Oriental Express is the train that operated between Paris and Istanbul between 1883 and 1977.
The Orient Express, owned by the Vagon-Li Company, started its first voyage from Paris in 1883 with the original name Orient-Express. Officials and diplomats of French, German, Austrian and Ottoman origin also participated in this first expedition of the Eastern Express. Also among the attendees were The Times newspaper reporter and novelist and traveler Edmond About. Edmond About published his memoirs of this trip in 1884 in his book De Ponteise à Stamboul. The Times correspondent also II. He stayed in Istanbul for a while to meet with Abdulhamid.
After the expeditions of the Orient Express, those who came to Istanbul were staying at various hotels in the city. Since 1895, passengers coming to Istanbul started to stay in Pera Palas, which was purchased by the Wagon-Li Company, which operates the train. During the World War I, which lasted for 4 years (1914-1918), Eastern Express flights could not be made. The train remained at the station during the war.
An interesting historical event
The truce, which ended World War I, was signed between the Entente States and Germany on the 2419 wagon of the Oriental Express near Paris. Later on, this wagon was placed in the museum by the French due to its historical importance.
II. When Germany invaded France during World War II, Hitler asked the Germans to sign the delivery agreement this time in the historic wagon where the Germans signed the delivery agreement. The Eastern Express wagon numbered 2419 was removed from the museum. This time, France's delivery agreement was signed on this historic wagon. This wagon was later taken to Germany. Shortly before Germany surrendered in 1945, this wagon was destroyed by an SS unit. Thus, Germany was freed from the possibility of signing an agreement on this historical wagon for the second time.
After World War I
The Orient Express, which started its trips again in 1919, started to be called 'Simplon Orient Express' with the name of the simplon tunnel opened in 1905. From the new voyage route of the Orient Express, the stations of Germany and Austria, the defeats of the First World War, were removed. Thus, the Orient Express started to reach Istanbul in 58 hours via Paris Lausanne Milan and Venice. The great economic crisis in 1929 led to the reduction of the train's passengers. Şark Ekpresi has been the subject of various novels and movies. Famous British crime novelist Agatha Christie published her novel "Murder in the Orient Express" in 1934.
The Orient Express was not just a passenger train. The train carried various commodities to Istanbul and Paris mutually. According to reports published in the French newspaper La Patrie in Istanbul, thousands of hats and caps were brought to Istanbul with the Orient Express after the 1925 Hat Revolution.
II. During the World War (1939-1945), the Eastern Express's flights were interrupted again. II. Socialist regimes were established in some of the countries on the route of the train after World War II. Faced with various restrictions due to the cold war and gradually losing its importance, the Orient Express made its last expedition on May 27, 1977. The train's wagons were sold in Montecarlo. The 2 wagons of the train, which is the subject of Agatha Christie's novel 'Murder on the Orient Express', were bought by an Englishman. Some of the wagons were purchased by the Moroccan Royal Palace Museum. Around 100 celebrities from different countries participated in the 100th anniversary campaign of the Orient Express, which was organized by an organization called Society Expeditions and has a symbolic meaning.
Today, it continues its flights once a year in September.
Orient Express in popular culture
It serves as the meeting place for secrets, intrigue and secret love adventures.
While Graham Greene's book, Istanbul train, is in the other Orient Express service; Agatha Christie's novel "Murder on the Orient Express" takes place in Simplon Orient Express.
The movie Şark Express was first shown in 1934. The German film Orient Expres was made in 1944 and presented on 8 March 1945. Probably the last day a new movie was screened in Nazi Germany. It also has a 2000 movie. Death, deception and destiny Traveling on the Orient Express and in the 2004 version Around the World Around the World in 80 Days, Mr.Fogg boarded the Istanbul train. James Bond's troubled escape takes place on the train with Love from Russia. Sir Henry Paget Flash is featured in Geoerge Mac Donald Fraser's The Flashman and the Tiger as a visiting journalist, Henri Blowitz, on the first journey of the train.
Private trains
In 1982 the Venice-Simplon Orient Express (Private rail company-Luxury train service companies take this name) was established. He was carrying the passengers he took from London and New York to Venice. This service is provided once a year on Orient Express days today. And it definitely targets travelers with plenty of time. The cost of a ticket from London to Venice is over £ 1,200.
American Express operates in the west of the United States. It advertises in the form of a combination of a luxury cruise ship and a 5-star hotel. It recently changed its name to Grand Luxe Rail Journey (very luxurious rail travel).
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