Orient Express

Giving inspiration for Agatha Christie’s novel named “Murder on the Orient Express”, the Orient Express offers 54 different route options

Having made its maiden voyage in 1883 and owning a global reputation for its passengers and luxury, the Orient Express has visited many European capitals such as Vienna, Budapest, Milan, and Venice throughout history.

In this luxury train, the curtains are made of silk, the glasses are made of crystal, and the tables are made of silver. All these features led this train to be a source of inspiration for many people in history and to be frequently mentioned in books, movies, and pictures. So much so that Agatha Christie wrote the book named Murder on the Orient Express at Pera Palas Hotel in 1933, inspired by the murder committed on the Orient Express while it was 70 km away from Istanbul during a voyage.

Diplomats, civil servants, and dignitaries of French, German, Austrian, and Ottoman origin travelled on the first journey of the Orient Express, which started from Paris in 1883. Also among the passengers was Edmond About, the correspondent of The Times Newspaper, who came to Istanbul to interview Abdulhamid II. About published his memories of the journey in his book “De Ponteise à Stamboul” in 1884 and said: “The Orient Express is the precedent of a luxury concept that could only be found in palaces for its period, running on rails. This period, in which luxury and splendour travelled on rails, is called the “Belle Époque” (Beautiful Period).“

Of course, luxury standards are not the only privilege of this train, which is a favourite of the rich and noble class. The train reduced a journey that took more than 2 months under the conditions of that period to a short 80 hours and carried diplomats and ambassadors in the most complicated and difficult period of history. Orient Express holds a significant place in the history of the world, as well as
in the history of the Ottoman Empire and Türkiye. Having paved the way for transportation and freight transportation between Europe and Istanbul in the last period of the Ottoman Empire, This train also helped Istanbul, the capital and dearest city, gain a new form.

Orient Express also carried one of the revolutions that took place in the Republic of Türkiye from Paris to Istanbul. On November 25, 1925, after the Hat Law, parcels of hats were transported from Paris to Türkiye by the Orient Express.

Back on the rails

One of the classics of luxury train travel, the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, or Orient Express, is back on the rails. You can enjoy the scenery and the journey accompanied by live piano on the train, whose restaurants and wagons have been restored while preserving the old texture.

Travelling across the European continent, the Orient Express offers 54 different route options. Passengers can choose flights consisting of many routes to Paris, Prague, Vienna, Amsterdam, Venice, Rome, Brussels, London, and Istanbul.