Accor’s first Orient Express train through Italy now open for reservations
Luxe train travel aboard the Orient Express is expanding, but expect this growth to be more about modern luxury and less about Agatha Christie and murder.
Accor’s La Dolce Vita Orient Express — not to be confused with Belmond’s Venice Simplon-Orient Express — is now open for reservations for its first journeys slated for spring 2025. The official booking window opening follows a presale in December 2022 that saw 400 cabins get booked, so move fast before this posh train leaves the station without you.
There has been some natural head-scratching over which Orient Express is the real Orient Express since Belmond — previously known as Orient-Express Hotels — has been running its train for years. Further, the two Orient Express operations grew closer over the summer after Belmond's parent company, LVMH, announced a new partnership with Accor on future Orient Express growth. Prior to the partnership launch, Accor leaders have been touting their version of the historic, luxe train line as one that would offer more elegant, spacious cabins and suites rolling down the tracks.
The accommodations will provide modern luxury on the rails, but La Dolce Vita Orient Express also pays homage to 1960s and 1970s Italy, so brush up on your Federico Fellini films and consider packing some vintage Emilio Pucci before you board.
Related: Rail renaissance: The best new trains to take in 2024
The trains will feature 12 deluxe cabins, 18 suites and a La Dolce Vita suite — all with en suite bathrooms. La Dolce Vita Orient Express also has a restaurant, a lounge and a bar — and plenty of bragging rights to flaunt to your friends who think a half-bottle of red wine aboard Amtrak’s Acela is the pinnacle of luxury train travel.
“This endeavor embodies the essence of exquisite exploration, where sophistication meets adventure,” Gilda Perez-Alvarado, the newly named CEO of the Orient Express brand, said in a statement earlier this year. “As we embark on this journey together, we invite travellers to experience the pinnacle of elegance and excitement, immersed in the charm and splendour of Italy.”
The Italian train reservations arrive as Accor works on opening its first two Orient Express hotels: Orient Express La Minerva in Rome and Orient Express Palazzo Dona Giovannelli in Venice. A luxury superyacht for the brand is also expected to hit the seas in the coming years.
Where is Accor’s Orient Express heading?
Depending on the season, travelers will have the option of booking nine different routes in Italy aboard La Dolce Vita Orient Express:
- A two-night coast-to-coast route from Rome to Venice to Portofino before returning to Rome
- A two-night triangle route from Rome to Venice and then to Siena before returning to the Eternal City
- A two-night route between Rome, Palena and Matera
- A one-night Italian wine-inspired journey between Rome and Montalcino (with a return trip to Rome)
- A one-night wine- and truffle-inspired journey from Rome to Nizza Monferrato (with a return trip to Rome)
- A one-night southern Italian journey from Rome to Maratea and then to Palermo
- A one-night coastal route from Palermo to Maratea and then to Rome
- An all-Sicily two-night journey from Palermo to Agrigento and Taormina before returning to Palermo
- A three-night journey from Palermo to Agrigento and then to Taormina before returning to Palermo with time for travelers to get out and explore; the train then heads to Messina for a ferry crossing to the Italian mainland before heading onward to Maratea and Rome
Once aboard, guests will be treated to Italian wine and gourmet cuisine. Additionally, the La Dolce Vita lounge at the Rome Ostiense train station will be available for travelers to unwind before their decadent train experience.
Rates for a one-night itinerary start at 3,500 euros (about $3,852) per person in a deluxe cabin and 4,700 euros (about $5,172) per person in a suite. It does not appear the terms “Agatha Christie” or “Hercule Poirot” are discount codes to use toward those hefty nightly rates.
A brand spokesperson told TPG this week that while the upcoming Orient Express hotels in Italy will participate in the Accor Live Limitless loyalty program, La Dolce Vita Orient Express will not.
Where to book
Travelers can book their journeys by visiting the La Dolce Vita Orient Express website. U.S. and Canadian travelers can also book over the phone by dialing 833-661-3080.
Related reading:
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- A comparison of luxury hotel programs from credit card issuers: Amex, Capital One, Chase and Citi
- Best hotel rewards programs in the world: Which one is right for you?
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- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
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- Annual Fee is $325.
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Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
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You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.