What is the route of the Orient Express?
The original Orient Express route travels across Europe. Starting in Paris, then through Strasbourg, Munich, Vienna, Budapest, and Bucharest before arriving in Istanbul.
The sister train to the Orient Express, the Simplon Orient Express which would later be known as the Direct Orient Express, also travelled a route from Paris to Istanbul, but instead, headed south through Lausanne, Simplon, Milan, Venice, Belgrade and Sofia before arriving in Istanbul.
Coming into service in 1883, all original Orient Express routes finally retired in 2009 after almost 100 years of the most famous train journeys in the world.
Where did the Orient Express travel?
The Orient Express travelled across Europe, most famously departing from Paris and heading to Istanbul. As the popularity of these journeys grew, more Orient Express trains were brought into service offering more varied journeys to more destinations across Europe.
Orient Express Route Map (1883 – 1962)
The Orient Express Route:
Paris
Strasbourg
Munich
Vienna
Budapest
Bucharest
Istanbul
This route is the original route taken by the Orient Express. Nagelmackers, the creator and founder of the Orient Express, was unable to complete the journey in one go during the first 6 years of travel (1883 – 1889). During this period, between Bucharest and Istanbul, passengers had to take a local train, before boarding a ship to complete the journey. The last few kilometres of the journey would take over 80 hours.
The Orient Express would leave passengers in Giurgiu, Romania which is by the Danube River to be ferried across to Ruse, Bulgaria. Here, they’d board a second train to Varna. From Varna, passengers would cross the Black Sea by a steamer before finally arriving in Istanbul.
However, the route via the Black Sea was during the earliest founding years of the Orient Express. 6 Years later, in 1889, the Orient Express then established a route which went from Paris to Sirkeci Station in Istanbul entirely by rail. This more direct route entirely by rail would be taken during the years of 1889 – 1914, 1919 – 1939 and 1945 – 1962.
Taking passengers through the highlights of Europe, the original Orient Express route was a long voyage across numerous countries. The journeys became more and more luxurious and exclusive and a talking point among the wealthy. Anyone who was anyone took a journey on board the Orient Express for the experience, to meet the people on board and to return home with stories to tell.
You may be curious as to why there are years between 1914 – 1919, as well as 1939 – 1945 are unaccounted for. In short, both were due to war. In 1913, due to the Balkan Wars, the Orient Express could only go as far as Belgrade. In the following year, in 1914, the journey was halted altogether. The service would then stop again in 1939 to 1945 due to World War II.
In 1900 to 1930. Four additional Orient Express routes, which we will later discuss, would be established:
The Arlberg-Orient-Express
The Oostende-Vienna-Orient-Express
The Taurus-Orient-Express
The Simplon-Orient Express
Simplon Orient Express Route Map
The Simplon Orient Express Route:
Paris
Lausanne
Milan
Venice
Belgrade
Sofia
Istanbul
The Simplon Orient Express came into service in 1919 and was given its name as it would travel south towards the Simplon Pass in Switzerland. Offering the same levels of luxury just on a different route, the Simplon Orient Express would head south to Lausanne, then into Northern Italy on the first leg of its journey rather than east to Strasbourg like the original.
The Simplon Orient Express ran this route from 1919 – 1939 and again from 1945 – 1962. It was then renamed the ‘Direct Orient Express’ and continued to run this route until retiring in 1977.
This route is arguably the most popular and recognisable journey in the history of the Orient Express routes. Why is this the case? It is likely due to French-occupation of Ruhr Valley, Germany in an attempt to force demilitarisation in 1923. In retaliation, the Weimar Republic prohibited the Orient Express from travelling on German soil so this alternative route which didn’t require travel through Germany boomed in popularity. The Simplon Orient Express is in fact, the inspiration for many of the popular media we know today, including Agatha Christie’s famed, 'Murder on the Orient Express'.
However between 1951 and 1953 this Orient Express route was suspended due to conflicts in neighbouring countries to Bulgaria which resulted in the nation blocking the train’s travel through its territory altogether.
It wouldn’t be until 1982 that the train, the Venice Simplon Orient Express, would take the original Orient Express route once more.
The Venice Simplon Orient Express originally ran from Paris to Venice via the Simplon Pass in Switzerland, hence its given name. It is the only train in existence that continues to follow the original route.
Arlberg Orient Express Route Map
Route of the Arlberg Orient Express:
London
Calais
Paris
Zurich
Innsbruck
Vienna
Budapest
Bucharest Or…
Belgrade
Athens
You may not have heard of the Arlberg Orient Express, but it once followed a route between the Orient Express and Simplon Orient Express and headed as far as Athens, Greece. Running from 1930 – 1939 and again from 1945 – 1962, the Arlberg Orient Express offered passengers the same lavish, glamorous journey through Europe but with an entirely different view from the other two trains.
