Italy is offering a new answer to the perennial question of where to spend New Year’s Eve.
On 30 December, the three-day, two-night La Dolce Vita Orient Express departs Rome for a roaming celebration that unfolds on board as the train travels to Venice and back.
Called ‘Whispers at Midnight’, the itinerary is designed for travellers who want the holiday to feel special without committing to a single destination or crowded events.
But this exclusive journey into 2026 comes at a cost, starting at €11,280 per passenger.
A special escape that starts and ends in Rome
The trip begins on 30 December at Rome’s Ostiense Station, where guests gather in a private lounge before boarding around midday.
The train then heads to the timeless Tuscan town of Montalcino. Travellers can join guided tours of the medieval streets or take part in an exclusive wine tasting at the 14th-century Fortress of Montalcino. The itinerary also includes a private tour of Antinori’s Pian delle Vigne estate, plus a tasting of its famed Brunello wines.
From Tuscany, the train travels to Venice for the New Year’s holiday and a litany of exclusive experiences. Guests travel by boat through the city’s canals and enjoy everything from a concert in a former church to a private glassblowing workshop (not to mention more wine).
The New Year’s Eve celebration takes place on board the luxury train. Guests sit down to a dinner created by Heinz Beck, the chef of three-Michelin-starred La Pergola in Rome. Afterward, the bar car hosts performances and a DJ for the countdown.
After this ultra-luxe countdown experience, the train begins the journey back to Rome.
Fine dining and private parties ring in the New Year
All meals during the trip are created by Beck, the famed German chef known for his impeccable Italian cuisine.
The itinerary also incorporates experiences that are normally difficult to access.
Antinori’s Brunello estate opens privately for La Dolce Vita guests and several city visits include access to spaces not typically open to travellers, such as a noble Venetian residence used for a private lunch.
Unlike celebrations in public squares or restaurants, the evening programme remains contained within the train, keeping the night in one setting rather than spread across multiple venues.
La Dolce Vita is a five-star hotel on wheels
La Dolce Vita Orient Express is a new ultra-luxury rail experience created by Orient Express and the Accor hospitality group.
Unlike the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, which focuses on longer European routes, La Dolce Vita runs shorter, destination-rich itineraries within Italy and is designed to immerse travellers in Italian culture exclusively.
The train amounts to a five-star hotel on wheels, too. It consists of 12 carriages that accommodate up to 62 guests in 31 plush cabins, including the signature La Dolce Vita Suite. This showpiece of mid-century Italian design features an expanded living space and its own ensuite bathroom, among other perks.
La Dolce Vita runs a seasonal series of one- to three-night journeys across Italy, including routes through Tuscany, Venice, Portofino, Matera and Sicily, alongside themed departures such as its truffle, vineyard and Palio itineraries.
But the privileges do not come cheap. Some of the service’s new golf journeys cost more than €12,000 per passenger. Even a two-day, one-night Carnival-themed journey in Venice in February 2026 starts at €3,720 per passenger.
Switzerland and the UK offer equally posh New Year's Eve rides
If Italy is out of the cards, there are other ways to splash out on a one-of-a-kind New Year’s Eve on the rails.
In Switzerland, Vacations By Rail offers a slower-paced New Year journey.
The six-day itinerary pairs scenic train travel with five nights in Interlaken, using the town as a base for excursions in the Bernese Oberland. Highlights include a trip up Grindelwald followed by New Year’s Eve gala dinner, and then on 1 January a trip to the Jungfraujoch railway station - Europe's highest - for scenic views above the Alps.
In the UK, meanwhile, Belmond’s British Pullman offers a glamorous alternative. Its New Year’s Eve dinner journey departs London for a round-trip evening of fine dining in restored 1920s and 1930s carriages. The evening includes a multi-course feast on board and live performances as the train rolls through the countryside.