I spent a few days last week pootling around southern Belgium, escorting a certain VIP to various historic sights (and rather nice restaurants as well). We shot to Brussels in less than two hours by Eurostar, and then used a rental car to explore.

Belgian law obliges you to carry a warning triangle, reflective jacket, first aid kit and fire extinguisher in every vehicle. Perhaps a desperate legislative attempt to compensate for their consistently horrific driving? This is the extract that most interested me from my Lonely Planet guidebook to Belgium & Luxembourg.

'Aggressive' is the word generally used to describe Belgian drivers, and many foreigners who take to the roads here find it apt. Whether cruising on a sleek highway or bouncing over potholed inner-city streets, drivers have a reputation for being fast, impatient and at times abusive ... anyone idling at 120km/h in the fast lane of a motorway will be flashed from behind by speed demons doing 160km/h ... One peculiarity that ensures adrenaline-pumped journeys is the voorrang van rechts / priorité à droite (give way to the right) law, which operates in both Belgium and Luxembourg. Thanks to this rule, cars darting out from side streets sometimes have right of way over vehicles on the main road (but not always - signs with an orange diamond surrounded by white mean the main road has priority). Recent figures show that 250 people die each year due to this rule ... Statistically, Belgium has double the rate of road fatalities of most of its neighbouring countries (France is the exception) ... And if you think all this is a bit exaggerated, have a read of Pisa Test's recent study of 3000 European drives in which the Belgians came out as the worst drivers in Europe. Just 48% are capable of passing their driving test ...

Leanne Logan & Geert Cole, Lonely Planet: Belgium & Luxembourg (2007)

Sonntags dann kurzes Fruehstueck und Verschiebung zum Eurostar mit einem neugewonnenen Freund in der Jugi. Die Fahrt ist schlichtweg genial, ich kann ja nochmals 1. Klasse fahren, weil mir letztes Jahr in London die Elektrik ausgestiegen war. So bekomme ich gratis und franko ein Wahnsinnsessen, 3 Gaenge super gekocht. Um schnell und billig zu reisen, liebe Freunde, ueberhaupt kein Problem ... Kaum in Paris angekommen der erste Schock: Die Jugi ist schlichtweg eine Bruchbude in einem abgefackten Quartier. Ich sage euch, dies ist nicht mehr normal. Mehr dazu aber spaeter. Am gleichen Abend grosses Dancen auf dem Place de la Bastille, der Vorabend zum Nationalfeiertag. Ich dance ab was ich kann, es ist echt herrlich! Als mir die Elektrobaesse zu bloede werden, verschwinde ich wieder.

Am Montag schlafe ich zuerst mal lange aus und bekomme das Fruehstueck aus der Tuete, respektive dem Tiefkuehler. Man schmeckt es, einfach graesslich. Danach, nach einer kurzen Dusche (dieser abbroeckelnde Verputz nervt mich!) dann ab zum Dome des Invalides. Vor diesem ist die ganze Strasse gesperrt fuer eine Militaerdemo. Absolut genial, diese Armee ist wirklich schlagkraeftig und setzt sich fuer den Frieden ein (lassen wir den Irak mal beiseite, OK?). Wie auch immer, danach ab zum Konzert und Feuerwerk beim Eiffelturm. Auch dieses Jahr einfach einzigartig, ein gelungener Anlass von A-Z. Hier moechte ich mich mal verloben mit meiner Zukuenftigen, es ist so schoen. Wenn das Feuerwerk hochgeht und wir die Ringe tauschen koennten ... Aaahhh, glueckselige Traeume.

Dienstags dann zuerst mal festgestellt, dass meine ehemalige Sprachschule geschlossen hat. Danach kurz die Bank gecheckt, ich liege voll im Budget. Ich versuche zum ersten Mal, mir ein Fahrrad von vlib zu mieten. Ueberall in Paris sind Stationen vorhanden, eine halbe Stunde ist gratis, bis dann muss mans wieder abgegeben haben. Es funktioniert total nicht, so kaufe ich am Nachmittag, nachdem ich ein neues Ticket erstanden hatte, noch einen Velohelm - den ich gerade in Chur brauchen kann. Am Nachmittag fahre ich damit durch die halbe City, es ist ech cool. An einer Velostation treffe ich eine aeusserst attraktive Frau, die mir weiterhilft beim Velo abgeben. Nachher gehen wir noch zusammen essen, voellig unkompliziert. Ich verliebe mich sofort in sie und habe seither oefter mit ihr Kontakt. Echt charmant! Es ist, als haetten wir uns schon jahrelang gekannt, echt bewundernswert. Ihr Freund ist ungluecklicherweise gerade abgehauen, so weiss ich nicht, ob sie fuer eine Beziehung schon bereit ist.

Am Mittwoch kurzer Besuch bei der freundlichen Dame und die Nationalbibliothek. Das Gebaeude ist echt eindruecklich mit vier extrem hohen Tuermen. Wirklich toll, schreibe Mails und Tagebuch. Am Abend bemerke ich jedoch, dass ich Halsschmerzen habe. Alle Apotheken sind zu, so hole ich mir Honig in der Kueche. Ich trete aus Versehen auf seine Matratze, er scheisst mich dermassen zusammen, dass ich am naechsten Tag das Hotel wechsle. Auch sonst war diese Jugi echt schrott, die Zimmer sind ein Alptraum und das Quartier ist schlichtweg lebensgefaehrlich. Der Nachtwaechter ist echt irre, einmal liess er mich in der ersten Nacht 10 Minuten warten. Leute, eins kann ich euch sagen: Ich habe auch mal in einem Hotel gearbeitet und weiss, wie Nachtwache zu funktionieren hat: Derjenige sitzt da, liest was und ist aber wach. Wenn man schon nicht wach ist sollte man, auch wenn man am Kunden was rumzumeckern hat, dies anstaendig erledigen. Ich weiss, dass es mein Fehler war mit der Matratze, doch ich hatte mich entschuldigt und er schimpfte weiter wie ein Rohrspatz, bis ich ihn entnervt fragte, was ich denn fuer ihn tun koenne. Er meinte nur nichts, ich solle jetzt zu Bett gehen. Ich habe mich nun in ein neues Hotel eingemietet mit tollem Breakfast und Dusche im Zimmer in einem tollen Quartier, cool!! However, muss jetzt schluss machen, sonst laeuft mir hier die Zeit davon. Bis auf bald dann wieder.

