Where Italian craftsmanship meets Saudi heritage, the launch of the Kingdom’s first ultra-luxury train reshapes the very definition of refined travel in the Middle East. Presented at the Future Investment Initiative in Riyadh, the project unites Saudi Arabia Railways with Italy’s Arsenale S.p.A., the visionaries behind La Dolce Vita Orient Express. At its creative helm is Aline Asmar d’Amman, whose architectural imprint spans the Hôtel de Crillon to the Met’s “Heavenly Bodies” exhibition. Here, she reframes slow travel as an art form, and an experience wholly immersive, sensorial, and profoundly cultured.
Inside, carved wooden panels echo the geometry of Najdi architecture; leather in sun-washed clay hues recalls the muted elegance of the desert; woven textiles shimmer with the subtlety of a distant mirage. Everything speaks to heritage, from hand-carved woods, to reinterpreted Bedouin weaves and sculptural surfaces, yet filtered through a contemporary, architectural point of view. The palette feels pulled directly from the earth itself, with ochres, dune browns, oasis greens, and the warm, cinematic glow of Murano glass. With only 33 suites, including two presidential sanctuaries, the intimacy is intentional, and the atmosphere rarefied.
Launching in late 2026, the train will trace a 1,300-kilometre odyssey from Riyadh through Al Qassim, Hail, and Al Jouf, ending near the Jordanian border. But arriving is beside the point. Dream of the Desert restores the romance of the journey, encouraging passengers to surrender to the rhythm of the landscape, to savour the privilege of unhurried motion.
One or two nights itineraries unfurl across ancient escarpments, archaeological sites, and cities carved into the horizon. Two dining cars shift the mood from contemporary Saudi to refined Italian fusion, with menus shaped by world-class chefs. Imagine smoked dates paired with burrata, Taif-saffron risotto, and espresso served with impeccable Italian nonchalance. Between courses, the Majlis awaits, an exclusive lounge where time feels suspended, and where the centuries seem to collapse into one another.
In an age defined by acceleration, Dream of the Desert is a counter-movement. Aligned with Vision 2030, it marks a new chapter for experiential travel in the region and a testament to Saudi Arabia’s ability to reinterpret luxury on its own terms. As Arsenale CEO Paolo Barletta describes it, “a moving masterpiece born from the dialogue between Italian craftsmanship and Saudi vision”. A journey not to rush through, but to inhabit fully. A new benchmark for luxury in motion. A modern desert dream.
