October 2024. During a week-long whistle-stop tour of Germany, we visit Dessau-Roßlau in Saxony-Anhalt, Weimar in Thuringia, Coburg in Upper Franconia (Bavaria) and Kassel in Hesse. Smaller cities, yes. But each with their own significance. Untouched by overtourism. We’re avoiding using the white trains of DB Fernverkehr, Deutsche Bahn‘s long-distance section and opt to use…
Tag: Milan
European Union plans high-speed rail push, but can it get past France?
As the European Union ramps up its ambitions for continent-wide high-speed rail (HSR), a widening gap is emerging between strategic vision and operational execution.
Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane (FS) plan to launch a new high-speed link between London and Paris
FS Italiane Group, known through its brand Trenitalia, announces a plan to launch a new high-speed rail service connecting London and Paris by 2029. This was announced in a press release.
ITA Airways set to integrate Star Alliance in early 2026
ITA Airways has officially received approval to start the integration process into Star Alliance following a verdict by the Star Alliance Chief Executive Board (CEB). Building on its induction into the Lufthansa Group earlier this year, this decision paves the way for its much anticipated entry into the world’s largest airline alliance. The onboarding process…
Dutch budget train GoVolta postponed after not getting funds
Dutch start-up train operator GoVolta will not be able to start train services this year after Rabobank decided against granting the new rail company a loan. The train paths (‘slots’ on the rails) allocated for GoVolta’s budget trains to Berlin in Germany, Copenhagen in Denmark and Basel in Switzerland have now been returned.
London St Pancras Highspeed and Getlink aspire to to triple train services to France, Belgium and the Netherlands and add services to Germany and Switzerland
High-speed rail travel from London in the United Kingdom to mainland Europe is poised for a major expansion, with plans to introduce direct routes to Germany, Switzerland, and beyond. London St Pancras Highspeed (LSPH), the company overseeing St Pancras International and the high-speed rail link to Folkestone, has partnered with Getlink, the French operator of…
Back On Track Belgium not surprised inaugural European Sleeper from Brussels to Venice didn’t reach Italy
European Sleeper inaugurated its night train service from Brussels in Belgium to Venice in Italy, via the Netherlands, Germany and Austria, in the night from Wednesday 5 February to Thursday 6 February 2025. But the sleeper train never made it passed Innsbruck. “And this is unfortunately not a surprise”, Back On Track Belgium says in…
REVIEW | ‘Welkom Aan Boord’ ft. Brussels Airlines shows reality of an airline
Brussels Airlines, production company Geronimo Entertainment and television station VTM are very prod of ‘Welkom Aan Boord‘ (‘Welcome On Board‘), a new reality show where ground staff, cabin crew and pilots are followed during their duty hours and on layovers. From Sunday 9 February 2025, you can watch the show on VTM and its app,…
31 MARCH 2025 | Reopening France – Italy Fréjus Rail Tunnel kickstarts Paris to Milan direct train connection
Good news for train travel between France and Italy. The Fréjus Rail Tunnel will reopen on 31 March 2025, after almost two years of closure after the 27 August 2023 landslide in the southern Alps. The news enthuses rail industry blogs and trainfluencers. But there’s a but.
SWITZERLAND | Biel/Bienne, Lugano and Fribourg named as potential 2025 Eurovision Contest host cities
Switzerland will host the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest. But which city in the Helvetic Confederation will welcome the thousands of artists, media people and fans? Geneva, Sankt Gallen, Basel and Fribourg have already expressed their interest. Other obvious options are Zurich and Bern. And why not Lausanne? Swiss broadcaster Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen (SRF) also…
