Then and now: Inside the legendary Orient Express train

Left: A coach of the Orient Express built between 1926 and 1928. Right: A Venice Simplon-Orient-Express car photographed in 2023.AP Photo/Heinz Ducklau, Joey Hadden/Business Insider

• The Orient Express, a famed historic train, is being revived by the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express.
• The luxury overnight Belmond train uses restored carriages from the original fleet.

The Orient Express is perhaps the most well-known train in history.

As the first transcontinental express train in Europe, the Orient Express served the rich and royal on overnight journeys from 1883 to 1977, according to Britannica. On board were fine dining cars, bars, and extravagantly decorated cabins.

In 1982, this golden age of rail travel was revived by the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, a luxury, overnight Belmond train made up of restored carriages from the original fleet.

According to the company's website, the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express operates 60 routes in 17 cities. And I got to experience it for myself in November 2023.

The night was magical. I felt like I had traveled back in time. After my trip, I was curious about how similar it was to the original ride back in the day. So, I compared photos from my trip to historical images of the Orient Express.

Turns out, it's pretty close.