Chemins de fer Orientaux
Encyclopedia
The Chemins de fer Orientaux (Oriental Railway) was an Ottoman railway company operating in the northwestern Ottoman Empire
. It served 2 main lines between Vienna
and İstanbul
with branch lines to nearby cities. The railway operated between 1869 and 1937. The CO also hosted the world famous Orient Express
on its tracks between Vienna and İstanbul.
, the Ottoman Empire
considered building a rail link from İstanbul
to western Europe. Such a line would make transporting troops to Ottoman controlled Eastern Europe. Finally a concession was given to Maurice de Hirsch
to build the railway. The original route was to be a main line from İstanbul
passing through Edirne
, Plovdiv
, Sofia
, Niš
, Sarajevo
to Banja Luka
, with branch lines to Alexandropolis, Thessaloniki
, Burgas
and Belgrade
. In 1874 the CO operated 3 separate railway lines; İstanbul to Plovdiv with the Alexandropol branch, Thessaloniki to Mitrovica and Banja Luka to Novi Grad. These lines were not connected though. However the Russian-Turkish war of 1877 halted construction. The Congress of Berlin restored peace in the Balkans and with Russia. Serbia, Romania and Bulgaria became independent and Bosnia Herzegovina became occupied by Austria. The Congress decided that the Istanbul Vienna railway should be completed and created a special committee dubbed "Conférence à Quatre" (Austria, Turkey, Bulgaria, Serbia) to oversee the project. Further delay occurred and the Conférence à Quatre could convene only in December 1882 in Vienna. The final agreement was signed on May 9, 1883. It provided for a goal to complete the line by October 1886. The route now chosen was via Belgrade and each government was responsible for the works on its territory. In 1885 the Bulgarian State Railways
took over the Plovdiv-Sofia part of the main line but CO operated over it via trackage rights
. The first through train between Vienna and Istanbul ran on August 12, 1888. Through running of the Orient Express
between Paris and Istanbul started on June 1, 1889. Meanwhile a junction line between Skopje
and Nis was completed on May 25, 1888. The Thessaloniki line was now connected to rest of the network.
After the Balkan Wars
(1912–1913) most of the lines of the CO network were found within the borders of Bulgaria, Serbia and Greece. These lines were integrated in the national networks of these countries.
In 1925 the Alexandroupolis-Pythio-Svilengrad section of CO, which after 1923 was within greek territory, was transferred to a new company, French-Hellenic Railway Company
(CFFH).
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
. It served 2 main lines between Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
and İstanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
with branch lines to nearby cities. The railway operated between 1869 and 1937. The CO also hosted the world famous Orient Express
Orient Express
The Orient Express is the name of a long-distance passenger train service originally operated by the Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits. It ran from 1883 to 2009 and is not to be confused with the Venice-Simplon Orient Express train service, which continues to run.The route and rolling stock...
on its tracks between Vienna and İstanbul.
History
After the Crimean WarCrimean War
The Crimean War was a conflict fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the French Empire, the British Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. The war was part of a long-running contest between the major European powers for influence over territories of the declining...
, the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
considered building a rail link from İstanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
to western Europe. Such a line would make transporting troops to Ottoman controlled Eastern Europe. Finally a concession was given to Maurice de Hirsch
Maurice de Hirsch
Maurice de Hirsch was a German-Jewish philanthropist who set up charitable foundations to promote Jewish education and improve the lot of oppressed European Jewry. He was the founder of the Jewish Colonization Association which sponsored large-scale Jewish immigration to Argentina...
to build the railway. The original route was to be a main line from İstanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
passing through Edirne
Edirne
Edirne is a city in Eastern Thrace, the northwestern part of Turkey, close to the borders with Greece and Bulgaria. Edirne served as the capital city of the Ottoman Empire from 1365 to 1453, before Constantinople became the empire's new capital. At present, Edirne is the capital of the Edirne...
, Plovdiv
Plovdiv
Plovdiv is the second-largest city in Bulgaria after Sofia with a population of 338,153 inhabitants according to Census 2011. Plovdiv's history spans some 6,000 years, with traces of a Neolithic settlement dating to roughly 4000 BC; it is one of the oldest cities in Europe...
