A red train crossing the stone arches of the Landwasser Viaduct in the Swiss Alps

9 questions, answered · checked 11 November 2026

Luxury cruises and trains: what they cost in rupees, and which to choose

The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, the Glacier Express, a Danube river cruise, a Disney ship from Singapore: travellers from India ask what each costs in rupees, which visa covers it, and whether there will be vegetarian food on board. Here are the answers.

How much does the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express cost in Indian rupees?

The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express costs from €4,510 per person for one night between Paris and Venice in 2027, about ₹4.7 lakh, or about ₹9.5 lakh for two in a Historic Cabin. Suites and Grand Suites cost more than double. The five-night Paris to Istanbul journey starts at €20,940 per person, about ₹22 lakh. Meals on board are included; Historic Cabins have a washbasin but no private shower.

It is a one-night journey, so treat it as the centrepiece of a Europe trip, not as transport.
You need a Schengen visa, and the train sits best between two or three nights each in Paris and Venice.
Suites and peak dates sell out many months ahead, so book the train before the hotels.

Belmond guide fares per adult in a Historic Cabin, checked 11 November 2026, at about ₹105 to the euro.
Journey, 2027	Nights	From, per person	About
Paris to Venice	1	€4,510	₹4.7L
Paris to Venice via Florence	1	€5,120	₹5.4L
Paris to Monaco	1	€4,870	₹5.1L
Paris to Venice with Hotel Cipriani	3	€9,510	₹10L
Paris to Istanbul	5	€20,940	₹22L

Source: Belmond: Venice Simplon-Orient-Express journeys and fares

What does Glacier Express Excellence Class cost, and is it worth it?

Excellence Class costs CHF 590 per person as a seat reservation, about ₹68,000, on top of a first-class ticket (CHF 284 from Zermatt to St Moritz, about ₹32,700) or a first-class Swiss Travel Pass. It buys a guaranteed window seat, a five-course meal and a private bar on the eight-hour journey. It is worth it when the train day is the occasion; otherwise an ordinary first-class seat, with a CHF 54 reservation, is the sensible default.

For two in Excellence Class, plan about ₹2 lakh for the day, tickets included.
Excellence Class can be reserved for the whole timetable period; ordinary seats open 93 days before travel.
A seat reservation is compulsory for every passenger and is not covered by the Swiss Travel Pass.
A second-class ticket from Zermatt to St Moritz is CHF 166, about ₹19,100.

Read the full guide Source: Glacier Express: prices for tickets and seat reservations

How much does Rovos Rail cost per person in Indian rupees?

Rovos Rail's three-night journey from Pretoria to Cape Town costs R45,000 per person sharing in a Pullman suite, about ₹2.6 lakh, on the operator's 2026 rates. A Deluxe suite is R64,800, about ₹3.7 lakh, and a Royal suite R86,400, about ₹4.9 lakh. The fare covers all meals, drinks on board, limited laundry and the excursions at Kimberley and Matjiesfontein. Solo travellers pay 50% more. Ask for the 2027 rates before you plan.

Pullman suites are about 7 square metres, Deluxe 10 and Royal 16.
The train pairs naturally with Cape Town, the Winelands and a private safari lodge.
South Africa's entry rules for Indian passport holders changed in 2026; confirm the current process on dha.gov.za.

Pretoria to Cape Town, three nights, per person sharing, at about ₹5.7 to the rand. Checked on rovos.com, 11 November 2026.
Suite	Per person, 2026	About	For two
Pullman	R45,000	₹2.6L	₹5.1L
Deluxe	R64,800	₹3.7L	₹7.4L
Royal	R86,400	₹4.9L	₹9.8L

Source: Rovos Rail: Cape Town journey, suites and rates

What does the Eastern & Oriental Express cost, and does it still run from Singapore to Bangkok?

The Eastern & Oriental Express costs from US$10,400 per Pullman cabin for three nights, about ₹9.8 lakh for two, on Belmond's current listing. None of the published journeys goes to Bangkok: each starts in Singapore and travels through Malaysia, to Penang, Taman Negara or Langkawi. A six-night version with a stay at The Datai Langkawi starts at US$16,000 per cabin, about ₹15 lakh for two.

Cabins come in three grades: Pullman, State and Presidential Suite.
You need a Singapore visa, arranged through an authorised agent, to join the train.
Malaysia's 30-day visa exemption for Indians is published only to 31 December 2026; check before a 2027 journey.
Three nights on board pair well with two or three nights in Singapore.

