Orient Express train arrives in Istanbul

A hostess poses in front of the Orient Express at Sirkeci main railway station in Istanbul September 5, 2012. The Venice Simplon-Orient Express train recreates the original Orient-Express route from Paris to Istanbul once a year with restored cars and luxury suites from the 1920s to accommodate tourists. [Photo/Agencies]

ISTANBUL - The Orient Express train, famously described in Agatha Christie's novel "Murder on the Orient Express," arrived in Istanbul on Wednesday.

With its 90 passengers the Orient Express had left French capital Paris on August 30. Romance, adventure and style are all intimately bound up in journeys.

The Orient Express passengers from New Zealand, US, Japan, Germany and France were greeted and warmly welcomed  at Sirkeci Terminal. Passengers of the train are mainly wealthy people from European countries.

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

The train has 8 sleeping coaches, 2 saloon cars, 1 bar car, 3 restaurant cars and 1 service car. Europe's first cross- continental train, the Orient Express left Paris for the first time in October 4, 1883.

In the first trip of Orient Express which was put into service by the Belgian businessman Georges Nagelmachers, passengers went to Varna harbour from Paris by train then arrived to Istanbul via steamship.

Orient Express, which is a steam train, passes from Europe's most romantic cities and whose rich history has lent itself to the plot of many novels and films.