Latest news with #ManinSeat61
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Yahoo
Night train service between Berlin and Brussels to stop running from end of March
Several services have been cancelled on a European night train service connecting several major cities across the continent as last-minute construction work is announced – with one route discontinued altogether. Nightjet, operated by Austrian Railways (ÖBB), connects 25 destinations such as Paris, Rome and Berlin on its multi-national train services, with passengers offered the choice of sleeper cabins, couchettes and seating carriages on its journeys. Due to 'construction sites in Germany, Austria and France announced at short notice', the train operator has said that several of its services will not be running over the two next months. However, one route will not be coming back after the wave of cancellations and will be discontinued altogether. The train operator said that departures from Berlin to Brussels will be cancelled from 26 March onwards, and Brussels to Berlin from 27 March. An ÖBB spokesperson told The Independent: 'Unfortunately, we have to discontinue the Berlin - Brussels connection. The reason for this is the complex construction site situation, but also there is a lower demand on this connection.' 'Apart from the night train service, Brussels remains well connected to Berlin via Cologne during the day. The ICE 3neo has been providing more reliability and comfort for travellers to Belgium on this connection between Frankfurt and Brussels since June 2024.' 'The Nightjet connection Vienna - Brussels will in any case continue to be offered.' Rail expert Mark Smith, from the Man in Seat 61 said in a report of the Nightjet Berlin-Brussels route that 'a combination of difficult-to-bypass late-notice trackwork in Germany and (no doubt) the fact that it now runs on the same 3 days of the week as the European Sleeper mean they seem to have given up'. Specific departures between Vienna and Paris and between Berlin and Paris also have cancellations on certain days from 27 March to 26 May, ÖBB added. Alongside this, various trains running to and from Zurich, Amsterdam and Prague will not be able to run next month between 13 April and 28 April. Other connections will also have changes along its routes. The connection from Zurich to Berlin or Berlin to Zurich (NJ 408 / NJ 409 incl. IC 60408 / 60409) will be operated to/from Hamburg between 14 April and 27 April 2025, the operator said. On the Zurich to Hamburg / Hamburg to Zurich connection (NJ 470 / 471 with IC 60470 / 60471), stops at Bremen and Verden an der Aller will be cancelled between 14 April to 27 April. For both changes, the train operator has requested that travellers take the daytime service to Hanover, and Nightjet tickets will be recognised. ÖBB said they apologise for any inconvenience caused due to the last-minute cancellations and have directed passengers to the ÖBB Customer Service at +43 5 1717 for free cancellation or rebooking of Nightjet tickets. The full list of cancellations and changes due to the construction works: NJ 468 from Vienna to Paris departing on 27 March, 1 April, 6 April–8 April, 24 April–8 May, and 20 May–22 May. NJ 469 from Paris to Vienna with a departure on 28 March, 2 April, 7 April–11 April, 25 April–9 May, 21 May–26 May NJ 40424 from Berlin to Paris with a departure on 27 March–10 April and 24 April–25 May NJ 40469 from Paris to Berlin with a departure on 28 March–9 April and 25 April–23 May NJ 424 from Berlin to Brussels, departures from 26 March NJ 425 from Brussels to Berlin, departures from 27 March NJ 402 from Zurich to Amsterdam with a departure on 14 April to 27 April NJ 403 from Amsterdam to Zurich with a departure on 15 April to 28 April EN 40459 from Zurich to Praha with a departure on 14 April to 27 April EN 40458 from Praha to Zurich with a departure on 13 April to 26 April
The Independent
26-03-2025
- The Independent
Night train service between Berlin and Brussels to stop running from end of March
Several services have been cancelled on a European night train service connecting several major cities across the continent as last-minute construction work is announced – with one route discontinued altogether. Nightjet, operated by Austrian Railways (ÖBB), connects 25 destinations such as Paris, Rome and Berlin on its multi-national train services, with passengers offered the choice of sleeper cabins, couchettes and seating carriages on its journeys. Due to 'construction sites in Germany, Austria and France announced at short notice', the train operator has said that several of its services will not be running over the two next months. However, one route will not be coming back after the wave of cancellations and will be discontinued altogether. The train operator said that departures from Berlin to Brussels will be cancelled from 26 March onwards, and Brussels to Berlin from 27 March. An ÖBB spokesperson told The Independent: 'Unfortunately, we have to discontinue the Berlin - Brussels connection. The reason for this is the complex construction site situation, but also there is a lower demand on this connection.' 'Apart from the night train service, Brussels remains well connected to Berlin via Cologne during the day. The ICE 3neo has been providing more reliability and comfort for travellers to Belgium on this connection between Frankfurt and Brussels since June 2024.' 