Venice Simplon-Orient-Express Unveils World’s Most Expensive Train Car

The world’s most famous train, the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, A Belmond Train, has an extraordinary new carriage that will be unveiled in March, 2025. L’Observatoire is a private and exclusive sleeper carriage conceived and designed over three years by the French artist known simply as JR. It is a movable work of art and, without a doubt, the most expensive train carriage in the world.

It is the first artist-designed carriage in the train’s storied history and has been dubbed “an artwork in motion.” It has all of the comforts one would expect at this level of luxury, from a private bedroom with a double bed to an ensuite bathroom and a freestanding bathtub.

“I envisioned the carriage primarily through shapes, with curved corners and round windows, so guests have little places to daydream.”

There’s also a spacious wardrobe, a reclining daybed, and a lounge area that can serve as a private dining room. This lavishly appointed accommodation, the train’s largest, has a library with more than 1,000 books curated by French publisher Gallimard and a secret tearoom with a fireplace. Two oculi adorn the ceiling in the bedroom and the tearoom, allowing guests to gaze at the sky as the train travels through Europe.

What takes this luxury carriage to an even more ethereal level is the incredibly detailed work of JR, who follows in a line of artists who have worked with the VSOE, such as René Lalique, the French Art Deco designer renowned for his glass art. But in this case, JR’s mandate was far broader, encompassing the entire train carriage.

The artist has long had a passion for trains and was further inspired by the design of his art studio in Paris, the charm of century-old crafts, astronomical observatories, and the cabinets of curiosity of Renaissance Europe.

“With L’Observatoire, people can enter my imaginary world, JR said in a press release. “I envisioned the carriage primarily through shapes, with curved corners and round windows, so guests have little places to daydream. Guests can now stay in an artist’s private space while being in the most iconic train in the world – experiencing this creative crossroads for the duration of a journey is very special and hasn’t been seen in this way before”.

“I have a very long story with trains – they’ve always been a canvas for me.”

The train carriage is a series of different environments where JR injects an extraordinarily high level of detail, featuring details that JR curated to drive the curiosity of guests. The carriage is instilled with the artist’s imagination, so there are hidden compartments and even secret messages layered in the intricate marquetry, the latter a collaboration between JR and Atelier Philippe Allemand.

“I have a very long story with trains – they’ve always been a canvas for me,” JR said. “When I was a kid, I would sit by the window and just watch the world go by. There is something about viewing the changing landscape from a bubble as if you are traveling through different worlds.”

The L’Observatoire carriage is available upon request including on the classic one-night Paris to Venice journey and the annual five-night Paris-Istanbul itinerary. The per night stay will include all meals with a sommelier’s choice of wine and unlimited soft drinks, 24-hour butler service, private in-cabin dining, transfers to and from the train, bespoke amenities, and further “special surprise touches from JR.” Now open for bookings, the price for L’Observatoire begins at £ 80,000 ($101,582) per night, based on double occupancy.