The Orient Express is getting a new look – here's everything we know

On 4 October 1883, a series of train carriages departed Paris’ Gare de l’Est, set for Constantinople (now Istanbul). The Orient Express had graced the world with her presence, launching myriad new possibilities for the upper classes and discerning travellers of the 19th century.

Afternoon tea is served in one of the new carriages on board the Orient Express.

Fashions change and, while the Orient Express remains the epitome of opulent travel, the famed carriages deserve a new look from time to time.

On Monday 27 October 2025, Accor shared a first look at the reborn Orient Express, marking the start of a new chapter set to begin in 2027.

A green banquette in one of the carriages.

The new look, reimagined by architect Maxime d'Angeac, was unveiled at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs’ landmark exhibition, 1925–2025: A Century of Art Deco, hailed as one of the most significant Art Deco showings ever staged.

The exclusive images show vibrant green banquettes curving through glittering carriages, deep red furnishings in bedrooms that open up to corridors stretching as far as the eye can see, and dining tables illuminated by their golden surroundings.

Glossy panelled walls and marble sinks give a luxurious feel.

Each carriage celebrates the spirit of the Art Deco masters, Ruhlmann, Dunand, and Lalique-Haviland, while integrating 21st-century craftsmanship and technology.

A narrow corridor snakes along the train.

This new chapter is the result of Orient Express’s in-house historian Arthur Mettetal’s use of Google Maps and 3D satellite imagery to trace 17 original 1920s carriages, once thought lost to history and eventually found abandoned on the Poland–Belarus border.

Moody colour palettes and plush furniture lend a sumptuous vibe to the new carriages.

The original carriages have now been painstakingly restored by some of France’s most talented artisans, including Rinck, Ateliers Jouffre, and the Tapestry Manufacture of Burgundy, preserving Morrison & Nelson marquetry and Lalique glasswork while reimagining the interiors for a new generation of travellers.

This is the latest in a series of thrilling developments for Accor’s Orient Express, following the launch of La Dolce Vita Orient Express in 2025. The Golden Age of Italian design inspires the glamorous addition to the family and sees the carriages trundle through Rome, Venice, Naples and along the shores of Sicily.