Photo: Orient Express
These days, railroad trips are being supported as a more sustainable and eco-friendly transportation alternative, but 150 years ago, a certain train was considered the epitome of luxury. Both of these visions could merge into a unique project – the revival of the original Orient Express.
Last year, the French hospitality group Accor, owner of the Orient Express brand, announced the upcoming launch of a glamorous new train called the Orient Express La Dolce Vita – a modern reinterpretation of the famous train, using cars from the end of the 1920s.
In addition to that, the Group is now working on something even more spectacular – the refurbishment of the original train, which will be transformed into an incredibly luxurious hotel on wheels while preserving some of the original décors that have remained intact. A fantasy train that blends historic charm with the latest luxuries, the revived Orient Express might also travel on the same historic routes, Conde Nast Traveller reports.
Finding and recovering the original cars was an adventure in itself. Back in 2015, the industrial history researcher Arthur Mettetal managed to track down the Nostalgie-Istanbul Orient-Express, which had apparently been sitting for about ten years somewhere on the border between Belarus and Poland. It took two years just to negotiate the purchase, and then, escorted by trucks and police vehicles, the original cars were brought back to France.
Architect Maxime D’Angeac is in charge of this massive restoration process. The 17 cars (12 sleeping cars, three lounges, one restaurant, and one caboose) are in good shape, some of them revealing the stunning Lalique panels of the original Art Deco style, engraved with “blackbirds and grapes” motifs.
The details of the restouration are still kept under wraps, but it will undoubtedly be a highly luxurious hotel on wheels. For example, each suite on the train will have its own elegant bathroom, and one of the cars will include a stunning Winter Garden (an outdoor/indoor lounge space). The goal is to recreate the atmosphere of the 1930s, but with the added modern comfort.
The refurbished original Orient Express will officially be launched in 2024, in time for the Paris Olympics. Tickets will become available next year for all those who dream of experiencing a trip on the legendary train.
In addition to that, the Group is now working on something even more spectacular – the refurbishment of the original train, which will be transformed into an incredibly luxurious hotel on wheels while preserving some of the original décors that have remained intact. A fantasy train that blends historic charm with the latest luxuries, the revived Orient Express might also travel on the same historic routes, Conde Nast Traveller reports.
Finding and recovering the original cars was an adventure in itself. Back in 2015, the industrial history researcher Arthur Mettetal managed to track down the Nostalgie-Istanbul Orient-Express, which had apparently been sitting for about ten years somewhere on the border between Belarus and Poland. It took two years just to negotiate the purchase, and then, escorted by trucks and police vehicles, the original cars were brought back to France.
Architect Maxime D’Angeac is in charge of this massive restoration process. The 17 cars (12 sleeping cars, three lounges, one restaurant, and one caboose) are in good shape, some of them revealing the stunning Lalique panels of the original Art Deco style, engraved with “blackbirds and grapes” motifs.
The details of the restouration are still kept under wraps, but it will undoubtedly be a highly luxurious hotel on wheels. For example, each suite on the train will have its own elegant bathroom, and one of the cars will include a stunning Winter Garden (an outdoor/indoor lounge space). The goal is to recreate the atmosphere of the 1930s, but with the added modern comfort.
The refurbished original Orient Express will officially be launched in 2024, in time for the Paris Olympics. Tickets will become available next year for all those who dream of experiencing a trip on the legendary train.
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