Rail Europe

Discover the Mont Saint Michel, « Wonder of the western world », with Rail Europe

Rail Europe and SNCF (French National Railways) celebrate their way the 13th centenary anniversary of the Mont Saint Michel by offering easier booking and shorter journeys to this outstanding monument classified as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1979. The trip to the
Mont Saint Michel consists in a TGV trip between Paris and Rennes and a bus section between Rennes and the Mont Saint Michel. When booking with Rail Europe, travellers arrive at the feet of this impressive landmark after a fast, comfortable and scenic trip. And as of July, 5th, the journey time is reduced to 3h30 from Paris!

During its long history, the Mont Saint Michel has been renowned both for its spiritual and religious significance as well as its historical and architectural interest. With more than 3 million visitors each year, the Mont Saint Michel is one of the 3 most visited places in France. The abbey and its surroundings will be alive with cultural events to celebrate its foundation, including exhibitions, concerts and pilgrimages throughout 2008 and 2009. So don’t miss this commemoration while in Europe and jump at the chance of the Paris – Mont Saint Michel connection.

Be sure to get your ticket during this busy period by booking it now through the wide Rail Europe network. List of Rail Europe’s travel agents in your country is to be found on www.raileurope.fr/wheretobuy.

EUROPEAN HIGH SPEED RAIL OPERATORS LAUNCH RAILTEAM

Railteam makes international travel on high-speed trains
to and from Europe easy for travellers

Real alternative to air alliances and to travel by car

By 2010, 25 million international travellers on European
high-speed rail network

Rail Europe, the leading distributor of European Rail Products overseas is glad to advertise that on 2 July 2007, seven European high speed train operators announced the start of Railteam. SNCF (France), SBB (Switzerland), Eurostar (UK, France and Belgium), Deutsche Bahn (Germany), SNCB (Belgium), NS Hispeed (The Netherlands), ÖBB (Austria), and subsidiaries Thalys, Lyria and Alleo offer then to give travellers seamless high-speed train travel across international borders in Western Europe.

The already wide range of products of Rail Europe, with a Western European high speed rail network that links over 45 major urban destinations in Europe via over 4,700km of track, will keep on growing as the network will stretch to 6,000 km by 2010 and will triple in size by 2020. However, despite the size and continuing growth of the high speed rail network, many international travellers remain unaware of the benefits of taking high speed rail.

Easy, faster and seamless journeys.

From today, if for any reason, a traveller misses their connection because of a late running service, Railteam will ensure they can hop on the next train, irrespective of the ticket type they have.

Rail Europe’s offer will gain in quality with the diffusion of multi-lingual information onboard trains and in stations that will ensure international travellers know where, when and how to connect onto other services.

Railteam information points will be installed in the five main hubs (Brussels, Cologne, Lille, Frankfurt and Stuttgart), and in the coming months, at other major stations such as London, Strasbourg, Amsterdam and in the main high-speed train stations in Paris.

To reduce transit times for travellers, Railteam partners will also better coordinate connecting departure and arrival times.

Railteam members are investing 30 million euro in a new distribution system that will allow international travellers to find an attractive combination of prices, make a reservation, pay, and receive their ticket from Rail Europe in one transaction.  The new system will go live in 2009.

Railteam also will seek to introduce new innovations as technologies develop over forthcoming years such as text messaging about timetables and service disruptions.

A greener and mart choice: the choice of the future!

Rail Europe expects that with travel on high-speed trains becoming even easier and smoother, increasing numbers of travellers will opt for environmentally friendly high speed train travel within Europe. It is common knowledge that high speed rail journeys release significantly less carbon dioxide than flying to the same destinations.

Extensive research has also shown that business travellers are willing to travel up to four hours on rail because of the increased productivity versus the airlines, whilst leisure travellers are prepared to enjoy longer journeys of around 6 hours.

By 2010, the Railteam members expect 25 million international travellers to be using their European high-speed rail network.

