The Orient Express

If the two of you believe that getting there is more than half the fun, perhaps a journey on the Orient-Express is for you. These luxe and lulling trains weave through a country and afford passengers glimpses of how life is really lived, drawing you into the experience -- and then easing you into the next scene.

On these trains you'll encounter a cross-section of people from different backgrounds and nationalities. The mundane things one does aboard -- eating, chatting with others -- makes people open up and creates a special type of intimacy. Friendships that last for years begin on trains. Nick Varian, chief executive, recalls the O&E's colorful history:

"The earliest Orient-Express passengers were spies... courtesans... arms dealers... even the occasional murderer."

Tongue firmly in cheek, Varian vouches, "It's fair to say that the ethical character of our passengers has improved somewhat." Romantic train travel -- glamorous carriages, sumptuous cuisine, and personal service par excellence -- became available again some 20 years ago with relaunch of the opulent Venice Simplon-Orient-Express (check prices). Initially traveling between London and Italy's canal city, the European train now includes passages to Florence, Rome, Paris, Monte Carlo, Prague, Bucharest, and Istanbul on its itinerary as well.

Journeying beyond Europe, the expanded Orient-Express group today operates on three continents and includes other equally posh trains including:

• Southeast Asia's Eastern & Oriental Express carrries passengers between Singapore and Bangkok (2 nights, 41 hours; check prices).
• Named for an Andean explorer, Peru's Hiram Bingham (check prices) climbs the country's highlands en route to Machu Picchu.
• The British Pullman winds through the English countryside, dazzling travelers with exquisite views of the English countryside (day and weekend sleeper excursions; check prices).

It's an impressive roster, considering that each train and experience was created anew, from the tracks up. All carry passengers across countries and continents in styles of a bygone era: The atmosphere on the Eastern & Oriental Express evokes British Colonial life of the 1920s; rattan chairs, linen suits, tea dances. Venice Simplon and British Pullman trains transport passengers in Art-Deco elegance.

Guests who purchase a Superior Cabin on the Eastern & Oriental Express between Bangkok and Singapore receive one free night at The Oriental Hotel in Bangkok and another free night at The Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Singapore.

Any time you go, you'll find that it's easy to plan a journey on the E&O that includes stays in top hotels and off-train tour adventures. For information, price comparisons, and to book a journey, visit Orient-Express online.