The Orient Express and the Changing Face of European Rail Travel

The Orient Express was once one of Europe’s most famous train routes, linking Paris with Istanbul. Over time, it became known not just for luxury but for the stories surrounding it.

Originally, the name Orient Express referred to the connection between Europe and the Balkan Peninsula. Until World War II, these were luxury sleeper trains operated by the Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits, linking Paris with Constantinople and later Istanbul. The train gained global fame not only for its service, but also through Agatha Christie and her novel Murder on the Orient Express, which helped turn it into a cultural icon.

The first time Agatha Christie visited Yugoslavia was in 1928. She did so while travelling on the Simplon-Orient Express.
Christie’s fascination with Yugoslavia also led to it being the scene for one of the crucial plot points in her novel "Murder on the Orient Expres" pic.twitter.com/duggN5xQ5S

— alexbelgrade (@alexbelgrade) April 16, 2026

The first journey took place on 9 June 1883, with a consist of first-class luxury cars, dining cars, and saloon cars. Covering a distance of 3,186 kilometres, the train completed the journey to Constantinople in just under 70 hours, a remarkable achievement for its time.

Crime, Danger, and Notoriety

Despite its reputation for elegance, the Orient Express was not without danger. In 1891, a Greek robber derailed the train about 100 kilometres from Constantinople, taking hostages and demanding a ransom of 8,000 pounds in gold. In later years, a government envoy was murdered in his compartment, and in the 1950s, an American military attaché was attacked and robbed, an incident reportedly linked to Eastern Bloc intelligence services.

War and Changing Routes

During World War I, the service was interrupted and later operated by the German company Mitropa on a Berlin–Constantinople route passing through occupied territories. After the war, it was renamed the Simplon-Orient-Express and rerouted to avoid Germany and Austria. It was not until 1921 that services resumed for the public, initially only reaching Bucharest.

Decline of a Legend

After World War II, the train gradually lost its exclusive character and operated as a standard international service linking cities such as Stuttgart, Munich, and Vienna. By 1950, even third-class carriages had been introduced, shifting away from the train's luxury origins.

The impact of the Iron Curtain further altered its route, with Vienna becoming the endpoint for a period before services later extended again to Budapest and Bucharest.

Following the final Paris–Istanbul journey in 1977, the Orient Express entered a steady decline. By the mid-1980s, it had been reduced to an ordinary night train between Budapest and Paris, far removed from the luxury and prestige that once defined it.