Guillaume Pepy, Chief Executive Officer of SNCF said: “It is achievable when you consider that Rail is served by city centre terminals. Factor in the transport time,travelling to airports, grinding traffic jams, security delays ans so on, and it’s pretty clear that on travel times alone high-speed rail is, at the very least, a realistic alternative on any journey across the Railteam member states”

“High-speed rail represents the future of sustainable, comfortable travel across Europe.”

Barcelona - ELIPSOS

The Spanish Railways have been operating a useful service since this summer that links Trenhotel Elipsos departures / arrivals at Barcelona-França station with Barcelona-Sants Station.
Trains leave every 30 minutes from each station and services are free for travellers with ELIPSOS tickets.

Visiting the UK

As Europe undergoes a heatwave, the UK is a temperate destination with a number of very interesting World Heritage sites for a holiday destination, combining culture and leisure with the comfort and freedom offered by the train service.

An itinerary could include a selection of sites from some of the following, facilitated by short train rides
between the different sites:

• London to Saltaire – 2h46
Leaving London and travelling to West Yorkshire gives the traveller ample opportunity to view cities and countryside in England. On arrival in Saltaire, which is a well-preserved industrial village dating back to the 19th centry, its textile factories, public buildings and worker’s houses is an interesting historial reminder of a paternalistic Victorian society.

• Saltaire to Durham – 1h40
Moving upwards from Yorkshire to Country Durham, home also to the mining industry, Durham Cathedral is a well-known historic site. Built at the end of the 11th and 12th centuries to house the relics of Saint Cuthbert, the cathedral is a hymn to the Benedictine style and is a fine examle of Norman architecture in England. It is a precursor of Gothic architecture. Behind the cathedral is the ancient Norman castle which was used by the princes and bishops of Durham as their residence.

• Durham to Edinburg – 1h51
Scotland’s capital city combines the 15th century with the 18th centry neoclassical architecture, dominated by the beautiful medieval castle. Edinburg’s rich architectural heritage influenced European urban planning to a great extent. As the gateway to the highlands, Edinburg has a plethora of festivals and cultural activities throughout the year.

• Edinburgh to New Lanark – 1h19
The train ride between Edinburg and New Lanark, located a short train ride from Edinburgh goes through some beautiful Scottish countryside and New Lanark is a 19th century village built by the utopic philantropist, Robert Owen is a tribute to his humanitarism. With the arrival of the industrial revolution in the textile industry, Rowert Owen built an industrial community with factories, workers’ housing and public buildings designed to improve and promote spiritual and physical well-being. Robert Owen and New Lanark are linked closely through his ideas on education, reform, working conditions, international co-operation, garderns and he had a profound influence on social developments throughout the 19th century.

• New Lanark to Liverpool – 4h07
Do not be suprised with the melodic changes of accents between Scotland and Liverpool, the traveller is approaching the home town of the Beatles. No less than 6 centres have been recognised by the World Heritage in Liverpool, in the historic part of the city and the port. In the 18th and 19th centuries, Liverpool was one of the great commercial centres in the world. Liverpool played a major role in the development of the British Empire and was a major port with America, for slaves and immigrants. Liverpool pioneered modern port technology, transport systems and port management.

• Liverpool to London – 2h52                                                                                                       On the train journey from Liverpool to London, the keen traveller can choose from a multitude of guides, an equally large number of historical monuments, museums and exhibitions in London city. For the purposes of this article, we’re looking at the Tower of London, a World Heritage site, built on the Thames by William the Conqueror to protect the city from attack. A stroll around this massive white tower, typical Norman architecture will bring the traveller to many other historic symbols of the monarchy.

