150 Years Ago, Georges Nagelmackers Turned A Dream Into A Reality When He Launched The First Luxury Orient Express Train.
Soon, Orient Express will head back on track to offer travellers an unforgettable journey through one of the world’s most beloved countries: Italy.
The Orient Express La Dolce Vita routes will welcome passengers starting in 2023 with 6 trains and several iconic itineraries. Guests will travel in luxury through a leisurely-paced tour from Northern to Southern Italy, across 14 regions, and beyond including 3 international destinations from Rome to Paris, Istanbul, and Split. A magical stopover in Rome will feature the very first Orient Express Hotel, Minerva scheduled to open in 2024.
La Dolce Vita: A love affair with Italy
La Dolce Vita train offers travellers an extraordinary journey. The concept for the new trains pays tribute to “La Dolce Vita”, a historical period of great eclectic and artistic fervour in Italy during the 1960s. This was an iconic era when Italy enhanced its creativity in the fields of industry, art, entertainment and shared it with the world.
La Dolce Vita represents a legendary time. It is symbolic of a dream, a style, a deep-rooted desire, an inspiration many people share, namely a life of well-being, enjoyment, and pleasure. It is a tribute to Rome, the «Città Eterna», the Eternal City, that honours the country’s cinema from Fellini’s famous film (“La Dolce Vita,” 1960) to the glamour of Sophia Loren, Marcello Mastroianni, Anita Ekberg and Gina Lollobrigida.
It is an ode to Italian seduction, the flavours of Italian cuisine and the artistic competition that has forever been the source of vast imagination. It is the evocation of a unique art of living where a carefree attitude reigns. Travellers will soon have the opportunity to experience the timeless Orient Express La Dolce Vita train that aims to embody the essence of Italian joie de vivre.
Discover the wonders of Italy
La Dolce Vita train invites travellers to embark on a journey through the beautiful Italian landscape while celebrating all things meriting the ‘Made in Italy’ stamp. An environmentally- friendly “slow tourism” adventure awaits where forgotten roads are explored, hidden treasures discovered and where architectural triumphs take centre stage. This new Orient Express train service marks the beginning of an exciting new frontier in the luxury hospitality market that highlights the beauty and worldwide appeal of Italy. From its warm Mediterranean climate to its stunning coastal towns, mountain villages, beaches, rolling countryside, historic sites, iconic art, and legendary gastronomy – the treasures of Italy never fail to delight. Travelling through Italy from north to south, the Orient Express La Dolce Vitatrain will crisscross the country via exceptional itineraries to surprise, delight, and transport travellers to the soul of their destinations. It is both a journey into the heart of nature, through its lakes, forests, sumptuous coasts and Alpine mountains and an immersion into the centre of cities that are international hubs of art and culture from Milan to Florence, Venice, and Rome.
Connections to Legendary Cities
Reminiscent of the Golden Age of the Orient Express and its legendary route, La Dolce Vita train will connect the cities of Rome to Paris, Istanbul and Split. It is an invitation for bold adventurers to experience fascinating destinations and foreign cultural experiences.
Luxurious Travel by Dimorestudio
The epitome of excellence, the Orient Express La Dolce Vita train embodies the Italian art of living and all its beautiful traditions. Designed by Dimorestudio, the global architectural and design studio founded by Emiliano Salci and Britt Moran in 2003, the train’s sumptuous decor boldly celebrates the craftsmanship, design and creativity of the 1960s and 1970s.
From the inspirations of the masters of Italian design including Carlo Scarpa, Gio Ponti, and Ignazio Gardella to the great artists of the Spatialism movement that puts space and time at the centre of its compositions, such as Lucio Fontana, Agostino Bonalumi, and Enrico Castellani, La Dolce Vita train marries the golden age of Italian design with a more contemporary spirit of travel.
“The design project of Orient Express La Dolce Vita was conceived to embody a flawless and understated balance between historical and contemporary, without losing its authenticity. The spaces are thoughtfully designed and well-curated without being ostentatious and always well-curated. Every element should feel like it has always belonged there, to create a sense of sophisticated depth and visual weights that can be interpreted as layers of exclusiveness. The subtle details complement each other and flow effortlessly.” – Britt Moran and Emiliano Salci.
