A Brief History of the Orient Express
The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, more commonly known as the Orient Express, is something that conjures up visions of mystery and intrigue. It has been the subject of many books, and many movies and novels have taken their settings from this luxurious train. It has a powerful grasp on the imagination, and in many ways, it is still the epitome of luxury travel.
Luxury train travel has a long history, with George Pullman being one of the first to hit upon the idea of offering luxury travel to passengers with all of the amenities available. By the mid 1800s there were train cars, which featured parlours for relaxing and sleeping berths. In Europe, Georges Nagelmackers began building luxury trains to provide upmarket travellers with comfortable travel by train.
The Orient Express first run was from Paris to Giurgiu, Romania, stopping in Strasbourg, Vienna, Budapest and Bucharest along the way. The train quickly acquired a reputation as a luxurious means of reaching the then-exotic (for travellers from Western Europe) destinations of Hungary and Romania. By 1900, the Orient Express was running an extended route travelling all the way to Istanbul via the Simplon Tunnel.
The twenties and thirties saw the reputation of this luxury train come into full flower, but the advent of World War II put a halt to it, and due to economy constraints and the advent of air travel, the train made its final run in 1977.
The Orient Express has found new life in recent years. Two of the Orient Express carriages were purchased at auction and 16 million dollars were invested in acquiring and restoring the 35 cars of the train.
It runs today and taking a trip in this historic train is for many one of the most romantic and historic trips that they will ever take. You can enjoy a truly international experience as you take the train to all of the cities that the train once travelled to. While the cities have changed, the loving recreation of the train allows you to step back in time.
Your personal steward will greet you and direct you to your compartment as you board. While you ride the Orient Express, you will dine like royalty. Expert French chefs are in the kitchen crafting exquisite meals from the finest ingredients obtained in each city where the train stops. There are three dining cars, which offer an atmospheric setting for each meal.
Choose from a single compartment or a double compartment, or combine two cabins into a private lounge with a banquette sofa and a sleeping compartment.
Sure, you could just continue to daydream about the experience of riding the Orient Express; but now that it?s something, which you really can enjoy for yourself, there?s no reason to! Stop dreaming and start experiencing the Orient Express.