Hong Kong Hong Kong and Beijing could soon be linked by the luxury Orient Express rail service, a report said Friday.

Ministry of Railways has agreed to look into allowing the Orient-Express Trains and Cruises company to operate between the cities, said the head of the Hong Kong Tourism Development Board, Selina Chow.

"Hong Kong will be the first stop or final stop of Orient Express in Asia," she was quoted as telling the Wen Wei Po daily.

The service would "help attract more foreign and mainland tourists to Hong Kong," she added.

The London-based tour operator runs luxury train routes between Singapore and Bangkok, and Paris and Istanbul.

Chow stressed the plan was in its initial phase, and that contact was being made between railway officials in Beijing and the company.

The railway ministry runs its own luxury China Orient Express tour, which operates some 20 trips a year mainly on the "silk route" in its western region, as well as some eastern and southern routes.

The first Orient Express started in 1883 between Paris and Istanbul.

(People's Daily 05/26/2001)