Renderings have been released that show the stunning interiors of the new Italian ‘Orient Express’ that will transport passengers in total luxury when it begins running in 2023.
Images have also been unveiled for the exterior, which looks pretty eye-catching, too.
Passengers aboard the ‘Orient Express La Dolce Vita’ will enjoy ‘five-star service’ surrounded by ‘sumptuous decor’ on journeys through Italy and further afield to Paris and Istanbul.
The new ‘Orient Express’, shown in the rendering above, will transport passengers in total luxury through Italy when it begins running in 2023
Passengers aboard the ‘Orient Express La Dolce Vita’ will enjoy ‘five-star service’ and ‘sumptuous decor’
The train, created by the hotel group Accor and construction company Arsenale Spa, will rival the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, which is operated by Belmond and travels through Europe from London and Venice.
There will be six ‘Orient Express La Dolce Vita’ trains, each carrying 62 passengers and featuring 12 ‘deluxe cabins’, 18 suites, and one ‘Honour Suite’.
Designed by architectural firm Dimorestudio, the carriage interiors aim to reflect the ‘craftsmanship, design and creativity of the 1960s and 1970s’.
Dimorestudio designers Britt Moran and Emiliano Salci say: ‘The spaces are thoughtfully designed and well-curated without being ostentatious.’
In the restaurant carriage, passengers will feast on ‘exclusive recipes prepared by starred master chefs’. There will be entertainment on board, and a lounge bar, where guests can sample some ‘award-winning Italian wines’.
A rendering of the restaurant. The carriage interiors aim to reflect the ‘craftsmanship, design and creativity of the 1960s and 1970s’
The main hub for the train will be Roma Termini, Rome’s main railway station. The Orient Express Executive Lounge there will be ‘completely refurbished’ to coincide with the launch of the new service.
A statement says of the lounge: ‘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.’
Where to next? Passengers will be able to choose from several itineraries aboard the Orient Express La Dolce Vita.
There will be six ‘Orient Express La Dolce Vita’ trains, with each carriage designed by the architectural firm Dimorestudio. The above rendering shows a deluxe suite
Many are focused on exploring Italy alone. One route travels through the Italian Lake District to the Veneto region, via the Dolomites. Along the way, guests can ‘experience the first truffles and wine of the season’ and admire the ‘peaks of the Alps in Cortina’.
A second itinerary – described as an ‘ode to slow travel and Italian lifestyle’ – takes guests to the hills of Umbria, while a third traverses through Tuscany and Florence. Another takes passengers to Campania to ‘see the picturesque Naples and Pompei’.
Travelling to the island of Sicily is also being touted as an option (presumably using the amazing ‘train ferry’), with the train snaking past Mount Etna and stopping off for passengers to ‘discover Sicilian wineries and beaches.’
‘The spaces are thoughtfully designed and well-curated without being ostentatious,’ the designers say. Above is a rendering of the lounge bar
The ‘Orient Express La Dolce Vita’ will cover 16,000km (9,942miles) of railway lines on its various routes
One service will trundle from Rome to Paris via the French Riviera, while a second heads for the Croatian city of Split along the Dalmatian coast. Another ‘dreamy voyage’ travels on the ‘historic route of the Orient-Express’ to Istanbul.
In total, these varied routes will cover 16,000km (9,942miles) of railway lines and will pass through 131 different cities.
The service is billed as a green approach to luxury travel, designed to appeal to passengers ‘as a safe and eco-sustainable way of moving that protects the environment’.
Stephen Alden, CEO of Raffles and Orient Express, Accor, says of the concept: ‘It is thrilling to be bringing the refined nomadic spirit of Orient Express back to life for a new generation of travellers.
‘As artisans of travel, we wish to revive this old-world, awe-inspiring “journey to elsewhere”.
‘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.’
Paolo Barletta, CEO of Arsenale Spa, adds: ‘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.’
For more information visit group.accor.com.