A new luxury train that runs from Hungary's capital of Budapest to Iran's capital of Tehran made its first trip on Wednesday, Reuters reports.
The first branch of the route, connecting Budapest to Istanbul, follows the path of the world famous Orient Express, the early-20th century trip that used to carry Europe's aristocracy to Turkey.
The new luxury train cars ride on existing railways, leaving from Budapest, heading east toward Turkish Kurdistan and dumping passengers in Iran. A ticket for the two-week trip costs more than $14,000, according to Reuters.
The route is operated by the private travel agency Golden Eagle, a British company that offers trips on luxury trains across Europe, Central Asia, and Eastern Europe. The first train left on Oct. 15, the next one is scheduled for March next year.
Golden Eagle Luxury Trains
http://www.goldeneagleluxurytrains.com/
Jewels Of Persia – Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, Iran
Budapest – Kecskemet – Sighişoara – Braşov – Veliko Turnovo – Kazanlak – Istanbul – Cappadocia – Lake Van – Akdamar Island – Van – Zanjan – Yazd – Isfahan – Shiraz – Persepolis – Tehran (15 days).
This tour can be taken in reverse.
Jewels of Persia is a truly unique journey.
The Golden Eagle Danube Express is the first ever European private train to be permitted to enter into Iran.
Travelling from Budapest on the banks of the Danube, via the shores of the Bosphorus and the city of Istanbul, into the ancient land of Persia, Jewels of Persia is a unique journey that takes in destinations rarely experienced by the Western visitor.
This remarkable tour will appeal to those with a distinctive sense of adventure who seek extraordinary travel experiences that may not always follow the itinerary step-by-step, but will provide endless excitement throughout the journey.
Members of the Club (free to join) benefit from:
- discount off the published prices of these journeys;
- a thank-you gift for every booking;
Full details about the Jewels Of Persia journeys are here
- See more at: http://www.luxurytrainclub.com/press/jewels-of-persia/#sthash.Wd3qL5vZ.dpuf
Budapest-Tehran train trip is newest luxury pursuit
By Marton Dunai
BUDAPEST
Thu Oct 16, 2014 6:29am EDT
(Reuters) - A luxury train connecting the capitals of Hungary and Iran left Budapest for the first time on Wednesday, with 70 passengers set to cross the Balkans, the Bosphorus and Kurdistan on the way to Persia aboard a set of deluxe railcars.
The two-week trip sets back each participant at least 9,000 pounds ($14,333) and some as much as 25,000 pounds including full service with private bathroom, a sightseeing program and the beautiful scenery that rolls leisurely by for about 7,000 km (4,350 miles).
The tickets for the first train sold out in 10 days, said Tim Littler, the founder of tour operator Golden Eagle, adding he planned four more trains to make the trip next year.
"There is a huge vacuum in the tourist industry for people who would like to go to Iran, but want to do it in comfort and safety," Littler told Reuters while aboard a pre-war sleeper as a steam locomotive pulled the cars through the Hungarian plains.
"The train offers both of those things," he added. "Luxury train travel sells for about $1,000-to-$2,000 per day, and this trip is in that price range."
The train may carry more wealth than the annual economic output of some of the places it crosses, but he said that has almost never posed security problems in Golden Eagle's adventure destinations.
"We had more problems in Russia when we started 25 years ago," he said. "We went into areas where people were literally starving and we arrived in an opulent train full of caviar and sturgeon and fine wines."
To make sure absolutely no problem arises, some countries offered extra assistance, he said. The Iranian government, which has announced it would spend heavily to develop its tourism industry, said it would put military marshals on the train.
FROM MAIL TO LUXURY RAIL
The core of the service is four cars that another British businessman, Howard Trinder, bought from the Hungarian postal service and retrofitted into luxury sleepers at a cost of about 250 million forints ($1 million) apiece. Budapest is the starting point of the trip because that is where the train is based.
"We built the four deluxe cars which I funded and marketed them to the UK," Trinder said, nursing a glass of beer in the bar carriage as he waited for his first lunch on board. "Tim came up with the idea (of Tehran) ... My first answer was no."
But that no turned into a yes after a long conversation. Once the company cleared a string of problems - including ensuring power supply through a custom-built generator car, securing permits in five countries and fighting off sanctions against Iran (using an Australian affiliate) - the train was finally attached to an old steam locomotive.
Historic railcars, including the former carriages used by Hungary's Communist political elite as well as the newly retrofitted dining cars, were attached to the train, 13 cars long in all.
With a loud hiss and a tall plume of steam and smoke, the train pulled out of Budapest Nyugati Terminus and headed east. Australian winemakers Dianne and Giorgio Gjergja leaned back in their compartment to enjoy the autumn scenery and a cup of tea.
"We are relaxed into the rhythm of the train," Dianne told Reuters.
"It is wonderful. Service is excellent. We can't wait to get into Iran. We have seen the other destinations and will enjoy seeing them again, but Iran is exotic. I am very excited."
(U.S. $1 = 0.6279 British pound; U.S. $1 = 239.3500 Hungarian forint)
(Reporting by Marton Dunai; editing by Michael Roddy and G Crosse)
New for 201
Jewels of Persia
The Golden Eagle Danube Express is the first ever European private train to be permitted to enter into Iran.
Travelling from Budapest on the banks of the Danube, via the shores of the Bosphorus and the city of Istanbul, into the ancient land of Persia, Jewels of Persia is a unique journey that takes in destinations rarely experienced by the Western visitor.
This remarkable tour will appeal to those with a distinctive sense of adventure who seek extraordinary travel experiences that may not always follow the itinerary step-by-step, but will provide endless excitement throughout the journey.
Members of the Club (free to join) benefit from:- discount off the published prices of these journeys;
- a thank-you gift for every booking;
Full details about the Jewels Of Persia journeys are here
- See more at: http://www.luxurytrainclub.com/press/jewels-of-persia/#sthash.Wd3qL5vZ.dpuf
The Golden Eagle Danube Express is the first ever European private train to be permitted to enter into Iran.
Travelling from Budapest on the banks of the Danube, via the shores of the Bosphorus and the city of Istanbul, into the ancient land of Persia, Jewels of Persia is a unique journey that takes in destinations rarely experienced by the Western visitor.
This remarkable tour will appeal to those with a distinctive sense of adventure who seek extraordinary travel experiences that may not always follow the itinerary step-by-step, but will provide endless excitement throughout the journey.
Members of the Club (free to join) benefit from:- discount off the published prices of these journeys;
- a thank-you gift for every booking;
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