Railways and Hospitality: A Sustainable Way to Travel
In Italy, there will be more than 16,000 km of workable railway lines, 7,000 of which are not electrified and are vestiges of Italy’s storied history. Thanks to a partnership with Trenitalia – Gruppo Ferrovie dello Stato and Fondazione FS Italiane, it will be possible to reach long-forgotten places through these off- the-beaten-track routes and enjoy a new way of experiencing the country.
“Train travel represents the greener choice of transportation, enhancing trips to great cities as well as small-medium sized locations with appealing cultural sites and scenery. La Dolce Vita train will accelerate luxury rail tourism and will appeal to many passengers as a safe and eco-sustainable way of moving that protects the environment and allows them to rediscover the most fascinating places in our regions.” declared Luigi Corradi, CEO and General Manager of Trenitalia.
Complementing this focus on sustainability, the country has also spearheaded the slow-travel movement, encouraging more sustainable and authentic experiences, and the ‘Made in Italy’ campaign, providing access to the best products from each region.
The Orient Express Executive Lounge at Roma Termini
At Rome Termini station, the centre of every route for the Orient Express La Dolce Vita train, a historical building owned by Fondazione FS will be completely refurbished. There, guests will enjoy a warm welcome and refreshments while awaiting their journeys in a convivial and elegant space, complete with dedicated services and staff to assist them.
5 Star Service
The elegant simplicity of Italian design and eclectic delicacies converge in the haute cuisine aboard Orient Express La Dolce Vita train. In collaboration with renowned local and international chefs and bartenders, travellers will experience award-winning Italian wines and exclusive recipes prepared by starred master chefs. On-board services will include fine dining, entertainment and a lounge bar, trained staff dedicated to providing the highest standards of luxury, reserved routes, and offers created “ad hoc” with exclusive locations and additional options: including ground services and key contacts in the territory, plus an integrated supply chain on and near the rails.
About the Orient Express La Dolce Vita Train
Born from an association between Arsenale and Accor, the Orient Express La Dolce Vita trains will offer a luxury travel experience like no other where the journey becomes the destination. The train will offer multiple itineraries throughout Italy and the great capitals of the European continent and all the way to the gates of the Orient. This project confirms Arsenale’s development strategy. In addition to enhancing the value of prestigious Italian assets in the luxury sector alongside the largest international brands, the group integrates its capacity to create new cutting-edge hospitality at the highest level, ready to face the challenges in the tourism market of the near future.
Paolo Barletta, CEO of Arsenale S.p.A, explains: “It is a great honour and privilege to work with Orient Express, one of the most prestigious luxury brands in the world. This agreement marks a new stage for our La Dolce Vita trains – a mark of trust and esteem that enriches the Italian tourist offer. We will take travellers to discover new itineraries, to unique places where they will be able to live a ‘Made In Italy’ experience with a warmth entirely our own. The journey itself becomes the destination and Italy has never been so close and sensational.”
Sébastien Bazin, Chairman & CEO Accor, expresses: “At Accor, we consider it an immense privilege to re-launch the historic Orient Express brand for passionate and discerning travellers. These trains offer a new vision of luxury travel that is beyond our imagination. Our association with Arsenale Group has opened up new horizons in perfect harmony with the heritage and philosophy of Orient Express and marks our constant desire to keep moving forward.”
Stephen Alden, CEO Raffles and Orient Express, Accor says: “It is thrilling to be bringing the refined nomadic spirit of Orient Express back to life for a new generation of travellers. The original train route was innovative in the way it paradoxically brought cultures together – the Occident with the Orient, history with modernity. As artisans of travel, we wish to revive this old-world, awe-inspiring ‘journey to elsewhere’ and reconcile certain paradoxes: a journey and a destination, astonishment and inspiration, movement, and contemplation. Against the backdrop of breathtaking panoramas and a unique blend of cultures, we are convinced that travellers will have unforgettable experiences in Italy with Orient Express La Dolce Vita.”
