Türkiye

Orient Express will make a Paris-Istanbul flight

By Ahmed Shady December 7, 2022 1 Comment

Read Time:4 Minute, 19 Second

Orient Express will make a Paris-Istanbul flight. The Orient Express, which made its maiden voyage in 1883 and has a global reputation for its passengers and luxury, made its last voyage in 1977. The cost of traveling on the train, which will float on the rails again after 45 years, was determined as 17 thousand 500 Euros.

The Orient Express (Oriental Express), whose starting point was Paris, made its maiden voyage on October 4, 1883. In 1888, Istanbul was included among its stops.
After 45 years, Istanbul was added to the stops of the famous train, which made its last voyage in 1977.

Orient Express is planned to operate again between Paris and Istanbul in 2024.
passengers; He will pay 17 thousand 500 Euros (336 thousand 875 TL) for this pleasant journey to be realized between Paris – Lausanne – Milan – Venice – Belgrade – Sofia – Istanbul.
Orient Express’s Paris – Istanbul flight will take 6 days and 5 nights between 25 – 30 August.

The design of the train, which has been completely renovated, and the wooden panels used in the interior bear the influences of the 1920s.
There are 12 sleeping cars, a dining car and 3 lounge cars on the train.

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1 Orient Express, the symbol of status and wealth on the rails

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3 About Post Author

3.1 Ahmed Shady

Orient Express, the symbol of status and wealth on the rails

The first voyage of the Orient Express from Paris in 1883 Diplomats, officials and dignitaries of French, German, Austrian and Ottoman descent traveled. In addition, II. Edmond About, a reporter for The Times Newspaper, who came to Istanbul to interview Abdulhamid.

About published his memoirs of the journey in his book “De Ponteise à Stamboul” in 1884. Those who had time and money at that time were suffering from not being able to travel to other countries because they did not have enough luxury transportation vehicles.

The journey in their own horse-drawn carriages would be quite long and bumpy. Traveling with ships was also quite long. In addition, ships could naturally only go to cities with ports. As a result of these, Orient Express was in great demand as the most luxurious and fastest transportation vehicle of its time.

Why does Orient Express have a global reputation?

There are 3 important reasons for this. First, He took part in the story of many movies and TV series, including “Murder on the Orient Express”. The second is its route, which includes many European countries, and the journey of world-famous people. For the nobility, administrators, wealthy and dignitaries of the period, Orient Express was one of the effective ways to showcase their fame and wealth. Not changing clothes several times a day and not attending dinner in a tuxedo was considered gross manners by other passengers. The Orient Express was literally the symbol of status and wealth on the rails. Before World War I, the route of Orient Express was Paris – Munich – Vienna – Budapest – Bucharest – Istanbul. After the end of the war, the stations of Germany and Austria were removed from the route of the Orient Express, which resumed its voyages in 1919.Importance of Orient Express for Turkey
The third reason why Orient Express has gained a global reputation is that one of the treaties that ended World War I was signed on 11 November 1918 on Orient Express carriage number 2419.
The importance of Orient Express for Turks was its contribution to the tourism of Istanbul at that time.

When the Orient Express entered Sirkeci Station, the owners of the hotels and the shopkeepers were celebrating, so to speak. Passengers were staying at various hotels in Istanbul and shopping at the Grand Bazaar and Spice Bazaar.

Pera Palace Hotel

However, there was no hotel that could offer the high standards that Orient Express passengers are used to. This gap was filled by the Pera Palace Hotel, the construction of which began in 1892 and the opening ball was held in 1895. The hotel was built in Tepebaşı, in Beyoğlu, which has a magnificent view of the Golden Horn and is defined as ‘little Europe’ due to its cultural and social activities.

Orient Express was not just a passenger train for Turkey

The train was carrying various trade goods between Istanbul and Paris.
After the 1925 Hat Revolution, tens of thousands of hats and caps were brought to Istanbul by Orient Express.

Agatha Christie wrote Murder on the Orient Express at Pera Palas Hotel in 1933, inspired by the murder committed on the Orient Express while she was 70 km from Istanbul during an expedition.
Christie’s novel, published in 1934, further increased the fame of the Orient Express. The novel has been adapted many times into movies and TV series.
‘The Disappearing Woman’, which Alfred Hitchcock adapted to the cinema from Graham Greene’s famous novel ‘Stamboul Train’ and is one of the rare films of the famous director with a comedy emphasis, was another production that increased the fame of Orient Express.

The movie, which is based on the story of a woman who disappeared, managed to attract the attention of Hollywood while achieving a considerable box office in England.

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