This most famous train in the world has existed from 1883 to 2009, and has run, for the last time on it’s whole route from Paris ti Istambul in 1977. It was a technical adventure, this explaining permanent changes in the sorts of cars, number of cars, number of direct cars, train settings, and explaining so many changes in the routes and the time-tables according to politics, diplomatic agreements, time of peace and time of war, bounder changes, but track problems and so many other changes suddenly existing on it’s route. Here are some of these…

NB: Please refer to the previous articles and illustrations about the Orient-Express, published in English on this web-site, and, for more details, published in French if reading is possible to you… Sorry, nobody is perfect…

1)  Orient-Express train settings before WW1

Train Eclair (Test train starting from Paris, once in 1882)

Locomotive : 2-4-0 type Compagnie française de l’Est

Two sleeping-cars on 3 axles

Dining-car on 3 axles (Nr. 107)

Sleeping-car on 3 axles

Sleeping-car 4 axles (Nr. 75)

Luggage-van on 2 axles Compagnie française de l’Est

All cars are Paris-Vienna

Orient-Express (Starting from Paris,1883)

2-40 locomotive of the Compagnie française de l’Est

Two sleeping-car on 3 axles Paris-Giurgiu

Dining-car on 3 axles Paris-Giurgiu

Luggage-van on 2 axles from the Compagnie française de l’Est Paris-Vienna

Orient-Express (Starting from Vienna, 1914)

Austrian locomotive starting from Vienna

Luggage-van Vienna-Paris

Luggage-van Constantinople/Constance-Paris

Dining-car Constantinople/Constance-Paris

Sleeping-car Constantinople/Constance-Paris

Sleeping-car Vienna-Paris

Sleeping-car Vienna-Ostende

Sleeping-car Constantinople/Constance-Ostende

Luggage-van Constantinople/Constance-Ostende

Ostende-Vienna-Express (Starting from Ostende, 1910)

Belgian locomotive starting from Ostende

Luggage-van Ostende-Karlsbad

Luggage-van Ostende-Constantinople/Constance

Sleeping-car Ostende-Bad Kissingen

Sleeping-car Ostende-Marienbad

Sleeping-car Ostende-Karlsbad

Sleeping-car Ostende-Constantinople/Constance

Sleeping-car Ostende-Vienna

Dining-car Ostende-Herbesthal/Würzburg-WeIs

Luggage-van Ostende-WeIs

2)  Orient-Express train settings during and just after WW1

Balkanzug (Starting from München, le 15 janvier 1916)

German locomotive starting from München

Luggage-van München-Constantinople

Sleeping-car (16 beds) München-Constantinople

Bavarian 1/2 composite class car

Dining-car München-Vienna

Two 1st/2nd class composite cars München-Salzburg

« Train de luxe militaire » (Starting from Paris, 1919 three times a week)

French locomotive starting from Paris : Compagnie de l’Est

Luggage-van Paris-Prague

Sleeping-car Paris-Zürich

Sleeping-car Paris-Prague

Sleeping-car Paris-Prague

Sleeping-car Paris-Warsaw

Sleeping-car Paris-Warsaw

Dining-car Paris-Warsaw

Luggage-van Paris-Warsaw

Luggage-van-Postes Paris-Warsaw

« Train de luxe militaire » (German military section, 1919)

German locomotive untill Stuttgart

Luggage-van Paris-Vienna

Two sleeping-cars Paris-Vienna

Sleeping-car Boulogne-Vienna

Dining-car Strasburg-Vienna

Luggage-van Strasburg-Vienna

Train L 63 (German military section, 1920 et 1921)

German locomotive starting from Crailsheim

2 Luggage-vans Paris-Warsaw

Dining-car Paris-Warsaw

Two sleeping-car Boulogne-Warsaw

Sleeping-car Ostende-Warsaw

Luggage-van Ostende-Warsaw

Train 290 (Arrival at Amsterdam)

