The Orient Express Is Resuming Its Legendary Journeys From Paris--and It's More Glamorous Than Ever
Over the past two years, trains have become the transport of choice for a growing number of travelers, both in the U.S and Europe, thanks to improved services and connections, an emphasis on the environment, and new investments in high-speed rail lines (the E.U. is aiming to double high-speed rail use by 2030 and triple current levels by 2050).
It’s no surprise, then, that a number of train projects and formats are being developed to meet demand, and take the scenic route to a whole new level. The latest? The relaunch of the original Orient Express. The train that forever changed luxury travel almost 140 years ago—it debuted on October 4, 1883—is being brought back to life by French hospitality group Accor, which uses the Orient Express name under license from SNCF, France’s national train service.
Starting in 2024 and just in time for the Paris Olympics, the railroad icon will gear up to resume service from the French capital to the rest of the continent, reviving the same lavish journeys of its heyday. While details and itineraries have yet to be confirmed, it’s likely that some of the routes will end in Istanbul, just as it was for the first Orient Express.
The refurbished train is going to be “a dream on wheels,” according to Guillaume de Saint Lager, vice president of the Orient Express. “We are reimagining the Orient Express to create something timeless,” says Saint Lager. “The idea is to present a fantasy: a train that could have been made today or 100 years ago—with the addition of all the contemporary comforts, of course.”
https://www.cntraveler.com/story/the-return-of-the-orient-express
= new reply since forum marked as read
