A new version of the Orient Express train is coming to Italy in 2023

Project of what the Orient Express La Dolce Vita will be like /

(Divulgação/CASACOR)

In 2023, many travelers will have a new opportunity to experience the glamorous train à la "Orient Express" in Italy - this one, which has already been nicknamed " Orient Express La Dolce Vita " for this new version. The project will launch six different trains across 14 Italian regions, three international routes and over 16,000 miles of rail lines . Journeys are expected to last between one and three days , and bookings have been open since June 2022. It's been 45 years since the original Orient Express was discontinued due to a decline in passenger numbers, although similar trains following slightly different routes have appeared over the years. “We are bringing back a luxury icon , but with a totally Italian twist,” says Paolo Barletta , CEO of Arsenale, an Italian real estate investment firm.

(Divulgação/CASACOR)

“The Orient Express La Dolce Vita will offer a window into some of the lesser-known parts of our country , while still stopping in Rome, Florence and Milan, and providing the high level of service for which it has always been known. The idea is to give passengers the chance to get off the train and explore Italy’s less obvious destinations – a 360-degree ‘dolce vita’ experience,” he explains. In addition to Italy, the revived train service will also run to three international destinations: Istanbul, Paris and the Croatian port of Split . Just as in the golden age of train travel, when travelers would sometimes leave their cabins to spend the night in a luxury hotel, passengers will also be able to check into an express hotel , the Minerva , scheduled to open in 2024. The historic property – a 17th-century Baroque palace near the Pantheon – will be the first in a collection of Orient Express hotels . “Think of it as an updated version of the Orient Express,” says Barletta. “The railway has redefined luxury travel and has come to represent much more than just a train . With this new project, we want to write its next chapter .”

Historic décor with a modern twist

When the original Orient Express train rolled out in 1883, its carriages were among the most luxurious of the time, with features such as intricate wood paneling , leather armchairs and silk sheets.

(Divulgação/CASACOR)

According to Dimore Studio , the Italian design firm that is leading the interior design, the new locomotive will seek this same refined style, without trying to copy it . “We are not creating a replica, but our own interpretation of the train, with an eye to our heritage,” says Emiliano Salci , one of the co-founders of Dimorestudio.

(Divulgação/CASACOR)

“The interiors will draw influences from the golden era of Italian design – the 50s, 60s and 70s – and will combine retro touches with a more modern aesthetic. Every aspect of it will be a balance between the historic and the contemporary ,” he adds. Thus, the project will have different textures, soft rugs, contemporary artwork, brass accents and layered design details. Each of the six separate trains will vary slightly from one another , but each will include 12 Deluxe cabins, 18 suites, one Honor Suite and a restaurant featuring local and international chefs and sommeliers .

(Divulgação/CASACOR)

The menus will replicate the five-star dining experience of the Express Original , with a focus on Italian ingredients and dishes. The return of the Orient Express fits into a larger trend that is gaining momentum in Italy: the resurgence of historic trains and railway lines from Trenitalia and Fondazione FS – steam, diesel or electric locomotives from various eras. But it’s also part of a general shift in Europe towards slow travel . “Rail travel is only set to gain more prominence as we collectively rethink the way we see the world and the impact we make,” says Paolo Barletta , CEO of Arsenale.

&t=1s Source: CN Traveler

Historic décor with a modern twist

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