La Dolce Vita Orient Express has arrived in Istanbul, and the city is hosting a new chapter in the story of the Orient Express. The route from Rome to the Bosphorus brings slow travel back as one of the most graceful expressions of luxury.
A new route on a legend’s 140th anniversary
The Rome–Istanbul journey, launched on 22 October 2026, marks the return to the heart of the legend 140 years after the first Orient Express ran. The train leaves Rome Ostiense and follows a line from Venice to the Carpathians and along the Danube to the Bosphorus, where Europe meets Asia. The return from Istanbul to Rome passes through Plovdiv, Sofia, Timișoara, Vienna and Venice, turning five days and four nights into a cultural itinerary.
Two flags at every station
At every station it reaches, the crew that welcomes and looks after passengers carries the flag of the host country alongside the Italian flag. Istanbul’s welcome was an elegant example of the tradition: the colours of two countries symbolised, on rails, the meeting of two cultures.
1960s Italian style, on rails
Thirty-one cabins and suites designed by Dimorestudio blend the Italian design language of the 1960s with modern comfort. In the evening the Bar Car becomes the social heart of the train, with aperitifs and live music, so guests experience the dolce vita spirit in a lounge in motion.
Heinz Beck at the table
Gastronomy is one of the journey’s strongest suits. Dinners prepared by three-Michelin-star chef Heinz Beck are served in the restaurant car, while breakfast can be taken in the cabin.
What it means for Istanbul
The story of the Orient Express is inseparable from Istanbul. The return of this new service to the city highlights Istanbul’s railway heritage and its weight on the cultural travel map. For guests from around the world, Istanbul is not just a destination but the starting point of a story that stretches from Plovdiv to Venice.
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