Sonntags dann kurzes Fruehstueck und Verschiebung zum Eurostar mit einem neugewonnenen Freund in der Jugi. Die Fahrt ist schlichtweg genial, ich kann ja nochmals 1. Klasse fahren, weil mir letztes Jahr in London die Elektrik ausgestiegen war. So bekomme ich gratis und franko ein Wahnsinnsessen, 3 Gaenge super gekocht. Um schnell und billig zu reisen, liebe Freunde, ueberhaupt kein Problem ... Kaum in Paris angekommen der erste Schock: Die Jugi ist schlichtweg eine Bruchbude in einem abgefackten Quartier. Ich sage euch, dies ist nicht mehr normal. Mehr dazu aber spaeter. Am gleichen Abend grosses Dancen auf dem Place de la Bastille, der Vorabend zum Nationalfeiertag. Ich dance ab was ich kann, es ist echt herrlich! Als mir die Elektrobaesse zu bloede werden, verschwinde ich wieder.

Am Montag schlafe ich zuerst mal lange aus und bekomme das Fruehstueck aus der Tuete, respektive dem Tiefkuehler. Man schmeck es, einfach graesslich. Danach, nach einer kurzen Dusche (dieser abbroeckelnde Verputz nervt mich!) dann ab zum Dome des Invalides. Vor diesem ist die ganze Strasse gesperrt fuer eine Militaerdemo. Absolut genial, diese Armee ist wirklich schlagkraeftig und setzt sich fuer den Frieden ein (lassen wir den Irak mal beiseite, OK?). Wie auch immer, danach ab zum Konzert und Feuerwerk beim Eiffelturm. Auch dieses Jahr einfach einzigartig, ein gelungener Anlass von A-Z. Hier moechte ich mich mal verloben mit meiner Zukuenftigen, es ist so schoen. Wenn das Feuerwerk hochgeht und wir die Ringe tauschen koennten ... Aaahhh, glueckselige Traeume.

Dienstags dann zuerst mal festgestellt, dass meine ehemalige Sprachschule geschlossen hat. Danach kurz die Bank gecheckt, ich liege voll im Budget. Ich versuche zum ersten Mal, mir ein Fahrrad von vlib zu mieten. Ueberall in Paris sind Stationen vorhanden, eine halbe Stunde ist gratis, bis dann muss mans wieder abgegeben haben. Es funktioniert total nicht, so kaufe ich am Nachmittag, nachdem ich ein neues Ticket erstanden hatte, noch einen Velohelm - den ich gerade in Chur brauchen kann. Am Nachmittag fahre ich damit durch die halbe City, es ist ech cool. An einer Velostation treffe ich eine aeusserst attraktive Frau, die mir weiterhilft beim Velo abgeben. Nachher gehen wir noch zusammen essen, voellig unkompliziert. Ich verliebe mich sofort in sie und habe seither oeffter mit ihr Kontakt. Echt charmant!

Am Mittwoch kurzer Besuch bei der freundlichen Dame und die Nationalbibliothek. Das Gebaeude ist echt eindruecklich mit vier extrem hohen Tuermen. Wirklich toll, schreibe Mails und Tagebuch. Am Abend bemerke ich jedoch, dass ich Halsschmerzen habe. Alle Apotheken sind zu, so hole ich mir Honig in der Kueche. Ich trete aus Versehen auf seine Matratze, er scheisst mich dermassen zusammen, dass ich am naechsten Tag das Hotel wechsle. Auch sonst war diese Jugi echt schrott, die Zimmer sind ein Alptraum und das Quartier ist schlichtweg lebensgefaehrlich. Der Nachtwaechter ist echt irre, einmal liess er mich in der ersten Nacht 10 Minuten warten. Leute, eins kann ich euch sagen: Ich habe auch mal in einem Hotel gearbeitet und weiss, wie Nachtwache zu funktionieren hat: Derjenige sitzt da, liest was und ist aber wach. Wenn man schon nicht wach ist sollte man, auch wenn man am Kunden was rumzumeckern hat, dies anstaendig erledigen. Ich weiss, dass es mein Fehler war mit der Matratze, doch ich hatte mich entschuldigt und er schimpfte weiter wie ein Rohrspatz, bis ich ihn entnervt fragte, was ich denn fuer ihn tun koenne. However, muss jetzt schluss machen, sonst laeuft mir hier die Zeit davon. Bis auf bald dann wieder.

The cross-channel ( or should that be 'under-channel'? ) train operator is reporting a surge in customers between January and June this year with numbers reaching 4.63 million, up 18.3% on the same time period last year. Well, I guess that means I'm one in 4.63 million.

Richard Brown, chief exec at Eurostar says: "The impact or rising oil prices on air fares, combined with growing awareness of the much greater environmental impact of flying, are causing more and more travellers to switch from plane to train."

Eurostar also attribute the jump in sales to the improved rail connections from areas north of London too with Derby, for example, seeing a rise of 190% in terms of traffic from the service. Though, from first hand experience, I will warn that the French rail service, SNCF, aren't shy with prices and they, as with Eurostar, are best booked as far in advance as possible.

Though the strain of the economy is looking to set the travel industry back thousands of jobs over the next year or so. Travel Industry analysts Plimsoll Publishing's report reckons almost 7,000 travel agents could be facing unemployment over the next year with as many as 8,389 jobs going in the tour operator sector too. The report also identifies 181 companies in extreme danger that need to consolidate asap if they want to see another summer. One of their senior analysts, David Patterson states:

"While job losses are undoubtedly bad news for any company, such decisive action may be called for to guarantee the ultimate survival of the business - even if this means the business is 30 or 50% smaller than it was."

50% is a scary figure. While it's easy for analysts to look at the big picture it becomes of less interest to those agents seeking unemployment benefits or operators calling in the receivers. While it is important for the travel industry to survive - though, come on, it's never going to fall away is it, let's be sensible - it's just as important to ensure that job losses are minimal, not in their tens of thousands.

