Orient Express facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Orient Express
Poster advertising the winter 1888–1889 timetable
Train length	4 to 22 coaches

Routes of the Orient Express from 1883 to 1914

The Orient Express was a very famous long-distance passenger train service. It was started in 1883 by a company called Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits (CIWL).

This train became known for its luxury and exciting journeys. People often thought of it as a train full of mystery and fancy travel. The most famous cities linked to the Orient Express were Paris and Constantinople (now Istanbul). These were the original start and end points of its main route. The Orient Express showed off comfort and style when travel was usually difficult and not very safe.

The Orient Express Journey

The route and the trains used for the Orient Express changed many times over the years. Sometimes, different routes even used the "Orient Express" name at the same time.

Changes to the Route

In 1977, the Orient Express stopped going all the way to Istanbul. After that, it became an overnight train from Paris to Bucharest. Later, in 1991, this route was shortened to only go as far as Budapest. Then, in 2001, it was shortened again to end in Vienna.

The very last train from Paris on this route ran on June 8, 2007. After this, the "Orient Express" route started from Strasbourg instead of Paris. This change happened because of a new high-speed train line called the LGV Est. This line made travel from Paris to Strasbourg much faster. The shorter service left Strasbourg every day at 10:20 PM. It would connect with an overnight sleeper train from Amsterdam to Vienna when it reached Karlsruhe.

End of the Service

On December 14, 2009, the Orient Express stopped running completely. The route was removed from all European train timetables. Many people said it ended because of new high-speed trains and cheaper airplane flights.

However, a special train called the Venice-Simplon Orient Express still runs today. This is a private company called Belmond. They use original train cars from the 1920s and 1930s. This train travels from London to Venice and other places in Europe. It even sometimes goes on the original route from Paris to Istanbul.

Images for kids

• 

  CIWL logo

• 

  The first Orient Express in 1883

• 

  WL Orient Express

• 

  Badge of the Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits on a car of the Orient Express

• 

  WL Golden Arrow

• 

  Luggage tag

• 

  The Sirkeci Terminal in Istanbul

• 

  Venice-Simplon Orient Express in Poland, in 2007

• 

  Orient Express poster

• 

  WL agences de voyages

• 

  Orient Express cars, 1930

See also

In Spanish: Orient Express para niños