The Orient Express returns, this time with an Italian heart
It pays homage to the concept of “la dolce vita” and will offer several routes from 2023
The legendary Orient Express train is about to make a triumphant return, but this time its main hub will be Rome’s Termini station. The revamped service will be called Orient Express La Dolce Vita in homage to the glamorous era of the 1960s and 1970s in Italy. The luxury service is expected to enter service in 2023 and will feature 6 trains with as many routes, including 3 international ones connecting the Italian capital to Paris, Split and Istanbul.
There will also be an Orient Express hotel in Rome
Led by Arsenale, in association with Accor Group’s Orient Express and in partnership with Trenitalia and Fondazione FS Italiane, the service will include six trains traveling over 10,000 miles of rail lines across 14 regions of Italy. The aim here is a slow journey with an emphasis on beautiful scenery, exploring off-the-beaten-path corners and supreme service, which will include fine Italian-style cuisine.
Accommodation on board will include 12 luxury cabins, 18 suites and an Honor suite, as well as a restaurant with design elements from the 1960s and 1970s. The latter will update the idea of ββthe Orient Express of its image from the 19th century brand to something more contemporary, but still retro.
Within Italy there will be three routes: North, Center and South. The revived train service will also nod to other contemporary concerns, such as sustainability.
“Rail travel represents the greenest transportation choice, improving travel to major cities as well as small and medium-sized towns with attractive cultural sites and landscapes. The La Dolce Vita train will accelerate luxury rail tourism and will appeal to many passengers as a safe and eco-sustainable means of transport that preserves the environment and allows them to rediscover the most fascinating places in our regions,said Luigi Corradi, CEO and Managing Director of Trenitalia, which is one of the partners in the initiative.
In addition, the first hotel bearing the Orient Express β Minerva brand will open its doors in 2024 in Rome. It will be housed in a 17th century Baroque palace in Piazza di Minerva, in the heart of the Italian capital. In addition, Rome Termini station will have its dedicated Orient Express lounge.
Comments are closed.