Despite the lumbering "R Word," bmi will continue to fly from its Heathrow slots this winter in the face of what is expected to be the hardest one yet, on financial terms. The service, currently under the greedy eyes of Richard Branson, is keen to hang on to its slots at the airport so will fly aircraft even if they're almost-empty.

Right now, the big picture is bloody scary. So now the UN is looking into it too. Oh good. More meetings. The second annual UN Word Tourism Organisation Ministers' Summit will kick off on November 11 2008.

So, after the recession has hit the summer trading of tourism operators and agencies. Nicely timed.

However, I have my Eurostar tickets and I'm still counting down for the holiday. Still not being smug,

--Ticket sales up 25%, traveller numbers up 18% in first half of 2008
--Demand from UK regions and rising cost of flying help to drive high-speed rail growth

Eurostar, the high-speed train operator between the UK and mainland Europe, today announced surging demand during the first six months of 2008.  Growth in traveller numbers was greatest in towns and cities to the north of London, which now enjoy easy access to Eurostar’s new London station, St Pancras International, and its 186mph cross-Channel services on High Speed 1, the UK’s first high-speed line.

Ticket sales between January and June 2008 totalled £368.8 million – an increase of 24.7% against the same period in 2007.  Traveller numbers reached 4.63 million – an 18.3% year-on-year increase.

Growing numbers of travellers are choosing Eurostar for carbon neutral  journeys to the Continent, with high-speed rail fares unaffected by the rising oil prices that have forced airlines to raise ticket prices on both short-haul and long-haul flights.

The introduction of good value through fares to the Continent from over 130 British towns and cities has been a key factor driving demand in the UK regions.  Eurostar and nine UK train operators now sell fares (starting from between £67 and £92 return) for travel to Paris, Brussels and Disneyland Resort Paris. UK travellers can also buy through fares to other destinations across Belgium, France, the Netherlands and Germany.

Cities seeing the strongest growth in Eurostar travellers include:

Derby - up 190% (through fares from £79 return to Paris/Brussels)
Nottingham - up 131% (from £79 return to Paris/Brussels)
Sheffield - up 128% (from £79 return to Paris/Brussels)
York - up 127% (from £79 return to Paris/Brussels)
Leicester - up 113% (from £77 return to Paris/Brussels)
Newcastle – up 107% (from £82 return to Paris/Brussels)
Leeds - up 99% (from £79 return to Paris/Brussels)
Birmingham - up 70% (from £77 return to Paris/Brussels)
Milton Keynes – up 68% (from £77 return to Paris/Brussels)
Glasgow – up 54% (from £89 return to Paris/Brussels)
Manchester - up 52% (from £84 return to Paris/Brussels)
Edinburgh – up 49% (from £89 return to Paris/Brussels)
          
Percentage increase in travellers using Eurostar Jan.-June 2008 vs. Jan.-June 2007.  Other towns/cities and counties available on request.

From 8 September 2008, Eurostar is increasing its timetable to meet growing traveller demand by adding an 18^th daily service in each direction on the London-Paris route.  The extra service will provide a half-hourly service during the morning and evening peaks and close to an hourly service throughout the rest of the day.

Eurostar maintained its strong punctuality levels in the first six months of 2008 with 92.6% of its trains arriving on time or early.  This compares with an average of 62.3% between January and April 2008 (the latest available figure) for the airlines competing on its routes between London and Paris/Brussels.

Demand at Eurostar’s new station at Ebbsfleet International in north Kent, just off junction 2 of the M25 and close to Bluewater shopping centre, is fully meeting expectations. Eurostar is a founding patron of the competition to build the Ebbsfleet Landmark, part of the campaign to put the station and future Ebbsfleet Valley development firmly on the map.

Traveller numbers at Ashford International also continue in line with expectations following the opening of High Speed 1.

Richard Brown, Chief Executive, Eurostar, said: “This impressive growth in traveller numbers clearly demonstrates that Eurostar’s move to St Pancras International has opened up high-speed rail services to millions more people across the UK.

“The impact of rising oil prices on air fares, combined with growing awareness of the much greater environmental impact of flying, are causing more and more travellers to switch from plane to train.

“However, whilst we expect traveller numbers and ticket revenues to continue to rise, it is clear that the wider economic environment is deteriorating and we expect that the rate of growth will slow in the second half of the year.”    For more travel news see http://www.oxfordprospect.co.uk/DArwin.htm

Sadly, all this convenience and speed comes at a high cost. Here are some facts provided by Friends of the Earth on the impact of aviation:

“It currently represents 6.4 per cent of UK carbon dioxide emissions or 13 per cent of total climate damage. A study by the respected and independent Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research in 2005 found that - even allowing for technological improvements - if current growth continues, aviation could use up the UK's entire carbon `allowance' by 2050. Departing flights from Heathrow alone are responsible for 18 million tonnes of carbon dioxide per year or 3.1per cent of total UK emissions.”

So while it might sometimes, and I stress sometimes, be a quicker to take a short flight, if we’re serious about tackling climate change and reducing carbon emissions then we need to reconsider our options. Short flights are particularly bad for carbon emissions per mile because such huge amounts of fuel are burnt during take off and landing.

If you’re going to France or Belgium (or indeed any Western European country if you’re really committed) then the Eurostar really does offer a great alternative to flying and in many ways is a more attractive option for several reasons:

1. Time - Though aeroplanes obviously travel much faster than even high-speed trains, the overall journey time can be massively lengthened by the hassle that flying can involve.

Time to get to the airport (usually well outside urban areas). Time queuing to check in. Time queuing to get through security (airlines now advise leaving two hours for this). Time waiting for a runway slot. Time waiting for the bad weather to clear. Time listening to the safety instructions (though you’ve heard them 100 times before). Time waiting for your bags on a lazy carousel. Time catching another taxi back into your destination city.

The London-Paris route on the Eurostar is completed in a mere two hours. You only need get to the station 30 minutes before departure and you arrive in the centre of the French capital with its great public transport system and further rail links to the rest of Europe. Plus 93 percent of Eurostar trains were on time last year.

Of course getting to London isn’t a speedy process for many Brits and the further into France you’re going, the longer the trip will take. However Eurostar has now joined forces with the UK’s train operators to build complete journeys from locations outside of the capital. It’s always worth remembering that your flight time doesn’t by any means reflect the journey time and the Eurostar could be a quicker option than it at first seems.

