AccorHotels acquires 50% stake in Orient Express

SNCF Group, owner of the iconic ‘Orient Express’ brand, teams up with AccorHotels to continue the development of Orient Express within the luxury hospitality sector globally. As part of this partnership, AccorHotels will be acquiring a 50 per cent stake in the share capital of Orient Express, until now fully-owned by SNCF. The legendary train, which for almost a century connected Europe’s greatest cities, from Paris to Istanbul, is imprinted in both history and imagination. Since 1977, SNCF Group has been actively involved in developing the brand’s prestigious image, notably through the restoration of vintage carriages dating from the 1920s (known as the Pullman-Orient-Express) and the organisation of events.
AccorHotels intends to build on this partnership to strengthen its leadership in the luxury segment, by developing a new collection of prestigious hotels under the Orient Express banner. This collection will offer a unique experience steeped in history that combines the luxury, exoticism and sophistication of East and West in iconic locations.
In addition, the seven historic cars, symbols of French Art Deco, will remain the physical property of the state-owned rail group, and will be operated by Orient Express for private journeys and events. They will provide a new and exceptional setting for the organization of events, which may be held in collaboration with AccorHotels’ other businesses such as Potel & Chabot, Noctis and John Paul.