Arsenale buys 33% of Vietnam's SJourney to expand Asian rail cruises

What's the deal? ArsenaleDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, the luxury rail tourism subsidiary of Italy's Barletta GroupDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, has acquired a 33% stake in SJourneyDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, a young Vietnamese rail cruise brand inspired by the Trans Indochine Express. Chief executive Paolo Barletta announced the deal to Il Sole 24 Ore .

What does SJourney do? It runs a rail cruise of up to eight days and seven nights between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, a 1,726km north-to-south route through some of Vietnam's most picturesque landscapes and culturally significant sites. The brand's name derives from Vietnam's S-shape.

What's the endgame? Arsenale wants to expand its network of routes into neighbouring markets across Asia. The SJourney stake gives it a foothold on an iconic corridor to build from.

Why now? The move follows Arsenale's acquisition a year ago of British firm Golden Eagle Luxury TrainsDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, extending a run of deals in the sector.

The signal: Arsenale is assembling a portfolio of luxury rail brands across regions, betting that demand for slow, high-end travel keeps growing.

Image credit: Jorge Lascar