Luxembourg’s idea of offering free rail travel (see the previous article) is certainly novel, but many countries across Europe have experimented with allowing discounted travel for travellers prepared to invest in a special card. Such schemes are often regarded as a feature of the modern era, with many cards becoming available in the 1970s as state-owned railways moved away from rigid distance-based tariffs.

Setting Forth
One firth: three bridges. Each of the three bridges over the Firth of Forth was built in a different century. There is the 19th-century rail bridge, a 20th-century road bridge and now the new Queensferry Crossing road bridge under construction. ...