nicoise seared tuna; silky black-bone chicken consommé; steamed red snapper in ginger; Peking duck curry; miso-baked cod; and the flavoursome 'nine peppers jus sixteen-hour-braised beef cheek’.
The indulgent dessert menu is irresistible. From Chef André's secret Jungle Spices Cacao Ganache to Les Trois Mousquetaires pistachio gelato with Asian capers and handmade tropical fruit-flavoured chocolates.
It was all too delectable to refuse. I no longer cared that I'd leave the train a few kilos heavier. Every mouthful was worth it.
The steamed red snapper was a tasty main course.
However, I wasn't a fan of having breakfast in the cabin. Two meals on one tray in a small room with a small table that only one person could sit at was a disaster waiting to happen. Thankfully, it didn't, but it wasn't comfortable.
We were told there weren't enough staff to operate the dining rooms for breakfast, as well as lunch and dinner. After our initial afternoon tea on day one, all afternoon teas were also served in the cabin. I never had another afternoon tea because I do not have a sweet tooth, and I was already eating double what I would typically consume daily.
Despite the word 'express' in the name, the E&O train is anything but express. It often stops during the day and night because of the single track. The stopping and starting didn't bother me even at night, or the vast sway of the train on the single, narrow track. But a few people, including one of my friends, were hurt when a sliding door between the carriages rolled back and hit them. Surprisingly, the staff weren't too concerned.
The train also stops for the all-inclusive, tailormade off-board experiences.
Day 2: The E&O Express arrives at Merapoh Station.
Early the second morning, we arrived at sleepy Merapoh Station, surrounded by limestone hills and forest. It’s the gateway to the 4,343 sq km Taman Negara National Park on the Malay Peninsula's east coast. At 130 million years old, it is the second oldest tropical rainforest in the world. The train itinerary offers three adventures into the stunning area.
The more active guests who chose Merapoh Caves jump on electric bicycles for a scenic ride, passing massive limestone outcrops and Kampung villages to reach two caves, Shooting Stars and Dragon's Scale. Venturing through narrow passages with headlamps and their expert geologist and paleo-zoologist, they see impressive formations and now-extinct fossilised Sumatran rhino and elephant remains. Home to bats and swiftlets, Shooting Star Cave lets them capture jaw-dropping long-exposure images of the stars.
The photography and Malaysian tiger conservation groups sit on rows of padded planks across open tray-back Jeeps headed into the depths of the neighbouring ancient jungle. It wasn’t the safest set-up, as there were no seatbelts, and the planks were easily moved. But it was thrilling as we hung on tightly.
Passing manicured palm oil plantations, we're soon weaving our way along narrow tracks, up and down mountainsides surrounded by towering tulang, merbau, and kempas trees, some reaching 65 metres, with massive elephant ears and tree ferns sheltering beneath the canopy. Throw in parasitic orchids and monster flowers; the perfumed aromas each emitted are intoxicating as we drive by. High-pitched cicada songs are the music that fills our ears.
The cloud-cloaked Gunung Tahan peak in Taman Negara.
The photography group leave us halfway. Their masterclass is with a wildlife photographer and conservationist. They identify the ecosystem's unique flora and fauna while waiting in pre-set-up hides. Later, they walk higher into the forest's canopy to photograph hornbills, woodpeckers, wedge-tailed pigeons, red junglefowl, black-winged kites, and osprey. Elephants, tigers, water buffalo, bears, and leopards also call this jungle home. While none were sighted on this trip, the group enjoyed traditional morning tea with local villagers at the treetop walk.
I'm on the Spirit of the Tiger conservation tour, which continues deeper into Taman Negara, passing majestic cloud-cloaked Gunung Tahan peak and eventually stopping at Kelah Sanctuary. Nestled on the banks of the Juram River, we witness abundant protected kelch fish basking in the golden river water. Some people even try handfeeding them. The distinct calls of different gibbon families and hornbills compete while we enjoy delicious fresh tropical fruits, local cakes, chilled pandan water, coffee or tea along the riverbank.
