Travellers wanting to book inter-continental rail journeys across Europe currently face a nightmare of red tape when booking each stage, country by country. The exceptions currently are Eurostar and Thalys high-speed rail services but their services are limited to certain central European cities.
The European Union has now paved the way making it as easy to book rail journeys between countries as it is to book flights, with a combination of stops and destinations to suit the needs of both business people and tourists. The EU is adopting new regulations to force the standardization of rail passenger data on fares and timetables right across Europe.
In 2012, by law, rail operators must bring their computer systems and practises inline, making it easy for travel agents and individuals to book tickets to and from most destinations, hassle free.
One of the main reasons behind this approach from Brussels is that inter-city travel by rail is far more environmentally-friendly than travel by car or by air. Rail travel considerably reduces harmful emissions and the effects on global warming, possibly making it the recommended method of travel for forward-thinking governments of the future.
by Gillian at Luxique Luxury Hotels
There’s nothing new about a luxury hotel train, but the four-day journey from the chimneys of Balbao through northern Spain to the elegant spires of Leon and back is a gastronomic experience inspired by the route it takes.
El Expreso de La Robla is a new luxury train-hotel run by the Spanish rail company, Feve. Although this grand old dame once carried coal from the mines of the Picos de Europa mountains, this Cinderella is now a vintage-style Orient Express - a belle époque extravaganza from a bygone era.
The breathtaking scenery is a gimme; the fantastic cuisine comes as a delightful surprise. The first stop is the mountain village of Espinosa de los Monteros, the site of the famous Napoleonic victory. Here the torturous subject of the artworks lines the walls of the Hermitage of San Bernabe.
Next stop is at the Parador Cervera de Pisuerga, an out-of-the-way boar hunter’s retreat which inspired one meat-based course after another. Suckling lamb, perfectly prepared was followed by wild boar stew, roast venison and oxtail. No wonder the wolves prowl at night, no doubt hoping for tidbits!
At Leon in northwest Spain the tour was to the 9th century Moorish Basilica de San Isodoro and the Gaudi Cathedral. Dinner that night was chickpea soup with sausage and pig’s trotter with fine wine from the region.
After exploring the dark brooding town of Aguilar de Campoo the journey through medieval history ends back in beautiful Balbao – definitely a trip tailor-made for those with a hunger for history, architecture and fine dining.
by Gillian at Luxique Luxury Hotels
China has been showing off what it says is the world’s fastest passenger train.
Officials at a conference in Beijing played host to railway authorities and experts from around the world and showcased the 16-car CRH-380A. This is a new generation of high-speed train which is said to have recorded a test top speed of 303 mph (486 kph) – far exceeding Japan’s bullet trains.
During regular operations, the train would keep a constant speed of 219 mph (350 kph), with a maximum of 237 mph (380 kph).
The Chinese Vice Premier, Zhang Dejiang, told the forum that China was encouraging its train producers and other concerns to ‘go global’. He said China was ready to share its technological achievements with other countries.
China has signed a framework agreement to build high-speed railways connecting it with Laos and Thailand – part of a plan to facilitate trade and investment among south-east Asian nations.
by Andy Moreton
The German train operator, Deutsche Bahn (DB), has unveiled the prototype of the new high-speed trains it hopes will provide a service through the Channel Tunnel from the UK to the European mainland.
Assuming the trains satisfy all the safety tests and other criteria, DB expects to start the programme in late 2013. It’ll mean that passengers will be able to travel from London to the centre of Frankfurt in five hours (compared with a two-hour flight) and to Amsterdam in the Netherlands in four hours (an hour and a bit by airliner).
DB wants to run services three times a day. Trains would leave London, travel to Brussels and then split. One half of the train would go on to Amsterdam via Rotterdam, with the other half travelling to Frankfurt via Cologne. The trains would be capable of travelling at 200mph.
Eurostar, the only rail operator running passenger trains through the tunnel since it opened in 1994, supports Deutsche Bahn’s move, saying it is another step in the expansion of high-speed rail travel across Europe.
“We welcome Deutsche Bahn’s plans, we want them to help us grow the rail passenger market together,” said Eurostar’s Chairman, Richard Brown, at the presentation of DB’s plans at St Pancras station in London.
by Andy Moreton
London, Brussels, Cologne, Frankfurt, Rotterdam, Amsterdam: Luxique can secure you the best rates at a variety of luxury hotels throughout Europe.
Engineers have drilled their way through the final section of rock beneath the Swiss Alps to complete the world’s longest tunnel.
The breakthrough in the 35-mile Gotthard rail tunnel paves the way for continuous high-speed train travel between Zurich and Milan in Italy in six years’ time.
For some 14 years, huge boring machines have been tunnelling through the mountains from two directions: in the north from Erstfeld near Lake Lucerne and in the south from Bodio, near Switzerland’s border with Italy. Eight workers have died since construction began.
The tunnel will cut an hour from the transalpine rail journey and drive booming road freight off congested Swiss mountain roads on to more environmentally friendly rail.
