More than just a 'mystery' train, the Orient Express whisked the elite across Europe in luxury and style

The summer and fall of 1883 was a politically restive time in the Balkans, which the train would have to traverse, so some travellers packed pistols for self-defense. Among them were two people whose testimonies became invaluable sources for the atmosphere on the train: Edmond About, a novelist and correspondent for the French daily newspaper Le Figaro, and Henri Opper de Blowitz, a correspondent for the Times of London.

Both produced rich, detailed chronicles that captured the magnificence of the train. Blowitz revelled in describing the dining car’s “bright-white tablecloths and napkins, artistically and coquettishly folded by the sommeliers, the glittering glasses, the ruby red and topaz white wine, the crystal-clear water decanters and the silver capsules of the champagne bottles—they blind the eyes of the public both inside and outside.” About, meanwhile, was delighted to find that “the sheets are changed every day, a refinement unknown even in the finest mansions.” Each compartment naturally had the most modern amenities of the day—central heating, hot water, and private bathrooms.

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The decor of the Orient Express was, undoubtedly, luxurious and exquisite. Inspired by the best hotels in the world, the train cars boasted embossed leather ceilings, velvet curtains, silk sheets, mahogany furniture, silver cutlery, crystal glassware, marble fixtures, and bronze taps. The train was lit by lamps from the factory of renowned art nouveau glassmaker Émile Gallé, and its walls were adorned with tapestries woven by Gobelin, the Parisian design house that had been supplying the French court since the time of Louis XIV.