After a three year absence, the Paris-Nice Night Train is back. The first service ran last night with an important passenger on board – French Prime Minister Jean Castex. He even made the welcome on board announcement to passengers: Longue vie au Paris-Nice ! pic.twitter.com/POHhMZ51wB — Jean Castex (@JeanCASTEX) May […]
France
French Ministry of the Ecological Transition report on night trains – focus on both French and international routes
The Ministère de la Transition écologique (Ministry of the Ecological Transition) in France has released a new report entitled ÉTUDE DU DÉVELOPPEMENT DE NOUVELLES LIGNES DE TRAINS D’ÉQUILIBRE DU TERRITOIRE (TET) (STUDY OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW TERRITORY BALANCE TRAIN LINES (TET)) – this assesses the way train connections in […]
RailPro diagnoses the challenges for new operators trying to enter the long distance rail market
Dutch Publication RailPro has written an interesting piece entitled What are the biggest barriers for new entrants on the international train market? There is also a version of the same post in Dutch here. The piece does not distinguish between daytime and night-time trains, but focuses on the challenges common […]
Detailed night train research from Oui au train de nuit
The French campaign group Oui au train de nuit has produced some of the most detailed research about the opportunities for night trains – understandably with the focus on routes within France, and between France and its neighbours. Its first report from January 2020 (PDF here) sets the scene. There […]
EIB electric buses funding model the way forward to finance night train stock?
In January 2021, the European Investment Bank and Banque des Territoires launched a Clean Buses Platform – a mechanism through which public transport operators in France have access to up to €100 million to procure electric buses. A similar mechanism might be the way to allow rolling stock leasing companies […]
A rail postcard from Baden Baden
Dear Violeta, Have you ever changed trains in Baden Baden (in Baden-Württemberg between Freiburg (Breisgau) and Karlsruhe)? I guess not. It’s a pretty unlikely place to have to hop off a TGV and onto a ICE, but that’s what I had to do there today – because of yet another […]