World-renowned detective Hercule Poirot seeks a bit of respite from his vocation but finds no such luck aboard the luxurious Orient Express. Bound for Calais, the train is a cross-section of 1930s society, boasting a diverse set of passengers from various origins and with hidden depths. The journey is abruptly halted by an avalanche that forces the train to a standstill, and the tranquility of travel is shattered when a malevolent businessman is discovered murdered in his compartment. With the locomotive isolated by snow and all aboard stranded, suspicion mounts, and everyone is a potential suspect in the detective’s eyes.

Poirot's unparalleled powers of detection are put to the ultimate test as he embarks on an impromptu investigation within the confines of the stranded train. Every passenger becomes the focus of intense scrutiny as the detective uses his methodical approach to ascertain motive, opportunity, and means. With a myriad of conflicting alibis and personal connections to the dead man emerging, the complexity of the case deepens. The detective must sift through a web of red herrings and deceit to expose the perpetrator before the train is freed from the snow's grip and the chance to administer justice slips away.