The project – described by the European Union Transport Commissioner Siim Kallashas as ‘remarkable’ – will cost an estimated 10 billion Swiss Francs (£6.5 billion/$10.4 billion).
by Andy Moreton
Luxique can help you find the ideal luxury hotel in Zurich, including the landmark Hotel Baur au Lac.
There was something of a shock for 135 passengers heading for Milan in Italy on an overnight sleeper train. They woke up in Zurich, Switzerland.
Travellers boarded the carriages of two trains on Sunday night in the Spanish city of Barcelona – one was destined for Zurich and the other for Milan. They travelled in convoy to Lyon in France where, in the early hours, technicians were to split them and send them their separate ways. But they confused the destinations.
The staff on one train realised the mistake at the Italian border and the train was sent back, finally arriving at its destination three hours late. However, the Salvador Dali travelled all the way to Zurich before the error was realised.
Still confused? Let a spokesman for Renfe, the Spanish rail company, explain: “Signallers made a mistake during the points switch in Lyon. The drivers of the two locomotives went the right way but they left Lyon with the wrong set of carriages.”
This ‘train hotel’ service called Elipsos is particularly popular with British students who spend the summer inter-railing around Europe. Its slogan? Wake Up To A New Skyline.
by Andy Moreton
Luxique can help you find a luxury hotel in Barcelona, Milan or Zurich … whether you’re there by accident or design.
Eurostar – which provides the train service under the Channel Tunnel between the UK and the rest of Europe – has been strongly criticised for the chaos caused by severe winter weather before Christmas.
Five trains broke down in the tunnel and 2,500 people were left for hours without food and water in carriages that were dark and unventilated.
An independent report says Eurostar had not properly prepared its trains for the heavy snow on the French side. The snow got under the trains’ winter cladding and then melted as they passed into the warmth of the tunnel. The resulting condensation caused electrical problems.
The report said Eurostar had no working plan to evacuate multiple broken-down trains. The result was that passengers were left in the dark – literally and figuratively, because they were given little or no information. One of the trains was carrying families back from Disneyland, Paris. Parents had to strip children to their underwear as the heat rose in the darkened carriages.
Eurostar’s Chief Executive, Richard Brown, said the company would be investing more than £30million ($47million) in order to implement all the review’s 21 recommendations.
“I recognise that we let down a considerable number of our passengers very badly with the disruption and breakdowns before Christmas, and, once again, I’d like to say, on behalf of Eurostar, I am very, very sorry,” he said.
by Andy Moreton
The Spanish capital, Madrid, is one of a number of destinations to which the train is expected become a viable alternative to the plane within Western Europe during the next decade.
It’s thought a high-speed Paris–Madrid train link will be in place within the next two years, bringing the journey time between the two cities to 5½ hours.
Although a flight would take less than half that time, you have to add several hours for checking-in, airport security and travel to and from the city centres. The rail industry is hoping to attract passengers who are becoming disenchanted with this ‘airport hassle factor’.
The German train operator, Deutsche Bahn, is in talks with Eurotunnel about a direct train route to and from London through the tunnel, while Eurostar – which currently runs services from London St. Pancras direct to Paris and Brussels – has also made no secret of its interest in taking trains farther afield.
There would certainly be no lack of support from the respective governments as trains are seen to be more environmentally friendly than planes in short-haul travel.
by Andy Moreton
Luxique offers a wide choice of luxury hotels in Madrid, from the traditional Westin Palace to the quirky and fun Room Mate Mario.
My friends in mainland Europe and the United States – where they have proper snow falls – will no doubt be amused at how the UK becomes paralysed by a relatively modest dusting of the white stuff.
And as far as travel is concerned, no-one has felt the cold blast of winter more than Eurostar, the rail system that links the UK with France and Belgium through the Channel Tunnel.
Services have been literally frozen since Friday evening when some 2,000 people were trapped for up to 16 hours in stationary trains in the tunnel. When they finally emerged, the furious passengers accused Eurostar of leaving them without food, water, light and information.
Snow getting into the power systems caused the problems. Wintry conditions in France led to the snow building up underneath the carriages because snow shields proved ineffective. When the trains entered the heat of the tunnel, the snow melted into the electrics.
With Christmas approaching, it’s a peak time for Eurostar with 20,000 people due to travel back and forth through the Channel each day. The company has announced an immediate independent review of the problems and said it hopes the service will be running again by Tuesday (22nd).
by Andy Moreton
A number of visitors riding the monorail at Disney World in Florida on Sunday were trapped for about three hours because of a power failure.
The stranded passengers were either helped to safety by fire and rescue crews or their train was towed back into a nearby station.
“The monorail just shut down and came to a stop,” said a woman who was in one of the stranded cars. “The lights turned off, the air conditioner turned off, and then the pilot said: ‘We’re experiencing technical difficulties.’”
In a statement, the resort said passengers were never in danger. It apologised for the inconvenience and assured visitors that it was continuing to work actively to ensure their safety.
The monorail, which has 15 miles of track, connects the various theme parks and takes guests into the complex from the giant parking lots.
by Andy Moreton
Check out Luxique’s 26 recommended luxury hotels in Florida.