2. Ease – “So does this train go underwater?” Forcing myself not to burst out into hysterical laughter at this question from an American teenage tourist was about the most difficult part of my Eurostar trip. In fact, getting the train to Paris was one of the easiest journeys I’ve ever made that didn’t involve a car.

We booked online, collected our tickets from a machine at the station, passed straight through customs and security without fuss and boarded. There was little queuing, no navigating through a labyrinth of duty free shops and I could take shampoo and tweezers with me. My bags were in sight at all time and there was no chance of them ending up in Peru or being subjected to the busy hands of bored airline staff. I had room to stretch my entire six foot two frame and to walk up and down the aisle to my heart’s content.

Ok so there was no entertainment system but it seems like most people have iPods now anyway and most films you watch on a plane are rubbish anyway. There’s always a good old-fashioned book. Or try reclaiming the lost art of conversation. Plus there was no painful ear popping, no nauseating turbulence and no one trying to show me how to pull a cord and blow into a whistle. Just a pleasant ride through verdant English and French countryside with a long tunnel in the middle.

3. Cost – Budget airlines present a major challenge to climate campaigners and have helped make short-haul flights an everyday part of life. With some journeys even given away for £0 (plus tax and fees) it seems difficult to see how the Eurostar could compete with no-frills companies. However, with a little planning, taking the train could be the cheaper as well as the greener option.

You can book a seat on the Eurostar up to three months in advance and the sooner you buy your tickets the cheaper they are likely to be – return tickets start at just £55 and even less if you’re under 26.

The cheapest flights are increasingly hard to find as aviation taxes and fuel bills rise and you’ll often be asked to pay for what many would see as basic services such as baggage handling. With the Eurostar there are no extra luggage or check-in fees, no additional tax, no hidden insurance charges, just a straight-up ticket price.

Ultimately we are still faced with a system that allows air travel to be potentially cheaper than taking the train. However, the Eurostar does offer a reasonably priced, more environmentally friendly alternative to a method of transport that produces excessive amounts of CO2. Eurostar even include a carbon offset scheme in the price of the ticket meaning journeys are (theoretically anyway) carbon neutral.

Willpower to resist temptation has to play a part too but there are so many advantages to taking the tunnel that the extra cost is often worth it.

Eurostar journeys can now be booked to travel from over 100 UK stations to destinations all over France, Belgium, the Netherlands and even Germany. Visit www.eurostar.com for details.

I like traveling by train, and I try to do so whenever I have the opportunity. A few years back, I flew out to San Francisco and the took the train, stopping along the way, up the coast to Vancouver. At the time, there wasn't any first class service for me. This time, though, it's different.

I'll be taking several train trips as part of my world travels. The first and the most daunting is going to be the twenty-four-and-a-half hour ride from Hong Kong to Beijing. The train ticket is going to cost about half as much as a flight would, and it will take eight times as long. As you might have guessed, this isn't about cost.

There's something utterly romantic about taking the train. It's a throwback. A mode of travel that still, when you splurge, can live up to the “olden days.” It lets you relax and look out the window at a world whizzing past frightfully fast. And yet, it is serene. Something about the rhythmic clack-clack-clack just gets into your body and relaxes you.

I've decided to take the nice berth on this and all trains, this time around. I want to experience that old time service and class. In Germany, I'll be traveling first class from Frankfurt to Berlin, and again from Berlin to Brussels. In Belgium, I'll get to take the more modest first class cabin up to Bruges. But the train I'm most looking forward to riding it the Eurostar.

I'm booked on a two hour high-speed hurtle through the countryside of Belgium and France and finally through the Chunnel. This train runs for over 31 miles under the sea! Again, here, I'm not skimping. It's first class, all the way. Of course, it appears that there's a “premium” first class that gets you a three course meal on your two hour trip, and while I'm sure that meal is excellent, I chose not to cough up $300 more for it. That's the price of an iPhone, for crying out loud!

We had a "conference budget" which allowed a small percentage of employees to attend international conferences every year. I was a nice boss, and always tried to send my staff to the international ones, like STAREast and STARWest, EuroSTAR, and the like, while I went to the local ones.

One day I woke up!

Last June, I attended the Better Software Conference in Las Vegas, and I kicked myself all the way home. What an idiot I was. Attending good international conferences was something I should always have allowed myself to do, at least sometimes. But then, there was that dratted conference budget ...

So, one of the nice things about being independent, is that I only have to ask 2 people permission to go to International conferences:

1. My husband, David, who always says "of course, and while you're about it, why don't you add a few days and do some sightseeing and shopping" (David is THE world's best shopper, bar none. I had to drag him away from the shops in Venice, so that we could go and see some historical sights !!)
2. My daughter's nanny ...

Which is why it may look to you like I'm spending all my time going to conferences.

I'm not, it's just that 2 conferences in a row, one week (SEETest 2008 in Sofia, Bulgaria) after the other (SIGiST Israel 2008 in Tel Aviv), both with their international speakers, was too much not to take advantage of. [It also didn't hurt that the SIGiST conference was free, since I was a speaker, and my plane ticket and hotel to Sofia were being paid for, since I was also attending an ISTQB workshop :-) ].

So, if you have the chance, take it, and attend as many GOOD International Conferences as you can.

Coming next, some posts about SEETest 2008.

If you enjoyed this post, please consider subscribing to my RSS Feed, to keep up with all future updates

We had a "conference budget" which allowed a small percentage of employees to attend international conferences every year. I was a nice boss, and always tried to send my staff to the international ones, like STAREast and STARWest, EuroSTAR, and the like, while I went to the local ones.

One day I woke up!

Last June, I attended the Better Software Conference in Las Vegas, and I kicked myself all the way home. What an idiot I was. Attending good international conferences was something I should always have allowed myself to do, at least sometimes. But then, there was that dratted conference budget ...

So, one of the nice things about being independent, is that I only have to ask 2 people permission to go to International conferences:

1. My husband, David, who always says "of course, and while you're about it, why don't you add a few days and do some sightseeing and shopping" (David is THE world's best shopper, bar none. I had to drag him away from the shops in Venice, so that we could go and see some historical sights !!)
2. My daughter's nanny ...