, Sofia
Sofia
Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...
, Niš
Niš
Niš is the largest city of southern Serbia and third-largest city in Serbia . According to the data from 2011, the city of Niš has a population of 177,972 inhabitants, while the city municipality has a population of 257,867. The city covers an area of about 597 km2, including the urban area,...
, Sarajevo
Sarajevo
Sarajevo |Bosnia]], surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of Southeastern Europe and the Balkans....
to Banja Luka
Banja Luka
-History:The name "Banja Luka" was first mentioned in a document dated February 6, 1494, but Banja Luka's history dates back to ancient times. There is a substantial evidence of the Roman presence in the region during the first few centuries A.D., including an old fort "Kastel" in the centre of...
, with branch lines to Alexandropolis, Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki , historically also known as Thessalonica, Salonika or Salonica, is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of the region of Central Macedonia as well as the capital of the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace...
, Burgas
Burgas
-History:During the rule of the Ancient Romans, near Burgas, Debeltum was established as a military colony for veterans by Vespasian. In the Middle Ages, a small fortress called Pyrgos was erected where Burgas is today and was most probably used as a watchtower...
and Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
. In 1874 the CO operated 3 separate railway lines; İstanbul to Plovdiv with the Alexandropol branch, Thessaloniki to Mitrovica and Banja Luka to Novi Grad. These lines were not connected though. However the Russian-Turkish war of 1877 halted construction. The Congress of Berlin restored peace in the Balkans and with Russia. Serbia, Romania and Bulgaria became independent and Bosnia Herzegovina became occupied by Austria. The Congress decided that the Istanbul Vienna railway should be completed and created a special committee dubbed "Conférence à Quatre" (Austria, Turkey, Bulgaria, Serbia) to oversee the project. Further delay occurred and the Conférence à Quatre could convene only in December 1882 in Vienna. The final agreement was signed on May 9, 1883. It provided for a goal to complete the line by October 1886. The route now chosen was via Belgrade and each government was responsible for the works on its territory. In 1885 the Bulgarian State Railways
Bulgarian State Railways
The Bulgarian State Railways are Bulgaria's state railway company and the largest railway carrier in the country, established as an entity in 1885. The company's headquarters are located in the capital Sofia. Since the 1990s the BDZ has met serious competition from automotive transport...
took over the Plovdiv-Sofia part of the main line but CO operated over it via trackage rights
Trackage rights
Trackage rights , running rights or running powers is an agreement whereby a railway company has the right to run its trains on tracks owned by another railway company....
. The first through train between Vienna and Istanbul ran on August 12, 1888. Through running of the Orient Express
Orient Express
The Orient Express is the name of a long-distance passenger train service originally operated by the Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits. It ran from 1883 to 2009 and is not to be confused with the Venice-Simplon Orient Express train service, which continues to run.The route and rolling stock...
between Paris and Istanbul started on June 1, 1889. Meanwhile a junction line between Skopje
Skopje
Skopje is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Macedonia with about a third of the total population. It is the country's political, cultural, economic, and academic centre...
and Nis was completed on May 25, 1888. The Thessaloniki line was now connected to rest of the network.
After the Balkan Wars
Balkan Wars
The Balkan Wars were two conflicts that took place in the Balkans in south-eastern Europe in 1912 and 1913.By the early 20th century, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Greece and Serbia, the countries of the Balkan League, had achieved their independence from the Ottoman Empire, but large parts of their ethnic...
(1912–1913) most of the lines of the CO network were found within the borders of Bulgaria, Serbia and Greece. These lines were integrated in the national networks of these countries.
In 1925 the Alexandroupolis-Pythio-Svilengrad section of CO, which after 1923 was within greek territory, was transferred to a new company, French-Hellenic Railway Company
French-Hellenic Railway Company
The French-Hellenic Railway Co. was a railway company in Greece which operated the former Chemins de fer Orientaux railway line from Alexandroupolis to Pythio, Ormenio and Svilengrad between 1929 and 1954....
(CFFH).