The Transformation Of Orient Express Trips—Then And Now

December 6, 2009 | 409 views |  Print |  Email

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Who could ever forget about the legendary Orient Express trips? They have long been associated with luxury as well as mystery and intrigue.

The name Orient Express originally only referred to the typical international railway service yet through the years it gained too many sorts of reputation. A particular status that it had was that of being enveloped with intrigue and mystery. Paris and Istanbul were also the very first end point destinations. That therefore meant the train had to cut through the borders of several European areas that often had disputes hurled against each other. There goes the belief that armed groups often tried sabotaging and attacking the people that then paved way to too many mysterious conflicts.

Well, this is just a brief glance at the former Orient Express trips that were commonly enjoyed in the past. Traveling to Europe then was never a problem because aside from that super convenient accommodation, one could likewise take a look at the breathtaking scenery present in the countryside.

Alright then so the original Orient Express has long stopped serving the main end points Paris and Istanbul. However, times have changed. The reputation of the train also changed plus a lot other additions were made. More trains bore the name “Orient Express” and many other routes have been opened.

Therefore, that means you can still ride the Orient Express train today! How will you do that? Here are several ways for you to consider.

The simplest and of course most cost-effective choice to deal with is to board the real Orient Express train. That is, the direct progeny of the then popular Wagons-Lits route. It is up to now treated to be the overnight train that connects travelers to the borders of Paris and Vienna. Nowadays it is being managed by the Austrian, German, and French national railways bearing the name “Orient Express.” Your tickets to use are called the Eurail and InterRail passes. This mode is of course the same with that you can do to ride any of the existing international and national European trains.

Yes, the genuine Orient Express train still runs but it doesn’t provide services to the Orient anymore. The dates after June 9, 2007 signaled another change as the train can’t be caught anymore in Paris. Instead, the LVG has replaced it temporarily to serve people in Paris and Strasbourg. However, the same service is present in Strasbourg towards Vienna.

Also, a lot of privately owned companies have gotten the same name for their trains. One of which is the equally popular Venice-Simplon Orient Express that has been founded by no less than the American-British James Sherwood in the year 1982. He bought two of the railcars at an auction in 1977 when the original train ceased its operation. Apparently, those two railcars were used on the same route as that of the authentic Orient Express train.

So there you go with the varieties of Orient Express trips that you can take these days. Too bad, the legendary train ride isn’t the same anymore.