‘A luxury cruise on rails’: Orient Express train trips across Italy at up to US$27,000 per night for 2 aimed at wealthy travellers seeking guilt-free adventures

Take a leisurely journey to Sicily or Venice. Stop off to catch an opera at La Scala in Milan. From 2024, La Dolce Vita luxury trains will travel across Italy

The Orient Express service springs from two trends: the post-pandemic travel revival and renewed interest in going by rail in connection with the climate crisis

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A suite onboard a La Dolce Vita train. The trains will offer a selection of one- to three-night trips from Rome to places such as Venice and Sicily, and offer deluxe amenities and grand evening dinners. Photo: Accor Group

Published: 4:18pm, 10 Jul 2023Updated: 4:33pm, 10 Jul 2023

On Italy’s newest rail service, trains will take days to reach their destinations and tickets will cost thousands of euros. Such an experience is not for everyone, and that is exactly the point.

Beginning next year, La Dolce Vita trains will offer a selection of one- to three-night trips from Rome and through Sicily for a starting price of €6,000 (US$6,500) for two people. Routes snake through destinations such as Palermo, Venice and Portofino. The most exclusive cabins will cost at least €25,000 per night.

“It’s like a luxury cruise but on rails,” said Paolo Barletta, chief executive of luxury travel group Arsenale, which will operate the service in association with the famed Orient Express brand.

“The train is a means of transport that is a passion of many. It is romantic and has very special charm.”

Carriages of the La Dolce Vita luxury sleeper train. Photo: Accor Group

The service springs from two key trends: the post-pandemic travel revival and renewed interest in trains in connection with the climate crisis. After being cooped up under Covid-19 lockdowns, people are on the road – and rails – again.