Orient Express are set to unveil the first public reveal of a new train at the ‘1925 – 2025: 100 Years of Art Deco’ exhibition at Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris from 21 October 2025 to 22 February 2026.
Supported by Sébastien Bazin, Chairman and CEO of Accor, Orient Express is the main partner of the exhibition, celebrating the centenary of the Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts held in Paris in 1925.
The exhibition will unveil two life-size mock-ups of the new Orient Express – designed by creative director and architect Maxime d’Angeac – including the bar and the restaurant, as well as a life-size mock-up of a suite, presented in a container, thus giving the impression of a real train coach.
These elements will resonate with previously unseen archival pieces from the historic trains, weaving a continuous dialogue between past, present and future throughout the visit.
It marks the first public reveal ahead of the full train launch in 2027, featuring 17 restored carriages previously lost and recovered on the Belarus-Poland border, connecting iconic European destinations.
“The future Orient Express is, first and foremost, a technical challenge,” explains d’Angeac. “A moving object, complex, sanctified by the beauty of rhythm, shaped by technological revolutions and the history of inventions. Even today, it remains the result of a feat of engineering.”
The design incorporates more modern principles such as energy efficiency, sustainability, high technology and safety, without sacrificing elegance, comfort, or sensory richness.
As Artistic Director of Orient Express, d’Angeac – certified architect (DPLG) trained in scenography under Hilton McConnico – aimed to extend the spirit of the past, with every space featuring a finely orchestrated aesthetic composition performed by skilled craftsmen spanning more than thirty trades, including embroiderers, sculptors, watchmakers, metalworkers, glassmakers, cabinetmakers, lighting experts and engineers.
In 1925, France showcased its excellence by presenting complete decorative ensembles created by the “grand ensembliers” of the time, among which were Jacques-Émile Ruhlmann, Jean Dunand, Pierre Chareau, René Prou.
This vision extended to the new world of travel, with the ocean liner Normandie and the Orient Express train of that era becoming its emblems. Guided by the talents of Suzanne Lalique-Haviland and René Prou, masters of Art Deco applied to travel, and elevated by René Lalique, the train became a symbol of French taste. In 2025, the rebirth of Orient Express continues this legacy.