New bonuses for the France Railpass

The France Railpass, already a great way to discover France as it provides unlimited travel on the French rail network from only 136 € *, also entitles the passholder to bonuses with various partners which from now even include:
- a 50% discount on the Standard Cruise with Bateaux Parisiens (www.bateauxparisiens.fr)
- a 20% discount on the Lunch Cruise with Bateaux Parisiens
- a 20% discount on the Batobus (www.batobus.com)
- a 20% discount on the visit of Roland Garros and its backstage (except during competition) www.rolandgarros.com
- a 12% discount at the Lido (2nd show) www.lido.com
- a 10% discount at  Citadines apart’hotels in France (www.citadines.com)

Find the list of the bonuses associated to the France Railpass and more about the product on a previous post on our blog (http://raileurope.typepad.com) or consult your Rail Europe agent: www.raileurope.fr/wheretobuy

*Price for 3 days in 1 month in 2nd class, in saver formula (from 2 to 5 people travelling together)

Check out these new internet sites

Swiss Travel System – www.swisstravelsystem.ch was launched 1 May to provide partners and visitors with up to date information to prepare for a trip to Switzerland. This ranges from timetable information for trains, buses, boats and mountain cable cars to suggestions and ideas to maximise enjoyment during a visit to the country. Excursions are included, museums as well as special offers to public monuments and exhibitions for travellers using the Swiss Pass.

Lyria – www.tgv-lyria.com was launched mid-June with train timetables for the Lyria service between Paris and Zurich, Lausanne, Brig and Geneva.

Currently the site has information directly linked to the train and its services and will shortly have more
information on cities linked by Lyria, hotels, events, highlights, restaurants and suggestions for visits.

Montparnasse: Test laboratory for disabled travellers

On May 18th, the President of France, Mr Jacques Chirac and the President of the SNCF (the French Railways) Mr Louis Gallois launched a new programme at the Montparnasse train station, entitled “Test Laboratory for Access”.

For the first time in France, disabled passengers will be able to test live and to give their opinion on the different access solutions being developed to facilitate access to the train station and to the trains. The test period will last from May through to July of this year. Each month, agents in the station assist over 2,500 disabled travellers. Trains arriving and departing from Montparnasse station, link Paris with Britanny, La Rochelle, Bordeaux and other major cities in the south-west of France.

The definition of handicap includes physical, hearing or visual impairment, intellectual, psychological disabilities as well as those due to disabling disease. Other passengers may be temporarily unable to move or access train stations or services due to an accident (e.g. leg in plaster), or slow down in movement due to age or pregnancy. Travellers with any of these forms of handicap, may need assistance within the train station, on the platforms, in the waiting areas or gaining access to trains.

To date, several solutions have been designed and put in place on the latest trains, including the TGV Mediterranée, so that people with a hearing disability can read train information and people in wheel chairs can open doors themselves. New sales booths have been installed at 0,95cm high to make sure people in wheel chairs can purchase or change tickets in comfort. Stairs and escalators have been specially marked in yellow paint and double rails have been put in place so that short people and children can hold onto the rail climbing or descending the stairs. New regional trains equipped with wheel chair ramps and seating reserved for wheel chairs came into service. Toilets can now also facilitate wheel chairs. Four logos, part of improved signage programme, indicate where disabled travellers can go for assistance.

A new service called “Access Plus” will be introduced to assist disabled passengers to prepare and plan trips. Using a dedicated telephone number, callers will be able to reach the service by phone, fax or email and a hot line will be in operation from 6am to the departure/arrival of the last train. Tests will be carried out on two lines, Tours to Paris and the TGV Mediterranée on the Avignon-Nice part of the line, as of September 2006. A “Door to door” service is being tested in the Tours region where the disabled passenger is helped by the French Railways from their home to their final destination, covering all modes of transport in the course of the journey.

Services to be tested include:
- Ground signage for travellers with limited or no visibility enables them to enter the station, follow the special lines to the sales booth, the waiting area, trains and the taxi station.
- Sound points can also be used to guide travellers at the major intersections in the big stations.
- A visual booth developed with France Telecom with a tactile screen has been installed in the the station, where the traveller can hear and see the agent, who can then help the person requiring assistance.
- Vocal services are also being studied which can be used on PDAs and via the Wireless network in the station.
- Other areas been tested include a secure means to ensure that disabled travellers can access trains from the platforms.