'The Nightjet connection Vienna - Brussels will in any case continue to be offered.' Rail expert Mark Smith, from the Man in Seat 61 said in a report of the Nightjet Berlin-Brussels route that 'a combination of difficult-to-bypass late-notice trackwork in Germany and (no doubt) the fact that it now runs on the same 3 days of the week as the European Sleeper mean they seem to have given up'. Specific departures between Vienna and Paris and between Berlin and Paris also have cancellations on certain days from 27 March to 26 May, ÖBB added. Alongside this, various trains running to and from Zurich, Amsterdam and Prague will not be able to run next month between 13 April and 28 April. Other connections will also have changes along its routes. The connection from Zurich to Berlin or Berlin to Zurich (NJ 408 / NJ 409 incl. IC 60408 / 60409) will be operated to/from Hamburg between 14 April and 27 April 2025, the operator said. On the Zurich to Hamburg / Hamburg to Zurich connection (NJ 470 / 471 with IC 60470 / 60471), stops at Bremen and Verden an der Aller will be cancelled between 14 April to 27 April. For both changes, the train operator has requested that travellers take the daytime service to Hanover, and Nightjet tickets will be recognised. ÖBB said they apologise for any inconvenience caused due to the last-minute cancellations and have directed passengers to the ÖBB Customer Service at +43 5 1717 for free cancellation or rebooking of Nightjet tickets. The full list of cancellations and changes due to the construction works: NJ 468 from Vienna to Paris departing on 27 March, 1 April, 6 April–8 April, 24 April–8 May, and 20 May–22 May. NJ 469 from Paris to Vienna with a departure on 28 March, 2 April, 7 April–11 April, 25 April–9 May, 21 May–26 May NJ 40424 from Berlin to Paris with a departure on 27 March–10 April and 24 April–25 May NJ 40469 from Paris to Berlin with a departure on 28 March–9 April and 25 April–23 May NJ 424 from Berlin to Brussels, departures from 26 March NJ 425 from Brussels to Berlin, departures from 27 March NJ 402 from Zurich to Amsterdam with a departure on 14 April to 27 April NJ 403 from Amsterdam to Zurich with a departure on 15 April to 28 April EN 40459 from Zurich to Praha with a departure on 14 April to 27 April EN 40458 from Praha to Zurich with a departure on 13 April to 26 April
Euronews
05-03-2025
- Euronews
Rail vs air: The tool that aims to make European train journeys as easy as booking a flight
Rail is experiencing a renaissance across Europe, as countries continue to invest in train networks and travellers look for flight-free alternatives that are better for the planet. But while demand for holidays is surging, navigating Europe's complex and fragmented train networks has remained a challenge. A new interactive mapping tool from slow travel specialist Byway hopes to change that. The platform, which already helps travellers plan and book flight-free journeys, now offers a visual journey planner that lays out rail routes and connections in a clear, user-friendly way. The goal? To make booking a multi-country train trip as seamless as booking a flight, something that has long been missing from Europe's rail system. Why is it so difficult to book an international train journey in Europe? For decades, Europe's train networks have been notoriously difficult to navigate for international travellers. There is no single, unified booking system across borders - not to mention differing regulations. Instead, travellers must piece together tickets from different rail operators, often relying on multiple websites or even phone calls to secure their itinerary. 'The travel industry has always regarded international train travel as a black art, even back in the 1980s when it was a lot simpler and less fragmented than it is now,' says Mark Smith, creator of the popular online rail travel guide Man in Seat 61. 'Arranging holidays by rail rather than air has always required an army of staff to make all the arrangements, making it a high-cost operation.' Byway's new tool is designed to change that by streamlining the planning and booking process, allowing travellers to create and price up their own itineraries in one place. 'Their new map interface is a bold attempt to let travellers do this themselves,' Smith says. 'And as a new generation emerges who expect to do everything online and are becoming reluctant to pick up the phone, people seem to like it.' How does the new mapping tool work? Byway Maps is designed to take the guesswork out of planning a rail journey. Users input their starting location and timeframe, and the tool generates suggested routes that incorporate train travel, accommodation and slow travel experiences along the way. The platform currently features 160 destinations in 20 countries, with plans to expand further. Byway Maps doesn't just list train schedules, it also tailors itineraries for travellers that align with their interests and ensure smooth connections. 'Our goal is to make flight-free travel mainstream,' Byway founder Cat Jones said in a statement. 'This tool removes the biggest barriers to train travel: fragmented booking systems and complex route planning. Byway Maps makes the process effortless, so more people can experience the joy of slow travel.' Why are more travellers choosing trains over planes? The EU's high-speed railway network has nearly doubled in a decade, according to the latest official figures. Meanwhile, night trains are enjoying a revival, demand for greener travel options continues to grow and passenger numbers have surged. Eight billion people rode the rails for national journeys in 2023 – up nearly 68 per cent from 2020. 'When I started over 20 years ago, if someone told me why they were going from the UK to Spain or Italy or Budapest by train instead of by plane, they'd typically say they were afraid of flying, had a medical restriction, or just liked trains,' Smith explains. 'Now they say two things: they are fed up with the airport and airline experience, and they want to cut their emissions. It's almost becoming mainstream again.' The environmental benefits are hard to ignore. Figures from the International Energy Agency (IEA) show that where air travel generates more than 250 grams of carbon per passenger per kilometre, rail travel accounts for just 34 grams. With trains producing significantly fewer emissions, choosing rail over air travel is one of the most effective ways for individuals to reduce their carbon footprint. New European Interrail and night trains are launching, rail passes are becoming more flexible and tools like Byway's make itineraries easier to build. The golden age of train travel could be making a comeback.
