however, the true epitome of opulence could be found in the dining car.
the lavish menu, which included oysters, chicken chasseur, turbot with green sauce, and much more, was so extravagant that part of a baggage car had to be converted to make room for an additional icebox to store food and alcohol. immaculately dressed waiters served guests who sipped wine from crystal glasses and ate off fine porcelain with silver cutlery. the dining car's interior was adorned with silk draperies and artwork displayed between the windows.
henri opper de blowitz, a newspaper correspondent on the maiden journey, described the scene: "the bright-white tablecloths and napkins, artistically and coquettishly folded by the sommeliers, the glittering glasses, the ruby red and topaz white wine, the crystal-clear water decanters, and the silver capsules of the champagne bottles — they blind the eyes of the public both inside and outside.”
the orient express' lavish passenger experience was later immortalized in literature by authors like graham greene and agatha christie. yet, dining on a train was also an extraordinary feat of logistics and engineering. only 40 years earlier, the notion of preparing and serving hot meals aboard a train would have been nearly impossible.
in the early days of rail travel, passengers either brought their own meals or ate at station cafes, where quality was often questionable. charles dickens, a frequent traveler, recounted a visit to one such café, where he found a pork pie that he struggled to cut, describing it as "glutinous lumps of gristle and grease.”
a new era in rail dining
although the british revolutionized rail engineering in the 19th century, the story of the dining car began in america.
in 1865, george pullman, engineer and industrialist, introduced the pullman sleepers, or "palace cars," followed by the “hotel on wheels,” the president, two years later. this was the first train car to offer on-board meals, including regional specialties like gumbo, prepared in a tiny 3-by-6-foot kitchen.
pullman’s success led to the creation of the delmonico dining car, named after the famous new york restaurant. by the 1870s, dining cars were a common feature on sleeper trains across north america.
georges nagelmackers, a belgian engineer and businessman, brought the idea to europe and transformed it. in 1872, he founded the compagnie internationale des wagons-lits (ciwl), which revolutionized rail travel across europe with luxurious sleeper cars and dining services. wagons-lits produced the world’s most glamorous dining and saloon cars, not only for the orient express but also for other prestigious services like the nord express and sud express.
meals were served at set times and overseen by a maître d'hotel, with the dining car’s decor reflecting the french art of living. according to arthur mettetal, who curated an exhibition on the history of wagons-lits at the les rencontres d'arles photography festival, the luxurious experience extended to the menu, silverware, and overall atmosphere, much like a fine parisian restaurant.
the golden age of rail dining
the 1920s marked a golden era for rail travel in the west. as europe recovered from world war i, steam trains became smoother, faster, and more comfortable. wagons-lits’ luxurious metal cars replaced older wooden ones, and celebrated artists designed the interiors, including the dining cars.
by the late 1930s, wagons-lits was operating over 700 dining cars. however, the pullman lounges, introduced in the 1930s, provided an even greater on-board luxury: passengers could now dine in their seats, with food served directly to oversized chairs equipped with headrests. these cars were considered revolutionary, combining comfort and convenience.
the logistics of providing such luxury were complex. wagons-lits operated a central kitchen in paris that prepared food for the train network, easing the burden on on-board chefs. by 1947, the company was serving around 2.5 million meals annually.
the decline of the dining car
after world war ii, major changes affected both the rail industry and passenger behavior. trains became faster, reducing the amount of time passengers had to enjoy meals. the rise of air travel and private car ownership in the 1950s made trains less popular for luxury travel.
in response, wagons-lits adapted by opening a large industrial kitchen in 1956, preparing meals off-site in a model similar to that of airlines. the company also introduced self-service buffet cars offering cheaper, cafeteria-style food. by the 1960s, portable “minibars” sold sandwiches and other snacks directly to passengers at their seats.
as dining on trains became less about luxury and more about modernity, the idea of opulent train dining faded. by the 1970s and 1980s, kitchens had disappeared from european railroads, and dining cars were mostly reserved for tourist services. many of these services now play on nostalgia, with the upcoming revival of the orient express in 2025 promising a dining car that reinterprets the codes of the legendary train — offering a glimpse into a time when dining on a train was not just luxurious but the ultimate luxury.