Company of the sleeping cars

The company of the sleeping cars is a French company , service provider in the railway field: restoration, railway hotel trade. It is present in five countries of Europe: Austria, Spain, France, Italy and Portugal. It ensures in particular the restoration on board TGV of the SNCF, the trains Eurostar and the AVE of the Renfe on the new line Madrid - Barcelona. It is a subsidiary company of the group Accor.

This company was founded in 1872 by a Belgian business man, Georges Nagelmackers. Taking as a starting point the model of the night trains launched to the the United States by the Pullmann company, it made build the first sleeping cars and restaurant car of Europe, and launched in 1883 the large express train of the East between Paris and Constantinople, which will become the famous East-Express train.

In 1884, the company takes the name of “international Company of the sleeping cars and large the express train Europeans”, and adopts celebrates it monogram with the two lions. The ambition of Nagelmackers is to create a global area network of pullman-car expresses, avoiding the changes at the borders. It is a precursor visionary of the modern voyages. With the passing of years, it will launch the South-Express train of Paris towards Madrid and Lisbon, the North-Express train towards Scandinavia, Poland and Russia, the Transsibérien of Moscow towards China and Japan by Siberia. It will create even the first hotel chain for its travellers, " Large hotels of the Coaches-lits" , whose specimen lives Paris in the shape of Bank C.C.F. on the Fields-Elysées. After its death, its work will perdurera.

In 1926, in order to ensure, for the trains of days, same comfort that the sleeping cars of night, is imagined the coach-living room-Pullmann, left d'" apartment of luxury roulant" , where the meals are been used for the place even of the traveller, avoiding to him having to move with the restaurant car. The small pink lamps on the tables will mark of a style " Years folles" the " Pullmann". Whole trains will be made of these cars, " The Arrow of or" Paris-Calais, which has its during British side, the " Arrow" golden delicious; , from Dover to London and well of others, but some will be built-in trains with the mixed composition.

In 1936, the first non-stop train Paris-London, the " is created; Train-Ferry" , composed of special sleeping cars being able to be embarked on the Dunkirk-Dover transporter and to circulate on the British network, of a gauge narrower than the continental one. This train, stopped during the war, will circulate until the end of 1980, under the name of " Night-Ferry" , when the worthy age of its material obliges it to leave the scene.

In 1945, the material of the company underwent very heavy losses, which had with the war. The rebuilding starts in a world which changed.

From 1955 to 1957: Launching of the new sleeping car of the post-war period, the " P" , very out of stainless, according to the American process of " Budd" and reception of new sleeping cars of " repair of guerre" , Hansa, built in Germany.

In 1957, launching of the network of the Trans-Europ-Express train, these modern trains of prestige which will connect, during thirty years, European big cities before the arrival of the TGV. The Company of the sleeping cars is recipient in this company, ensuring the service on board for the majority of the trains.

In 1967, being diversified in hotel trade and tourism, it transforms its company name into " International company of the sleeping cars AND the tourisme" (CIWLT)

In 1968, the company launches the revolutionist T2 sleeping car who allows the customers of second class, for the first time, to travel in couple. Success will be such as in less than one decade the number of travellers sleeping cars in France will reach the annual million. It will be also the last material built directly by the company.

In 1970, launching of a hotel chain of a new style, the " Arcades" hotels; , which will become the Ibis hotels.

In 1971, it is centred on the performances of service and resells its park of cars, except for the historical cars, with the railroad companies. A European pool is created to ensure the services of sleeping cars, named " Trans-euro-Nuit" (TEN) In 2001, it will also yield its activity of railway maintenance of material.

In 1981, arrived of the TGV which will revolutionize the world of transport. The Company of the sleeping cars is selected to ensure the service on board (Voiture-bar and restoration in the place in first class)

In 1991, the Company of the sleeping cars is repurchased by the Accor group.

Today, beyond its traditional activity " cars-lits" (and berths) the Company ensures the main part of the services of restoration on train in France, like in many countries.

In addition to its activities on the trains of regular day and night, the company of the sleeping cars organizes special voyages under the label “Pullmann Orient Express train” with a train made up of seven cars dating from the years 1920, restored in 2003 (four are classified historic building): a buffet car, a car bar-restaurant, three restaurant car and two parlor cars. December 9th, 2007, last three national services of sleeping cars, " The Train bleu" , " Lorazur" and Paris-Briançon disappear, removed by the SNCF. A recovery, by foreign railroads or the Areas, is being studied.

It should be noted that sleeping cars the SNCF, were sold of occasion with the ways of Greeks (Salonique-Istanbul train) Serb, Montenegrins and Morrocans.

Internal bonds

External bonds

Company of the sleeping cars, official site
the material traveller of the CIWL.

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