La Dolce Vita in Motion: Italian Elegance on Rails

With the debut of La Dolce Vita Orient Express, Italy welcomes a new icon of luxury, where travel becomes not a means to an end but a curated experience that honors its cultural heritage, design legacy, and epicurean spirit.

Unveiled in the glamorous setting of Roma Ostiense Station, within the exclusive La Dolce Vita Lounge designed by architect Hugo Toro, the train represents a bold collaboration between Arsenale and Orient Express, supported by Fondazione FS Italiane and FS Treni Turistici Italiani. This first-of-its-kind Italian luxury rail experience aims to revive the golden age of travel, offering guests a moving portrait of the country’s most emblematic destinations.

With eight immersive itineraries crossing 14 Italian regions, La Dolce Vita invites travelers on a slow voyage through vineyards, coastlines, and historical cities, from the Baroque elegance of Palermo to the medieval serenity of Siena, from Venice’s shimmering canals to the ancient stones of Matera. Each journey is a tapestry woven with local stories, flavors, and scenery, carefully designed to celebrate the essence of Made in Italy.

At the heart of the train are 31 meticulously restored carriages—including 18 suites, 12 deluxe cabins, and the opulent La Dolce Vita Suite—crafted from original Z1 Italian model trains. The restoration, carried out between Brindisi and Palermo, is a testament to the unparalleled craftsmanship of Southern Italy’s railway artisans. These are not mere vehicles; they are intimate salons of beauty and comfort.

The interiors, orchestrated by Dimorestudio, capture the soul of 1960s Italian design with reverent nods to Gio Ponti, Gae Aulenti, and Osvaldo Borsani. Rich woods, geometric forms, and burnished metals create a mise-en-scène that echoes the era of La Dolce Vita, while contemporary touches ensure elegance is never nostalgic but ever-evolving.

The culinary journey is no less exquisite. Passengers are treated to regionally inspired menus by Heinz Beck, the acclaimed three-star Michelin chef, whose creations offer a gastronomic dialogue with the landscapes outside the window. Every plate tells a story, every course an ode to local terroir.

Beyond the interiors and cuisine, it is the rhythm of the experience that distinguishes La Dolce Vita. With carefully curated stops, travelers are invited to step off the train and into the cultural, artistic, and natural worlds of Italy’s most storied regions. This is slow travel at its finest—an opportunity to savor the textures of a place, its silence, its scent, its soul.

La Dolce Vita Orient Express