The luxury train service that began in 1883 and became famous for journeys to Constantinople was the Orient Express.
The Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits launched the service in 1883. Its original route connected Paris with Giurgiu, Romania, with passengers continuing by ferry and other trains toward Constantinople, the city now called Istanbul. Later route changes created more direct and varied connections across Europe.
The Orient Express became a symbol of elegant international rail travel, combining sleeping cars, restaurant cars, and service aimed at affluent travellers. Its reputation was strengthened by travel writing and fiction, especially Agatha Christie’s 1934 novel Murder on the Orient Express.
The name can cause confusion because several related services used “Orient Express” branding over time. The original scheduled service ended in 2009, although luxury tourist trains inspired by the historic name continue to operate.