Another legend of the golden age of rail travel is awakening. Immortalised by crime writer Agatha Christie, the Orient Express is crystallised in the public imagination as a train of legendary glamour and mystery. So with a luxurious reboot on the horizon, it’s worth getting a couple of things straight.
The Orient Express has in fact appeared under many guises during its 140-year history. The original was not an individual train but a scheduled service that ran various routes starting in 1883, primarily from . A number of operators grew to use the name (and still do) for rides criss-crossing Europe.
But if the journey has always been on your bucket list, it might be worth waiting a little while longer. Operated by the Orient Express brand, part of the Accor Hospitality group, a stunning remake of the original trains is launching in 2026. 17 carriages dating back to the 1920s and 1930s - formerly known as the ‘Nostalgie-Istanbul-Orient-Express’ - are being redesigned by renowned French architect Maxime d’Angeac.
The latest renderings capture the first golden age of rail travel in all its splendour. Whatever your berth on the Orient Express, you’ll be getting acquainted with its sleek corridors - described by the brand as “places of travel, encounters and surprises” which offer “a theatrical decor.” D’Angeac’s interiors are full of surprises - and rich in literary influences.
His personal library holds the works of Ernest Hemingway, biographies of art coll.