There was a time when a train trip across Europe aboard the Orient Express could be considered the height of luxury travel. Unfortunately, those days ended more than 10 years ago as high-speed rail became increasingly popular and fares for air travel became inexpensive.
If you’re a fan of what is now called “luxury rail travel,” here’s some good news: The Orient Express is scheduled to return in 2023.
Under the new initiative, known as the Orient Express La Dolce Vita, six trains will follow routes across 14 regions, including three international destinations from Rome to Paris, Istanbul, and Split, Croatia. One of those itineraries will even include a stopover in Rome so guests can stay at the Orient Express Hotel, which is scheduled to open in 2024.
The initiative is the result of work between real estate investment firm Arsenale S.p.A. and Orient Express of Accor Group.
“We consider it an immense privilege to re-launch the historic Orient Express brand for passionate and discerning travelers,” Sébastien Bazin, chairman and CEO of Accor, said in a statement. “These trains offer a new vision of luxury travel that is beyond our imagination.”
A Historic Past
The original Orient Express was launched in 1883 by entrepreneur Georges Nagelmackers. It originally offered twice-weekly service that began in Paris, and then wound its way through Strasbourg, Vienna, Budapest, and Bucharest before ending at Varna on the Black Sea, an article on The Guardian recounts. Then, a steamer carried travelers across the Black Sea to Istanbul.