Which is why it may look to you like I'm spending all my time going to conferences.

I'm not, it's just that 2 conferences in a row, one week (SEETest 2008 in Sofia, Bulgaria) after the other (SIGiST Israel 2008 in Tel Aviv), both with their international speakers, was too much not to take advantage of. [It also didn't hurt that the SIGiST conference was free, since I was a speaker, and my plane ticket and hotel to Sofia were being paid for, since I was also attending an ISTQB workshop :-) ].

So, if you have the chance, take it, and attend as many GOOD International Conferences as you can.

Coming next, some posts about SEETest 2008.

If you enjoyed this post, please consider subscribing to my RSS Feed, to keep up with all future updates

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Which is all good. Trains are by far the most civilised way to travel, even if you no longer get the mahogany-and-gilt style of the Orient Express days. Upgrade to first class on the Eurostar and you'll get a waiter-served meal - Gordon Ramsay it aint, but there's something inexplicably romantic about eating with a knife and fork while rumbling across the countryside by rail.

Of course there's the carbon footprint to consider - this is the creme de la creme of eco-travel (well, almost - coaches boast lower emissions, but there is nothing romantic about coaches...), so you can feel smug while you chug.

I can't give up flying. I just don't want to. And I don't have time to take the bus to Australia. But I do take the train when possible, such as on a recent trip from London to Istanbul, recreating my own plushed-down version of that old Orient E grandeur (to find out more, click here). It took ten days (with stops) - significantly longer than the 3.5 hour direct flight - but it was SO MUCH MORE FUN. You don't get to take a steam bath with a load of rotund Hungarians on the plane, do you? Or watch the Serbian national side lose to Ukraine in a local-filled bar. Or eat big cakes at a cafe frequented by Hitler.

We need to further embrace the train, to fall in love again with the railways (as much as National Rail has tried to make us hate them), and to use them for every journey its feasibly possible to. We just need Eurostar and the other train operators to make them as cheap as the planes. Let's hear it for Ryanrail...

Discover 10 great rail journeys

that I fetched him back

from hospital last weekend

in an "Italian open top sportscar" ;

WHAT IS IT

you all ask....

A Ferrari,a Maserati?

ACTUALLY

its a FIAT BARCHETTA.

Very cute and stylish.

Powered by the ubiquitous 1.8 Twincam Punto motor

(same as Alfa Romeo and Lancia use)

it shares most of the Punto running gear

and is therefore ecomical to service.

Mine is the "limited edition "model of 2000.

Electric pack,airbags,aircon,leather seats etc.

A fancy stereo and Abarth alloys

were added by the previous owner,

a charming lady from Kent.

I saw the car advertised on Autotrader.co.uk in December 2006.

We agreed a price of £3000

to include a new mohair hood.

I took the train from Limoges to Paris

and the Eurostar to Ashford,Kent

-where I met her and collected the car.

I drove it back down to the Limousin

and changed the headlights

to dip to the right(about £150)

A controle technique(French MOT which is valid for 2 years)

was passed.

Certificates of conformity and tax office TVA declaration obtained........

VOILA

A left hand drive,km speedo French registered Barchetta!

Because Barchettas were all left hookers

their value in the UK was limited to the specialist market.

Here in France theyre fine

-everyone drives on the right(well most of the time anyway!)

Consequently the French number plate

doubles their resale value,over here.

Its no surprise that there are 3 other Barchettas

within a 20 mile radius,

that I know of -and theyre all silver metallic!

Its a very nice car to drive

-very civilised,with plenty of power but not "raw"

There is no scuttle shake or rattles

and the hood is a beauty.

Definitely nicer and more classy than an MX5 or an MG:P

Nel caso sia un individuo particolarmente scrupoloso lancia uno sguardo al semaforo e, se è verde, si lancia con maggiore convinzione. Tanto se quello con la Classe A metallizzata non si decide a frenare e lo prende, lui ha la precedenza e viene rimborsato!

Bene … provate a fare la stessa cosa a Mestre o in una qualsiasi altra cittadina del nord Italia…

Vi possono calpestare pure la punta delle scarpe se poco poco sporgete dal marciapiede e non è il vostro turno per passare.

Dicono che la verità sta nel mezzo…

E per questo il mezzo lo dobbiamo calcolare considerando Roma terrona (ubicazione geografica tratta da “il nuovo testo della geografia italiana”. Edizioni: secondo la Lega) e quindi già profondo sud e appoggiarci a Firenze come nuovo baricentro di Italia…

In tal caso è vero! i fiorentini hanno il mezzo... forse non giusto... ma ci provano...

Difatti il fiorentino modello attende i giusti colori del semaforo ed effettivamente passa con il verde…solo che in seguito confonde la strada attraversata per il proseguimento dell’area pedonale e cammina con serenità tagliando lentamente tutto il dorso della carreggiata. Durante questa azione insulta e smoccola all’occorrenza se un qualsivoglia veicolo lo implori di spostarsi. Generalmente gli esiti sono fortunati, in quanto i veri agguerriti  calpestatori di pedoni sono i ciclisti, probabilmente a causa di una influenza della corrente Bolognese (città a cui Firenze è legata da una fitta corrispondenza di Eurostar e Intercity veloci).

Which was faster the plane or the train? Click to find out

After the rather sombre tone of our recent posts, here is a little light hearted fun, courtesy of the Daily Telegraph. There's been a long-standing debate between the editor of W-wa Jeziorki blog and BTWT about what is the best way to travel long-distance in Europe - high speed train or take the plane. We maintain that travel by train is inherently superior. You can work on your laptop, read a book or engage the other travellers in conversation. Every time one travels by plane, one's life is shortened by 6 weeks because of the stress and toxic fumes involved. In reply our friend Mike claims that plane travel is faster.

When the Eurostar service was transferred to St Pancras and the shortest rail journey time from London to Paris was shortened to just 2 hours 15 minutes, the Daily Telegraph decided to put both modes of transport to the test. Two of its travel writers were sent out to race from Westminster to the Eiffel Tower.