Dutch mail-van Cologne-Amsterdam

German luggage-van allemand Cologne-Amsterdam

German dining-car Mitropa C° Cologne-Amsterdam

1/2 class composite car Vienna (D55)-Amsterdam

1/2 class composite car Nuremberg-Amsterdam

3rd class car Nuremberg-Amsterdam

Sleeping-car Bucarest-Amsterdam

Ordinary cars from the 3 class Vienna-Amsterdam

2 voitures 3^rd class Zevenaar—Amsterdam

1/2 class composite car Zevenaar-Amsterdam

German sleeping-car Mitropa Würzburg-Amsterdam

German sleeping-car Mitropa Leipzig-Amsterdam

Ordinary cars from the 3 class Dresde-Amsterdam

Voiture-lit allemande Mitropa deux bogies de 3 axles

Suisse-Arlberg-Vienna-Express  (Summer 1927 service with sleeping-cars Type R, Starting from Vienna)

Austrian locomotive

Luggage-van Vienna-Paris

Dining-car Vienna-Paris

Sleeping-car Bucarest-Paris

Sleeping-car Vienna-Paris

Sleeping-car Vienna-Calais

Sleeping-car Vienna-Lyon

Orient-Express (German and Austrian railways service after year 1935)

Luggage-van Ostende-Bucarest

Dining-car Ostende-Szolnok

Sleeping-car Amsterdam-Bucarest

Sleeping-car Ostende-Istambul

Luggage-van Calais-Karlsbad

Sleeping-car Calais-Karlsbad

Sleeping-car Paris-Karlsbad

Sleeping-car Paris-Prague

Luggage-van Salzburg-Linz

Dining-car Paris-Linz

Sleeping-car Paris-Istambul

Sleeping-car Paris-Bucarest

Sleeping-car Calais-Bucarest

Luggage-van Paris—Bucarest

• 

3)  All the Simplon-Orient-Express trains between both World Wars.

Simplon-Orient-Express (Summer 1920 service, starting from Milan)

Italian locomotive starting from Milan

Luggage-van CIWL type Paris-Constantinople/Bucarest

Dining-car Paris-Constantinople/Bucarest

Sleeping-car Boulogne-Constantinople/Bucarest

Sleeping-car. Paris-Constantinople/Bucarest

Sleeping-car Paris-Athens three times a week

Sleeping-car Paris-Triest every day

Sleeping-car Paris-Belgrade three times a week

Sleeping-car Lyon-Trieste every day

Voiture-salon Milan-Trieste every day

Sleeping-car Ostende-Constantinople/Bucarest

Luggage-van CIWL Paris-Constantinople/Bucarest

Simplon-Orient-Express (Calais-Trieste service during the 1930s)

Luggage-van CIWL

Voiture-salon-Pullman Calais-Paris Nord

Dining-car Calais-Paris Nord

Sleeping-car Paris-Bucarest

Sleeping-car Calais-Bucarest

Sleeping-car Calais-Istambul

Sleeping-car Calais-Saint-Gervais

Sleeping-car Paris-Istambul

Sleeping-car Paris-Athens

Dining-car Lausanne-Svilengrad

Luggage-van CIWL

(Trieste-Istambul service during the 1930s)

Luggage-van CIWL

Sleeping-car Paris-Bucarest

Sleeping-car Calais-Bucarest

Sleeping-car Ostende-Istambul three times a week

Sleeping-car Berlin-Istambul four times a week

Sleeping-car Paris-Vienna-Istambul three times a week

Sleeping-car Prague-Istambul four times a week

Sleeping-car Calais-Istambul

Sleeping-car Paris-Istambul

Dining-car Lausanne-Svilengrad

Sleeping-car Paris-Trieste-Athens

Sleeping-car Berlin-Athens three times a week

Sleeping-car Paris-Innsbruck-Athens three times a week

Sleeping-car Vienna-Athens once a week

Luggage-van CIWL

Train 910 (1920-1938)