Belmond guide fares for a Pullman Cabin with two guests, checked 11 November 2026.
Journey	Nights	From, per cabin	About, for two
Wild Malaysia	3	US$10,400	₹9.8L
Essence of Malaysia	3	US$11,000	₹10.3L
Festive Celebration	3	US$11,600	₹10.9L
New Year Celebration	3	US$12,200	₹11.5L
Tiger Express	6	US$16,000	₹15L

Source: Belmond: Eastern & Oriental Express journeys and fares Source: Immigration Department of Malaysia, visa requirement by country

How much does a Europe river cruise cost from India?

A seven-night Danube or Rhine river cruise costs about ₹4 lakh to ₹12 lakh for two, cruise only, depending on the line and the cabin. Viking's eight-day Danube Waltz from Budapest to Passau starts at US$1,999 per person for 2027, about ₹1.9 lakh, in its lowest cabin; balcony cabins and the fully inclusive lines cost two to three times that. Add flights, a Schengen visa and two hotel nights at each end.

The Danube, with Budapest and Vienna, suits first-timers and parents; the Rhine pairs well with Switzerland.
May, June and September are the best months; Christmas-market sailings run from late November to just before Christmas.
You unpack once and walk little, which is why river cruises work for older parents.
Low water in late summer can force coach transfers on some stretches, so avoid August if your dates are flexible.

Source: Viking: Danube river cruises and 2027 fares

What does the Disney cruise from Singapore cost, and how do we book it from India?

The Disney Adventure has no fixed published fare: Disney Cruise Line prices each three or four-night sailing from Singapore per person in US dollars, and fares move with the date, the stateroom and demand, so take a live quote before planning around a figure. Inside staterooms outside school holidays are the lowest; verandah staterooms, holiday sailings and concierge suites cost several times more. Every Indian traveller needs a Singapore visa, through an authorised agent, valid for re-entry when the ship returns.

Mowgli's Eatery on board serves Indian food, with vegetarian dishes.
Concierge staterooms and the December, summer and Diwali sailings sell out first; book six to nine months ahead.
Add two or three nights in Singapore for the zoo, Sentosa and Gardens by the Bay.
A family of four needs a stateroom that sleeps four or two connecting staterooms; ask before paying.

Source: Disney Cruise Line: the Disney Adventure Source: ICA Singapore, visa guidelines

How much does an expedition cruise to Antarctica or the Arctic cost from India?

An Antarctica expedition costs about ₹11 lakh to ₹27 lakh or more per person, or ₹22 lakh to ₹55 lakh or more for two, covering the cruise and hotels, and takes 16 to 18 days door to door from India. The season is November to March, sailing from Ushuaia or by fly-cruise from Punta Arenas. Arctic voyages around Svalbard are shorter, usually 7 to 10 nights, mostly from June to August, and are priced by ship and cabin in the same way.

Choose a ship with under 200 guests, so that everyone gets ashore at each landing.
Suites and fly-cruise departures, which skip the Drake Passage, sell out 12 to 18 months ahead.
Vegetarian and Jain meals must be ordered with the ship before sailing; nothing can be added at sea.

Read the full guide

Do Indians need a visa for every port on a cruise?

Yes, as a rule: an Indian passport holder needs a valid visa for the country where the cruise starts and for each country it calls at, and the cruise line will deny boarding without them. A Mediterranean cruise that leaves the Schengen area and returns needs a multiple-entry Schengen visa. A cruise from Singapore needs a Singapore visa. Alaska sailings need a US visa and, where the ship calls at Canada, a Canadian visa as well.

Check the visa type as well as the country: a single-entry visa fails on an itinerary that re-enters a zone.
Apply for a Schengen visa 8 to 12 weeks ahead and attach the full cruise itinerary.
Some ports allow cruise passengers ashore without a visa, but this varies by nationality; confirm each one with its consulate.
Cruise lines check documents at the pier and give no refund for a missing visa.

Read the full guide Source: Royal Caribbean: travel documents and visas

Which cruises and luxury trains serve good Indian vegetarian and Jain food?

Large family ships are the easiest: the Disney Adventure from Singapore has an Indian eatery, Mowgli's Eatery, with vegetarian dishes. On small luxury ships, river cruises, expedition vessels and trains such as the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, vegetarian and Jain meals are cooked to order but must be requested in writing, ideally 30 days or more before departure. Say exactly what Jain means for your family: no onion, no garlic and no root vegetables.

Send the request at booking and confirm it with the restaurant manager on the first evening.
On a one-night train the menu is planned in advance, so late requests are hard to honour.
Expedition ships provision once for the whole voyage and cannot add ingredients after sailing.
Carry a few familiar snacks for children and elders on days ashore.

Source: Disney Cruise Line: Mowgli's Eatery

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