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Luxury Rail Across Continents

When these happened

27 dated records from 1869 to 2028. Each is drawn as wide as its date is certain — a band is a band because nobody knows the year, not because the drawing is imprecise.

1875190019251950197520002025The Ottoman Porte grants Hirsch the Constantinople–Vienna railway concession — 1869-04-17Nagelmackers founds the sleeping-car company at Liège — 1872-10-01The first Express d'Orient leaves the Gare de l'Est — 1883-10-04The last spike is driven at Craigellachie — 1885-11-07First through Paris–Constantinople run entirely by rail — 1889-06-01Sirkeci Terminal opens as the European terminus at Constantinople — 1890-11-03Construction of the Trans-Siberian begins — 1891Work begins on the Chinese Eastern Railway across Manchuria — 1897-07Train ferries begin crossing Lake Baikal — 1900Rails are laid across the frozen surface of Lake Baikal — winter 1903–1904First trains run on the Circum-Baikal shore line — 1904-09The Spiral Tunnels open and the Big Hill is retired — 1909-09-01The Amur Railway completes an all-Russian route to the Pacific — 1916The Simplon Orient Express takes the southern route — 1919-04-11The Union Limited and Union Express begin running to the mail ships — 1923The Ghan begins running on the Central Australia Railway — 1929-08The Blue Train name is adopted — 1946The last Direct Orient Express leaves Paris for Istanbul — 1977-05-19The last narrow-gauge Ghan leaves Marree — 1980-11-25The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express makes its inaugural run — 1982-05-25Rovos Rail runs its first train — 1989-04-29Electrification of the Trans-Siberian is completed — 2002The Severomuysky Tunnel opens under the BAM's worst obstacle — 2003The Ghan runs through to Darwin for the first time — 2004-02-01The name Orient Express leaves the European timetable — 2009-12-12Russian Railways abandons Moscow time across the network — 2018-08-01Relaunch of an Orient Express train using rediscovered 1920s carriages — 2027 (target)
27 shown · 27 dated · 0 cannot be placed on an axis · Approximate or contested. Draw a band and do not sharpen its edges.
In order27
  1. 1869-04-17The Ottoman Porte grants Hirsch the Constantinople–Vienna railway concession

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  2. 1872-10-01Nagelmackers founds the sleeping-car company at Liège

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  3. 1883-10-04The first Express d'Orient leaves the Gare de l'Est

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  4. 1885-11-07The last spike is driven at Craigellachie

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  5. 1889-06-01First through Paris–Constantinople run entirely by rail

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  6. 1890-11-03Sirkeci Terminal opens as the European terminus at Constantinople

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  7. 1891Construction of the Trans-Siberian begins

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  8. 1897-07Work begins on the Chinese Eastern Railway across Manchuria

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  9. 1900Train ferries begin crossing Lake Baikal

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  10. winter 1903–1904Rails are laid across the frozen surface of Lake Baikal

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  11. 1904-09First trains run on the Circum-Baikal shore line

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  12. 1909-09-01The Spiral Tunnels open and the Big Hill is retired

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  13. 1916The Amur Railway completes an all-Russian route to the Pacific

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  14. 1919-04-11The Simplon Orient Express takes the southern route

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  15. 1923The Union Limited and Union Express begin running to the mail ships

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  16. 1929-08The Ghan begins running on the Central Australia Railway

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  17. 1946The Blue Train name is adopted

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  18. 1977-05-19The last Direct Orient Express leaves Paris for Istanbul

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  19. 1980-11-25The last narrow-gauge Ghan leaves Marree

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  20. 1982-05-25The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express makes its inaugural run

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  21. 1989-04-29Rovos Rail runs its first train

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  22. 2002Electrification of the Trans-Siberian is completed

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  23. 2003The Severomuysky Tunnel opens under the BAM's worst obstacle

    Sources disagree, or the dating is contested. Stated, not resolved.

  24. 2004-02-01The Ghan runs through to Darwin for the first time

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  25. 2009-12-12The name Orient Express leaves the European timetable

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  26. 2018-08-01Russian Railways abandons Moscow time across the network

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  27. 2027 (target)Relaunch of an Orient Express train using rediscovered 1920s carriagesa declared target, not a prediction

    A programme target or declared plan. NEVER a prediction.