Editing Orient Express (section)

== Privately run trains using the name ==
In 1976, the Swiss travel company ''Intraflug AG'' first rented, then later bought several CIWL-carriages. They were operated as the ''Nostalgic Istanbul Orient Express'' by Seattle-based Society Expeditions.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1983/04/24/travel/an-orient-express-lookalike-in-england.html | title=An Orient Express Lookalike in England | newspaper=The New York Times | date=24 April 1983 | last1=Stern | first1=Caryl }}</ref> The route went first from Zürich to [[Istanbul]], following the route of the ''Arlberg Orient Express''. In 1983, the 100th anniversary of the ''Orient Express'' was celebrated by extending the route to run from Paris to Istanbul.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1984/02/05/travel/reliving-the-romance-of-steam.html | title=Reliving the Romance of Steam | newspaper=The New York Times | date=5 February 1984 | last1=Behrend | first1=George }}</ref> The train ceased operations in 2007.

===Belmond===
[[File:Orient.Express.in.Poland.02.jpg|thumb|right|240px|Venice Simplon-Orient-Express in Poland, in 2007]]
In 1982, the ''[[Venice Simplon-Orient-Express]]'' was established by businessman [[James Sherwood]] as a private venture and is currently owned and operated by [[Belmond Limited|Belmond]]. It operates restored 1920s and 1930s carriages on routes around Europe. It also offered a connecting service from London to Folkestone on the ''[[Belmond British Pullman|British Pullman]]'', using similarly restored vintage British Pullman cars, but it was announced in April 2023 that due to complications ensuing from [[Brexit]] this would cease, and travelers from London would have to take [[Eurostar]] to Paris in order to join the Orient Express.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2023/apr/15/brexit-orient-express-murder-london-folkestone-leg-route-border-delays | title=Orient Express to axe UK section after 41 years due to Brexit | newspaper=The Observer | date=15 April 2023 | last1=Tapper | first1=James }}</ref> The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express operates from March to December and is aimed at leisure travellers.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Venice Simplon Orient Express {{!}} Luxury Train Journeys in Europe |url=https://www.belmond.com/trains/europe/venice-simplon-orient-express/journeys?choice%3Ddate |access-date=2022-10-16 |website=www.belmond.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, A Belmond Train {{!}} Luxury Train from London to Venice |url=https://www.belmond.com/trains/europe/venice-simplon-orient-express/ |access-date=2022-10-16 |website=www.belmond.com |language=en}}</ref> Tickets start at US$3,262 per person and it operates on multiple different routes most notably [[Paris]]-[[Istanbul]] via [[Vienna]] and [[Budapest]]. Despite its name, the train runs via the [[Brenner Pass]] instead of the Simplon tunnel. Belmond also offers a similarly themed luxury train in Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand, called the ''[[Eastern and Oriental Express]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Eastern & Oriental Express, A Belmond Train {{!}} Luxury Trains, Asia |url=https://www.belmond.com/trains/asia/eastern-and-oriental-express/ |access-date=2022-10-16 |website=www.belmond.com |language=en}}</ref> Sherwood also operated a chain of Orient Express-branded luxury hotels, licensed from SNCF, owner of the Orient Express branding. The chain was renamed [[Belmond Limited|Belmond]] in 2014 when the branding license ended.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://skift.com/2014/02/26/the-curious-rebranding-of-orient-express-hotels-into-the-belmond-brand/ | title=The Curious Rebranding of Orient-Express Hotels into the Belmond Brand | date=26 February 2014 }}</ref>

===Accor===
{{Main|Orient Express (Accor)}}
In 2017, [[Accor]] purchased a 50% stake in the Orient Express brand from [[SNCF]] for the right to use the name.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Orient-Express-will-venture-into-luxury-cruising|title=Orient Express will venture into luxury cruising |website=Travel Weekly|author=Christina Jelski  | date=12 January 2023}}</ref> In 2018, Accor began renovation work on 17 CIWL carriages from the defunct ''Nostalgie Istanbul Orient Express'', which date back to the 1920s and 1930s.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.travelandleisure.com/trip-ideas/bus-train/original-orient-express-returns-to-europe-2024|title=The Original Orient Express Is Returning to Europe in 2024 — With 17 Beautifully Refurbished Carriages |website=Travel + Leisure|author=Dobrina Zhekova | date=29 June 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-orient-express-is-making-a-comeback-180981216/|title=You Could Soon Ride in Historic Carriages From the Orient Express |website=[[Smithsonian (magazine)|Smithsonian]]|author=Sarah Kuta | date=1 December 2022}}</ref> It will carry passengers between [[Paris]] and [[Istanbul]] beginning in late 2026.<ref name="lux"/><ref name="myth"/>