New on-board services

Once upon a time, on-board services meant having a coffee or sandwich on the train. Many more services have been introduced in recent years to ensure that travellers really enjoy their journey. Of course there will always be travellers who may wish to relax, enjoy the landscape whizzing by or read quietly at their seat. However, others seem to prefer renting a DVD for the duration of the trip, going to the bar to enjoy a wide variety of snacks and drinks, moving about and checking out the entertainment facilities on-board.

Most trains now have “quiet” zones, where passengers are kindly requested to switch off their mobile phones, to avoid disturbing their resting fellow companions.Travellers wishing to relax or sleep can even purchase a relaxing kit at the bar of some trains – which includes an eye mask, ear-plugs and a neck cushion... to add to the existing comfort of a reclining seat with a foot-rest. Alternatively, travellers looking to move about can check out on-board activites on some fast trains which may include – testing hi-tech products, following up on cultural events, food samplings to name but a few and depending on the programme available. It is also an ideal way to meet people on board and swap stories. DVDs can be hired from the bar, which also carry a wide selection of newspapers and magazines.

In Portugal, travellers in 1st class between Lisbon and Oporto can enjoy a Japanese massage on board or make an appointment with the beautician or the hair-dresser. These services are available until 15th May.

Germany – why not rent a bike to explore major cities?

Explore Berlin, Cologne, Frankfurt or Munich by bike, a relaxed and different way to see the sights at a leisurely pace. The German Railways have developed a service called Call a Bike for travellers to these four cities. No doubt more cities will be included in the programme at a later stage. The service offers high-tech bikes at reasonable rates and only requires a a simple phone call. Would-be bikers can pay by credit or debit card to the hotline registration service and bicycles can be picked up and returned at any of the major cross-roads.

On calling the service hotline number 0700 05 22 55 22, visitors can register for bike rental. Credit card holders are debited 5€, which is then deducted from the final amount due. The hotline service provides a code to be used on arrival at the nearest cross-roads where bicycles await their future riders. Simply press the red button on the electronic lock and if green (indicating the bicycle is not in use), enter the code provided by the service hotline and the bike is released. Returning the bike is also simple. Lock the bike at the cross-roads nearest your stop-off point, press the electronic lock which provides another code and call the service hotline to end the rental charges. Bikes can be rented for as long as you wish, by the minute, by the day...by the week. At 7 cents per minute for casual users, or 15€ for day trippers or 60€ for the week, Call a Bike offers a great way to visit top German cities.

Spain – a foretaste of summer planning

Summer planning is a wonderful remedy for alleviating gloomy winter drear as it brings promises of warmer sunshine days as well as memories of summer activities.

For those not planning to sleuth through Paris, London and Scotland in search of the Da Vinci Code or those getting their soccer gear ready for Germany or those heading for Austria to attend the multitude of festivities to celebrate Mozart’s 250th anniversary, there are many fascinating places to visit in Spain.   

Looking at one of our favourite themes which of course does not exclude sporting, gastromic or other cultural pursuits, World Heritage Centres are numerous in Spain and provide a different approach to itinerary planning. An interesting circuit might include any or all of the following:

Start off in Salamanca, 2 hours and 20 minutes by train from Madrid, this renowned univeristy city was
founded in 3 BC and has architectural remnants from the Roman, Moorish, Renaissance and Baroque
periods of its history. Amongst its treasures, it has 2 universities (one of the oldest in Europe) and 2 cathedrals and beautiful main plaza as well as a number of palaces and churches.

Avila, just 1 hour and 3 minutes by train from Salamanca, is an 11th century city founded to protect the Spaniards from the Moors and has lost none of its severe medieval exterior. Its reputation as a city of Saints and Stones are due to the presence of St Theresa’s grave as well as the magnificient stone walling with its 82 towers intact and its 9 entry points to the city.