Luggage-van Budapest-Belgrade

Budapest-Subotica

Voiture 2/3rd class Warsaw-Belgrade

Ordinary cars with the three class Berlin-Breslau-Belgrade

Ordinary cars with the three class Berlin-Prague-Belgrade

Sleeping-car Berlin-Prague-Athens four times a week

Sleeping-car Prague-Istambul three times a week

Sleeping-car Ostende-Istambul four times a week

Sleeping-car Berlin-Breslau-Istambul three times a week

Sleeping-car Paris-Vienna-Istambul three times a week

Sleeping-car Paris-Athens three times a week

Sleeping-car Vienna-Athens once a week

Ordinary cars with the three class Vienna-Belgrade

4)  During WW2

German train D148 (Starting from Prague June 1944)

German mail-van Prague-Brùnn

3rd class car Prague-Brünn

1/2 class composite cars Prague-Brünn

Dining-car allemande Mitropa Prague-Landshut

Ordinary cars with three classes Prague-Presbourg

German passenger car 3rd class Berlin-Budapest

Ordinary cars with the three classes Berlin-Budapest

Ordinary cars with the three classes MAV Berlin-Budapest

Voiture de 3rd class hongroise Berlin-Budapest

German sleeping-car 1st/2nd class Mitropa. Berlin-Sofia

German sleeping-car 1st/2nd class Mitropa Berlin-Belgrade

Luggage-van Berlin—Budapest

Train SF 947 (Starting from Belgrade in June 1944)

2nd class slumber coach serbe. Belgrade-Nisch

Sleeping-car 1st/2nd class ex CIWL Belgrade-Nisch

German Mitropa sleeping-car 1st/2nd classes Budapest-Sofia

German Mitropa sleeping-car 1st/2nd classes Berlin-Sofia

German Mitropa sleeping-car 1st/2nd classes Paris-Sofia

Serb 2/3rd class car Belgrade-Solia reserved for the bulgarian Wehrmacht soldiers

Serb 1/3rd class. Belgrade-Sofia reserved for the German Wehrmacht soldiers

Serb 3rd class car Belgrade-Sofia reserved for the German Wehrmacht soldiers

Serb or German ordinary cars with the three class Vienna-Sofia

Serb 1/2 class composite car Belgrade-Sofia

Serb 3rd class car Belgrade-Sofia

Serb luggage-van Belgrade-Sofia

Serb mail-van Belgrade-Sofia

5)   Orient-Express and Arlberg-Orient-Express services after WW2

Orient-Express, French and German railways (starting from Paris in 1947)

French locomotive SNCF (Eastern region)

Luggage-van SNCF Paris-Prague

Dining-car CIWL Paris-Bar-le-Duc

1/2 class composite car SNCF ou tchèque

Luggage-van Paris-Prague

Sleeping-car CIWL Paris-Prague (en summer)

Sleeping-car CIWL Paris-Warsaw

Polish 1/2 class composite car Paris-Warsaw

Dining-car CIWL Stuttgart-Prague

Mail-van Cologne-Passau

Two German 3rd class Cologne-Passau

French or Czech 1/2 class composite Ostende-Prague

Sleeping-car CIWL Ostende-Prague three times a week

Dutch or Czech 1/2 class composite car Amsterdam-Prague

Ducth 1/2 class composite car Amsterdam-Frankfurt

Dutch 3rd class car Amsterdam-Frankfurt

Ducth luggage-van Amsterdam-Frankfurt

German luggage-van Francfort-Nuremberg (summer)

Three German cars Francfort-Passau (winter)

German luggage-van Francfort-Passau (winter)

Dining-car CIWL Stuttgart-Vienna

Sleeping-car CIWL Paris-Vienna (winter, three times a week)

Franch 1/2 class composite car SNCF Paris-Vienna (summer)

Yugoslavian 1/2 class composite car Paris-Belgrade (winter)

Luggage-van SNCF Paris-Vienna

Orient-Express (Section Paris-München, starting from Paris, in 1950)

