hidden europe 38

Time check

by hidden europe

Summary

The second weekend in December sees new rail timetables introduced across Europe. The new schedules see a significant recasting on long distance services in the northern Balkans. Two new international night trains will link Italy with France and Germany respectively.

The night train from Schwerin (featured above) survived for decades, as indeed have many other rail services across Europe. Why change schedules if they are fit-for-purpose?

But sometimes there are sound commercial or operational reasons for recasting schedules, and on 9 December this year rail operators will introduce new timetables on many routes. Agreeing a single date for the changeover makes sense on a continent where many journeys are international and operators need to coordinate connections between their services.

Among the new travel opportunities that will start in December are a new direct link from Strasbourg to Moscow, a new direct daytime TGV from Switzerland to Spain (replacing the existing Elipsos overnight service) and a reinstated overnight train from Paris to Rome (operated by Thello).

This is just an excerpt. The full text of this article is not yet available to members with online access to hidden europe. Of course you can read the full article in the print edition of hidden europe 38.
Related article

Sea fever

When one time English poet laureate John Masefield extolled the lure of the ocean ("I must down to the seas again..."), he clearly didn't have Cunard's luxury Queen Elizabeth II ship or the same company's new super liner Queen Mary in mind.