Railway carriages for the La Dolce Vita train service under construction in Brindisi, Italy. The trains will start operating next year. — Photos: Bloomberg
On Italy’s newest rail service, trains will take days to reach their destinations and tickets will cost thousands of euros. Such an experience isn’t for everyone, and that’s exactly the point.
Beginning next year, La Dolce Vita trains will offer a selection of one- to three-night trips from Rome and through Sicily for a starting price of €6,000 (RM30,550) for two people. Routes snake through destinations like Palermo, Venice and Portofino. The most exclusive cabins will cost at least €25,000 (RM127,291) per night.
“It’s like a luxury cruise but on rails,” said Paolo Barletta, chief executive officer of luxury travel group Arsenale, which will operate the service in association with the famed Orient Express brand. “The train is a means of transport that is a passion of many. It is romantic and has very special charm.”
The service springs from two key trends: The post-lockdown travel revival and renewed interest in trains in connection with the climate crisis. After being cooped up under Covid-19 lockdowns, people are on the road again. That’s especially true of the wealthy, which want to get off the beaten track but in style and with less guilt.
Italy is a sought-after destination for its food, culture and history. There were over three million upscale visitors to Italy in 2022, spending an average US$4,000 (RM18,116) each, according to tourism board ENIT. The group expects revenue from high-end international travellers to grow 31% between 2020 and 2024.
“Luxury tourists are looking for something different, as cruises are kind of been there, done that,” said Dina Ravera, founder and chairwoman of upscale tour operator Destination Italia. “Sustainable, slow travel on alternative routes and panoramic roads across Italy is in high demand by high-spending tourists.”
Barletta, chief executive officer of Arsenale, which runs the LA Dolce Vita train service.
The luxury segment is unaffected by the inflation pressure and economic anxiety hitting most consumers. A survey by payments company Flywire found that 83% of upscale travellers plan to spend more in 2023 than last year.
To tap into the demand, Arsenale is investing €240mil (RM1.22bil) to start the service, including converting ageing trains from national operator Trenitalia into rolling luxury transport. Amenities include fine dining at brass-trimmed tables and suites with wood panelling and sitting rooms.
Interiors are inspired by 20th century Italian design, combining muted shades of orange, terracotta and purple. The deluxe cabins will feature carpeted floors and wood slats on the ceiling as well as private bathrooms. Suites will be equipped with a sofa, a table and two armchairs to take in the landscape.
Within the glossy lacquer walls of the dining car, Italian aperitivo and local wines will be served, and delicacies will include sea urchin and truffles. During Le Grand Soir evening dinners, a photographer will take vintage Polaroids for the guests. As many as 62 passengers will be able to travel in the 12-coach trains.
The routes at times will use secondary tracks close to the mountains and the seaside. Travellers will be able to hop on and off for events, such as nighttime visits to St Mark’s Basilica in Venice or performances at Milan’s La Scala opera house. There will also be options to stay at Arsenale-owned Orient Express hotels in Rome and Venice, which are also set to open in 2024.
The first two trains will start service embarking from Rome to northern and southern Italy, along with tours through Sicily. Four more will follow in 2025, adding routes throughout the country.
There are plans to extend the concept to the Arabian peninsula after Arsenale signed agreements with Etihad Rail and Saudi Arabia Railways to develop similar services in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.
Pre-registrations for the first La Dolce Vita trips are already open, and enough people have paid €500 (RM2,545) deposits to take up all of the available spots for 2024, if passengers and routes can be matched, according to Barletta, who founded Arsenale in 2020 in partnership with Annabel Holding, the company owned by billionaire Nicola Bulgari. Official booking starts after this summer.
Most of the customers will likely come from the United States, Europe and the Middle East, alongside domestic Italian travellers, Barletta said, adding that Asia is lagging behind.
For Dolce Vita passengers, price isn’t an issue. “Buying a top-brand bag may cost the same as a tailor-made journey, but it doesn’t give the same emotional experience,” he said. – Bloomberg