French locomotive Eastern Region starting from  Paris

Mail-van Paris-Nancy

Mail-van Paris-Strasburg

Luggage-van CIWL Paris-Warsaw

Polish cars with the 3 classes Paris-Warsaw

Luggage-van CIWL Paris-Prague

Sleeping-car 1st/2nd class CIWL Paris-Prague-Warsaw

Dining-car CIWL Stuttgart-Prague

Sleeping-car 1st/2nd class CIWL Paris-Vienna-Bucarest

1/2 class composite car SNCF/OBB Paris-Vienna four times a week

Romanian ½ class car Paris-Bucarest three times a week

Austrian 3rd class car Paris-Vienna

Dining-car CIWL Kehl-Vienna

Luggage-van SNCF Paris-Vienna-Budapest

French sleeping car SNCF 1st/2nd class Paris-Baden-Baden

1/2 class composite cars Paris-Innsbruck-Vienna

Austrian 3rd class car Paris-Innsbruck-Vienna

German 3rd class car Paris-Lindau

Franch mail-van SNCF Paris-Offenburg

(Section München-Vienna, in 1950)

German luggage-van Ostende-Vienna

German 3rd class car Ostende-Vienna

German 1/2 class composite car Ostende-Vienna

Sleeping-car 1st/2nd class CIWL Ostende-Vienna four times a week

Sleeping-car 1st/2nd class CIWL Ostende-Pressbourg three times a week

German 1/2 class composite car Ostende-Prague

German luggage-van Hoek-van-Holland-Cologne

German oridnary cars of the three classes Hoek-van-Holland-Berlln

Sleeping-car ½ class CIWL Hoek-van-Holland-Nuremberg four times a week

Sleeping-car 1st/2nd class CIWL Hoek-van-Holland-Warsaw three times a week

Czech cars of the 3 classes

Luggage-van Hoek-van-Holland-Prague

German passenger car 1st/2nd class Hoek-van-Holland-Vienna (summer)

Austrian 3rd class car Hoek-van-Holland-Vienna (winter)

Austrian cars of the 3 classes Hoek-van-Holland-Vienna (winter)

German oridnary cars of the three classes Hoek-van-Holland-München

Dining-car CIWL Wiesbaden-Linz

Sleeping-car CIWL Frederlcia-Vienna three times a week

RomanianSleeping-car Prague-Bucarest three times a week

Romaniancars of the 3 classes

Luggage-van Prague-Bucarest

Hungarian 3rd class car Prague-Budapest

Czech luggage-van Prague-Budapest four times a week

Romanian 3rd class Budapest-Bucarest

Romanian mail-van Budapest-Bucarest

Czech luggage-van tchèque Prague-Warsaw

Polish car 2/3rd class Prague-Cracovie

Polish mail-van Oderberg-Cracovie

Orbis travel agency sleeping-car Prague-Warsaw three times a week

Arlberg-Orient-Express (Section Europe Ouest, in 1947)

German mail-van Buchs-Vienna

Luggage-van SNCF ou autrichien Paris-Vienna

French 1/2 class composite car SNCF Paris-Bucarest

Sleeping-car CIWL Paris-Bucarest

French 1/2 class composite car SNCF Paris-Vienna

Sleeping-car CIWL Paris-Vienna

French 1/2 class composite car SNCF Paris-Linz-Prague

Sleeping-car CIWL Paris-Linz–Prague four times a week

Sleeping-car CIWL Basel-Warsaw three times a week

Dining-car CIWL Basel-Salzburg

Sleeping-car CIWL Calais-Basel-Vienna

Yugoslavian 1/2 class composite car Paris-Viliadi-Belgrade

Sleeping-car CIWL Paris-Buchs/Chur)

Balt-Orient-Express (in 1949)

