La Dolce Vita Orient Express, the first Italian made luxury train, will make its much-anticipated debut today, Friday 4 April 2025, with the ambition to reinvent the very essence of travel in motion. Eight curated itineraries blending art, landscapes, and three-star Michelin cuisine by Heinz Beck, all in celebration of Italian excellence in motion.

The train – a unique collaboration of public and private sectors – was unveiled on Thursday morning at Roma Ostiense Station, within the exclusive La Dolce Vita Lounge dedicated to its passengers, on the eve of the inaugural journey. The first trip, “Tastes of Tuscan Vineyards” will take guests to the charming destination of Montalcino.

Born of a visionary collaboration between Arsenale and Orient Express and supported by Fondazione FS Italiane and FS Treni Turistici Italiani of the FS Group, this pivotal project signals the renaissance of rail as the ultimate luxury. La Dolce Vita Orient Express marks a new era in the Italian tourism landscape, offering travellers an exclusive experience that fully embraces the essence of Made in Italy. It celebrates the country’s cultural, scenic and gastronomic heritage, guiding guests on a unique journey through Italy’s most emblematic destinations.

The initiative is seen as a significant investment in Italian tourism, with potential to attract high-end travellers and contribute to the local economy, particularly between Milan and Rome.

“With La Dolce Vita Orient Express, we are introducing a new model to the global tourism landscape, leading an emerging trend: rail cruises, which are becoming increasingly relevant worldwide,” declared Paolo Barletta, CEO of Arsenale.

“Thanks to the synergy between Italian excellence in railways and manufacturing, this project helps strengthen an integrated hospitality system that complements the cruise and hotel industries.

“The third pillar of tourism starts in Italy and is driven by an Italian company. I believe this is crucial for the revival of our Made in Italy, especially in the industrial and tourism sectors,”

“Our commitment translates into a production that, to date, represents an international benchmark, with the ambition of creating a tourism offer that extends travel beyond peak seasons and promotes alternative destinations, thanks to the exclusivity and comfort of one of the most efficient and sustainable ways to travel.

In his emotional speech that even brought a tear to his eye and a pause in his speech, to a thunderous applause, Barletta continued, saying: “The Dolce Vita train can become a symbol of Italy’s dedication to enhancing its territories, supporting local entrepreneurship, and strengthening national railway production, while contributing to a more integrated tourism system.”

At the press conference in Rome last night, attended virtually by LATTE, Gilda Perez Alvarado, CEO of Orient Express, paid homage to the collaboration between the parties, commenting that the launch of La Dolce Vita Orient Express “marks the beginning of a new chapter in Italian train journeys, made possible through our partnership with Arsenale Group.”

“The most extraordinary aspect of this journey… is the fact that not only has Arsenale and this team come together, but it’s actually the culmination of the most extraordinary group of people I’ve ever met. These are people who never take no for an answer. For whom everything is absolutely possible. For where there’s a mean, there’s a way. And for us at Accor and Orient Express, this is very important.

“Orient Express is our most ambitious project to date. It’s the biggest investment we’ve ever made as it relates to travel and hospitality.”

“Our dream stops not just in trains. We’re also developing yachts and hotels, and we couldn’t be prouder of the setting up, of opening the next chapter of a very long story that is Orient Express, than to open this chapter in Italy.”

Perez Alvarado said the Orient Express brand is 142 years old. It’s history dates back to the first train travelling from Paris to Constantinople on 4 October 1883, created by a 38 year-old Belgian entrepreneur who wanted to showcase the world and the best of Europe, taking inspiration from the US rail network.

“He didn’t want deficient. He wanted efficient, convenient but beauty.”

Perez Alvarado, continued, telling the audience: “It so happens, that 142 years later, another 38 year old entrepreneur called Paolo Barletta did not just want efficiency, beauty, entrepreneurship.

” also wanted culture. He wanted to create a train that showcased the best that Italy has to offer, and he did it. And the train will leave tomorrow, April 4 of 2025, and we could not be prouder. We cannot be more honoured than to collaborate. This isn’t just a Franco Italian project, this is a European project of the best of the best.

She concluded saying, “May this be one of the most beautiful chapters that Orient Express has ever had.”

The Routes

Traversing 14 Italian regions, the train offers eight exclusive itineraries, from the canals of Venice to the coves of Portofino, the medieval charm of Siena to the sun-drenched stones of Matera and from Montalcino’s famed vineyards to the truffle paths of Nizza Monferrato. Each journey is a celebration of Italy’s rich cultural and natural heritage.

Thoughtfully designed to embrace the philosophy of slow travel, these routes invite guests to connect deeply with local traditions, flavours and landscapes.

The Train

With 31 cabins, 18 suites, 12 deluxe cabins and the signature La Dolce Vita Suite, the train is the result of a meticulous restoration and design process. Originally Z1 Italian model carriages, each has been reimagined through a major investment that drew on the technical and artisanal excellence of Southern Italy, specialising in railway craftsmanship and design, with work carried out between Brindisi and Palermo.

This innovative project marks the creation of Italy’s first private luxury rail fleet, which will ultimately comprise six bespoke trains.

Interior design

The interiors, by Milan’s Dimorestudio, are a reverent salute to Italian design golden age: geometric echoes of Gio Ponti, the sensual modernism of Gae Aulenti, whispers of Osvaldo Borsani. It embodies the spirit of mid-century glamour, an homage to La Dolce Vita and the cultural pulse of 1960s Italy.

Onboard experience

Guests embark from the Orient Express Lounge, envisioned by artist-architect Hugo Toro, where period motifs are refracted through a contemporary lens. There, beneath a lacquered tangerine ceiling, an aperitivo hints at the opulence ahead.

Onboard, guests are treated to menus composed by chef Heinz Beck, inspired by the regions they traverse. The whole experience is distinguished by its high level of service, while stops at select destinations allow passengers to explore the unique cultural and historical aspects of each region.

Find out more at orient-express.com/la-dolce-vita/