Eastern & Oriental Express: Festive Malaysia

It is a three-night journey that boards at Woodlands station in Singapore and returns there on the morning of day four. The train heads north past Kuala Lumpur towards Langkawi and Perlis, then crosses to Penang Island before running south again through Johor. You keep the same cabin from boarding to disembarkation.

This is the December festive voyage, leaving Singapore amid seasonal celebration, exceptional cuisine and glamorous onboard entertainment. Festive-season excursions and celebrations are woven into the programme alongside a cultural visit to Penang Island. It is the same route as the regular Malaysian journeys, but the atmosphere on board is quite different.

Yes. The journey boards on 23 December and spends three nights on the train, so 24 and 25 December are both spent on board and you disembark in Singapore on the morning of 26 December. The festive celebrations are timed around those evenings. It is a popular date, so cabins tend to go well ahead of the season.

Departures are scheduled for 23 December 2026 and 23 December 2027, both leaving from Singapore. The departure list on this page shows each date with the cabin grades open for it and the applicable fare. There is one festive departure per season, so it does not repeat later in the year.

Day two offers three excursions: a speedboat cruise to a secluded Langkawi beach with wellness activities and a boat ride through Kilim Geoforest Park; an adventurous cycle through Perlis Geopark with a former tin mine to discover; or an immersion in Perlis art and culture including batik-making. The morning is spent watching rice paddies and rural villages slide past the window. Evening celebrations take place in the Piano Bar Car.

On day three the train runs the west-coast line and you cross to Penang Island for expert-led excursions: George Town by Vespa, a market-and-cooking experience up Penang Hill, or independent exploration. George Town's UNESCO-listed streets layer Chinese shophouses, temples, mosques and colonial arcades within a few walkable blocks. You rejoin the train at Butterworth for a final evening of dining and entertainment.

Boarding is at Woodlands train station in the north of Singapore, not in the city centre. Complimentary return transfers between your Singapore accommodation and Woodlands are included in the fare. You receive your transfer time with your final travel documents.

Three grades are offered: the Pullman Cabin, the larger State Cabin, and the Presidential Suite. All have en-suite bathrooms, air conditioning and a steward on call 24 hours a day, and all convert from a daytime sitting area to a bedroom in the evening. The grades still open on each festive date are listed on this page.

Fares start from about $5,800 per person for two travellers sharing a cabin, rising with cabin grade and date. The exact fare for each departure and cabin type is shown on this page. That figure already covers meals, house beverages, excursions and transfers.

Yes. A cabin reserved for a single traveller is priced at twice the per-person sharing fare, from about $11,600 on this journey. Sole occupancy depends on availability, which is limited on a festive date. A travel specialist can confirm what is still open before you book flights.

Three nights on board with dedicated 24-hour steward service, all meals - a daily four-course dinner, continental breakfast in your cabin, a three-course lunch and afternoon tea - and house beverages throughout. Festive-season excursions and celebrations are included, along with the cultural visit to Penang Island and return transfers to Woodlands station. Onboard entertainment forms part of the fare.

Flights, hotel nights in Singapore before or after the journey, and travel insurance are not included. Spa treatments, beverages beyond the house selection and personal purchases ashore are charged separately. Gratuities are entirely at your discretion.

Each evening brings a four-course dinner, with a three-course lunch, afternoon tea and continental breakfast served in your cabin. Menus are authored by chef Andre Chiang and rooted in the region the train is crossing, with seasonal dishes on the festive nights. Let us know any dietary requirements when you book so the galley can plan ahead.

Yes, the train carries a Dior Spa. Treatments are booked and paid for separately once you are on board, and they are a good way to break up a busy festive programme. Slots are limited on a full train, so reserve yours early on day one.

Daytime is smart casual and light, with closed shoes for the excursions in a hot, humid climate. Evenings are dressier than usual on a festive departure - a jacket for gentlemen and a cocktail dress or equivalent for ladies suits the Dining Car and Piano Bar Car. Bring a light layer for the air conditioning.

A deposit of 15 percent of the total fare confirms your cabin, with the balance due 56 days before departure. Bookings made within 56 days of the departure date are payable in full immediately. Exact amounts are confirmed in writing before any payment is taken.

Child pricing follows the traveller's age on the departure date, with one band for children under five and another for ages five to under twelve. Cabins are compact and the festive evenings run late, so the journey suits older children better than very young ones. Email travel@palacetours.com or call 786-408-0610 for an exact family quote.

Singapore Changi Airport is served by direct flights from most major cities and is around twenty minutes from the centre. Transfers from your Singapore accommodation to Woodlands station are included, so you only need a hotel for the night before. Flights in the week before Christmas fill early, so book them as soon as your cabin is confirmed.

Expect warm, humid days of around thirty degrees Celsius. Late December sits in the northeast monsoon, which brings short heavy showers, usually in the afternoon, rather than continuous rain, and the west-coast route feels it less than the east. Pack light clothing, a compact rain layer, insect repellent and sun protection.

Email travel@palacetours.com, call 786-408-0610, or send a WhatsApp message to https://wa.me/17864080610, and a travel specialist or our AI assistant will respond. The departure list on this page is bookable directly, so you can choose the 2026 or 2027 date and your cabin grade and confirm online. If you would like to compare the festive departures side by side, just ask.