Euronews
07-02-2025
- Euronews
Maiden voyage of Brussels to Venice night train "couldn't even enter Italy": Here's why
The maiden voyage of a night train from Brussels to Venice didn't make it to its final destination yesterday due to issues at the Italian border. Instead, the train stopped in Innsbruck in Austria, 313km short of its destination, and passengers were moved onto a different train to complete their journey to Venice. Train operator European Sleeper had called the route a "significant milestone" for the company, saying their "mission is to reconnect Europe's cities by night, providing travellers with more options for sustainable and comfortable." Innsbruck was intended to be a "prominent stop" rather than the train's final destination. 'It seemed that everything was settled' Elmer van Buuren, one of the two founders of the Dutch private railway company European Sleeper told Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf, that the Italian railways gave them little notice: "It took nine months, hundreds of phone calls and meetings to start this project. We have set separate appointments with five services similar to ProRail, in each country crossed. It seemed that everything was settled, when, last week, the Italians began to change their minds and called us to tell us that we could not go beyond Bolzano. Now it turned out that we couldn't even enter Italy. They did not provide any reason. It is a typical phenomenon especially of the railways in Europe." Why was the European Sleeper train stopped at the Italian border? Train travel expert Mark Smith, who runs the website the Man in Seat 61, was on the train. He reports that the locomotive engines needed to escort the train into Venice were not available. He says European Sleeper were only informed of the engine issue on 4 February, the day before the train left Brussels. "The train was due to terminate in Verona as two locomotives are needed to 'top and tail' the train in and out of Venice, as the Italian network no longer allows light engine movements around Venice. They couldn't get two for this departure, should be solved for later ones," Mark Smith wrote on X. "They then got a phone call day before yesterday from their Italian operator, unable to take the train south of Innsbruck. Again, ES [European Sleeper] hope to fix this for later departures. It's not easy, running a train across 5 countries!" The train had travelled from Brussels in Belgium to Breda and Eindhoven in the Netherlands before moving on to Cologne and Munich in Germany. What is the advice to passengers booked on the Brussels-Venice night train? There are currently Brussels-Venice night trains scheduled throughout February and March. The service is scheduled to run twice weekly for six return journeys, with the company saying, "This unique route caters to travellers seeking winter sports getaways, city breaks, cultural experiences, and the world-renowned Venice Carnival." At the time of writing, it is not clear if European Sleeper can ensure that the locomotive engines needed to transport their train within Italy will be available. European Sleeper and the Italian Ministry of Transport did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Cross-border train travel in Europe is tricky Some are seeing the night train's shortened route as reflective of wider issues with European cross-border train travel. It has historically been difficult for authorities and train operators to coordinate their services to allow trains to pass seamlessly over borders, as flights do. This is seen as a barrier to travellers opting for trains over planes, despite them being much better for the climate. A report by the European Commission found that the total number of long-distance passenger cross-border services in the EU remained the same from 2001 to 2019, and overall they make up only about seven per cent of train journeys in Europe. To help boost these numbers, Victor Thévenet, rail policy manager at sustainable mobility NGO Transport and Environment, says that planning a train journey needs to be much simpler. 'People need to be able to combine different rail operators and for this, you need to have your different tickets in one single ticket,' he tells Euronews Travel. Buying train tickets in Europe can be complicated but the EU has a solution There is currently no Skyscanner equivalent for trains. This makes booking and managing international train journeys difficult and often more expensive. The EU has a plan to remedy the situation in the form of the Multimodal Digital Mobility Services legislation. It was delayed last year but it is hoped it will be given another chance this year.
