Quiz | Easy like Sunday morning: Historic Trains

The interiors of the ‘world’s most luxurious train’. Which is it?
| Photo Credit: Getty Images/Istock

1 Born on December 8 in 1944, actor Sharmila Tagore made her debut at the age of 14 in a Satyajit Ray film. One of her iconic scenes is from the song ‘Mere Sapno ki Rani’. Her part in the scene, in which she is seen reading an Alistair MacLean book onboard a train, was shot at a studio in Mumbai. Known as DHR, which train is this that became a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1999?

2 In 1882, Georges Nagelmackers invited guests to a railway trip of 2,000 k.m. on his Train Eclair de luxe (lightning luxury train), which went from Paris to Vienna and back. It had fancy sleeping coaches and five-star food made by international chefs. Its success led to the formation of a series of luxury trains that travelled across Europe, reaching as far as Istanbul. By what name were these trains known, which is also part of a murder mystery lore?

3 The Bandhan Express is an international train that connects the cities of Kolkata and Khulna. Unlike usual trains, a valid visa and passport are required to purchase the ticket. In which country is Khulna?

4 This international express train linked the Netherlands with Switzerland through Belgium and France. Twisting its way through the Alpine mountain region, the route is one of the most scenic ones. The train is named after a mountain flower, which is the national symbol of many countries in the region. By what name is the train known that should remind you of the movie The Sound of Music?

5 This private train is a hotel-on-wheels that runs from Budapest to Istanbul with visits to Slovakia, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Austria, and the Czech Republic. The service is aptly named after a famous geographic entity that connects all these cities as well. What is the name of this train service?

6 Rovos Rail runs a train that is billed as the ‘world’s most luxurious train’ and travels through South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Tanzania. Its name, a reference to its luxurious nature, could also refer to a group of lions you might see while on the train. By what name is the train known?

7 The longest railway line in the world runs 9289 km. from Moscow in the west to Vladivostok in the east of Russia. It spans eight time zones and takes eight days to complete the journey. By what name is this line known, a reference to the vast geographical region that covers most of northern Asia?

8 The Samjhauta Express was a twice-weekly train that was, at that time, the only active train line on this route till it was stopped in 2019. The 500 km. stretch took about 12 hours to finish with its many security checks. Starting in Delhi, in which city did the journey end?

9 The Empire State Express was a passenger train that ran between New York City and Detroit via southern Ontario. The train was then renamed after a famous tourist spot, which was on the way. The name also included a colourful natural phenomenon that is usually seen at the tourist spot. What was the train’s name changed to?

10 The A.R. Rahman song ‘Chaiyya Chaiyya’ from the film Dil Se became a global success and was in the ‘top 10 most popular songs of all time’ BBC poll in 2002. The song has an iconic video in which Shah Rukh Khan and Malaika Arora dance atop a moving train that later became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005. Known as NMR, which train is this?

A molecular biologist from Madurai, our quizmaster enjoys trivia and music and is working on a rock ballad called ‘Coffee is a Drink, Kaapi is an Emotion’. @bertyashley