Orient Express enters Turkey with European passengers

EDİRNE - Anatolia News Agency

The Orient Express has entered the Kapıkule train station with 90 passengers. AA photo

The Orient Express arrived in Turkey yesterday with 90 passengers after departing the French capital, Paris, on Aug. 30.

The Orient Express’ passengers, from New Zealand, the United States, Japan, Germany and France, were greeted by the customs officers at Turkey’s northwestern Kapıkule train station.

 Silvia Cerrenoi, the manager of the Orient Express, said the train traveled between Paris and Venice throughout the year, but normally does a Paris-Istanbul-Venice route and stops in Turkey only once a year. “We left Paris on Aug. 30 and passed through Budapest and Bucharest. After passing through Istanbul we will return to Venice. On the Orient Express from Paris to Istanbul, each passenger pays 7,000 euros for travel and meals. However this price varies depending on class, 7,000 euros is the approximate price of a trip on the Orient Express,” said Cerrenoi.

Europe’s first cross-continental train, the Orient Express left Paris for the first time on Oct. 4, 1883. On the first trip of the Orient Express, which was put into service by the Belgian businessman Georges Nagelmachers, passengers went to Varna harbor from Paris by train and then arrived in Istanbul via steamship.

After staying in Istanbul for two days, the train will head to Venice on Sept. 7, passing through Bucharest, Budapest and Vienna.