Orient Express adds Paris to Amalfi Coast route

Published on Oct 21, 2025, 3:17 pm CDT

4 min read

Key points

Paris to Amalfi Coast route debuts May 4, 2026
Pompeii tour included, with private Casa del Larario for suites
Two hotel nights at Belmond's Caruso in Ravello
Prices start around €10,000 per person
Italy rolls out seasonal heritage trains for fall and winter

Impact

Travelers: A slower, premium alternative to flights and ferries, with curated stops and hotel stays.
Suppliers: Belmond expands rail-hotel pairings, while FS Treni Turistici Italiani grows heritage services.
Destinations: Amalfi Coast, Pompeii, Siena, Alba, and Munich gain high-spend rail visitors.
Outlook: Luxury and heritage rail demand in Italy is rising into late 2025 and 2026.

Belmond will launch a new Venice Simplon-Orient-Express Paris to Amalfi Coast journey on May 4, 2026, pairing a three-night rail segment with a two-night stay at Caruso in Ravello. The itinerary includes a guided visit to Pompeii and a finale high above the Tyrrhenian Sea, positioning the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express as a headline luxury option for travelers who prefer unhurried, scenic rail over airport transfers and coastal buses. Prices begin around €10,000, about $10,800, per person including meals, excursions, and transfers.

Venice Simplon-Orient-Express and Belmond

The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, operated by Belmond, extends its "Villeggiatura by Train" concept in 2026, linking Paris to Caruso, a Belmond hotel in an 11th-century palazzo in Ravello. Guests board restored Art Deco carriages in Paris for a champagne welcome, dinner inspired by regions along the route, and live piano in the bar car. After breakfast the next morning, the train arrives in Pompeii for a guided tour; Grand Suite guests receive private access to the Casa del Larario, a rarely opened second-century residence. The rail portion concludes in Ravello, where the two-night stay includes a private poolside party and a gala dinner in the hotel gardens.

Latest developments

Italy's wider rail scene is also leaning into seasonal, sense-of-place journeys. A vintage Espresso Val d'Orcia e Siena is running select departures from Rome to Siena in restored 1970s Gran Confort cars through the fall, offering a slower route into Tuscan vineyards and hill towns. For white truffle season, the overnight Espresso Langhe e Monferrato connects Rome and Alba on October weekends. Umbria's olive harvest is the theme of the Espresso Assisi, a special service aligned with Frantoi Aperti from October 18 to November 16 that even features guided olive-oil tastings onboard. And for Christmas markets, the Espresso Monaco links Rome and Munich on two December weekends, with advertised departures from Roma Termini on December 5 and 12 and returns December 7 and 14, calling at alpine waypoints such as Verona and Innsbruck.

Analysis

The Paris to Amalfi Coast debut gives the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express a rare southbound arc that neatly solves an access problem for the Amalfi Coast. Reaching Ravello typically involves a flight or long-haul rail into Naples, then buses or private transfers along narrow roads. By coupling the rail leg with a two-night hotel stay, Belmond removes friction and keeps the experience consistent in service and pace. Meanwhile, Italy's heritage services target a different price tier but tap the same traveler desire: seasonal narratives, regional flavors, and fewer logistics. If you are planning peak truffle or Christmas market weekends, book early, since these trains run limited dates and inventory is small. If you prefer flexibility, consider standard high-speed rail into Naples or Florence, then connect locally, and keep an eye on planned rail maintenance windows that can affect schedules. For broader disruption context, see our recent look at infrastructure work across Italy's network, which may influence weekend timings and rolling stock availability. Italy rail maintenance could affect weekend schedules

Final thoughts

With the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express Paris to Amalfi Coast route set for May 4, 2026, Italy's rail revival spans both ultra-luxury and heritage nostalgia. Whether you want a once-in-a-lifetime grand rail and hotel pairing or a themed weekend ride to truffles, olive groves, or Christmas markets, this is a strong season to plan around the tracks.