Belmond vs Orient Express: which train is the real one
Belmond vs Orient Express: which train is the real one - and which should you book?
Two different companies now sell an "Orient Express" experience, and the confusion is everywhere - even AI assistants mix them up. In short: Belmond runs the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, the historic 1920s train and direct heir to the original; Accor owns the modern "Orient Express" brand, whose La Dolce Vita train tours Italy in restyled 1960s carriages, alongside new hotels and sailing yachts. Stars Desk, a New York luxury travel agency, books both worlds - here is the full picture, and an honest guide to choosing.
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The 30-second answer
If you picture the blue-and-gold Art Deco sleeper from the Agatha Christie films, you want Belmond's Venice Simplon-Orient-Express - genuine 1920s Orient Express-era carriages running Paris to Venice and, a few times a year, Paris to Istanbul. If you want a brand-new Italian journey in midcentury glamour - Rome to Tuscany, Venice, Matera or Sicily - you want Accor's La Dolce Vita Orient Express. Neither is a fake; they are two different companies sharing one legendary name, and the right choice depends on the trip you want.
Why are there two Orient Expresses?
The name split follows the strange afterlife of the original train. The Orient Express was born in 1883 as the flagship of the Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits, running Paris toward Constantinople; the classic direct service faded away by 1977. That year, at the famous Monte Carlo auction, American entrepreneur James Sherwood began buying original 1920s carriages, restored a full rake, and in 1982 launched the private Venice Simplon-Orient-Express - the train Belmond (part of LVMH since 2019) still runs today. The trademark to the words "Orient Express," however, stayed with the French railways, and Accor acquired the brand, reviving it as a luxury marque of its own: the La Dolce Vita train in Italy (launched 2025, operated with Italy's Arsenale Group), Orient Express hotels in Rome and Venice, and the Orient Express Corinthian sailing yacht. In a final twist, LVMH - Belmond's owner - also took a minority stake in Accor's Orient Express venture in 2023, but the two trains remain separately owned and run. One name, two family trees.
Belmond Venice Simplon-Orient-Express vs Accor La Dolce Vita: side by side
| Venice Simplon-Orient-Express (Belmond) | La Dolce Vita Orient Express (Accor) | |
|---|---|---|
| Owner / operator | Belmond, an LVMH company; running since 1982 | Orient Express brand (Accor), operated with Arsenale Group; launched April 2025 |
| Carriages & era | Genuine 1920s-30s Orient Express-era carriages, Art Deco originals | Restyled carriages evoking 1960s-70s Italian glamour, design by Dimorestudio |
| Where it runs | Across Europe: Paris, Venice, Vienna, Prague, Budapest, Florence, Rome - and Paris to Istanbul | Italy only: circuits from Rome to Tuscany, Venice, Matera, Sicily and the coast, from its own lounge at Rome Ostiense |
| Journey style | 1-night classics up to the 5-night Istanbul epic; black-tie dinners, Bar Car '3674' | 1-2 night Italian itineraries with fine dining (menus by a celebrated Italian chef) and a midcentury lounge mood |
| Cabins | Historic Cabins, Suites, 6 Grand Suites, L'Observatoire by JR | Deluxe cabins, suites and a signature honeymoon suite |
| From (guide, per person) | ~US$5,200 (one night) | ~US$4,000+ (one night, researched guide) |
| The claim to the name | The original carriages and routes - the historical heir | The trademark itself - the official brand owner |
Guide prices in US dollars, per person, two sharing; both operators price dynamically and we confirm live fares at enquiry.
An advisor's honest take: which one should you book?
