This new luxury train route will soon link Paris with Italy’s Amalfi Coast

The world’s most glamorous train service is adding a new journey linking two of Europe’s most timeless destinations.

From spring 2026, the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express will launch its first-ever route from Paris to the Amalfi Coast. The lavish experience connects the French capital with Ravello via a three-night trip across both the French and Italian Rivieras.

In a twist, the experience also includes a two-night stay in a five-star hotel.

Ride the rails, then stay in luxury

The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, operated by Belmond, will debut its Paris-Amalfi Coast itinerary on 4 May 2026.

The journey is part of the company’s expanding “Villeggiatura by Train” series, which pairs overnight rail travel with extended hotel stays at Belmond properties across Italy.

With its pastel towns, picturesque cliffs and coves, and winding roads framed by lemon groves, grapevines and olive groves, the Amalfi Coast is one of Italy’s most magical destinations. But getting there often means navigating a maze of buses and ferries.

This new train route promises a slower, more elegant way to experience la dolce vita.

Passengers will board the train’s restored art deco carriages in Paris, where they will be welcomed with a customary glass of champagne before settling into cabins ranging from compact historic twins to grand suites with private marble bathrooms.

Dinner on the first evening will showcase dishes inspired by the regions along the route, followed by cocktails and live piano music in the bar car.

After breakfast the next morning, the train will arrive in Pompeii for a guided tour of the ancient archaeological site. Travellers staying in the train’s grand suites will also enjoy private access to the Casa del Larario, an area rarely open to the public.

Also known as The House of the Achilles Lararium or House of the Ilion Sanctuary, this second-century residence offers a unique look into the life of ancient Romans. Richly decorated and remarkably well-preserved, the space is known for its atrium, which features stuccoed and painted walls depicting scenes from the Trojan War.

The rail portion concludes in Ravello, where guests will check into Caruso, a Belmond hotel housed in an 11th-century palazzo high above the Tyrrhenian Sea.

The two-night stay here includes a private party beside the hotel’s infinity pool and a gala dinner in the gardens overlooking the coast.

The experience doesn’t come cheap. Prices for the full itinerary start from about €10,000 (£8,600) per person, including all meals, excursions and transfers.

Is this a new golden age of train travel in Italy?

Whether you’re seeking a once-in-a-lifetime Paris-to-Italy journey or a weekend trip to the heartland, it’s a great time to ride the rails in Italy.

The Amalfi route joins a wave of new luxury and heritage trains criss-crossing Italy this year, as the country experiences a revival of slow, scenic rail journeys.

In Tuscany, a 1970s-era vintage train is running trips from Rome to Siena, offering a leisurely way to explore the region’s vineyards and hill towns until November.

The Espresso Langhe e Monferrato is currently carrying overnight passengers from Rome to Alba every weekend in October, winding through Piedmont just in time for the region’s annual white truffle festival.

Meanwhile, the Espresso Assisi: Frantoi Aperti Edition is taking travellers to Umbria to savour its famed olive oil. The special train even includes guided olive oil tastings onboard.

And following its Oktoberfest debut earlier this year, the Monaco Express returns to link Rome and Munich by sleeper train for the Christmas market season in December. The night train service departs Rome on 5 and 12 December and returns from Munich on 7 and 14 December, with stops in destinations including Verona and Innsbruck.