Francisca Kellett took the plane: the British Airways 12:50 from Heathrow

We meet in the morning in the slanting shadow of Big Ben. Not quite pistols at dawn. I don't need a pistol. I have an aeroplane.

How can I be anything but optimistic? I am taking the fastest mode of transport available to the travelling public.

My flight, from Heathrow to Paris Charles de Gaulle, is scheduled to take a whisper more than an hour. Charles's Eurostar journey takes two hours 15 minutes.

Even taking into account the time it takes to get to the airport, check in, pass through security and do it all again at the other end, I'm bound to win. I own this race. It's mine.

Click here to read the rest of Francisca's account of her journey.

Charles Starmer-Smith took the train: the Eurostar 12:30 from St Pancras

Our head-to-head begins under Big Ben. As we both set off from Parliament Square, the sun illuminates the clock's golden hands. Today is all about time.

I arrive at St Pancras by Tube, well ahead of schedule, which gives me a chance to marvel at the revamped station. It took 11 years for the architect Alastair Lansley to create what he calls "a deliberate essay in saying we're going to be bigger and better than our rivals". As shafts of blue light cascade down from the majestic roof of iron and glass, it seems worth the wait.

I wander though the pillared concourse, but none of the shops and restaurants is open, there's no sign of the farmers' market we were promised and a few businessmen grumble that even the executive lounge is closed. But they are soon appeased by complimentary boxes of Champagne and chocolate by way of apology. A children's choir on the concourse launches into My Favourite Things.

Click here to read the rest of Charles's account of his journey.

Seen the video? If not click on the picture at the head of this article. I think that there's no question as to which is the superior mode of transport. N'est-ce pas?

I settled in to my comfy seat, and curled up to read my book. A handsome Italian waiter handed me today's menu and a glass of champagne accompanied with a small dish of peanuts. I sent Boyfriend a text: "What shall I have? The roasted leg of lamb in fine wine sauce with baby potatoes, or the spinach ricotta canneloni?"
Later, and slightly tipsy, I trekked all the way to the steerage classes to hand Boyfriend the piece of Brie de Meaux and discarded chocolate tart i'd saved him from my dinner. I imagined him hemmed in next to a fat beer-swilling man with a BO problem, and on the other side a woman with a screaming child. Or, even better, he'd be in a special carriage for youth with a sign hanging on the entrance door saying: "Youf yobs this way. Drink all the alcho-pops and play as much loud music through your ipods as you like. Peanuts can be scrapped off the floor and eaten." It wasn't that bad, but still, my first class journey was a satisfying experience that I'll remind him of whenever he voices the advantages of being a youth.

Eurostar now sell through train tickets from UK train stations to a number of European cities; the faster journey from London to Lille, Brussels, or Paris means that you can reach almost any part of western Europe in a door-to-door time that is either comparable or only marginally longer than the equivilent door-to-door journey time of flying.

A Eurostar ticket from London to Brussels is automatically valid to any station in Belgium. This is neat, but here's something neater. Eurostar.com can sell you a through ticket to Amsterdam and several other Dutch cities. But beware - these tickets are for fast connections from Brussels on the French / Belgian / Dutch Thalys high speed trains. These sell at a premium over regular Intercity, Eurocity and domestic trains. You can save a bundle and enjoy extra flexibility by telephoning Eurostar (0845 7303030 or 01233 617575) and asking for a similar but subtly different type of ticket. The "Any Dutch Station" ticket costs a flat £15 (for a youth or senior concession, and I belive £20 for an adult) more than than a London - Brussels return ticket. But it allows you to travel onwards to any station in the Netherlands on any train other than the high speed Thalys for twenty-four hours after your arrive in Brussels. Likewise, the return is undated, and can be used any time in the twenty-four hours before your return Eurostar leaves Brussels.

So I was able to stop off in Brussels for a night on the way out, and again in Antwerp on the return. Not only did I get a ticket from London to Haarlem for about the same as a plane ticket (including all taxes, charges and airport transfers) I got two free stopovers and utter flexibility to get around.

To get this ticket you need to call Eurostar - the website can't sell it. Find the cheapest / most convenient London - Brussels ticket online, and then ask the telesales agent to book those trains with the "Any Dutch Station" add-on. Comfortable and reasonably fast intercity trains leave Brussels Midi every hour throughout the day for mainline stations to Amsterdam, and that is your stepping stone for a great train trip to Holland.

HI-affiliated hostels (www.hiusa.org)

• part of the International Youth Hostel Federation
• usually nicest and cleanest facilities
• often need membership card
• can often be very crowded (tend to attract youth groups)
• stricter rules
• membership is about $28/year- can often get you cheaper rates and discounts at local businesses

Independent Hostels

• some owners opt to run independently because HI membership costs are high and rules are strict
• tend to be more laid back
• no guarantees of quality

Reservations

• International Booking Network (IBN): participating hostels call ahead to another and secure you a bunk if possible; need advance notice of 3-7 days; pre-pay for bed with credit card + $5 booking fee; pay whole cost of bed if you cancel
• most hostels take advance reservations with a credit card number and/or deposit check; might need to show up at by a certain time
• get there EARLY (!!!) and check back at the end of checkout for cancellations

Paying

• often pay before you are assigned a bed (know which hostels take credit cards, checks, etc.)
• will almost always be expected to give up your passport and HI card for the night
• pay ahead if you want a weekly stay; if you pay by the day, rebook promptly each morning
• may have to pay if you lose your room key ($5-$25)

Ground Rules

• serve and clean up after yourself
• if you don't know if something is communal, ask
• be mindful of lockouts and curfews; check to see if there is a way to get back in after curfew
• some hostels limit your stay (3 days-2 weeks)

Etiquette

• as soon as you check in, make your bed
• lock up your valuables; bring a padlock with you
• set toiletries where they are accessible so as not to wake anyone
• if you're leaving early in the morning, try to make all arrangements with the manager the night before
• mind the bathroom; wipe the shower floor with a towel after using it
• mind quiet hours (although lights-out is rarely enforced)

Packing

• passport + photocopies
• HI membership card ($28/year) (www.hiusa.org)
• sleepsack or sheets
• small pillow (optional)
• earplugs (optional)
• small flashlights (NECESSITY)
• small jars/bags of spices
• money/change for laundry
• shower shoes
• quick-drying towel