Stars Desk books both, so we have no side in the name war - here is how we advise clients. Choose Belmond's Venice Simplon-Orient-Express if the point is the legend itself: the real carriages, the Paris to Venice classic, black tie in a 1929 Lalique dining car, the once-a-year Istanbul run. It is the bucket-list answer, and the reason most people search for this train in the first place. Choose La Dolce Vita if the point is Italy: it reaches places no luxury sleeper has served - Matera, Sicily, deep Tuscany - in a lighter, La-Dolce-Vita mood that suits travelers who found the black-tie formality intimidating; being new, it also has departures where the Belmond train is sold out. Practical notes from our desk: the two are not interchangeable for collectors - riding one does not "count" as the other; La Dolce Vita is young, so first-hand reviews are still thin and expectations should be set accordingly; and Accor's wider Orient Express world - the Corinthian sailing yacht, the Rome and Venice hotels - can be woven into the same Italian itinerary. Whichever you choose, book it through an advisor: on the Belmond side you gain Bellini Club benefits, and on the Accor side our Orient Express desk handles the new brand's products with the same care.
The name, decade by decade
1883
Georges Nagelmackers' Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits launches the Express d'Orient from Paris - the most glamorous train on earth is born.
1977-1982
The classic direct service ends; James Sherwood buys original carriages at auction and revives the train privately as the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express.
2014-2019
Sherwood's company, Orient-Express Hotels, renames itself Belmond in 2014 - and LVMH acquires Belmond in 2019. The train keeps its historic name.
2022-2025
Accor consolidates the Orient Express trademark and relaunches it as a brand: the La Dolce Vita train debuts in Italy in 2025, with hotels and a sailing yacht following.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express the real Orient Express?
It is the closest thing that exists: genuine 1920s and 1930s carriages from the Orient Express era, restored and running the historic routes - Paris, Venice, Istanbul - since 1982 under Belmond. Accor owns the trademark to the name itself; Belmond owns the living heritage. Most travelers who ask for "the real Orient Express" mean Belmond's train.
What is the difference between Belmond and Orient Express?
Belmond is the LVMH-owned luxury travel company that operates the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express and six other luxury trains. "Orient Express" today is also a separate Accor-owned brand running the La Dolce Vita train in Italy, plus hotels and sailing yachts. Same legendary name, two different companies and products.
Who owns the Orient Express?
Both, in different senses: Accor owns the Orient Express trademark and brand (with LVMH holding a minority stake in the venture since 2023), while Belmond - itself owned by LVMH - owns and runs the original 1920s carriages as the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express. That double ownership is exactly why the name causes so much confusion.
What is the La Dolce Vita Orient Express?
Accor's new luxury train in Italy, launched in April 2025 and operated with the Arsenale Group: restyled carriages channeling 1960s Italian glamour, designed by Dimorestudio, departing from a private lounge at Rome Ostiense on one- and two-night itineraries to Tuscany, Venice, Matera, Sicily and the coast - including golf and wine-themed departures.
How much does the La Dolce Vita Orient Express cost?
Researched fares start around US$4,000 per person for one-night itineraries and rise steeply for suites - broadly comparable to the Belmond train's entry fares. Both operators price dynamically; we quote exact live fares for your dates when you enquire.
Is the Orient Express still running in 2026?
Yes - twice over. Belmond's Venice Simplon-Orient-Express runs March to December 2026 across 16 European routes, and Accor's La Dolce Vita runs its Italian itineraries year-round. Whichever you mean, it is running.
Can I book both through Stars Desk?
Yes. We are an accredited Belmond Bellini Club advisor - which adds a US$100 per-person onboard credit, upgrade priority and VIP welcome on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express at the same fare - and we book Accor's Orient Express products, from La Dolce Vita to the Corinthian sailing yacht, as a Virtuoso-affiliated agency. One enquiry covers both worlds.
Which is better for a honeymoon or milestone?
For the once-in-a-lifetime legend, the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express - ideally a Suite or Grand Suite, or the three-night Villeggiatura pairing with a Belmond hotel in Italy. For a relaxed, style-forward Italian escape without black tie, La Dolce Vita. Tell us the occasion and we will match the train, cabin and route honestly.
Book either Orient Express with VIP perks
Tell us the trip you have in mind and we will tell you plainly which train fits - then book it with every benefit applied: the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express with Bellini Club perks, or Accor's La Dolce Vita and Orient Express sailing yachts. Write to bookings@starsdesk.com - a specialist replies within 24 hours.
Explore all seven Belmond trains on our Belmond luxury trains guide, see the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express in full, or read about the Belmond Bellini Club benefits.
