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: United Kingdom
Antwerp 5th on 2025 Happy City Index
The 18th edition (since 2008) of Antwerp Pride takes place from Wednesday 6 to Sunday 10 August 2025 in Antwerp. This year’s theme is “Do not just march! Listen. Understand. Commit”. Prides are a mix of celebration – parties – and activism and advocacy. For the 2025 edition, the organising committee focuses on belonging. Belonging…
NMBS / SNCB sees popularity increase of international train travel
Year after year, Belgian railway operator NMBS / SNCB is seeing growing interest in international train travel during the summer months. Since 2019, the number of bookings via NMBS / SNCB International has increased by more than 50 per cent, the operator says in a press release.
2025 | The Channel Tunnel prepares for more trains, more competition and new destinations
From Berlin to Geneva and beyond, so far – it’s July when this is written – 2025 has seen a wave of announcements shaping the future of international train services to and from the United Kingdom.
United Kingdom and Germany are aiming for a direct London – Berlin train link
On 17 July 2025, the United Kingdom and Germany signed a landmark bilateral treaty that could pave the way for direct train services between London and Berlin within the next decade.
ANTWERP PRIDE 2025 | MAS Darling 2025, a celebration of queer strength and creativity at the MAS
The 18th edition (since 2008) of Antwerp Pride takes place from Wednesday 6 to Sunday 10 August 2025 in Antwerp. This year’s theme is “Do not just march! Listen. Understand. Commit”. Prides are a mix of celebration – parties – and activism and advocacy. For the 2025 edition, the organising committee focuses on belonging. Belonging…
ÖBB prioritises Railjet over Nightjet: Is the night train revival a False Dawn?
Austrian state railway ÖBB has amended its rolling stock contract with Siemens Mobility, RailTech reports. This decision puts a hold on further deliveries of its new-generation Nightjet sleeper trains. The move marks a shift in investment priorities, with ÖBB responding to rising passenger numbers by focusing instead on expanding its Railjet 2 daytime fleet.
REVIEW | ‘Jules Verne 200: An Immersive Journey’ in Brussels
A new exhibition, opened in Brussels in June 2025, invites visitors to explore the mind and legacy of Jules Verne through a large-scale immersive experience. ‘Titled Jules Verne 200: The Immersive Journey‘, the exhibition marks a major production by IDEAL (Layers of Reality), combining immersive spaces, 360-degree projections, virtual reality, and metaverse elements.
Eurostar and St. Pancras Highspeed back major station expansion to double capacity amid growing international demand
Eurostar and London St. Pancras Highspeed have formally announced their joint ambition to significantly expand the international capacity at St. Pancras International, one of Europe’s busiest cross-border rail terminals. A letter of intent signed by the two parties on Wednesday 2 July 2025 marks the first step in a major revamp project aimed at more…
Introducing the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
We haven’t travelled to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg since 2018 and 2019, but in January 2025 we returned to get a taste of the Alstom Coradia Stream HC which the Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer Luxembourgeois (CFL) runs under the name Série 2400. The Coradia Stream HC was a candidate to become NMBS…