AFAR - I Spent the Night on Italy’s “New” Retro Snow Train to the Dolomites—Here’s What It’s Like Onboard

“Buona sera, Senora,” a cheerful white-haired man greets me as he takes my luggage and shows me to my sleeper cabin on the Espresso Cadore. After the train departs Roma Termini station, I head to the train's bar car to grab a glass of prosecco to kick off my trip to the Dolomites—to ski on Italy's famed Olympic slopes.

As I pass through the red plush-carpeted hallways, I look back at a time well before my first experiences taking trains in Italy 20 years ago while studying abroad in Florence. I pass photos adorning the walls of passengers decked out in 1980s and '90s colorblock ski suits, skis-in-hand as they emerge from train cars and step out onto fresh snow. While “new” for 2024, the Espresso Cadore night train was once a popular route to take travelers to Italy's northeastern mountain range, the Dolomites, in the '90s and early aughts, but discontinued service in 2011. These vintage photos on the walls echo the vibe and design of the entire train, from the wood-paneled cabins, to the retro-red dining car, to the large black-and-white vintage travel photos that cover every sleeper cabin.

Written by  Kathleen Rellihan

AFAR  February 16, 2024

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