Ride from Singapore to Bangkok on the Eastern and Oriental Express
Ride from Singapore to Bangkok on the Eastern and Oriental Express
Take a ride on the Eastern and Oriental Express as it travels from Singapore to Bangkok.
Contunico © ZDF Studios GmbH, Mainz
Transcript
NARRATOR: The journey of a lifetime on-board the Eastern and Oriental Express. A three-day trip to Bangkok gives passengers the chance to see the Far East up close. Comfort and luxury are what this journey is all about. Waiters pour Darjeeling tea from silver pots as the train pulls out of the station on its 2,000-kilometer trip to Bangkok. The train quickly leaves the Singapore skyline behind, as it rumbles rhythmically on towards Bangkok. Passengers travel in the most luxurious surroundings, with all the carriages being decorated in South East Asian colonial style.
STEWARD: "This journey really is the journey of a lifetime. It's not simply a case of getting from Bangkok to Singapore or vice versa. You spend two nights and almost three days on-board. This journey is about luxury, relaxation and being transported back in time to the 1930s. You really get to enjoy the trip. There are no telephones, TVs or computers on-board the train. It really is like you're travelling in the 30s."
NARRATOR: Attention to detail is crucial. After all, the Eastern and Oriental Express has welcomed its fair share of distinguished guests.
STEWARD: "We've had the Thai royal family, the Malaysian prime minister, Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber and the fashion designer Kenzo on-board. Sometimes they travel under false names, so even we don't know who they are."
NARRATOR: As the passengers relax in the dining car, the steward prepares their cabins for the night ahead. But the last thing on the passengers' minds is sleep with views like this.
The next morning it's time for a quick excursion. A ferry takes the passengers to the Malaysian peninsula of Penang. Rickshaw drivers wait for the boat to dock. This is easily the most comfortable and relaxing way to see the colonial city of Georgetown. The city provides a colorful and chaotic scene, the air scented with tropical aromas. After a short tour of the city, it's back on board the Eastern and Oriental Express.
The slender green carriages snake their way through the rich, tropical landscape. The open-air viewing carriage is the real attraction of this legendary train. Animal noises echo from the depths of the jungle. Elephants trumpet, crickets chirp and, if you're lucky, you may even hear the roar of a tiger.
A mysterious floral scent hangs in the air, and the tropical heat sticks to your skin. Past villages and hamlets, every couple of minutes the landscape changes and a new, breathtaking view opens up. The last stop before Bangkok is the historic Bridge over the River Kwai. The train makes its way very slowly over this venerable monument, which owes its fame to the novel of the same name. All too soon, the Eastern and Oriental Express reaches Bangkok. For the passengers, this trip has not been about the destination, but the journey.
STEWARD: "This journey really is the journey of a lifetime. It's not simply a case of getting from Bangkok to Singapore or vice versa. You spend two nights and almost three days on-board. This journey is about luxury, relaxation and being transported back in time to the 1930s. You really get to enjoy the trip. There are no telephones, TVs or computers on-board the train. It really is like you're travelling in the 30s."
NARRATOR: Attention to detail is crucial. After all, the Eastern and Oriental Express has welcomed its fair share of distinguished guests.
STEWARD: "We've had the Thai royal family, the Malaysian prime minister, Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber and the fashion designer Kenzo on-board. Sometimes they travel under false names, so even we don't know who they are."
NARRATOR: As the passengers relax in the dining car, the steward prepares their cabins for the night ahead. But the last thing on the passengers' minds is sleep with views like this.
The next morning it's time for a quick excursion. A ferry takes the passengers to the Malaysian peninsula of Penang. Rickshaw drivers wait for the boat to dock. This is easily the most comfortable and relaxing way to see the colonial city of Georgetown. The city provides a colorful and chaotic scene, the air scented with tropical aromas. After a short tour of the city, it's back on board the Eastern and Oriental Express.
The slender green carriages snake their way through the rich, tropical landscape. The open-air viewing carriage is the real attraction of this legendary train. Animal noises echo from the depths of the jungle. Elephants trumpet, crickets chirp and, if you're lucky, you may even hear the roar of a tiger.
A mysterious floral scent hangs in the air, and the tropical heat sticks to your skin. Past villages and hamlets, every couple of minutes the landscape changes and a new, breathtaking view opens up. The last stop before Bangkok is the historic Bridge over the River Kwai. The train makes its way very slowly over this venerable monument, which owes its fame to the novel of the same name. All too soon, the Eastern and Oriental Express reaches Bangkok. For the passengers, this trip has not been about the destination, but the journey.