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The Return of the Golden Age of Rail

The spark of the golden age of rail has begun, with the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express as its emblem.

For a shining period around the turn of the 20th-century, passenger trains became the way to travel in style. Historically, long distance rail travel was an uncomfortable experience but the introduction of sleeping cars in the mid-1800s ushered in a new age of rail journeys. From the end of the 19th-century to the early decades of the 20th, travelling by rail became a luxurious experience. Sleeping cars soon became charming bed chambers and private boudoirs. Ornate lounge rooms featured snazzy bars and live piano music. Tantalising meals were served in elegant dining rooms. Even on-board barbers made an appearance during these years. Passengers had all the prosperity of a glamorous hotel, with the added wonder of being able to wake up in a new destination every morning. The spark of the Golden Age of Rail had begun, with the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express as its emblem.

Rail making its return.

But just as rail was reaching its zenith, the turmoil of the 1900s was beginning. Hard times were afoot for the world of luxury trains. Regularly shifting country borders made international travel on the ground more difficult and the boom of the airline industry was looming. The opulent rail carriages of the Golden Age became a fond memory of the past, merely settings for murder mysteries and crime novels. That is, until now.

Without a shadow of a doubt, rail is making its return. The fantastical carriages of the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express are no longer just a romantic notion of the past and luxury rail holidays are becoming a more and more popular holiday style, allowing passengers to travel to the past as well as across borders. Between the glamorous metropolises of Europe, through the lush jungles of Southeast Asia, across the vast savannahs of Africa and among the ancient ruins of South America, there are luxury rail journeys to be experienced across the globe. Making the journey just as exciting as the destination, rail may be just the ticket needed to experience the world at a whole new pace.

Interior of Belmond Venice Simplon Orient Express
The fantastical carriages of the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express are no longer just a romantic notion of the past, luxury rail holidays are becoming a more and more popular holiday style.
Image: Venice Simplon-Orient-Express

Extravagance on the Orient Express.

Who among us has not heard of the Orient Express? Though the original express was simply a normal international rail service, the name has become synonymous with intrigue and luxury travel. The beloved locomotive has inspired the minds of Agatha Christie, Bram Stoker and Ian Fleming, to name but a few. Typically, the route of the Orient Express is associated with Paris to Istanbul, but the actual service offered many variations throughout the decades.

The train, then called the Express d’Orient, first set out from Paris for Vienna on a warm summer day in 1883. The original route involved a train ride to Austria, a ferry across the Danube to Ruse in Bulgaria, a second train to Varna and another ferry to Istanbul, or Constantinople as it was known then. Later the track was extended to Varna and eventually on to Constantinople. Following a service halt due to the First World War, the Simplon Tunnel was built to allow a more southerly route through Italy’s cities of Milan and Venice. The Simplon Orient Express quickly became one of the most important rail routes in Europe. An additional route to Athens opened in the years following. During the 1930s the service began to acquire its reputation for the extravagant, introducing sleeping cars with permanent service and restaurant cars known for outstanding cuisine. The royalty, nobles, diplomats and bourgeoisie of Europe began to patronise it.

Though the original Express was simply a normal international rail service, the name has become synonymous with intrigue and luxury travel.
Image: Venice Simplon-Orient-Express

However, the Second World War would prove detrimental to the express. Services were again interrupted and as the Iron Curtain fell across Europe, it became harder to connect East and West. Communist nations began to replace traditional trains with their own railway services. The 50s arrived and with it, the age of air travel began, making international journeys more accessible than ever before. The original carriages of the Orient Express were auctioned off and their replacements were no longer luxurious and accommodating. Not even the extension of the route to Strasbourg with the opening of the Channel Tunnel seemed to be able to save the once glorious train from the talons of modernisation. On a chilly winter’s day, the Orient Express made its last run – but this was not to be the end of the iconic Orient Express route.

The Renaissance of Rail.

Inspired by the legacy of the Orient Express, rail enthusiast James B. Sherwood went about setting up his own luxury train across the route, and so the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express was born. Although only an ode to the original Orient Express, this is probably the train that comes to mind when you picture it. In the 1970s, Sherwood purchased two authentic train carriages from the Orient Express and founded his company, Orient-Express Hotels, that specialised in luxury hotels and deluxe train services. Sherwood spent the next years purchasing carriages from famous vintage trains including Le Train Bleu and the Rome Express and in 1982, the first London to Venice run was made of his new train, beckoning in a new era for this emblematic route. Over the decades, the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express has been carefully restored and decorated by unrivalled artisans, turning it into the iconic symbol of luxury rail it is known as today.

In 2015, Orient-Express Hotels was renamed Belmond but the company’s ethos and services remain unchangingly luxurious. Belmond is trailblazing the renaissance of rail, operating six luxury trains across the globe. Each train incorporates its location into its design elements and incredible seasonal menus. The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express continues to be their central locomotive, offering modern-day travellers the train deluxe experience of the past. The train follows multiple routes along the original Orient Express trail with London, Paris, Rome, Verona and Venice among its most common stops. Once a year, the train makes the full Orient Express journey to Istanbul. Its breathtaking trips take passengers through rural French farmlands and Swiss Alpine valleys. The beauty of the train’s surroundings is only eclipsed by the magnificence of the train itself.

Inside the iconic midnight-blue cars of the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, carefully restored 1920s cabins are rich with craftmanship of polished wood, luxurious upholstery and antique fixtures. During the day guests can mingle and sip on cocktails as they watch the scenery unfold from a plush sofa in the bar car. At mealtimes, they sit down in one of the dining cars for the culinary adventure of a lifetime. Dinner is an elegant affair where guests are encouraged to don black tie for their multi-course dining experience, reminiscent of an authentic evening during the original golden age of rail travel.

Conquering the World.

The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express is not to be confused with the Eastern & Oriental Express, A Belmond Train, another of Belmond’s luxury sleeper trains. This train carries passengers between Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. It operates nine distinct routes with its most popular beginning in Singapore and stopping at Kuala Lumpur, Butterworth and Kanchanaburi before reaching its terminus in Bangkok. The train takes guests past vibrant cities, wild jungles, rural villages and ornate pagodas. Its antique carriages exude the elegance Belmond executes so perfectly, but this time with the addition of classic Asian décor.

Across the other side of the world, in South America, the Andean Explorer, A Belmond Train travels through the lofty terrains of the Andes. The sleeper train departs from Cusco and passes vast Peruvian plains and the tranquil Lake Titicaca. At the train’s open deck, guests can breathe in the crisp air of the majestic La Raya mountain range or they can visit the spa car for a reviving Andean ritual and soothing massage. This train incorporates a contemporary aesthetic to its design, reflecting its Andean surroundings. Its design features earthen tones, textured leather and alpaca wool and carriages are named after flora and fauna found along the way.

The sleeper train departs from Cusco and passes vast Peruvian plains and the tranquil Lake Titicaca.
Image: Belmond Andean Explorer

A New Golden Era.

American travel writer Paul Theroux once wrote “If a train is large and comfortable you don’t even need a destination.” Belmond’s luxury trains offer a lot more than just size and comfort. They reign in a new era of rail travel. In an age where time is luxury, rail is the best way to make the most of the journey and not just the destination. Next time you travel, opt for rail and sleep comfortably, dine in style and watch the myriad of colours pass you by as you journey. Step aboard the carriages of days gone by and evoke a sense of history and heritage you can’t find anywhere else.

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