Eastern & Oriental Express: Tiger Express

It is a six-night journey that begins and ends in Singapore, boarding at Woodlands train station and returning there at the end. In between the train travels north into Malaysia, reaching Taman Negara, the northern states and Penang before running back down the west-coast line. You unpack once and keep the same cabin throughout.

This is a bespoke charity departure in aid of Save Wild Tigers, combining the finest of the train's Malaysian itineraries with conservation experiences you cannot book on a standard date. The programme is built around the critically endangered Malayan tiger and the habitat it depends on, with excursions led in that spirit. It is also considerably longer than the regular Malaysian journeys, at six nights rather than three.

Boarding is at Woodlands train station in the north of Singapore, near the crossing to Malaysia rather than in the city centre. Complimentary return transfers between your Singapore accommodation and Woodlands are included in the fare, so there is no car to arrange. Your transfer time is confirmed with your travel documents before departure.

Day one boards in Singapore and heads north; day two reaches Taman Negara for conservation-focused excursions in Malayan tiger habitat; day three continues through northern Malaysia with curated cultural and wildlife experiences. Day four is Penang Island and George Town, day five runs the west-coast line with time for the spa and the dining car, and day six brings a final evening of celebration before the return to Singapore.

Taman Negara is one of the oldest rainforests on earth and the core of the Malayan tiger's remaining range. The day is given over to conservation-focused excursions into that habitat, guided by people who work there. It is the heart of this particular departure and the reason the itinerary turns inland before heading for the coast.

Penang Island is Malaysia's great cultural melting pot, and George Town, its UNESCO-listed core, mixes Chinese shophouses, colonial arcades, temples, mosques and one of Asia's most celebrated street-food scenes. The train calls here on day four, and excursions are led by guides who know the island's layers well. It is the most urban day of the journey and a sharp contrast to the rainforest.

Three cabin grades are offered: the Pullman Cabin, the more spacious State Cabin, and the Presidential Suite at the top of the range. Each has an en-suite bathroom and 24-hour steward service, and each converts between a daytime sitting room and a sleeping cabin. Availability on a one-off charity departure is finite, and the grades still open are shown on this page.

Fares start from about $8,000 per person for two travellers sharing a cabin, rising with cabin grade. The exact fare for each cabin type on this departure is shown on this page. For six nights with all meals, beverages and excursions included, that figure covers almost everything between boarding and disembarkation.

Yes. A cabin held for one traveller is priced at twice the per-person sharing fare, from about $16,000 on this journey, because the entire cabin is reserved for you. Sole occupancy depends on what remains unsold, which matters more than usual on a single charity departure. Ask early and a travel specialist will check availability for you.

Six nights on board with 24-hour steward service, all meals - a four-course dinner daily, continental breakfast in your cabin, a three-course lunch and afternoon tea - and house beverages throughout. The curated excursion programme is included, tiger-conservation experiences among it, along with return transfers between your Singapore accommodation and Woodlands station. Onboard entertainment is part of the journey too.

International flights, hotel nights in Singapore before or after the journey, and travel insurance are not included. Spa treatments are charged separately, as are beverages outside the house selection and personal purchases ashore. Gratuities are left entirely to your discretion.

Yes, the train carries a Dior Spa, which comes into its own on the long west-coast run of day five when the train is moving for much of the day. Treatments are booked separately once you are aboard. On a six-night journey there is real scope to build them into your week rather than squeezing one in.

Dining is the centrepiece: a four-course dinner every evening, a three-course lunch, afternoon tea, and a continental breakfast served in your cabin. Menus are authored by chef Andre Chiang and rooted in the region the train is passing through, with Southeast Asian ingredients treated seriously. Dietary requirements can be accommodated if you tell us well before departure.

Daytime is smart casual, with light breathable clothing for a tropical climate and closed shoes for rainforest excursions. Evenings are dressier - a jacket for gentlemen, a dress or equivalent for ladies suits the Dining Car and the Piano Bar Car. Pack a light layer for the air conditioning, which can feel cool after a humid afternoon.

The journey is offered on 9 May 2027, leaving Singapore on that date and returning six nights later. The departure list on this page shows every date currently on sale together with the cabin grades open for it. Because this is a one-off charity departure rather than a regular schedule, the cabins are finite and the date does not repeat.

A deposit of 15 percent of the total fare confirms your cabin, with the balance due 56 days before departure. Book within 56 days of the departure date and the full amount is payable at the time of booking. Exact figures for your party are confirmed in writing before any payment is taken.

Child pricing is set by the traveller's age on the day of departure, with one band for children under five and another for those aged five to under twelve. Cabin space is limited, and a six-night itinerary with rainforest excursions suits older children better than toddlers. Email travel@palacetours.com or call 786-408-0610 and we will price your family precisely.

Singapore Changi Airport is served by long-haul flights from most regions, and the city is roughly twenty minutes from the airport by taxi. Because boarding is at Woodlands station in the north of the island and transfers are included from your Singapore accommodation, plan to spend at least the previous night in the city. That also gives you a buffer against flight delays.

Malaysia is tropical and warm year-round, so expect temperatures in the low thirties Celsius, high humidity, and short heavy showers rather than all-day rain. May sits between the peninsula's monsoon patterns and works well for both rainforest and coast. Bring 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 pick it up. The departure list on this page is bookable directly, so you can choose your cabin grade and confirm the 9 May 2027 date online. If you would like to compare it with the shorter Malaysian journeys first, just ask.