Two luxury travel companies are competing for the revival of the historic Orient Express.
sumptuousness trains are disembarrass the express line in 2024 . As travelers ditch airplane , embrace slow travel , and adopt“main fictitious character ” mindsets , the idea of an honest-to-goodness - fashioned , cinematic railway journeyhas never felt so appealing . And there ’s no trainso glamourous as the storied Orient Express . While the LVMH - ownedBelmondhas been conduct trips on the original string ’s Art Deco posture since 1982 , the French cordial reception groupAccorwill be throwing a hat into the mob with its own resurgence , set to reveal in 2024 , just in meter for the Paris Olympic Games .
to begin with designed by Belgian businessman Georges Nagelmackers in 1882 , the Orient Express , Europe ’s first transcontinental express train , run for more than 80 years with the romantic mission of combine the East and West . With its mahogany bars , velvet - draped drawing rooms , and five - champion dining , the Orient Express pull famous passengers like Lawrence of Arabia , King Ferdinand of Bulgaria , actress Marlene Dietrich , and Leo Tolstoy . Writers like Graham Greene and Agatha Christie immortalized the ocean trip through literature , and the caravan has since been featured in various film adaptations ofJames BondandMurder on the Orient Express .
In 1982 , an American shipping administrator named James Sherwood revived the power train , which had been defunct since 1977 . He spend more than $ 30 million tracking down the original carriages scattered throughout Europe to create the “ Venice Simplon - Orient - Express , ” now owned by Belmond ( historically , France ’s home rail service , theSNCF , owned the Orient Express and eventually allowed Belmond to use the four - part moniker “ Venice Simplon - Orient - Express ” ) .
Photo courtesy of Belmond
Since 1982 , the gearing has been zipping more than half a million affluent passenger through London , Paris , Vienna , Prague , and Budapest , offering glitzy perquisite like free - flow champagne and 24 - hr cabin stewards .
The train features 18 original 1920s and ‘ 30s carriages . “ Almost 100 years ago the good designers of the time — including Prou and Lalique — were summoned to decorate the carriages that today shape our train , ” enjoin Gary Franklin , vice chair of trains and sail at Belmond . “ reference to these designers and their Art Deco style can be find out in the new suites that debuted in 2023 , which have been plan by artisan that are proud custodian of these century - former crafts . ” A cabin on the Venice Simplon - Orient - Express begin at about $ 22,000 per rider .
But another golden age resurgence is on the horizon , one that has take possession of the “ Orient Express ” name by purchase it outright . Around the same time Sherwood was sniffing around for honest-to-goodness caravan cars , Swiss tour manipulator Albert Glatt was buy his own , in what would after become the Nostalgie - Istanbul - Orient - Express , running from Zurich to Istanbul . It ’s the same train Michael Jackson boarded in 1992 for his “ severe ” tour . Despite the gearing ’s success , it suspended its service a few year later and disappeared .
Photo courtesy of Belmond
In 2015 , industrial researcher Arthur Mettetal conducted a worldwide inventory of Orient Express cars for the SNCF and came across a YouTube video of a conversant train in motility , post by an anon. user . Using Google Maps , he tracked down the vestiges in Warsaw , Poland : It was indeed the Nostalgie - Istanbul - Orient - Express . Accor acquired the train in 2018 , enlist architect Maxime D’Angeac , who has worked on conception project with luxury houses like Daume and Hermès .
Like Belmond , Accor will honor the Art Deco style of the original Orient Express , boasting features like plush green booths , mirrored roof , and panels boast the famed glasswork of Suzanne Lalique . mirror Belmond ’s impressive portfolio of hotels , trains , and cruises , Accor is set up a few luxury attribute under the Orient Express banner in 2024 — La Minerva in Rome and the Orient Express Palazzo Donà Giovannelli in Venice .
While Accor ’s Orient Express wo n’t hit the rail until 2025 , the first cars will be on display just in time for the Paris Olympics . And to tease things out even further , the companionship is launchingLa Dolce Vitalater this yr , a circle of six railroad train encompass 1960s Italian design . The concept will volunteer one to two - nighttime itinerary across 14 different regions in Italy , as well as three international destinations includingParis , Istanbul , and Split .
Photo courtesy of Belmond
Perhaps in an effort to compete , Belmond has recently up their offerings . “ We took pile enthusiasts and skiers from Paris to theFrench Alpsfor the first time this past December , ” Franklin state . “ The train move around from Paris through some of France ’s most unmoved countryside and up to the Alpine train station of Albertville , Moûtiers , and Bourg - Saint - Maurice , where guests could choose to debark . ”
The ship’s company is also boasting a sword newfangled journey from Paris to Portofino , set up in June , as well as a second rotation of the historic five - night journey between Paris and Istanbul , which is typically offered once annually . Franklin notes that Americans in particular are withdraw an sake in Belmond ’s international offering . “ The US market place is turn unusually , from representing 16 % of total business enterprise on the books in 2023 to 20 % in 2024 already , ” he aver . “ None of our guests hold our train by chance . ”
luxuriousness string are also thrive beyond the illustrious Paris to Istanbul route . Switzerland ’s famousGornegat Railwayrecently unveiled an exclusive“NostalChic '' experience , where passengers can enjoy a four - course epicurean meal as they come up Matterhorn mountain . Railbookersis get the very best of luxury train travel with a four - continent , 13 - country “ Around the World by Luxury Train ” journeying , go away this August . This twelvemonth , Belmond is also reviving theEastern & Oriental Express , a gearing that once traveled across Malaysia , from its five year hiatus . Rocky Mountaineercontinues to precede the boot in North America , offer panoramic view of Canada and the American West from glass - vaulted coaches .
And such luxury engine will continue to prosper well after 2024 . The UAE ’s railroad line operatorEtihad Railand Italian hospitality companyArsenale(the same company that worked on Accor ’s Orient Express ) haveannounced a collaborationto establish a eminent - end , cross - country power train that will ride from Fujairah to Abu Dhabi ’s Liwa desert .
“ We are past the era of dissipated , frequent traveling and guilty conscience - free consumption , ” Franklin says . “ The construct of sumptuousness travel has acquire to concur with purposeful , sustainable and immersive experiences . ”