Traveling within Europe

• Train is the most sensible choice
• Thomas Cook European Rail Timetable
• buy tickets each day for short trips; passes for if you're in the area for a week or two
• punch ticket BEFORE you get on the train at machine
• Buses are good for local whims
• Bus tickets are available at transit stations, newstands, or on the bus (more expensive); punch your ticket at machine BEFORE you get on
• Boats: Donaudamfschiffarhtsgesellschaft (DDSG) in Germany runs cruises on the Rhine River (free with Eurail pass); other ferries run around Lake Konstanz (aka Lake Constance or Bodensee) between Switzerland, Austria, and Germany; also ferries between the U.K., France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Greece; and between Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Germany
• Eurostar (www.eurostar.com): England to Brussels/Paris: book in advance (15 days); discounts for Eurail pass holders and young travelers; less frequent on the weekends; you can reschedule for free with no penalty

Eurail (www.raileurope.com)

• buy pass; get it stamped by ticket agent and write in current date (European style) then show is to ticket agents after that to get a seat reservation printed (before train arrives)
• best to reserve a day or two ahead of time; sometimes the conductor will let you on anyway if you don't have a reservation if you show him the card
• don't fold or bend the pass
• get a second-class pass (cheaper)
• Point-to-point tickets: best if you're going through a single country in a hurry; buy at ticket windows/automatic machines; sleeper car for around $20 saves a night in a hostel
• trains run less frequently on weekends; Saturday being the worst day for travel

Eurolines (www.eurolines.com)

• long-distance buses around Europe
• offer competitive rates
• good for booking on short notice
• for passes go to (www.eurolines-pass.com)

Phones

• PHONE CARD
• dial with international country code/follow instructions on card
• get a phone card from the States before you go and use that

Money

• get it from an ATM whenever possible
• BAFFLING PIGS use euros (Belgium, Austria, France, Finland, Luxembourg, Italy, Netherlands, Germany, Portugal, Ireland, Greece, and Spain) (note: NOT the U.K., Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland, Hungary, or Czech Republic)
• be wary of which ATMs use Plus or Cirrus system (most Italian ATMS use Cirrus; note: Banco Toscana uses Plus)

Safety

• where purse across body rather than over shoulder
• get a good map and study it before you go out
• avoid unfamiliar streets at night

Travel Insurance

• can come in handy
• covers everything from baggage loss and injuries in an air travel accident to medical expenses incurred while travelling
• Travel Guard International (www.travelguard.com) is good

Tom Harris, Under Secretary of State for Transport
responsible for railways in the UK

It is not parliamentary language to accuse a UK government minister of lying, so instead BTWT accuses Tom Harris of 'being economical with the truth'. A host of press articles in May about a new high speed line from London to the North gave rise to speculation that the UK government might at last be about to commission a feasibility study for the new line. BTWT bided its time before commenting, waiting for a signal as to the government's intentions. Now Mr Harris has given that signal and it is firmly fixed in the stop position. Yesterday's Times reports.

Despite repeated promises to consider the benefits of a dedicated new line capable of carrying passengers from London to Scotland in less than three hours, ministers are thinking again.

In a letter obtained by The Times, Tom Harris, the Rail Minister, said: “The argument that high-speed rail travel is a ‘green option’ does not necessarily stand up to close inspection. Increasing the maximum speed of a train from 200kph [125mph – the current maximum speed of domestic trains] to 350kph leads to a 90 per cent increase in energy consumption.”

Mr Harris was responding to an appeal by Chris Davies, the Liberal Democrat MEP for the North West of England, asking the Government to make its position clear. Mr Davies pointed out that France had already built 1,000 miles of 190mph line, was planning another 500 miles and was considering raising the top speed of trains to 225mph.

Mr Harris claims that Britain has less need for high-speed rail than other European countries. He said: “The economic geography of the UK is very different from other countries with high-speed lines. The main challenge for the UK’s transport network is congestion and reliability, not journey times and connectivity.”

Mr Harris’s comments contrast sharply with Labour’s 2005 election manifesto, which pledged to “look at the feasibility and affordability of a new North-South high-speed link”.

The fallacies on which Mr Harris's conclusions are based were quickly pointed out by Chris Davies.

Mr Davies said that Mr Harris had failed to acknowledge the environmental benefits of persuading domestic air passengers to transfer to high-speed rail. He added: “It is very disappointing to see the minister scrabbling around for excuses for the Government’s inaction on high-speed rail, especially when those excuses are so weak.”

A high-speed train produces about 90 grams of carbon dioxide per passenger-kilometre, compared with just over 50g/km for a conventional electric train. But a domestic flight produces 225g/km.

Inter-city lines are severely overcrowded and there is strong evidence that future demand has been underestimated. The total distance travelled by train is growing by about 10 per cent a year, but over the next five years the Government is planning to increase capacity by only 22.5 per cent.

In January Iain Coucher, the chief executive of Network Rail, told The Times that by 2020 Britain needed at least three domestic high-speed lines to add to the 68-mile link between London and the Channel Tunnel.

Richard Brown, the Chief Executive of Eurostar, also added his weight to the debate in a letter published yesterday in The Times.

Sir, Any useful assessment of the environmental benefits of high-speed rail must rely on far more than a simplistic comparison with the energy consumption of conventional trains (“High-speed rail travel is not a green option, say ministers”, June 6).

To start with, no one except the Government is proposing that future high-speed trains would operate at 350km/h (217mph). The current European maximum is 300km/h (186mph) with an emerging consensus that 320km/h (199mph) is the practical maximum in future — so the increase in energy would not be as great as the Government suggests.

Secondly, the actual passenger load factor on Eurostar services is twice as great as that assumed for high-speed trains in the recent rail White Paper, thus halving the Government’s estimate of energy use per passenger journey.

Furthermore, high-speed rail has a proven record across Europe of enabling very significant modal shift from plane to train, delivering a vast saving in carbon dioxide emissions generated by people who would otherwise fly. Research has shown that a Eurostar journey generates less than one-tenth of the carbon dioxide emissions of an equivalent flight.