By 1962, the original Orient Express and Arlberg Orient Express had stopped running, leaving only the Simplon Orient Express. This was replaced in 1962 by a slower service called the Direct Orient Express, which ran daily cars from Paris to Belgrade, and twice weekly services from Paris to Istanbul and Athens.
Not as famous as the original Orient Express, this Arlberg Orient Express route ended at either Bucharest or headed south through Belgrade to Athens. An extensive journey that would have shown passengers the very best Europe had to offer across a multitude of countries and climates. The Arlberg Orient Express was one of the shortest running of the original trains with just 32 years in service running this route.
Oostende Vienna Orient Express Route Map
The Oostende Vienna Orient Express Route:
Ostend
Brussel
Cologne
Frankfurt
Nurnberg
Vienna
Belgrade
Sofia
Istanbul
Known firstly as the Oostende Vienna Express, this route first connected Ostend and Brussels to Vienna from 1894.
Although to reach Istanbul, in 1900, the Oostende Vienna Express joined cars with the Orient Express from Vienna. Then with the Simplon Orient Express, between Belgrade and Istanbul. Henceforth, it became known as the Oostende Vienna Orient Express.
This journey would run three-times a week to Istanbul before the route was permanently suspended in 1939 due to World War II. From then on, The Ostend Vienna Orient Express route would simply be known as, yet again the Ostend Vienna Express.
This iteration of the train, inspired Graham Greene’s 'Stamboul Train', which was published in 1932.
Taurus Orient Express (Taurus Express) Route Map
The Taurus Orient Express Route (Taurus Express):
Istanbul
Eskişehir
Ankara
Kayseri
Adana
Aleppo
Homs
Tripoli
Beyrouth
Haifa
El Qantara
Cairo
Marketed as the ‘Three Continent Train’, the Taurus Express, sometimes known as the Taurus Orient Express, was a journey intended to be an extension of the Simplon Orient Express route, going through Europe, Asia, and Africa.
Named after the Taurus Mountains in Turkey, the route continues its journey through its namesake, through Istanbul and the rest of Turkey, passengers would have to ferry over the Bosphorus strait to Haydarpaşa Station.
The original route in 1930 took passengers to Aleppo and Nusaybin, those who wished to head to Baghdad would take a motorcoach transfer from Nusaybin to Kirkuk before finishing the journey by rail
The route seen above was established in 1942, when a rail connection to Cairo became possible, thanks to the completion of the railway between Tripoli to Haifa and a bridgeway across the Suez Canal. Service by the bridge stopped when it was damaged by a steamship in 1947 and an ensuing conflict between Israel and Palestine.
Venice Simplon-Orient-Express
Alternative modern-day routes:
Verona to Paris
Verona to London*
Verona to London*
Venice to Paris
Venice to London*
Paris to Verona
Paris to Venice
London to Verona
London to Venice
Prague to London*
Budapest to London*
*Please note that from 2025, the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express will no longer be offering journeys to or from London.
The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express is a modern journey offering the same glamour during the beautiful Golden Age of Travel. Composed of restored vintage carriages from between 1926 and 1949, the train took to the rails on its first service in 1982.
Each carriage was meticulously revived by highly-skilled craftspeople, and continues to be maintained with great care by French and Italian workshops to be inspected, cleaned, and maintained.
Onboard, the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express delivers a romantic and timeless experience as the route takes passengers through great European landscapes on an indulgent and lavish journey.
Several routes are available. Although, with the 'Paris to Istanbul' journey closely following the original Orient Express route in a five-night journey, this is easily the most sought after and exclusive experience offered on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express. This route is taken offered only twice a year in May and September, and cabins are limited even prior to a release date.
Experience the luxury train
LuxuryTrainTickets.com are pleased to offer a wide range of luxury train journeys across almost every luxury train in the world. Choose from a generous range of journeys throughout the year on board one of the most famous trains ever to exist and experience what life was like during the Golden Age of Travel.
We offer many other journeys across Europe. These journeys offer exceptional value and guarantee to create memories you will cherish for a lifetime. Booking through LuxuryTrainTickets.com also entitles you to our complimentary concierge service as well as regular discounts and promotions off your journey as standard.
Should Europe be out of reach, we are also pleased to offer luxury train journeys across England, Scotland, Ireland, Asia and South America. Each of these luxury sleeper trains includes a choice of exceptional cabins and all meals and any exclusive visits mentioned in your itinerary are all included in the ticket price.
As well as sleeper trains, LuxuryTrainTickets.com also offer a wealth of luxury day trip journeys across England. These day trips offer all the exceptional qualities of sleeper journeys, simply in a day-trip format without the sleeper carriages.
Should you require any additional information, have any questions about the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express or any routes, or wish to book your luxury train journey, please do not hesitate to get in touch either by phone or by using the form below. We endeavour to get back to you within one working day, often sooner.