It's an idyllic setting to chat with the local Malaysian tiger conservationists. Today, fewer than 100 of these critically endangered iconic animals remain in the wild. The greatest challenge is poaching, even though camera trap monitoring, local reporting of poacher sightings, and other measures are helping.
Cool winds dry the sweat on my body and tousle my hair on the ride back. While we didn't see any wildlife animals, my euphoric smile says it all. The sights, the sounds, the smells, the information and the immersion are exhilarating in so many unexpected ways.
Green bamboos overhang the golden water of the Juram River.
There's no television on board the train. Who needs it? The full-view picture carriage windows provide ever-varying views of the natural countryside and passing villages to mesmerise and entertain. There is wifi, and our social media friends were greener of our adventure than the outside environs. But with different networks in every carriage, you must keep rejoining to be active.
The following morning, alighting in Butterworth on the west coast for a choice of all-inclusive morning trips on Penang Island, I'm bowled over by the humidity. It's much heavier than I remember from ten years earlier. Even the ferries are new. They are strictly passenger only now. Belmond has chartered a private ferry just for E&O passengers to journey over and back. A nice touch.
The old, colourful combined vehicle and passenger ferries now lay idle dockside in Penang; the parts needed to repair them are no longer manufactured. However, two new high bridges spanning the Penang Strait do the job quicker and easier for vehicle drivers.
Disembarking at George Town ferry terminal, a long row of colourful trishaws and drivers await those guests freewheeling around the city. Another smaller row of vintage Vespa scooters and drivers await their pillion passengers for a vibrant cultural architecture and eye-opening artistic tour. Their journey covers the historic heart of George Town and its street art and eclectic art spaces. They also talk with visual artists, clothes designers, visit antique shops and see a Teochew puppet demonstration.
Colourful trishaws with E&O passengers in George Town.
As a food aficionado, I love learning about the country's culinary styles. It makes me feel more connected. So, naturally, I've chosen the Flavours of Penang tour. Luxurious air-conditioned vans take us to one of Penang's oldest markets, Chowrasta. It's buzzing with locals filling their baskets and vendors smiling as we check out or taste-test their wares.
At the Botanical Gardens, we change vehicles and buckle up for a sporty jeep ride up Penang Hill to stunning Eythrope House, now a Small Luxury Hotel of the World, for our cooking class.
I've only ridden the funicular up Penang Hill and never driven, but I swear our driver was competing in a rally race. At one stage, I thought the road was one way up and another road down, the way he zipped around each hairpin corner until a descending truck appeared. My heart was in my mouth! I certainly needed the icy flannel and sparkling Australian wine handed out on our arrival at Eythrope House.
Eythrope House is positioned directly opposite the Upper Station. We're shown around the exquisite 100-year-old Art Deco residence and herb garden. While there are normally 180-degree views of the city and the Strait below, they weren't visible during our visit. The misty clouds hung low during our stay.
Our homestyle cooking class at Eythrope House, Penang.
Still, they didn't dull our local homestyle Chinese and Indian cooking classes or our devouring each delectable dish afterwards, followed by copious amounts of sparkling wine. It was a serenely enjoyable, relaxing morning, as was the Jeep ride back down.
On the final morning, I absorbed the last verdant scenery before the city concrete jungle approached while sipping my coffee and precariously balancing the in-room breakfast tray. I reflected on my imminent return to 'real life'. I could easily succumb to a life of timeless trappings and travel experiences beyond the mere luxury of the magnificent train journey.
This short journey was jampacked with sensual refinements, delectable cuisines, quality beverages and, best of all, the delightfully inspiring snapshots of Southeast Asian life along the way and the gracious service of the local crew, whose sparkling smiles matched my evening French champagne.
The evening champagnes will be sorely missed!
It was a memorable way to celebrate an extraordinary event with close friends. Would I do this journey again? Not in a Pullman cabin with anyone else. In fact, for a train as luxurious as the E&O Express, a State cabin should be their minimum.
However, these days, I’m a convert to the slower ways of travel, whether on a luxury train journey or a peaceful river cruise. Needless to say, several other high-class train journeys are on my list across Asia and the world.
Prices for a Pullman Cabin now start at US$3750.00 per person.
All images © Nannette Holliday