Electric trains can also be switched to even lower-carbon sources of electricity as soon as these become available under the Government’s energy plans, unlike aircraft and road vehicles which are likely to remain very largely wedded to fossil fuels for the foreseeable future.

Finally, any assessment of environmental impact should also be based on the next generation of high-speed trains, which are about 25 per cent more energy-efficient than current fleets such as Eurostar.

With domestic main lines running out of capacity, and with the current rapid expansion of the continental high-speed rail network, the case for further high-speed lines in Britain should be properly and fully investigated.

Richard Brown
Chief executive, Eurostar

If you live in the UK and feel as strongly as we do that the UK is the railway Cinderella of Europe, perhaps you could write to to your own MP, pointing out the fallacies in Mr Harris's comments, and asking them to obtain details of the basis on which Mr Harris made his extraordinary claims?

You can obtain your MP's name and address as well as all sorts of other interesting information from TheyWorkForYou.

You may also enjoy playing with L'EcoComparateur, a very nice CO2 emissions calculator for different transport modes. Sadly, it doesn't do London to Warsaw just yet and, in fact, seems to work best when the journey originates or ends in France. On 25 June, the International Union of Railways is running a workshop to launch the 'UIC Eco-comparison tools for European routes'. Perhaps UK Transport Minister, Ruth Kelly, should make sure that Mr Harris attends.

Der geschubsten U-Bahn möchte ich hingegen dazu raten, beim nächsten Mal ordentlich zurückzuschubsen. Das mag nicht sehr christlich sein, wird aber nachhaltigen Eindruck bei dem Herrn Schubs-Rentner hinterlassen.

Der Eurostar-Artikel verdient aber eine nähere Würdigung. Es ging darum, dass ca. 500 Fahrgäste in der Nacht zu Freitag 5 Stunden im Eurostar zwischen London und Paris im Dunkeln ausharren mussten. Warum dies passierte, darüber schweigt sich der Artikel leider aus, aber man darf von einer Kurzmitteilung auch nicht zuviel erwarten.

Der letzte Satz dieser Meldung ist allerdings so hinreißend, dass man sich spontan in ihn resp. seinen Verfasser oder seine Verfasserin verlieben möchte:

"Der Rockmusiker Pete Doherty verpasste sein eigenes Konzert."

Ist dies nicht wundervoll formuliert? Dieser Satz erhebt sich ob seiner Majestätik leichtfüßig den strengen irdischen Fesseln von Zeit, Raum und Logik. Kleinbürgerliches Mäkeln ist dann schlicht nicht mehr möglich. Stattdessen wünscht man diesem symphatischen Musiker, der ja durch seine Drogenprobleme schon reichlich gebeutelt ist und der immer noch seiner Vermossenen nachzutrauern scheint, dass er bald jemanden treffen möge, der ihm möglichst detailliert erzählen kann, wie es denn so war, das Konzert, damit er wenigstens ein klein wenig das Gefühl haben darf, dabei gewesen zu sein.

Fahr trotzdem weiter Zug, lieber Pete, und schmähe die schnöden Flieger. Du bist auf dem richtigen Weg!

]]> http://transport2com.wordpress.com/?p=33 Tue, 20 May 2008 18:11:10 +0000 transport2com http://transport2com.wordpress.com/?p=33 Dans sa nouvelle campagne publicitaire, Eurostar promeut un « Paris-Londres à prix hallucinants ». Comme on peut le voir, les symboles londoniens sont retravaillés façon psychédélique dans les annonces presse et affichage. Accentuant ainsi une ambiance décalée, fidèle à leurs dernières campagnes, Eurostar se lance ici dans une vision psychédélique de Londres, rappelant le « Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds » des Beatles.

Les spots radios, quant à eux, restent sur la mécanique des campagnes précédentes : un discours en VO dont la traduction n’a aucun rapport avec la réalité.

---EUROSTAR SERVICES EXPECTED TO OPERATE AS NORMAL DURING FRENCH GENERAL WORKERS’ INDUSTRIAL ACTION – 22 MAY 2008

Belgian Railways Industrial Action, 20 May

Due to industrial action in Belgium, Eurostar will be unable to operate any services between the UK and Brussels on Tuesday 20 May, with one exception. A 24-hour strike by Belgian railway workers will begin at 22h00 (CET) on Monday 19 May 2008.

Brussels Midi station and the rest of the Belgian rail network will be closed.  This means there will be no rail services operating between Lille and Brussels Midi station.  There will also be no high-speed onward rail connections on Thalys or ICE, from Brussels to destinations in France, the Netherlands and Germany.  See Notes to Editors below for further details.

Eurostar is therefore advising all travellers to and from Belgium on 20 May that they should change their travel plans, and exchange their tickets for alternative dates or obtain refunds by contacting their original point of sale.  For more information visit eurostar.com or contact the Ashford Contact Centre on 08705 186 186.

French General Workers’ Industrial Action, 22 May 2008

Eurostar Travellers with onward connections across France please note:

From 20.00 (CET) on 21 May to 08.00 (CET) on 23 May 2008 there will be industrial action by general workers in France.  Eurostar services are expected to operate as normal, however, there is likely to be severe disruption for Eurostar travellers with onward connections to other destinations across France.  Also, Metro/Underground and bus services are also likely to be severely disrupted.

Travellers should check-in as normal, however, if they are making a connecting journey and wish to change their travel plans they can exchange their tickets for alternative dates or obtain refunds by contacting their original point of sale.  For more information visit eurostar.com or contact the Ashford Contact Centre on 08705 186 186.

Eurostar will update travellers with further information when it becomes available.

-Ends-

Notes to Editors.
1. Belgian Rail Industrial Action – further information
On 19 May, the 19:34 departure (train 9158) from St Pancras International to Brussels will terminate at Lille.

On 20 May, only the 19:34 (train 9158) service from London is expected to operate through to Brussels, on the assumption that the Belgian high-speed line re-opens at 22:00 (CET). The availability of tickets on this train is limited.

Eurostar services between St Pancras International, Ebbsfleet International, Ashford International and Paris will operate normally and may make additional stops at Lille. 

For travellers between the UK and Lille, some scheduled services will be cancelled while other alternative services will be provided and passengers are advised to check in as normal.

All Disneyland Resort Paris services will operate as normal.