More than 150 years ago, Georges Nagelmackers, a young Belgian with a passion for railways, was turning a dream into reality when he was launching the first Orient Express luxury train across Europe, which was covering the Paris-Istanbul route on its longest journey. Agatha Christie’s novel “Murder on the Orient Express” (1934) was catapulting this brand to worldwide fame as the most luxurious train in the world.
Now Orient Express, in partnership with French hotel company Accor and Italian firm Arsenale SpA, has announced the return of the iconic train to Italy with the Orient Express La Dolce Vita, which will welcome its first passengers in 2023. Six trains will run several itineraries through 14 Italian regions, including three international routes from Rome to Paris, Istanbul and Split (Croatia).
Six trains will travel various itineraries through 14 Italian regions, including three international routes from Rome to Paris, Istanbul and Split (Croatia).
Exterior of the Orient Express La Dolce Vita, Dimore studio.
Rome starting point
Travelers can spend between one and three nights aboard the new trains, with lengthy layover times at each stop. Rome will be at the heart of every trip, and travelers will be able to stay at the renovated Grand Hotel Minerva. Accor acquired a 50% stake in the share capital of Orient Express in 2017, which was previously 100% owned by the SNCF Group. The newly managed hotels have no connection to the former Orient Express Hotels, which were rebranded as Belmond Hotels in 2014. Accor plans to open five hotels under this iconic brand in London, Paris, Rome, Milan and Florence.
Nor should the new Orient Express La Dolce Vita be confused with Belmond’s Venice Simplon-Orient Express. While the original Orient Express transported guests back to the 1920s, the new Orient Express La Dolce Vita celebrates the 1960s and ’70s , a historical period known in Italy as “La Dolce Vita.”
Dining car of the Orient Express La Dolce Vita, Dimore studio.
5 star service
With the support of Trenitalia and Fondazione FS Italiane, the new train invites passengers to travel through more than 16,000 km of railway lines, 7,000 of which are not electrified, for which the Orient Express La Dolce Vita offers a new way to discover Italy with the taste of almost forgotten times. Designed by Dimorestudio, each of the six Orient Express La Dolce Vita trains has eleven cars (including a restaurant car), twelve luxury cabins, 18 suites and one honor suite for a total of 62 passengers. Travelers will experience 5-star service on board, with award-winning Italian wines and exclusive haute cuisine. Details on the exact itineraries for the new Orient Express La Dolce Vita will be released next year.
Each of the six Orient Express La Dolce Vita trains has eleven cars (including a dining car), twelve luxury cabins, 18 suites and one honor suite for a total of 62 passengers.
Image of a Deluxe Suite, Dimore studio.
New vision of luxury travel
“We at Accor consider it an immense privilege to relaunch the historic Orient Express brand for the most passionate and discerning travellers. These trains are offering a new vision of luxury travel that is beyond our imagination”, said Sébastien Bazin, who is the president and CEO of Accor, in a press release. For his part, Paolo Barletta, who is the CEO of Arsenale SpA, was declaring that “it is a great honor and a privilege to work with Orient Express, one of the most prestigious luxury brands in the world. This agreement is marking a new stage for our La Dolce Vita trains”.
