The Lourdes route also records a 79% increase in its overall ranking, compared with +110% in September 2025. The visit of Pope Leo XIV on September 26–27 may have contributed to this surge, even if the data cannot precisely quantify its impact.
Another significant uptick: searches between Paris and Brussels rise by 121%, and those between Paris and Milan climb by 217%. Conversely, the Lille–London connection falls by 51%. London remains the most searched destination, despite an annual dip of 3%.
TOP 10 TRAIN ROUTES MOST SEARCHED ON RESANEO
TOP 10 TRAIN DESTINATIONS MOST SEARCHED ON RESANEO
Franco-Japanese Oulipo: A 24-Hour Literary Challenge Aboard a Luxury Train
This Art Deco-style train with its bottle-green silhouette, the “Mizukaze”, will carry them Friday morning to Matsue (to the west), on the coast of the Sea of Japan: a day and a night on the rails to complete a collaborative novel of about 200 pages. “It’s a completely crazy project that brings together (these writers) in a mythical train, and whose sixteen voices must form a coherent and relevant whole”, acknowledges Muriel Barbery after a brief stop in Osaka.
A “red thread” and a general framework were discussed before departure but the plot — set within the Mizukaze itself — will be built on the train, each writer taking on a distinct character. “We were given the biography of a character, whom all the other characters will have known and who is the reason they boarded the same train”, explains the author of The Elegance of the Hedgehog, who imagined incorporating a cat into the story.
Spacious cabins, dark wood paneling, thick carpets, Lalique-like fixtures… the décor evokes the splendor of the Orient Express, while outside the Japanese countryside passes by, with its rice fields and distinctive architectures. These landscapes “will inevitably make their way” into the writing, confides Christophe Ono-dit-Biot, as he sits before a matcha dessert.
“It’s rare to be able to write, not collectively, but individually in a sort of polyphony (…) We don’t claim to write a unified novel: what will be interesting are the resonances between each of the texts”, he says. For him, “the constraint adds extra excitement. The path through the eye of the needle has already been proposed: you just have to thread it.”
Synchronised Swimming
This is the second time the French association L’écriture en mouvement has put such a project on track: a first edition had brought together local and French writers in Canada in 2015.
“There is no question of writing separate stories. We are making a novel, I am trying to find bridges between one and the other”, and some French and Japanese authors have already begun to come to terms, “reaching a consensus” after exchanging ideas and sketching, enthuses its president Anne Forrest-Wilson. Interpreters aboard are expected to smooth the exchanges.
In the spirit of Oulipo (Ouvroir de Littérature Potentielle): this movement, which began in the 1960s, invites its members — Perec being its illustrious representative — to write texts subjected to strict and playful constraints. Unsurprisingly, several Oulipo members have joined the project, including its president Hervé Le Tellier — Goncourt Prize 2020 for The Anomaly—, Paul Fournel, Frédéric Forte and the Argentine Eduardo Berti.
Claire Berest and Richard Collasse complete the group of Francophone authors. “It’s not the same to practice the craft individually and collectively. Here we’re doing a bit of synchronised swimming”, each part complementing the others, said Mr. Le Tellier to AFP before departure.
If Oulipo seems distant from Japan, Anne Forrest-Wilson draws parallels: for her, Sei Shônagon’s The Pillow Book (11th century) or haikus already belong to the Oulipo repertoire.
Deadline
Not everyone confines themselves to studying: Toh EnJoe, master of Japanese science fiction, enjoys a glass of wine in the wagon-bar while continuing to write. “It would be nice if everything eventually formed a coherent whole. Since each person draws their own part on their side, everything rests on how we will coordinate… or not”, he concedes. His character “is a bit particular: he missed the train”, he jokes.
The participating Japanese authors, who have earned the prestigious Akutagawa Prize (the Japanese equivalent of the Goncourt), showcase varied profiles: the radical-styled novelist Hitomi Kanehara, connoisseurs of French literature (Anna Ogino), a poet (Machi Tawara) …
Beyond literary and cultural sensibilities, the 16 authors will have to hand in their drafts by the morning arrival in Matsue on Friday, for a bilingual publication expected in 2027.
As Christophe Ono-dit-Biot sums up, “the deadline will be the arrival station.”