Swedish sleeping-car for the 3 classes Stockholm-Warsaw three times a week

Orbis travel agency Sleeping-car 1st/2nd class OsIo-Prague three times a week

Polish luggage-van Warsaw-Berlin

Ordinary 2e class car Warsaw-Berlin

Two Polish 3rd class cars Warsaw-Berlin

Sleeping-car trois class Orbis travel agency Warsaw-Berlin

Sleeping-car des trois class Orbis BerIin-Bucarest three times a week

Mail-van polonaise Francfort/Oder-Posen

Luggage-van polonais Odra Port-Breslau–Prague

Ordinary cars with the three class polonaises Stettin-Prague

Sleeping-car 1st/2nd class Orbis travel agency Gdingen-Prague four times a week

Polish ordinary 2nd/3rd class car Gdingen-Prague

Polish ordinary 2nd/3rd class car Odra Port-Vienna three times a week

Polish ordinary 2nd/3rd class car Stettin-Vienna four times a week

Hungarian ordinary cars of the three classes Odra Port-Budapest four times a week

Hungarian ordinary cars of the three classes Gdingen-Budapest three times a week wôch.

Polish mail-van Odra Port-Belgrade

Polish ordinary cars of the three classes Gdingen-Vienna-Triest

Polish luggage-van Breslau-Vienna

Czech mail-van Breslau-Prague

CIWL Sleeping-car 1st/2nd class Warsaw-Breslau-Prague

Polish ordinary cars with the three class Warsaw-Breslau-Prague

Polish ordinary car 2/3rd class Warsaw-Breslau-Paris

Polish mail-van Warsaw-Bohumín

Czech luggage-van Warsaw-Bohumín-Prague

CIWL sleeping-car 1st/2nd class Warsaw-Bohumín-Prague once a week

Orbis travel agency sleeping cars or the three classes Warsaw-Belgrade three times a week

Romanian sleeping-car 1st/2nd class Warsaw-Bucarest three times a week

Romanian ordinary cars with the three classesWarsaw-Bucarest four times a week

Yugoslavian or Bulgarian ordinary cars with the three classes Warsaw-Istambul twice a week.

Yugoslavian or Bulgarian ordinary cars with the three classes Warsaw-Sofia twice a week

Ordinary cars with the three classes Warsaw-Presbourg

Sleeping-car 1st/2nd class CIWL Warsaw-Vienna-Rome three times a week

1/2 class composite car PKP Warsaw-Vienna-Rome four times a week,.

Czech or Polish 2nd/3rd class car Warsaw-Vienna

Sleeping-car 1st/2nd class CIWL Warsaw-Bohumín-Prague-Regensburg-Zurich three times a week

Czech or Hungarian mail-van Subotica-Prague Cze  Dining-car tchèque Prague-Budapest

Ordinary cars with the three classes Prague—Bucarest four times a week

Luggage-van Budapest-Bucarest

Hungarian 3rd class car Budapest-Bucarest

Luggage-van Budapest—Belgrade

Yugoslavian 3rd class car Belgrade—Sofia

Yugoslavian luggage-van Nisch—Solia

Czech cars of the 3 classes Prague-Sofia, with a twice a week further course to Istambul

Bulgarian dining-car Belgrade-Nisch

Direct-Orient (in 1965, ouest service Paris-Belgrade)

French locomotive starting from Paris

Luggage-van SNCF Paris-Vallorbe

Italian 1/2 class composite car Domodossola-Milan (winter)

2nd class car suisse Vallorbe-Milan (winter)

1/2 class composite car mixte-fourgon SNCF Calais-Milan (summer)

Sleeping-car SNCF 1st/2nd class Calais-Milan

2nd class slumber coach SNCF Calais-Milan

2nd class car SNCF Calais-Milan

1/2 class composite car SNCF

2nd class car SNCF Paris-Milan

Mail-van italienne Milan-Trieste

Italian 1/2 class composite cars Paris-Triest

Luggage-van SNCF Parls-Laibach

Yugoslavian heating-van (winter)