Segovia has a very well preserved Roman aqueduct which probably dates back to 50 BC. Also worth visiting in the historic city are the Alcazar, which was built from the 11th century onwards and the Gothic cathedral dating back to the 16th century. The trip from Avila to Segovia takes just under 2 hours.

Madrid is a mere 2 hours by train from Segovia and as with any capital city has something exciting for every visitor’s taste. One of the World Heritage buildings in Madrid which is built on an exceptionally beautiful site is the Escurial Monastery.

Within a short distance of Madrid, 50 minutes by train, is the university and historic are of Alcala de Henares, one of the first university towns planned at the beginning of the 16th century. It inspired numerous other university towns throughout Europe and was brought to the Americas by Spanish missionaries. One of its most renowned pupils was Cervantes, author of Don Quichotte.

Aranjuez – located between Madrid and Toledo – is a riverside royal city, where the kings of Spain took up their summer residence in the 18th century. The royal city boasts a superb vegetable garden where the first asparagus was cultivated.

Toledo is a melting pot of 2 thousand years of history, of conquerors, of influences and this is seen in its palaces and builidings. Built on a craggy round in the centre of the Iberian peninsula, it is built around the Tagus river, 70 km from Madrid and 234 km from Salamanca, where our tour of World Heritage Cities commenced. Its historic centre is one of the largest in Spain with over 100 historical monuments – palaces, convents, monasteries and gardens. A visit to Toledo is incomplete without tasting some of its infamous dishes – perdiz roja estofada (stewed partiridge) or gazpacho la mancha (a revered winter dish, called Galianos in Don Quixote) and its delightful wines. “Que aprovechen!”

To avail of rail travel in Spain, Rail Europe offers the Eurail Spain Pass with unlimited travel on the national rail network from 3 up to 10 days within a 2-month period. For further details, please contact your travel agent.

Broadband available on German trains

Broadband is now available on pilot ICE trains in Germany. Hot spots have been installed by Deutsche Telecom in seven carriages on the Dortmund-Cologne line. This test phase will finish end of March and will be free for passengers and their lap-tops until April.

Business travellers will be particularly interested in this technology advance which means emails will no longer accumulate during the train journey and direct access via the WLAN on the laptop will mean no down time on a trip.

All-weather trains

Summer’s high temperatures, winds such as “tramontane” and “mistral”...winter fog, below zero temperatures, snow, hail, rain storms. Weather conditions can prove a challenge when preparing a trip. It is good to know that high-speed trains operate all year round, come rain, hail or sunshine. In some cases, trains may slow down to 220 km/hour. A heavy snow storm may mean trains slow down for security reasons to 160 km/hour. “Brush” trains clear the lines between 3am-4am before services commence. On a normal business day, there is a TGV every three minutes, which keeps the lines clear. However, in most weather conditions, trains depart and arrive as per usual.

High winds in the south of France (tramontane and mistral), if they hit 140 km/hour – a very rare occasion – may slow trains down and trains may switch from high-speed lines to use regular train lines, which offer more protection from lateral winds.

The only incredible but natural phenomena which halted trains in the north of France was in 2003, when salt was deposited on the Calais-Lille line following a violent sea storm. The salt brought everything to a halt and it took 3 cleaner trains to free up the lines.

Such occurrences are rare. Travellers can be sure that whether it rains, hails or snows, they will travel in comfort and style on board French Railways.

Disabled travellers

Catering to the needs of disabled travellers is part of services provided by the railways. UK, French and Swiss railways offer in-station services to assist disabled travellers access the trains.

