The London to Folkestone section of the Orient Express is being grounded after 41 years due to a disruption in Brexit border controls, with a rail expert calling the removal of the train a “sad loss”.

The British section of the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express will be closed by operator Belmond in 2024 due to Brexit border control disruption.

For the past 41 years, passengers have boarded the British Pullman in London Victoria, disembarked at Folkestone, crossed the English Channel by coach and continued their journey from Calais on the Continental Pullman.

But from 2024, Belmond will run its Venice Simplon-Orient-Express train to and from Paris, with British passengers traveling between London and the French capital on Eurostar.

Belmond said the move is intended to reduce disruption caused by enhanced passport checks, but is not necessarily permanent.

The operator said in a statement: “Prior to the introduction of enhanced biometric passport checks between the UK and Europe, Belmond has decided to operate its Venice Simplon-Orient-Express train to and from Paris in 2024.

This temporary measure is intended to minimize the risk of travel disruption and to continue to offer our guests the best possible service. We hope to re-introduce the London-Folkestone route on board our British Pullman in the future.”

Rail expert Mark Smith, founder of the Man in Seat 61 website, told MailOnline Travel that the suspension of the UK route of the Belmond Pullman service was a “sad loss”.

He said: “It is a great shame that Brexit border controls are undoing the UK leg of this iconic journey after 41 years. The British Pullman from Victoria Station to Folkestone has always been the perfect starter for the nocturnal journey from Calais to Venice aboard the blue and gold Wagons-Lits.

“Eurostar may be fast and comfortable, but it’s not quite the smoked salmon and champagne fare as classic 1920s and 1930s Pullman carriages travel the traditional ‘Boat Train’ route through rural Kent. It is a sad loss.’

The border disruption at Dover is already acute at times – these Easter travelers waited until 4pm to board the ferries.

But the introduction of Etias’ visa-free regime in 2024 and the introduction of the EES (Entry/Exit System) will take UK border control into uncharted territory.

One expert predicted that Etias would cause “complete chaos”.

The Etias passport, a US Esta-style ‘visa waiver’, costs £6 (€7) and is valid for three years or until a passport expires.

Belmond said: “Ahead of the introduction of enhanced biometric passport checks between the UK and Europe, Belmond has decided to operate its Venice Simplon-Orient-Express train to and from Paris in 2024.”

It can be used for stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Once purchased, Britons will be fingerprinted and photographed when they enter Europe – just like when they arrive in the US.

The Etias, which stands for European Travel Information and Authorization System, was supposed to launch in November but has been pushed back to an unconfirmed date in 2024.

But Rob Burgess, founder of frequent flyer website Head for Points, outlined the future challenges the pass poses. He told MailOnline Travel: “To be honest, the main problems are that it’s not widespread and that people don’t know that they need to apply for a visa waiver before traveling to Europe. Secondly, the requirement to take fingerprints and photographs on your first visit to Europe after activating your Etias will cause incredible problems.”

He added: “We’ve all heard stories of people being held up in US immigration for three to four hours where no counters are open and a couple of planes arriving at the same time and lots of people taking off. Flights that didn’t go through on the same Esta do not have.’

There can also be significant check-in queues for Eurostar trains once the pass is valid. The travel expert said: “At least for the first six to 12 months of people being shot and photographed, it could easily become complete chaos.”

He adds that it is not yet clear whether travelers will be required to take a photo and fingerprint with each new Etias.

Rail expert Mark Smith, founder of the Man in Seat 61 website, told MailOnline Travel that the suspension of the UK route of the Belmond Pullman service was a “sad loss”.

The passport is required for people from a country whose citizens do not require a visa to visit Europe. This includes the USA, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Brazil, Mexico and Japan.

The EES system (Entry/Exit System), which will work in conjunction with the Etias pass, will be introduced later this year.

It is an automated system that requires travelers to scan their passports at a self-service kiosk to register non-EU travelers when crossing the border. The system collects biometric data such as fingerprints and a photo, as well as the date and place of entry and exit.