Two companies have luxury trains called the ‘Orient Express.’ Here are the differences

The Orient Express is referred to as the "king of trains" and the "train of kings"

The original route between Paris and Istanbul began in the late 19th century.

The train of my dreams was described by Agatha Christie. She set a murder mystery novel on its carriages and James Bond rode it in a movie.

Travelers may think of the Orient Express as a single luxurious train, but there have been many over the years.

Soon, people will be able to choose to take a ride on several trains using the Orient Express name, which is owned by both Accor and Belmond.

The carriages are from the late 1800s. They are different in how they are designed, where they travel, and how long they have been open.

The original train was conceived by a young Belgian engineer who was inspired by the Pullman trains he rode during a trip to the US in 1868.

The Nagelmackers wanted to build a more luxurious version of the one they already built. The first train from Paris to Vienna took place in 1884.

The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express will launch eight new suites in June 2023.

After a few years, the train became the Orient Express and traveled to Istanbul. Travelers were attracted to the train's modern technology and luxurious silver utensils.

The firm started to build more upscale trains for other European routes, including one that ran through the new Simplon tunnel, which connects Switzerland to Italy.

The carriages of the Orient Express trains fell into disrepair in the 70s.

Two businessmen revived them in the 1980's.

The "Venice Simplon-Orient-Express" was created by James Sherwood, who spent a reported $32 million acquiring and restoring carriages. He added hotels to his travel group called Orient-Express Hotels. He changed the company's name to Belmond in 2004.

The "Nostalgie-Istanbul- Orient-Express" is owned by Accor and was started by Albert Glatt.

Since 1982, the Simplon-Venice- Orient-Express has been open. Gary Franklin is the vice president of Belmond's trains and cruises and he calls them "works of art".

The train has a lot of history. The carriages are pretty.

Franklin said that Accor is the ones that have been doing it for 40 years, and that they take it as a huge compliment.

A one-night trip on the “Venice Simplon-Orient-Express” starts from £2,920 ($3,292) per person.

Franklin confirmed that Accor has the rights to the Orient Express brand, while Belmond has a one-off license to use the name on its Venice Simplon train.

For the first time this December, the Simplon-Venice Orient-Express will visit Paris, Venice, Vienna and Florence in order to encourage guests to visit the Christmas markets in those cities.

There will be new suites on the train in June of next year.

The Grand Suites, which come with private dining, heated floors and free-flowing champagne, are the most luxurious of the train's categories.

A suite on the “Venice Simplon-Orient-Express.”

Half of the new suites have been purchased, and the Grand Suites are almost sold out.

After Glatt put his train back on the rails, it was once again neglected.

Arthur Mettetal was hired by the SNCF to find the Orient Express train.

The vice president of Orient Express at Accor said that they had a beautiful brand but no cars. We didn't know where the complete train was.

Mettetal was able to locate 17 of the original cars using maps and 3D.

Carriages from the “Nostalgie-Istanbul-Orient-Express,” found derelict on the Poland-Belarus border, are being restored by the French hotel group Accor.The bar car on the “Nostalgie-Istanbul-Orient-Express” will feature a bar with a glass counter, a tribute to French designer Rene Lalique.

De Saint Lager said that much of the interior was intact.

An architect is designing the interiors for the restoration. He wanted to have a kind of fantasy about Art Deco. The train's original drawings and models were in his collection.

The train's corridors will be lit by original glass Lalique lamps that are in the shape of a flower.

A corridor on the “Nostalgie-Istanbul-Orient-Express” features original glass Lalique flower lamps.

The bar car will have call buttons for champagne and service and the dining car will have a glass wall in the kitchen.

En suite marble bathroom and leather walls are some of the features of sleeping suites. It was described as a cruise train where guests can go to lesser known places.

Accor plans to open the first Orient Express hotel in Rome in 2024.

The Orient Express name may be used more by Accor. It wants to have ten Orient Express hotels by the year 2030.

A rendering of the “Orient Express La Dolce Vita,” which will connect Rome to cities like Paris, Istanbul and Split.

The era different from the Venice Simplon or the Nostalgie-Istanbul trains will be remembered by these trains.

The movie refers to a feeling of Italian glamour and pleasure. According to an online post by Dimorestudio, the trains are designed to embody the Italian art of living and all its beautiful traditions.

The trains will have a number of suites and cabins. The majority of passengers will leave from Rome's Termini station, where they will have access to a lounge before their journey.

A rendering of a bedroom suite on the “Orient Express La Dolce Vita,” showing the train’s 1960s-style decor.

Accor will open the Orient Express Venice Hotel in a restored palace in a few years. Accor is planning to open a hotel in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

A company representative said that the trains will be launched in the year 2024.

Monica Pitrelli worked for CNBC.