Riding the Orient Express through Germany

One of the world's most famous railway journeys is the Orient Express - a route that dates back to the golden age of rail travel. The original route, which first ran on October 4 1883, ran from Paris via Munich and Vienna to Giurgiu in Romania. By 1889, it was travelling daily from Paris to Budapest. Apart from the inevitable interruptions during the world wars, the Orient Express continued to operate as far as Istanbul, but this service was withdrawn in the mid-1970s. Many people think that this was the end of the Orient Express, but it in fact continues to this day. The company that operated the route, the Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits, stopped running the route itself and passed the responsibility onto the national railways of France, Germany and Austria (SNCF, DB and ÖBB). They have continued to operate the route ever since.

In 2001, the route was cut back to travel only as far as Vienna. To this day, it leaves Paris Est every day at 17.17 and arrives in Vienna at 08.30 the next morning. You can jump on board this train tonight if you wish; this is where it will be stopping in Germany and when:

Kehl: 22:12
Baden-Baden: 22:37
Karlsruhe Hbf: 23:09
Pforzheim Hbf: 23:30
Stuttgart Hbf: 0:20
Plochingen: 0:35
Göppingen: 0:47
Geislingen(Steige): 1:00
Ulm Hbf: 1:25
Neu-Ulm: 1:31
Günzburg: 1:46
Augsburg Hbf: 2:28
München-Pasing: 3:04
München Ost: 3:16

The train isn't advertised as the Orient Express, but "EN263", as the route is romantically known as, can be directly traced back to the first "Express d'Orient" that left Paris in October 1883 - the destination labels on the train are still entitled "Orient Express". However, these are sadly the last few days of this historical route. With the opening of the new high-speed rail link between Paris and Stuttgart, you will have to take the TGV to Strasbourg and change there onto a new Vienna service (EN265). It's not clear if this Strasbourg-Vienna route will still be known by the historical name.

This line should not be confused with other routes labelled the "Orient Express", such as the Venice-Simplon Orient Express, a private railway company operating luxury train services across Europe. By the 1930s, various routes around Europe were called "Orient Express" (Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express, for example, took place on the Simplon route that ran from Calais to Venice).

The last Orient Express service will leave Paris Est on the evening of Friday 8 June, stopping at Stuttgart Hbf at 0:20 and Munich East at 3:16 on the morning of Saturday 9 June.

Seat61.com - The Orient Express
Wikipedia entry
Deutsche Bahn - Timetable for EN263

I have had the good fortune to travel on the Orient Express. It is a fantastic experience that should be on the "Must do this once in your lifetime" list. I still have my ticket, menus and itinerary. The staff make a massive effort and they should be put in charge of a newly re-nationalised British Rail

I took what was called the Orient Express out of Paris to Munich in June 1981, sitting in a compartment for 6 without the smallest hint of luxury and getting mobbed by commuters at 5.30am between Stuttgart and Augsburg who were affronted that someone refused to give up a seat occupied since Paris. Hellish 15 hours altogether.
I think I deserve the real thing 26 years later.

so is this 'Orient Express' just like any normal DB train?

Yep, basically.

Last time I took it and <cough> liberated a destination board as a souvenir it was SNCF coaches which were pretty coolio.

I also took the OrientExpress several times round 15-20 yrs ago, it was a normal overcrowded (smelly) DB train.

Once I also took the destination board as a souvenir, but I have thrown it away meanwhile (maybe I should have kept it).

What is the attraction to still travel with the "Orient Express" if it isn't one of those old, fancy, romantic trains?

The name... the history... and the fact that the modern trains are probably a lot faster and more comfortable than the "fancy, romantic" trains. And if you want to travel to Vienna, it's as good a way as any.

All the more reason to travel with the faster trains, or? I would much rather travel in comfort than in an overcrowded smelly "normal" DB train... :}

A few Months ago I went out on the P!ss in Salzburg. The train that then takes you back to Munich around 1am is the Orient Express, and is listed as such in Salzburg! ;o)

I can't be bothered to research OBB timetables for Salzburg, but I'm sure if you have a look, you'll see it.
So if you fancy a ride on it, I would suggest combining it with a day/evening out in Salzburg.

Interesting thread. Actually, when the 5.17 pm trains rolls out of Paris' Gare de L'Est on Friday 8 June, it's not quite the end of the rails for the Orient Express. Europe's most famous train is indeed being curtailed, and that Paris departure slot will be no more. But the new Strasbourg to Vienna service (10.20 pm nightly from Strasbourg) is slated to carry the cherished Orient Express name. So insomniacs in southern Germany can still catch a ride on the real Orient Express as it trundles through BW & Bayern in the wee small hours. Today's e-news from hidden europe magazine explains all. See http://www.hiddeneurope.co.uk/barticle_inf...articles_id=366.

As of the upcoming December timetable change trains EN469 and EN469, the daily Strasbourg - Vienna "Orient-Express", will be withdrawn, drawing to a close over 125 years of the train's name appearing in the European timetables.

I wouldn't go on it if I were you. Last time I heard there was a murder on the damn train. Violent mode of transport.

In the mid 70's I was staying in Montreux with a group of railway enthusiasts, one evening we travelled from Montreux to Lausanne on the Istanbul-Paris Orient express. It had a CIWL* dining car, but the rest of the train comprised carriages from several different countries, including Jugoslavia & Bulgaria.

*Compagnie Inernationale des Wagons-Lits