The Legendary Orient Express Returns In 2026

Trending 2 hours ago

The Orient Express will beryllium making a comeback successful 2026. Photo credit: Lizzaveta/Shutterstock

The Orient Express, an enduring awesome of luxury, sophistication, and adventure, is preparing for a singular return to nan rails, offering travellers nan opportunity to acquisition 1 of nan world’s astir legendary train journeys successful some historical and modern forms. Renowned for its glamour, elegance, and relation pinch nan aureate property of obstruction travel, nan Orient Express has agelong captured nan imagination of travellers seeking adventure, style, and taste immersion. Today, nan marque is experiencing a resurgence nether nan Accor Hospitality group, combining humanities restoration pinch caller luxury offerings, including Italy’s La Dolce Vita Orient Express.

La Dolce Vita: Italy’s Luxury Sleeper Train

In 2025, nan motorboat of La Dolce Vita Orient Express marked Italy’s first luxury sleeper train, designed to showcase nan country’s taste and culinary heritage. Operated by Accor successful collaboration pinch Arsenale and Italy’s Ferrovie dello Stato, nan train features 9 carriages accommodating 62 guests crossed Deluxe cabins, Suite cabins, and a azygous La Dolce Vita Suite. The interiors, designed by Dimorestudio, evoke nan elegance of 1960s Italian creation done rich | colour palettes, luxurious materials, and blase detailing that reflects mid-century glamour. The train combines ocular style pinch comfort, offering guests an immersive acquisition that blends historical references pinch modern standards.

Central to nan acquisition is gastronomy. Michelin-starred chefs curate menus highlighting Italy’s culinary traditions, utilizing caller section nutrient and location ingredients. Dining aboard La Dolce Vita is complemented by cautiously planned off-board excursions, including vineyard tastings, depository visits, guided tours of historical towns, and curated good eating experiences. These excursions are designed to immerse travellers afloat successful Italy’s rich | taste and culinary landscape, providing a seamless blend of scenic recreation and hands-on taste engagement. Routes see journeys from Rome to Venice, Portofino, Montalcino, and Sicily, offering travellers nan chance to research immoderate of Italy’s astir iconic regions while enjoying nan luxury and refinement of nan train itself.

The Historic Orient Express Revival

In mid-2026, nan original Orient Express is group to make its return. This restoration task involves 17 historical carriages making love from nan 1920s and 1930s, refurbished nether nan guidance of designer Maxime d’Angeac. The restored train will characteristic 32 suites, including a statesmanlike suite, on pinch a edifice and bar, each dressed up to bespeak nan elegance and sophistication of nan 1920s and 1930s. The restoration intends to harvester nan timeless glamour of nan original Orient Express pinch nan comfortableness and convenience expected by modern travellers, recreating nan romance and luxury that made nan train legendary. Passengers will recreation on nan iconic way from Paris to Istanbul, passing done Vienna, Budapest, and Bucharest, reliving nan aureate property of obstruction recreation while enjoying modern comforts and unparalleled service.

Both nan La Dolce Vita train and nan restored Orient Express are operated by nan Orient Express brand, portion of Accor, and correspond a wider resurgence successful luxury obstruction travel. They cater to travellers seeking immersive experiences that harvester humanities charm pinch modern convenience. This revival underscores a world inclination toward practice tourism, experiential travel, and nan entreaty of slow luxury journeys that prioritise nan travel arsenic overmuch arsenic nan destination. Travellers are progressively drawn to experiences that let them to link pinch history, culture, and craftsmanship, and nan Orient Express marque delivers precisely that.

Gastronomy and Culinary Excellence

Gastronomy continues to beryllium cardinal to nan Orient Express experience. Michelin-starred cook Yannick Alléno has been appointed executive cook for some nan restored train and nan Orient Express Corinthian, a luxury sailing yacht scheduled to debut successful 2026. Menus will harvester humanities recipes pinch caller section ingredients originated astatine each stop, offering a culinary travel that reflects nan regions done which nan train travels. Two onboard restaurants will supply options ranging from classical historical dishes to menus inspired by section produce, ensuring an immersive and blase eating experience. The restoration of nan Orient Express is complemented by Accor’s broader luxury strategy. The institution has opened nan Orient Express La Minerva edifice successful Rome, pinch plans for an further spot successful Venice successful 2026, and nan Orient Express Corinthian yacht will widen nan marque to nan seas. Together, these initiatives create a multi-modal luxury recreation web spanning rail, land, and water, offering travellers a seamless and holistic acquisition rooted successful history, design, and gastronomy.

Heritage, Culture, and Experiential Travel

The entreaty of nan Orient Express goes beyond nostalgia. It represents nan creation of travel, celebrating heritage, style, and taste immersion. The restored carriages, meticulously curated interiors, bespoke dining, and thoughtfully planned excursions guarantee that passengers acquisition some luxury and education, connecting pinch nan history and civilization of each destination. Whether journeying aboard La Dolce Vita done Italy’s historical towns aliases nan afloat restored classical Orient Express on its famed European route, travellers tin bask a blend of comfort, adventure, and enrichment that is uncommon successful modern travel.

The Orient Express revival demonstrates that luxury obstruction recreation remains a compelling and aspirational shape of tourism. It reflects a desire for experiences that are measured, immersive, and connected to heritage, offering some flight and engagement. For discerning travellers, nan trains, hotels, and yacht collectively connection a broad attack to high-end experiential travel, ensuring that each travel is memorable, sophisticated, and culturally rich. As nan return of nan Orient Express approaches, passengers tin erstwhile again expect nan romance and elegance that person made nan marque synonymous pinch luxury. From nan historical charm of nan original train to nan modern elegance of La Dolce Vita and nan forthcoming Orient Express Corinthian, nan marque continues to specify nan creation of travel, combining history, culture, gastronomy, and style into journeys that are arsenic inspiring arsenic they are unforgettable.

Whether crossing Europe aboard nan restored Orient Express aliases exploring Italy via La Dolce Vita, travellers are invited to acquisition 1 of nan world’s astir legendary obstruction journeys. The brand’s revival offers a reminder that luxury recreation is not simply astir reaching a destination, but astir nan travel itself, a travel that celebrates history, craftsmanship, and timeless sophistication successful each detail.

More