Nord Express

The Nord Express (Northern Express) was a train service introduced in 1896 by the Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits, which operated sleeping-cars, dining cars and trains deluxe all over Europe, including the Orient Express. It left Paris and travelled via Brussels, Cologne, Hanover, Berlin, Königsberg (now Kaliningrad) and Dvinsk (now Daugavpils) to Saint Petersburg.

Route of Nord Express before WW1. Connections to London, Sud Express and Transsiberian Express are in black.

The founders of CIWL wanted to establish a direct link between Saint Petersburg and Lisbon to connect with ocean liners to America.

The Nord Express in the French station of Noyon – Beginning of the 20th century

Passengers from Russia had to change once in East Prussia at the German/Russian border because Russian railway tracks are of a wider gauge than those in Western Europe. In Paris there was a connecting service to the Sud Express (Southern Express) to Lisbon. This train service enabled people to travel across Europe in what was, by the standards of the time, a very fast and comfortable manner.

After World War I the train was diverted to Warsaw instead of Saint Petersburg. After World War II the "iron curtain" and air travel caused the end to this famous train.

Since World War II the name Nord Express has been used for the initially luxury and since 1951 ordinary night train between Paris and Copenhagen. In 2007 it was shortened further and diverted again such that it now runs between Paris and Hamburg, taking 10.5 hours.