1. A New Era for the Orient Express
A glamorous reboot of the Orient Express is hitting the rails in 2025, and the first look inside its carriages is breathtaking.
2. The Nostalgic Journey
Operated by the Orient Express brand, part of the Accor hospitality group, this new edition of the legendary luxury train has a tie-in to the past: it comprises 17 carriages from the original Nostalgie-Istanbul-Orient-Express, which were discovered in Poland in 2015.
3. A Rich History
The iconic train line has a complex history; the first Orient Express route was inaugurated in 1883, connecting Paris and Istanbul (then Constantinople) via trains and ferries. Since then, various operators have utilized the Orient Express name, traveling on numerous routes across Europe. Notably, the Nostalgie-Istanbul-Orient-Express operated throughout most of the 1980s, including a long-haul trip from Paris to Tokyo.
4. Revitalizing a Legend
Now the Orient Express brand is reviving the Nostalgie-Istanbul-Orient-Express, engaging French designer Maxime d’Angeac to expertly refurbish and update the original 17 cars.
“By slipping into the shoes of its creators, from René Prou to Suzanne Lalique, I tried to reinterpret the history of this legendary train, not only with nostalgia but with a desire to extend its history, to transport us to another place. As if it was all a dream,” d’Angeac explained.
5. A Harmonious Blend of Design
That dreamlike quality explains why there’s a blend of asynchronous design styles. In the Bar Car, four columns with bronze capitals support Second Empire-style glass domes, beneath which are a bevy of scalloped banquets. Moreover, in the Dining Car, guests experience a classic art deco look inspired by trains, featuring mirrored ceilings, marquetry panels, and decor motifs nodding to 20th-century illustrator Suzanne Lalique’s tapestries.
The suites incorporate a touch of contemporary style; though they maintain a vintage brown-and-jewel-tone color palette, they play with quirky geometry—ranging from square panels and circular perspective-shifting mirrors adorning the walls to the abstract comet pattern on the carpet.
6. A Mesmerizing Experience
“Some guests will think that [the train] has been built in the 1930s. Others will see that it’s a modern interpretation, but we like to play with the notion of time and to really blur the line between past and future,” Guillaume de Saint Lager, vice president of Orient Express, remarked.
7. Upcoming Exhibitions and Projects
The reimagined Orient Express will be making two preview stops in the form of immersive exhibitions, this week in Paris, from Oct. 17–21, and then in Miami Beach at Design Miami, from Nov. 30 to Dec. 4. Consequently, the train is scheduled to commence journeys in early 2025.
While you’re anticipating that big debut, remain alert for the Orient Express brand’s other upcoming projects: hotels in Rome, Venice, and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, which will create a comprehensive landscape of Orient Express–linked travel opportunities.
