The world’s most luxurious train, the Orient Express, is launching a new route which promises the ultimate luxury in slow travel. The indulgent itinerary of La Dolce Vita Orient Express will carry travellers from Rome to Istanbul in five days and four nights.
The new route brings together the elegance of Italian travel, the romance of railway and the timeless fascination of crossing cultures and horizons.
Glide through stops in Venice’s luminous canals, wander Budapest’s elegant streets, and feel the quiet magic of the Carpathians in Brașov and Sinaia. Then, enter the enchanting, timeless allure of Istanbul, reaching the legendary eastern terminus that made the Orient Express a legend.
The next departure is October 2026. Prices starts from €20,000 per passenger.
Programme
Day 1 – Rome
Your journey begins with a private transfer from your hotel or the airport to the La Dolce Vita lounge at Rome Ostiense, which opens three hours before departure, offering a calm, refined space to relax and prepare for your journey. In the evening, the train departs from Rome, and you settle into your private cabin, letting the Italian countryside drift past your window. Dinner is served in the Restaurant Car, crafted by three-Michelin-starred Chef Heinz Beck.
After dinner, enjoy live music performed by a pianist and vocalist, setting a warm, elegant atmosphere as the train glides toward Venice.
Day 2 – Venice
In the morning of the second day, the train arrives in Venice, where the city’s shimmering canals, ornate palaces, and narrow alleys welcome you. Local assistants greet you on the platform and accompany you by private water taxi to the heart of the city. Spend the day wandering freely or choose from curated experiences, each designed to reveal Venice’s history, art, and hidden corners.
In the late afternoon, return to the station to rejoin the train. Onboard, a dinner in the Restaurant Car, crafted by three-Michelin-starred Chef Heinz Beck, is served. Afterward, a pianist and vocalist perform live music, creating a warm, intimate atmosphere as the train continues its journey eastward, carrying you toward new discoveries.
Day 3 – Budapest
Wake to the sight of Budapest on the third day: upon arrival, local assistants welcome you and accompany you by private transfer into the heart of the city. Spend the day exploring its elegant streets, iconic bridges, and hidden squares, or choose from curated experiences designed to reveal the city’s art, history, and cultural treasures.
In the late afternoon, return to the train, where a dinner in the Restaurant Car, crafted by three-Michelin-starred Chef Heinz Beck, awaits. As the train continues eastward, live music performed by a pianist and vocalist fills the carriage, creating an intimate, refined atmosphere.
Day 4 – Brasnov/Sinaia
The fourth day, the train winds through the Carpathians and arrives in Brașov, a town of medieval streets and charming squares nestled in the mountains. Here, you may choose to wander at your own pace, soaking in the atmosphere of cobbled streets and centuries-old architecture,
In the afternoon, return to the train in Sinaia. Onboard, an aperitif precedes a dinner in the Restaurant Car, crafted by three-Michelin-starred Chef Heinz Beck. As a pianist and vocalist perform live music, the train departs eastward, leaving the Carpathians behind and carrying you toward the anticipation of Istanbul.
Day 5 – Istanbul
On the fifth and final day, the train arrives in Istanbul, a city of domes, minarets, and vibrant streets unfolding like a living tapestry. Onboard, a final lunch in the Restaurant Car, created by three-Michelin-starred Chef Heinz Beck, offers one last refined culinary experience.
Upon arrival, local hosts welcome and bid you farewell, marking the conclusion of a journey that has followed the legendary path of the Orient Express, crossing Central Europe to the very threshold of the East.
Photos courtesy of the Orient Express.
