The train will start rolling once again on a variety of journeys criss-crossing Italy and nearby parts of Europe after 14 years out of action. These will explore various itineraries lasting from between one and three nights, most beginning at Rome’s Termini station and travelling across the Trenitalia rail network
The iconic Orient Express train (remember detective Hercule Poirot) is being relaunched in 2023. The Orient Express La Dolce Vita will feature six trains each comprising 11 carriages decorated to reflect the historic glamour and sophistication of 1960s Italian culture. The train will start rolling once again on a variety of journeys criss-crossing Italy and nearby parts of Europe after 14 years out of action. These will explore various itineraries lasting from between one and three nights, most beginning at Rome’s Termini station and travelling across the Trenitalia rail network.
The historic train has been revitalised with sophistication and romance to help you fall in love with travelling by rail. Think of journeys like the Flying Scotsman; the Golden Eagle from Moscow to Vladivostok; Western Canada’s Rocky Mountaineer or even The Ghan between Adelaide and Darwin – each indelibly linked with refined notions of grandeur.
The trains will visit 128 stations in 14 regions covering routes from Rome to Istanbul, the Croatian city of Split and Paris – the latter being the city where the Orient Express name set off on its maiden journey to the city then known as Constantinople (now Istanbul) in 1883. Trips visiting Rome will also include an overnight stay at the first Orient Express hotel in the city’s Pantheon district, which opens in 2024.
The Orient Express rail journey has come about through an investment from hotel operator Accor, which intends to relaunch the storied 150-year-old marque and broaden its scope to include a new hotel brand based on the classic train. “These trains offer a new vision of luxury travel that is beyond our imagination,” said Accor Chairman and CEO, Sébastien Bazin.
Prior to departure, travellers will be able to access a special Orient Express executive lounge serving refreshments in a setting previewing what is to come. Once onboard, travellers will be able to book their choice of 12 Deluxe cabins, 18 Suites and one ‘Honour Suite’. Another carriage will offer a dining car with a locally curated wine list and haute cuisine.
Passengers will then be able to move next door to a ‘bar car’ to enjoy beverages while being serenaded by a grand cocktail piano entertainment.
The Orient Express rail journey has come about through an investment from hotel operator Accor, which intends to relaunch the storied 150-year-old marque and broaden its scope to include a new hotel brand based on the classic train. “These trains offer a new vision of luxury travel that is beyond our imagination,” said Accor Chairman and CEO, Sébastien Bazin.
Accor also plans to develop a slate of hotels bearing the Orient Express name, with each property drawing inspiration from the iconic railway. “If we succeed by sharing the history, guests will feel like they are part of the myth of the Orient Express,” says Guillaume de Saint Lager, executive director of the Orient Express Hotels. Hotels will be placed in sites in Europe, North America, Asia, and the Middle East and will combine the overall Orient Express theme with destination-specific touches.
Auer incorporated features such as oval windows with stained glass and leather paneling, while decorations with lacquer, silk, ceramics, and basketwork in the lobby will echo the trimmings and cabinet work in individual rooms. “It’s difficult because everybody has a different idea of the Orient Express,” De Saint Lager says of living up to the public’s imagination of the grandeur. “We have to refer to the history and never break the link. That’s where we get the authenticity of what we do.”
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