I don't know if the orient express is running now or not. It seems to be off and on.
I rode the Orient Express in 1964(?) from Geneva to outside Athens. You had to be sure to get on the right car, or you would wind up in Belgrade, or Rome or somewhere else. Unfortunately, all the glamour is in first class and we rode tourist, with the women with the chickens, and the toilets that didn't flush for two days.
They had little compartments that hold about six or eight people, like you see in British mysteries. We were the only Americans, but the others managed to communicate with us. I'll never forget when we went through then Yugoslavia, how nice and friendly the Yugoslovians were. I couldn't believe what happened there later.
It was January, and there was snow outside. When we got to the border, everyone had to get off the train while they searched it. Everyone but us! At the time, I think Tito wanted good relationswith the US. So my husband and I sat on the train warm and toasty, while everyone else stood on the freezing platform for hours and glared at us. When our compartmentmates got back on board, we apologized, and I gave my coat to cover a woman who was shaking from the cold. Peace was restored.