There are names that transcend time Orient Express is one of them. First conceived in 1883 by visionary entrepreneur Georges Nagelmackers, the train that once linked Paris and Constantinople became synonymous with the golden age of travel: a world of silk-lined cabins, candlelit dinners, and whispered conversations against the rhythm of the rails.
Now, 140 years later, that legend is reborn. At the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, Orient Express unveiled a breathtaking preview of its forthcoming train within the exhibition “1925–2025: A Century of Art Deco”. Under the leadership of Sébastien Bazin, Chairman and CEO of the Accor Group, and the artistic direction of architect Maxime d’Angeac, the house of Orient Express is entering a new age of beauty, innovation, and craft.
Seventeen original 1920s carriages rediscovered in 2015 and now meticulously restored in France form the backbone of this renaissance. They are not replicas but reimaginings: a vision of travel that fuses heritage and modernity, precision and poetry. Each element, from brass fixtures to geometric marquetry, has been hand-drawn with obsessive care, embracing contemporary sustainability and cutting-edge technology.
Displayed beneath the museum’s soaring Nave, the future train converses with Art Deco masterpieces by Ruhlmann, Dunand, Chareau, Prou, and Suzanne Lalique-Haviland. The dialogue between eras feels effortless a reminder that great design, like great travel, is timeless.
The rebirth of the Orient Express is also a celebration of French savoir-faire. More than 30 master artisans embroiderers, glassmakers, cabinetmakers, upholsterers have lent their hands to this revival. Every curve, every texture, every glint of light has meaning. In this world, luxury is not declared; it is felt.
But the Orient Express universe now extends far beyond the rails. In spring 2025, the La Dolce Vita Orient Express began traversing Italy, joined by the brand’s first hotel, Orient Express La Minerva, in Rome. The story continues in 2026 with the debut of Orient Express Venice, and the launch of the Orient Express Corinthian, the world’s largest sailing yacht, currently being built at Chantiers de l’Atlantique. The legendary train itself will return to service in 2027 a new chapter for a name that has defined elegance for over a century.
What began as a train has become a universe one that exists on land, at sea, and soon once more, in motion. Orient Express is no longer simply a mode of travel. It is a state of mind: the eternal pursuit of beauty, craftsmanship, and time well spent.
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