MOBILITY
Travel in style
After decades of higher, further, faster in tourism, the pandemic and climate crisis have changed our view of what factors make up a supposedly perfect trip. Deceleration, sustainability and luxury are now increasingly in focus – and with them concepts that were fashionable at a time when cheap flights were not yet an option. A journey back in time to a carefree attitude to life will soon be offered by the "Orient Express La Dolce Vita". The journey is the destination in six luxury trains, each with 11 carriages of different sizes and equipment. Upscale service and a restaurant each will also provide culinary delights on board. Alternative options, such as hydrogen, are currently being tested for the train's propulsion system. The planned routes with up to three overnight stays include the cities of Rome, Paris, Istanbul and Split as well as picturesque routes through Italy. These will allow guests to explore a total of 14 regions of the country and experience Italy's culture and history off the beaten track. Thanks to a partnership between Arsenale and Accor as well as Trenitalia – Gruppo Ferrovie dello Stato and Fondazione FS Italiane, there are also plans to re-electrify sections that were no longer accessible by train for many years.
The starting point will be Rome Termini station, including a terminal reserved especially for the Orient Express La Dolce Vita. A thematically matching hotel is also planned in Rome from 2024, the Orient Express Hotel Minerva. Both offers will be connected in the interior design by a feast of patterns and colours on noble fabrics, generous upholstery combined with fine leather, ornate wood inlays and extraordinary lighting. A concept with which Dimorestudio combines the splendid elegance of the Italian 60s and 70s with contemporary elements. The Milan-based architecture and design studio has also developed the exterior design for the trains, which will clearly stand out from the current primarily functional train design with golden window surrounds and wood-coloured elements. "The Orient Express – La Dolce Vita design project has been conceived to embody a flawless and unobtrusive balance between history and modernity without losing its authenticity. The spaces are thoughtfully designed and curated without being ostentatious. Each element is meant to feel as if it has always belonged there, to create a sense of refined depth and visual weight that can be interpreted as exclusive layers. The subtle details complement each other and blend effortlessly," say Britt Moran and Emiliano Salci, founders of Dimore Studio. The Orient Express La Dolce Vita is part of the Italian Ministry of Tourism's "Il treno della Dolce Vita" (in approx.: Train of the Pleasurable Life) project. (am)
