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.
Tag: Politics
Antwerp now linked to Cologne in Germany with direct Deutsche Bahn ICE via Brussels Airport
Antwerp is now directly connected to Cologne by high-speed train for the first time, giving the city a new rail gateway to Germany and, via Cologne’s major railway hub, onward destinations in Switzerland and Central and Eastern Europe. The new Deutsche Bahn ICE service also puts Brussels Airport back on the international high-speed rail network…
Antwerp welcomed with almost 3 million day-trippers in summer of 2026
Antwerp welcomed a record 2.96 million day-trippers this summer of 2026, while overnight stays also continued to grow. The city recorded 543,418 overnight stays, up 3.8% from summer 2025. Major events including Antwerp Pride, The Tall Ships Races, Tomorrowland and the Bollekesfeest produced clear peaks in visitor numbers, while international interest increased particularly strongly from…
Antwerp’s Open Monuments Day on Sunday 13 September 2026 puts heritage ‘in good hands’
Antwerp will celebrate its 38th Open Monuments Day on Sunday 13 September 2026, with a programme that puts not only historic buildings but also the people who care for them in the spotlight. Under the theme ‘In good hands’, visitors can explore monuments across the city and its districts while meeting the volunteers, residents and…
ANTWERP | Ringpark West officially opens, linking 500 hectares of green space on Left Bank
Ringpark West, the first of Antwerp’s seven planned Ring Parks, was officially opened on Sunday 9 August, connecting more than 500 hectares of woodland and nature areas across Linkeroever and Zwijndrecht. The new park also brings a network of cycling and walking paths, while new noise barriers and earth berms are intended to make the…
MECHELEN | Kazerne Dossin to unveil new permanent Holocaust and human rights exhibition by 2030
The Kazerne Dossin Holocaust memorial, museum and research centre in Mechelen (Malines, Mechlin) will open a completely renewed permanent exhibition in 2030. The plans were announced on International Holocaust Remembrance Day in the presence of Flemish minister-president Matthias Diependaele (N-VA) and Flemish minister of Culture Caroline Gennez (Vooruit).
2026 | The state of LGBTI rights in Europe’s next generation of EU members
ILGA-Europe and the Equal Rights Association (ERA) have warned that anti-LGBTI legislation and democratic backsliding are becoming a defining feature of the European Union enlargement region, urging Brussels to use accession talks more forcefully to defend fundamental rights.
Antwerp Pride 2027 dates to be determined: 2 to 8 or 9 to 15 August
2026 marks the nineteenth (19th) edition of Antwerp Pride. From Wednesday 5 to Sunday 9 August, Antwerp in Belgium will once again be taken over by rainbow vibes. Prides are a mix of celebration – parties – and activism and advocacy. For the 2026 edition, the organising committee focuses on fearing less and being fearless.
BALTIC STATES | A week for Tallinn in Estonia, Riga in Latvia and Vilnius in Lithuania by train, exploring Rail Baltica
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…
LONDON | Thames Path – Lambeth Palace – National Covid Memorial Wall – Westminster Bridge – Palace of Westminster – The Queens Walk – Southbank Skatepark – National Theatre – Lasdun Restaurant – Tate Modern – Millennium Bridge – Shakespeare’s Globe
In 2024, I showed Oscar from Denver, Colorado the highlights of London. It was his first time in England. In contrast, Thanh and I have been to the capital of the United Kingdom many times. During the weekend of Pentecost 2026, we went together for a weekend of museums, food, and a concert.