• Switzerland
 Call Center Handicap offers advice and assistance for disabled travellers with the possibility to arrange assistance in the stations to access trains for passengers in wheel-chairs or visually or mentally impaired. Advance notice (one hour, two hours, twenty-four hours) is required for some services.
 Tactile bands and braille signage mark out the security lines on escalators, platforms and on train carriages
 Cassettes and information in braille is provided by the Association for the Blind
 Televox also provides train timetables and platform information for several train stations
• France
 Porters wearing red jackets are free of charge for disabled passengers (disability card required)
 Each train has a special area for wheel-chairs
 Disabled services and routes are indicated with a special pictogram
 Wheel-chairs are available at the entrance of major train satations and ramps are also in place to help disabled passengers access trains.
• UK
 The National Rail Enquiries will indicate the train company responsible for stations to assist in arranging a journey
 A booklet “Rail Travel for Disabled Passengers” is available giving advice and information
 Toilets in train stations and on-board are accessible for wheel-chairs
 Staff can meet and accompany disabled passengers to their trains
 Guide dogs, hearing dogs, assistance dogs can be taken into station restaurants
 Wheel-chairs and powered wheel-chairs up to 67cm wide and 120cm long can be carried on all trains, pending space availability

In France, discussions with Associations for disabled travellers and the French Railways have commenced to ensure that the necessary changes are incorporated at the planning stages for new stations and trains. The next 10 years should see major improvements for disabled travellers. The SNCF has agreed to put a timetable on the work in progress, so that by 2015, wheel-chair users, visually impaired, mobility restricted travellers will be able to use the services throughout the country.

Throughout Europe, many of the stations were not at all built with wheel-chairs or guide dogs in mind. In designing new stations it is easier to build-in facilities for disabled travellers. Most importantly, however, the railways are working closely on training programmes for all their public-facing staff to ensure they are equipped to inform and assist disabled travellers and facilitate their journey.

Late vacation in Italy by train

For travellers determined to avail of the last rays in 2005, Italy is high on the list for the months of October and November. Of the multitude of places to choose from, themes abound, we have chosen the Unesco Sites as our theme.

• Rome

Arriving in Rome with a week-end to browse in Autumn and early Winter will certainly mean less crowds and more time to explore the marvels of Rome, from the remnants of Roman Empire through to the opulence of the Vatican – a myriad of museums, churches, fountain-squares blending in with modern living in the cafés, restaurants, fashion houses, where each street corner reveals hidden surprises. The historic centre of Rome is part of the World Heritage, including the Vatican.
 
• Florence

Just over an hour and a half by train, Florence needs no introduction – its city centre is also part of the World Heritage and visitors can enjoy the museums as they marvel at Renaissance culture and the pleasant atmosphere in Florence.

• Sienna

This former medieval powerhouse is 1h10 from Florence by train and visitors can continue their trail of impressive buildings from the 12th century as they stroll through the city.

• San Gimignano

Another Tuscan medieval wonder is San Gimignano, which is 28 minutes train ride from Sienna, best-known for its towers. The city boasts a mixture of Roman, medieval architecture and an art museum full of treasures of the Florentine and Sienna heydays.

• Pisa

With its well-known leaning tower, Pisa’s Piazza del Duomo is also on the World Heritage listing.80 km  north of Florence and only 10 km from the sea, Pisa is a popular destination at 1h30 from San Gimignano by train. It lends itself to both cultural and sporting activities as the beautiful surrounding areas offer trekking, golfing, hunting activities for the more active as the more relaxed may wish to taste local specialities. In just over 3h, trains connect Pisa to Rome.

To avail of rail travel in Italy, Rail Europe offers the Trenitalia Pass with unlimited travel on the national  rail network in 1st or 2nd class. The basic pass is worth 4 travel days within a 2 month period. These may  be used consecutively or non-consecutively. It is also possible to add up to 6 additional rail days. The  Trenitalia Pass includes ferry services to Sicily – from Villa San Giovanni to Messina.

Holiday train lines

One of the positive spin-offs of environmentally friendly tourism is the renaissance of historic or local train lines. There is a growing number of such lines operating in France and Switzerland, either under the auspices of the National Railways or by local associations. These lines – The Swallows Line, The Valley of Marvels, The Corkscrew, to name but a few – attract train aficionados and tourists alike to visit reclusive areas that would otherwise be inaccessible, to taste local foods and wines and to learn more about the areas historic background.

