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The Orient Express was a luxury hotel on wheels that crossed Europe.

Starting in 1883, the famous train carried kings, spies, and movie stars from Paris to Istanbul in extreme style.

2 min read
The Orient Express was a luxury hotel on wheels that crossed Europe.
THE FULL STORY

In 1883, a Belgian businessman named Georges Nagelmackers launched a train that was less a train and more a moving hotel. The Orient Express ran from Paris all the way to Istanbul, passing through France, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria. The trip took about 80 hours, and every minute was meant to feel like a vacation.

Inside, the train had wood-paneled carriages, velvet seats, brass fittings, and sleeping cars with crisp linens. Meals in the dining car were full ten-course affairs served on china plates with silver cutlery. Passengers dressed up for dinner. Royalty, diplomats, spies, and wealthy travelers all rode it, which is exactly why authors like Agatha Christie set famous murder mysteries aboard.

The original Orient Express ran in various forms for over a century. Faster planes eventually made the slow luxury train trip less practical, and the last direct Paris-to-Istanbul service ran in 1977. Modern luxury versions still run on parts of the route, complete with vintage carriages and dress codes for dinner.

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