Traveling via the DIY version of the Orient Express

One of my big travel regrets is not taking the train from the UK to Aleppo (where M o TOE starts in Chapter 1) before the Syrian Civil War started. I wrongly assumed the service would always be there.

If the war ended tomorrow, and Istanbul Haydarpasa Station re-opened next week I doubt it would be possible now, as the Turkish High Speed trains would probably make it impossible to restart the through Istanbul to Aleppo and Damascus sleeper service. That was the successor to a section of the Taurus Express train- then a very new train when Agatha Christie wrote her book.

I used to love the former daily Orient Express service train from Budapest to Paris. Everything about that train, especially the Hungarian restaurant car, oozed the mystery of the book. Even it's Paris station was special in the last years of that train, as it used the then almost unused Paris Bercy station. The Nightet sadly will not have that aura about it.

I have been thinking about this trip (now curtailed at Istanbul) ever since the Turkish High Speed line opened.

Time was when a through car ran from Budapest to Istanbul.

I once had the fantasy of a trans-Canadian rail trip. Of course, the Orient Express was on my mind. I couldn't afford in either money or time the Canadian trip, but I was able to do an almost 20 hour ride from Vancouver to Jasper. I absolutely LOVED sleeping on the train overnight, and I enjoyed eating dinner with other guests in the dining car. However, I felt very claustrophobic the rest of the trip. There was even a car with a clear top for nice views, but I didn't like it. So, for those of you contemplating such a trip, I suggest taking a shorter ride first to make sure you don't hate being "stuck" on a train that long!

Hmmmm, having just read the article, I am sitting here wondering if I am up for this adventure. I think so! And it sounds like you can break it up along the way.

Unlike vandrabrud, I did take the Canadian across Canada - and loved it all. I also am cautious in recommending it, but for me it was amazing.

I WOULD miss the opulence of the Orient Express, but not the price tag. Ha!

Thank you, Mardee! Just a couple of weeks ago, I saw Murder on the Orient Express (the play) at the Idaho Shakespeare Festival. It was very well done (fabulous train set) and of course, I had to click on your topic!

This new video shows what it is like to do the straight through journey from Paris to Istanbul with two changes of train- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oD3rlXamvfA

This looks like fun!! When I win the bajillion $$ lottery I'll take the whole forum!

Thanks, Stuart! That looks awesome!

And Pam, thank you in advance! Count me in, lol!