As a bonus, travellers who show their France Railpass will be offered 50% on the Nice-Digne, private rail line, “Chemin de Fer de Provence”, on the railway network in Corsica, on the scenic stream train between Tournon and Lamastre, “Le Vivarais” and 20% discount on the “Compagnie du Mont Blanc”.

Special discounts and bonuses with French & Swiss Rail Passes

The French and Swiss Rail passes offer more than good value for travellers using the national railway networks, they also offer discounts on a wide range of city tours, sporting activities and shopping to ensure travellers get more value for their money in these countries! Some examples are given below:

Switzerland

• Reduced rates on cable cars and mountain trains not included in the Swiss travel scheme
• Reduced rates for bicycle rentals
• Reduced rates on ski and other winter rentals
• 50% discount on Zurich city guide walking tours
• 20% discount on the Basel Card,
• 20% discount in Bern for guided tours
• Discounts on watch & jewelry sold in Gübelin outlets
• And many more bonuses

France

• Free travel on the RER line from the Charles de Gaulle airport to Paris, if in transit through Paris
• Free travel on the RER C line to visit Versailles
• 50% on Parisian boat trips down the Seine with Bateaux Parisiens
• 50% discount on the Sea France ferries operating between Calais-Dover (passengers)
• 50% discount on the Corsican rail network
• With many more discounts available

These and many more money-saving discounts are available with both the France and Switzerland Rail Passes. For more information, your agent can provide you with indepth details.

Switzerland: Dial 088 44 22 66 for Rail Taxi

Swiss Rail and local taxi operators have clubbed together to set up Rail Taxi, which means travellers can call a  new toll-free number - 0800 44 22 66 - 24h/24h to order a taxi, to bring them to or from the train station. Sixteen large towns and cities are currently participating in this new service. Nine hundred taxi operators have been selected for the partnership based on their language skills and geographic knowledge. They have a special sticker Rail Taxi on their vehicles. Fares are the same as a regular taxi ride and telephone number is toll-free. For travellers calling from abroad, please dial +41 800 44 22 66.

Fly n’ Rail Baggage 2005

Travellers to Switzerland can avail of a check-in service which means baggage is delivered directly to the railway station of choice, via Geneva or Zurich airports. No more waiting around the airport for baggage to arrive. And this works from any airport in the world, with any airline.

Travellers from Switzerland can check-in their luggage at many railway stations and get their boarding pass and seat preference prior to flying out. Check-in times can be a maximum 24h before take-off time. This service gives travellers more time, less hassle on departure. 

Conditions for Fly’ Rail:
- baggage (up to 32 kg per item and according to the amounts listed in the flight ticket) may not contain any goods received or purchased abroad (including duty-free)
- bulky items (bicycles, surf-boards etc) cannot be transported
- cost is 15 USD per item
- Euronet voucher must be attached to each piece of luggage
- Flight ticket, passport, railway ticket are also required documents for departure from Switzerland.

Travel tips from Rail Europe: discover some of the French finest examples of gothic religious architecture by train

As summer approaches, travellers are checking out new destinations with their travel agents and surfing on the net for novel holidays ideas. Themed holidays are quite popular and an endless source of ideas. For travellers interested in the World Heritage properties, France has a long list of religious monuments which have been inscribed on the UNESCO’s World Heritage List. When combined with a France Rail Pass - available through our worldwide network of agents – visits to WHL sites makes for a stimulating holiday.

