Independent railway commentator and cross-border rail expert Jon Worth has had enough of the tropes and jokes about Deutsche Bahn. And after completing his record-breaking journey from Kemijärvi in Finland to Lagos in Portugal, he has a point.
Tag: Finland
Two-thirds of Europeans travelled in 2024, but millions still could not afford a holiday
Almost two-thirds of European Union residents aged 15 and over took at least one tourism trip for personal purposes in 2024, according to Eurostat. But behind the recovery in European travel, a substantial divide remains: nearly three in ten Europeans could not afford to pay for a one-week annual holiday away from home.
Belgium travels, but not everyone can: 73% of Flemish residents took a holiday
Belgian residents made 5.3 million trips involving at least one overnight stay in the first quarter of 2026, a 0.9% increase on the same period a year earlier. But new figures also show a clear divide in who gets to travel, with financial constraints keeping many people at home.
VIDEO | The Longest Train Journey in the European Union: From Finland to Portugal by train in 125 hours and 31 minutes
‘125 Hours – Europe’s Longest Train Journey: From the Arctic to the Atlantic’ 125 hours. 23 trains. 10 railway companies. 6,203 kilometres. From Finnish Lapland to the Algarve. Independent railway commentator and European cross-border rail connections expert Jon Worth has completed the longest train journey in the European Union. His record-breaking journey exposed both the…
YES TO THE NIGHT TRAIN | A plea for reclining seats and 6-berth compartments
For the first time in half a century, France will launch the construction of brand-new night train rolling stock in 2026. The collective Oui au train de nuit (Yes To The Night Train) stresses the need for multiple comfort levels, from affordable budget options to business-class cabins.
Brussels Airlines goes Nordic, adds Evenes, Kemi, and Kittilä to its network
Scheduled passenger flights to arctic region in Norway and Finland Brussels Airlines launches scheduled passenger flights to Evenes in Norway, Kemi, and Kittilä, both in Finland. These destinations are added to the winter timetable, as holidays to the Arctic in winter are becoming increasingly popular. In addition to scheduled passenger flights, Brussels Airlines also operates…
Belgium among world’s top 4 in rankings by Henley Passport Index and Global Passport Index by Arton
Belgian passport holders continue to enjoy some of the world’s greatest travel freedom, although exactly where Belgium ranks depends on which international passport index is used.
PROGRAMME | Antwerp Queer Arts Festival 2026 from Friday 19 June to Sunday 16 August
“We’ve been doing this for 13 years”, Antwerp Queer Arts Festival says. Since 2013, AQAF organises a queer, more edgy, more ‘alternative’, less polished, less gentrified (?) festival for LGBTQIA+ people in the summer. It runs alongside Antwerp Pride.
RAIL BALTICA | Tallinn – Valga / Valka – Riga – Vilnius by train
August 2025. We’re travelling to the Baltic States: Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, and more specifically their respective capitals Tallinn, Riga and Vilnius. Are they interconnected by rail? Yes, but not in the most straightforward or userfriendly way possible. The Rail Baltica project should remedy this. Unsurprisingly though, this megaproject faces political and budgetary hurdles. It…
LATVIA | 1.5 days in Riga
August 2025. We’re travelling to the Baltic States: Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, and more specifically their respective capitals Tallinn, Riga and Vilnius. Are they interconnected by rail? Yes, but not in the most straightforward or userfriendly way possible. The Rail Baltica project should remedy this. Unsurprisingly though, this megaproject faces political and budgetary hurdles. It…