“I’m so tired of these arguments about small pots of money (or not) for night train operations. You cannot fix this until someone builds more night train carriages”, independent railway commentator Jon Worth posted on Bluesky. That last sentence in all caps. “Because then we can start to run night trains that aren’t with knackered…
Tag: Croatia
TRAIN TRAVEL | European Union records 429 billion passenger-kilometres in 2023 but domestic travel still dominates
Rail travel in Europe soared to new heights in 2023, marking the highest levels of passenger transport in years. According to Eurostat, total rail passenger transport across the European Union reached an impressive 429 billion passenger-kilometres.
European Commission pumps €2.8 billion in 94 transport infrastructure projects
The European Commission has announced in July 2025 the selection of 94 transport infrastructure projects to receive nearly €2.8 billion in grants under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), a flagship EU funding instrument aimed at building a sustainable and interconnected transport network across the continent.
Belgium sees record number of overnight stays via online platforms such as Airbnb and Booking
In 2024, Belgian rooms and apartments rented via platforms such as Booking.com and popular tourism villain Airbnb attracted more guests than ever before. During the peak month of August 2024, over 52,000 accommodations were rented out daily.
Back-on-Track.eu criticises lack of EU action as ÖBB cuts into Nightjet order
On 11 July 2025, Back-on-Track.eu, a European network advocating for night trains, voiced serious concern following the announcement by the Austrian Federal Railways ÖBB, the European Union‘s largest night train operator, that it will reduce its order with Siemens Mobility for new Nightjet trains from 33 to 24 units.
RAINBOW EUROPE MAP AND INDEX 2025 | United Kingdom, Hungary and Georgia drop dramatically on LGBTQIA+ rights ranking
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland has dropped six places on this year‘s ILGA-Europe’s Rainbow Map and Rainbow Index, as Hungary and the Republic of Georgia also register steep falls following anti-LGBTI legislation. The data highlights how rollbacks on LGBTI human rights are part of a broader erosion of democratic protections across…
France, Spain, USA, China and Italy most visited countries in the world, Belgium 41st
France, Spain, the United States of America, the People’s Republic of China and Italy are the most visited countries in the world. Belgium ranks 41st, the Netherlands 20th. Not only the 193 member states of the United Nations are counted, but also other top level domains such as Hong Kong (17th).
OVERTOURISM | Alternatives for Venice, Barcelona, Amsterdam, Santorini, Paris, Dubrovnik, London and Rome?
Overtourism was an issue in 2024 and still is in 2025. An increasing number of cities, grappling with the less appealing aspects of mass tourism, are implementing measures to curb the influx of visitors. One strategy is not to go to these hotspots, but to find alternatives. And if we all do that, those alternatives…
Star Alliance enhances intermodal connectivity with Austria’s ÖBB
Continuing its commitment to enhanced global connectivity, Star Alliance, together with 25 member airlines, welcomed ÖBB as its newest intermodal partner. This partnership allows customers of ÖBB and Star Alliance member airlines to seamlessly begin or conclude their long-distance journey on ÖBB’s eco-friendly RailJet trains, connecting from or to Graz, Linz, Salzburg, and Innsbruck in…
Belgians book Asia, vintage travel and boutique hotels for spring and summer 2025
Overtourism? Inflation? Worrying world events? What are those? According to the Association of Flemish Travel Agencies or Vereniging Vlaamse Reisbureaus (VVR) Belgians have already booked more holidays in 2025 compared to the same period last year.
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