Italy is launching the world's most anticipated luxury train: La Dolce Vita Orient Express (LVMH/Arsenale, expected 2025-2026) — a reimagined Orient Express running Rome→Venice, Rome→Sicily, and other Italian routes in art deco cabins with Michelin-quality dining. Meanwhile: Sicily's Treno Barocco runs vintage carriages through Baroque UNESCO towns. And Frecciarossa Executive class (€30 more than Business) gives you leather armchairs, welcome champagne, and meals served at your seat. All train types → · Scenic routes →
What: A luxury sleeper train by LVMH's Arsenale group — 11 carriages, 62 cabins, 1920s-30s design reimagined for 2026. Restaurant car with Italian fine dining. Bar car. Observation car with panoramic windows. Routes (announced): Rome→Venice (overnight). Rome→Sicily (multi-day). Adriatic coast routes. Price: Expected €2,000-8,000/person for multi-day journeys (luxury-tier, comparable to Venice Simplon-Orient-Express). Status (2026): Launch expected — check arsenale.com/la-dolce-vita for current booking dates. This will be the most talked-about luxury travel launch in Italy.
1. Treno Barocco (Sicily, select dates): Vintage 1950s carriages running Syracuse→Ragusa→Noto→Modica through Baroque UNESCO towns. Fondazione FS (Italian state railway heritage) operates these on special weekends. €15-30. Slow, scenic, time-travel atmosphere. Check fondazionefs.it for dates. 2. Trenino Verde (Sardinia, summer): Narrow-gauge tourist railway through Sardinia's wild interior — Cagliari→Mandas→Arbatax (5h). Not luxury — but SPECTACULAR. €15-25. treninoverde.com.
3. Frecciarossa Executive class: Italy's EVERYDAY luxury train experience. What you get vs Business: wider leather seats (1+1 configuration, not 2+1). Welcome drink (prosecco/juice). Meal served at your seat (breakfast or lunch depending on route). Quiet car guarantee. Cost: €30-40 more than Business (typically €80-120 Rome→Milan vs €50-80 Business). Worth it for: long routes (Rome→Milan 3h), celebration travel, anyone who wants to arrive RELAXED.
4. Intercity Notte Excelsior cabin: The closest thing to Orient Express on a budget — private cabin with bed, washbasin, and (in Excelsior) private shower+toilet. Rome→Sicily overnight. €100-160. 5. Bernina Express (Italy→Switzerland): Tirano→St. Moritz — panoramic carriages through UNESCO Alpine landscape. €55-75. Not Italian-operated but departs from Italy.