Yugoslavian 1/2 class composite car Rijeka-Skopje

German 2nd class car Stuttgart/Dortmund-Athens

German 2nd class car München-Athens

German 1/2 class composite car München-Athens

CIWL sleeping-car CIWL1st/2nd class München-Athens four times a week

German or Yugoslavian luggage-van München-Athens

CIWL sleeping-car 1st/2nd class München-Belgrade three times a week

Yugoslavian 2nd class slumber coach München-Belgrade

French 1/2 class composite car Paris-Belgrade five times a week et twice a week jusqu’à Athens

French 1/2 class composite car Paris-Sofia-lstanbul three times a week

French 1/2 class composite car Paris-Belgrade

CIWL Sleeping-car 1^ère class CIWL Paris-Athens-Istambul three times a week and Belgrade twice a week

French 1st/2nd class car Paris-Athens five times a week

Trains of the Paris-BaIkans service

1/2 class composite cars SNCF ou Sleeping-car 1^ère class Paris-Athens three times a week, et Paris-Istambul et Paris-Belgrade twice a week

Sleeping-car CIWL 1st/2nd class Paris-Brigue

3 Voitures-lits CIWL Paris-Brlgue three times a week (winter)

Voiture-couchettes suisse ou voiture 1st/2nd class SNCF Paris-Brigue

Dining-car CIWL Lausanne-Brigue (winter)

Luggage-van SNCF Paris-Interlaken

Voiture-couchettes 1st/2nd class SNCF Paris-Interlaken

Sleeping-car CIWL Paris-Interlaken

French slumber car 1st/2nd class Paris-Bern-BrIgue

French 2nd class car Paris-Bern-Brig

Paris-Berne trains

2nd class car italienne Milan-Athens

2nd class car italienne Copenhague-Venise

1/2 class composite car allemande Puttgarden-Venise

2nd class car allemande München-Venise

Sleeping-car 1st/2nd class Sezana-Belgrade

Belgrade-Sofia/Athens trains

Locomotive serbe starting from Belgrade et changement à Salonique

Luggage-van-chaudière serbe

2nd class car yougoslave Belgrade-Skopje

1/2 class composite cars yougoslave Belgrade-Gevgelija

Dining-car yougoslave Belgrade-Gevgelija

2nd class car grecque Salonique-Le Pirée

1/2 class composite car yougoslave Belgrade-Athens four times a week

Rijeka-Skopje and Germany-Athens trains

2nd class car Milan-Athens

Paris-Balkans trains

Voiture de 2e class yougoslave Belgrade-lstanbul

Luggage-van yougoslave Nisch-Sofia

Voiture de 2e class yougoslave Skopje—Sofia

Warsaw-Sofia trains

Parc comprenant jusqu’à 6 voitures fournies par les réseaux polonais, hongrois.

Simplon-Orient-Express (after 1949, Paris-Milan via Berne)

Luggage-van SNCF Paris-Milan

Dining-car CIWL Vallorbe-Milan

French 1st/2nd class cars et 32e class SNCF Paris-Milan

French 1st/2nd class cars SNCF Paris-Belgrade, further service three times a week to Istambul

Sleeping-car 1st/2nd class CIWL Paris-Belgrade further service three times a week to Istambul

French 1st/2nd class car Paris-Trieste

French 3rd class car Paris-Brigue

French 1/2 class composite car Calais-Brigue

French 2nd class car Calais-Brig (winter)

CIWL sleeping-car 2^e class Calais-Brigue

CIWL sleeping-car 1st/2nd class Calais-Trieste

Franch luggage-van Calais-Belgrade

Bulgarian luggage-van Nisch-Sofia

Bulgarian cars of the three classes Belgrade-Sofia

Yugoslavian 3rd class car Belgrade-Sofia

CIWL Sleeping-car CIWL 1st/2nd class Paris-Istambul

Trains of the Edirne-Pithyon service

Turkish locomotive

CIWL luggage-van with cuisine

CIWL Sleeping-car Paris-Istambul

Franch 1st/2nd class composite car Paris-Istambul

NB : This train may accept goods vans and an armoured car with a gun ( !)