This sample 5-day itinerary focuses on some of the more well-known gothic cathedrals in France:
• Paris to Amiens (1h10) by regional train. Visit to Notre-Dame d’Amiens.
• Amiens-Chartres (3h09) by regional train. Visit to Notre-Dame de Chartres.
• Chartres to Orléans (1h15) by regional train. Visit to Sainte-Croix cathedral.
• Orléans-Bourges (1h) by regional train. Saint-Etienne de Bourges cathedral.
• Bourges-Paris (2h14) by regional train. Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral.
• Paris-Strasbourg (3h58) by regional train. Notre-Dame de Strasbourg.
• Strasbourg-Rheims (3h53) by regional train. Notre-Dame de Reims.
• Rheims-Paris (1h43)

All of the cathedrals mentioned in the above programme are within easy walking distance of the train stations and make for pleasant and relaxing short trips, combining cultural and gastronomic activities in one day, free from car parks and summer traffic. They are also within easy access of Paris.

For lovers of walled or historic cities, the lovely cities of Avignon, Carcassonne, Arles, Orange, Provins, Versailles will beckon…for lovers of Art Deco style, Nancy, Strasbourg and Paris are a must…we could go on, and will no doubt provide you with more tips as the summer season comes closer.
For further information or brief description of each cathedral, please visit the internet site http://whc.unesco.org and check out France in the chapter The List.

Left-luggage services in France and Switzerland

Most back-packers remember the days when they could go to the left-luggage desk in any train-station, deposit their baggage and head out to explore the sites, safe in the knowledge their belongings were well-looked after.  Left-luggage services offered counter-top service or automatic lockers of different sizes. As a result of heightened security (for example, Plan Vigipirate in France), following a number of terrorist attacks or the threat of such attacks, some railway operators temporarily curtailed or closed these services. This is no longer the case. Proactive measures have replaced the cautionary methods put in place during ‘orange’ periods (i.e. low terrorist threat) with new scanners to check baggage and passengers entering the left-luggage areas.
Travellers can therefore once again avail of these services particularly in main train stations in France. Left-luggage services are now available in the main stations in Paris – Paris Gare de Lyon (gateway to the south of France and Italy), Paris Montparnasse (gateway to the Loire Valley and the Atlantic coast), Paris Gare du Nord (gateway to the north of France and the international services to the UK, Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands), Paris Austerlitz (gateway to the south-west and Spain). Regional train stations include Angers, Avignon-Centre, Bordeaux, Marseille, Nantes and Toulouse. For passengers using Marne-la-Vallée Chessy returning to or from Eurodisney, left-luggage facilities are once again in operation.

• Opening hours for left-luggage services are generally from 06.30AM to 11.00PM.
• Costs for small automatic lockers are 3€50, 5€ for the medium-sized ones and 7€50 for the large sized lockers.
• Baggage can be left for 72h, with the exception of Paris Gare du Nord where it can be left for 48h.

In Switzerland, it is customary for train stations to offer left-luggage facilities, ranging in size from small,
medium and large sized lockers, ranging in price from 2 to 8 CHF.

                                                           

On-board catering services

Food scares in recent years have made travellers conscious of the need to know who is behind the food they are consuming. When travelling aboard French trains, travellers frequently repair to the restaurant bar for refreshments and sustenance. Hot and cold drinks, savoury meals or light snacks served in the restaurant car or consumed at one’s seat are available on practically all services throughout the high-speed network. Companies are selected by the French Railways on a tender basis to provide catering and logistic services for a contractual period of 5 years. These contracts have recently been renewed for firms such as Compagnie des Wagons-Lits, a subsidiary of the French multi-national hotel and restaurant chains Accor, Cremonini, an Italian group and Rail Gourmet, which is part of the Compass Group.

• Compagnie des Wagons-Lits provides on-board catering services for 80% of the high-speed French national lines.
• Cremonini wins the services on the Paris-Limoges-Toulouse line, part of the Bordeaux-Nice line and all of the Paris-Clermont Ferrand line. Cremonini is already present on the French-Swiss services Lyria, the French-Italian lines Artesia and on the Eurostar and Thalys services at the supply centre and 50% of the on-board services.
• Rail Gourmet, a new entrant to the market will cover the Paris-Strasbourg line and the new east TGV service. Its mother company, Compass, is a world leader in restaurant services and also provides 50% on the Eurostar and Thalys services.