A terrorist carrying a deadly contaigous virus picked up at a UN building in Geneva, escapes onto a luxury train bound for Stockholm carrying 1,000 people. Aboard are rich and famous passengers,...

A terrorist carrying a deadly contaigous virus picked up at a UN building in Geneva, escapes onto a luxury train bound for Stockholm carrying 1,000 people. Aboard are rich and famous passengers, including a Dr. Chamberlain (Richard Harris), his ex-wife Jennifer (Sophia Loren), smuggler Robbie Navarro (Martin Sheen)and an American priest (O.J. Simpson), among many others. The virus gradually spreads throughout the train, and back in Geneva, Col. McKenzie (Burt Lancaster) orders that the train should be driven over the dangerous Cassandra Crossing Bridge in Poland, in order to kill the passengers and contain the disease. This is much to the disgust of Swiss docter Elena (Ingrid Thulin) However, when Chamberlain hears of the plan, he and the passengers must unite to detach the carriages before the train plummets into a ravine. Also a clever twist at the end.