De Luxe Accommodation.

Fast and frequent passenger train services such as Europe enjoys are a tribute to the enterprise of the various railway undertakings, and to the sane co-operation existing between the railways of the different countries that enables crack international trains to cross the continent with a minimum of delay at the different frontiers. There is another organisation, however, that plays a big part in European long-distance travel, and this is the International Sleeping Car Company.

Founded in 1873, the International Sleeping Car Company provides rolling-stock for some of Europe's most famous trains, this stock including luxurious dining, sleeping and Pullman cars. Among outstanding trains for which the undertaking is responsible are the “Nord Express” (Paris-Berlin-Warsaw), the “Orient Express” (Paris-Munich-Salzburg-Budapest), the “Simplon-Orient Express” (Paris - Milan - Trieste - Belgrade-Constantinople), and the “Sud Express” (Paris-Madrid). In addition to furnishing De Luxe rolling-stock for long-distance trains such as these, the International Sleeping Car Company provides all the necessary train staffs, such as train attendants, cooks, waiters and interpreters. On the majority of the Company's trains a small extra charge over and above the ordinary passenger fare is levied for the use of the De Luxe accommodation provided, but compensation in abundance for this surcharge lies in the additional comfort afforded the traveller.

Apart from the luxury services that serve Europe, the increased attention now being paid by the railways to

The “Flying Scotsman” en route between King's Cross Station, London, and Edinburgh.

the comfort of the “low-class” traveller, is enabling many who have hitherto fought shy of “third-class” to take advantage of the cheap fares quoted under this head. Austria, Germany and Switzerland, all may be covered to-day in real comfort in third-class cars; while in Sweden third-class is rightly so popular that few trains carry first-class carriages, and one-class trains will shortly be the order of the day.

In Denmark, upholstery has been introduced in the trim blue and green third-class stock of the State Railways. Italy, too, has put into traffic many new and more comfortable third-class vehicles. For short-distance journeys, the French lines employ somewhat antiquated third-class wooden stock. When travelling, however, between Paris and Calais, Paris and Brussels, or on similar mainlines, there need be no hesitation in making use of the splendid all-steel third-class carriages now in regular use. In Britain, the comparative luxury of the third-class car is universally recognised. The wonder is that first-class is patronised as it is. Second-class, of course, is to-day practically non-existent on the Home lines.