Once Just One Train Connected Entire Europe | ASMR

Added: 2026-06-01

[00:00:15]Hi.

[00:00:17]Welcome. Welcome.

[00:00:21]Well, for today I prepared this map of Orient Express routes from 1883 [clears throat] until 2009.

[00:00:41]And I want to uncover some important facts and also some secret facts related to this legendary train, Orient Express.

[00:01:00]Well, Orient Express it's often described as epitome of luxury train travel.

[00:01:11]Train travel and has storied history dating back in the 19th century.

[00:01:22]And here are the historical routes.

[00:01:27]>> [snorts] >> Everything started in 1883 on 4th of October.

[00:01:36]It was the launch date of the first travel of Orient Express.

[00:01:48]The initial route departed from Paris.

[00:01:53]Paris.

[00:01:55]Then the next stop was Strasbourg, Munich, Vienna, Budapest, Bucharest, and ended here was on Giurgiu.

[00:02:30]on Giurgiu.

[00:02:32]Well, the passengers, because where here was no bridge over the the new passengers were ferried across the new and then they continued with a train to Istanbul.

[00:02:53]Istanbul, that was in 1883.

[00:03:00]No, in 1889.

[00:03:12]Expanded route was available.

[00:03:15]Direct train service was extended, cementing the train's status as connection between Western Europe and East.

[00:03:29]The journey was 2,740 km or 1,700 miles and it lasts 80 hours including stops.

[00:03:51]The major stops were [sighs] in 1889.

[00:03:58]Where? Vienna.

[00:04:02]Budapest.

[00:04:05]Belgrade.

[00:04:08]>> [clears throat] >> Well, between 1920s and 1930s, the train became synonymous with glamour and luxury, attracting diplomats and celebrities.

[00:04:25]And [snorts and clears throat] the the carriages were upgraded with luxury items such as ventilation and [clears throat] and luxury services.

[00:04:47]Art Deco interiors were polished with Yeah, I'm going to with wood and leather.

[00:04:58]Gourmet dining was available with menus featuring only French and Italian cuisine.

[00:05:14]Oh.

[00:05:21]>> [snorts] >> The key stops added also Sofia.

[00:05:30]Sofia in the route.

[00:05:35]And Belgrade [clears throat] and Sofia were the gateway to Balkans.

[00:05:39]And the final stop was Istanbul.

[00:05:44]Well, what happened next is post World War II.

[00:05:49]The popularity of air travel and changes in political borders after World War II led to decline to the rail travel.

[00:06:01]The regional Orient Express ceased operation in 19 77 1900 1977.

[00:06:14]But was a revival.

[00:06:18]The Venice Simplon Orient Express this route Paris Lausanne Simplon Milan Venice.

[00:06:28]Belgrade review of the luxury rail journeys in 19 82 offering modern luxury experience.

[00:06:43]Well, now the Orient Express unknown or less known facts.

[00:06:55]First, spy and diplomatic network during both World Wars the Orient Express was used for intelligence gathering. So, spies its international route through Europe made it an ideal way for covert operations, secret meetings, and transporting classified documents documents.

[00:07:36]Many spies including Mata Hari were believed to have traveled it.

[00:07:43]And it was discovered later that many secret documents were sent through Orient Express from various locations across Europe.

[00:07:54]So, Mata Hari A second less known fact is that a connection to royalty and revolution.

[00:08:09]European royalty frequently traveled on the train, but it was also linked with revolutionary history.

[00:08:21]In 1922 Orient Express carried the Turkish leader Mustafa Mustafa Kemal who will soon become the Turkey's first president.

[00:08:44]And he traveled from Ankara to Istanbul.

[00:08:51]Wow, did you know that the train's true first journey >> [snorts] >> was not from Paris to Istanbul.

[00:09:04]Though popularly known for its Paris-Istanbul route the original journey from 1883 only was like I said, as far as Giurgiu in Romania.

[00:09:21]Passengers then land and had to take a ferry across the Danube and continued to train by train to Istanbul. Later in the next years they will be taken to the Varna to the Varna port. From there they will took >> [clears throat] >> a fair a ship to Istanbul.

[00:09:50]The famous writer Agatha Christie inspired by real incident.

[00:09:56]Agatha Christie famous novel Murder on Orient Express was partially inspired by a real event.

[00:10:06]That event occurred in 1929.

[00:10:13]Well, the train trapped in a snowstorm for 60 right here near Istanbul.

[00:10:25]Passengers were stranded and supplied dwindled adding to the drama and mystery.

[00:10:39]I could see here there were multiple operated routes of Orient Express.

[00:10:48]At its peak several routes operated under the same name.

[00:10:55]Like the Strasbourg route, the Zurich route, the Venice route, but all of them ended in Istanbul as the final journey.

[00:11:10]The dark passenger cars.

[00:11:13]Well, during the Nazi occupation of the Europe a version of the train was used to transport military personnel and high-ranking Nazi officials.

[00:11:30]The luxury was stripped and parts of the train, saw darker use in that period of time.

[00:11:42]In 1950s, a heist.

[00:11:48]In 1950s, a group of criminals carried out a sophisticated heist, >> [snorts] >> stealing jewelry from wealthy passengers.

[00:12:00]The incident kept kept quiet to avoid scandal and was all through undercover operation.

[00:12:19]The Orient Express trains from 1920s to 1930s had, like I said, luxury art deco art deco interiors with secret compartments for storing liquor during prohibitions.

[00:12:42]And valuable to avoid political tension, the train sometimes the train sometimes operated under three different names during the Cold War.

[00:12:55]And the names were altered and its routes the same, blending into less conspicuous services.

[00:13:08]Well, one of the conclusion is that the Orient Express was a symbol of mysteries and intrigue popularized by Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express and featured numerous films and novels.

[00:13:37]It's reputation as the train of kings and spies contributed to the mystique.

[00:13:48]Train of kings and spies.

[00:14:00]Today several luxury trains operated under the Orient Express brand offering journeys reminiscent of the train's glorious time.

[00:14:19]The modern routes include Paris Strasbourg Munich, Vienna, Budapest and Bucharest.

[00:14:40]Well, and here were the facts and the less known facts about Orient Express the famous luxury train of the past.

[00:15:03]Thank you very much for watching.

[00:15:06]And until [snorts] next time, I wish you all the best.

[00:15:10]Bye-bye.

[00:15:11]>> [snorts] >> So much to write. Oh, cosmic.

[00:15:15]This one is All right, so much to write.

[00:15:20]This one is all right.

[00:15:22]This way. All right, this is good. are equal.