The Man in Seat 61

For those yet to see it: Europe's sleeper trains, mapped... https://back-on-track.eu/night-train-map/ (Paris-Italy, and into Spain - those yawning gaps in the network just scream 'fill me!' don't they...)

Now this is a great idea. Free water refill points on Avanti West Coast pendolino & evero trains. 42,000 plastic bottles saved in 3 months? https://newsdesk.avantiwestcoast.co.uk/news/free-water-refill-points-rolled-out-onboard-avanti-west-coast-services

By popular demand (well, a steady trickle of enquiries over the years) I have finally added a Stockholm<>Helsinki 2-night option by train around the top of the Gulf of Bothnia as an alternative to the direct 1-night ferries, https://www.seat61.com/international-trains/trains-from-Stockholm.htm#stockholm-helsinki-by-train

Breaking: Direct Amsterdam - London Eurostars will resume from 10 February 2025. The new terminal will be located in one of the passageways under the tracks, it will be able to process up to 650 passengers, compared to the old platform 15 Eurostar terminal which could only process 250 passengers for a 900-seat train. https://www.zakenreisnieuws.nl/nieuws/categorie/22/spoorwegen/vanaf-10-februari-weer-directe-eurostar-treinen-tussen-amsterdam-en-londen?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

At last! Hourly train services begin today between Belfast and Dublin - 8 trains per day increased to 15. https://www.belfastlive.co.uk/news/belfast-news/details-hourly-enterprise-train-services-30247804

So I’m bound for Llandudno Jn to give a talk, this is my first ride on @AvantiWestCoast’s new Evero (class 805). This interior is *seriously* nice…

From tomorrow, Eurostar’s 3 class names change to Standard, Plus & Premier (no change to actual service, just the names).
Have just changed a few hundred references to Standard Premier & Business Premier across Seat 61 (they do like to keep me on my toes)

Eurostar SNAP tickets are back, at https://snap.eurostar.com/uk-en. Up to 50% off, but you pick a day, they tell you which train you’re on 48h beforehand. Bookable max 14 days in advance.

Europe’s 2025 timetable starts today. Read a summary of the key changes at https://www.seat61.com/news.htm

Guess no-one else in the departure lounge uses Realtimetrains.co.uk…

Now THAT was my fastest Eurostar ever check-in since 1994. It WORKED (I shouldn’t sound surprised should I?). First time I’ve used SmartCheck, now an option for Premier & Carte Blanche passengers, see https://www.eurostar.com/uk-en/travel-info/your-trip/smartcheck

Direct Zurich-Florence-Livorno train planned for 2026 (a first!), as well as a second Zurich-Venice train.
SBB is ordering 4 more Giruno trains to expand Swiss-Italian routes & Trenitalia refurbishing its ETR610s. https://www.railjournal.com/regions/europe/sbb-and-trenitalia-to-increase-switzerland-italy-services_/

A train one stop from Luxembourg to Cents-Hamm, a 20 minute walk and I’m here, Luxembourg’s American cemetery. It’s one of 26 US cemeteries and there are 5000 headstones. It really brings it home. Respect. 🇺🇸

OK, so that's warning paras added to 100+ sections on Seat61 about cancellation of the Stuttgart-Venice, Munich-Rome & Munich-La Spezia sleepers and diversion of the Stuttgart/Zurich-Zagreb sleeper away from Ljubljana 17 Nov 2024 to 13 July 2025, due to closure of the Tauern Tunnel.

Indian Railways has just reduced its booking horizon (Advance Reservation Period) from 120 to 60 days.
The exact opposite of what most European operators are trying to do!
Yet it's described as a 'major relief' to passengers. Why's that? https://t.co/cIcBQ6X3s7

Belfast's new Grand Central Station will open for trains (including the Enterprise Expresses to/from Dublin) as from this Sunday, 13 October. https://www.translink.co.uk/corporate/media/pressreleases/bgcsupdates