Discovery Trains Hosts Webinar to Help Agencies Sell Train Travel
For 45 minutes, the agency specializing in train journeys will present to tourism professionals the various possibilities offered by rail, particularly in the premium segment.
According to Discovery Trains, rail travel is sometimes viewed by travel advisors as a product that is hard to sell and less lucrative.
Find our special feature: [Rail Travel]urlblankhttps://www.tourmag.com/Voyages-en-train_r583.html
“The train: a product you must learn to embrace”
“The train: a product you must learn to embrace”, summarizes Laure Jacquet, director of Discovery Trains.
The Travel Talk will address in particular the destinations and rail products likely to be offered by agencies, as well as the arguments to convince hesitant clients.
Discovery Trains will also contribute several of its partners. Autria Tourism will be the official partner of the event. Switzerland will be represented with Switzerland Tourism, the Glacier Express and the Gornergrat Railway.
The agency also plans to discuss several other rail offerings, among which Accor’s Dolce Vita Orient Express, Trenitalia, Renfe, VIA Rail, Lernidee Erlebnisreisen trains, VisitBritain or offerings in western Sweden.
A draw will conclude the session, with train tickets and rail passes to be won.
Interested in participating? Online registration.
Rail Baltica: Baltic States Soon Within Reach by Train
Among the canola fields, about a hundred freight wagons linger in the mild air of May. Spanning several tracks, these trains form convoys over 500 meters long, packed with fertilizers, fuels, and manufactured goods. Among them, a few passenger trains push through and stop here as well, at Mockava.
A 1,200-kilometer Route
This hamlet of 50 inhabitants in southern Lithuania houses the Baltic region’s first station for trains arriving from Poland, eight kilometers away. We are in the Suwałki Corridor, a strategic border zone between Lithuania and Poland: it is the sole land access that connects the Baltic states to the European Union. To the west lies Russia’s Kaliningrad exclave; to the east, Belarus under Alexander Lukashenko, close to Vladimir Putin. Suddenly, passenger trains disgorge travelers in astonishment — the Mockava stop isn’t indicated on itineraries. Yet it is essential because passengers must change trains. A relic of the Russian Empire, then the USSR, the rails in the Baltic states use a gauge of 1.52 meters, compared with 1.435 meters in the rest of Europe.
Those 85 millimeters change everything! Indeed, trains coming from neighboring Poland can no longer run on the rail networks of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia… even though these countries have been part of the European Union since 2004. Passengers are therefore asked to transfer. Goods, meanwhile, are transferred from one train to another using cranes, and petroleum products are pumped from one tanker wagon to another.
These operations can take up to ten hours, but they should soon belong to the past. Beginning in 2030, a high‑speed line with European gauge is set to connect Poland to the three Baltic states. Its name: Rail Baltica. A 1,200-kilometer route (870 of which run through the Baltic states) that will enable travel from Warsaw, the Polish capital and starting point of Rail Baltica, to the terminus in Tallinn, the Estonian capital facing the Gulf of Finland, in under seven hours — versus twenty today. This colossal project, with a total cost estimated at 24 billion euros and primarily funded by the European Union, involves building new tracks and adapting existing lines. “Until now, trains connected the Baltic states to the Russia. The aim is to create a north–south axis toward Europe”, explains the French engineer Émilien Dang, technical director of Rail Baltica. The line was slated for inauguration in 2026, but the project, plagued by delays and rising costs, is expected to be delivered in 2030. The project was conceived in the 1990s for passenger and freight transport between the Baltic states and the rest of Europe. But in recent years it has taken on a strategic dimension. “Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the line’s primary objective is military mobility”, Dang adds.
A Track Designed Also for Military Freight
In coordination with NATO, the Rail Baltica rail infrastructure, of which 300 kilometers of tracks are currently under construction, is being adapted to allow the passage of military convoys wider, longer, and heavier than civilian trains.
But this line will also enable travelers to discover the landscapes, culture, and heritage of the Baltic States, lands little known at the far northeast of continental Europe. Thus, after Mockava Station, the line continues through Lithuania, home to 2.89 million inhabitants and the largest of the three Baltic States (65,300 square kilometers, just smaller than the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region). A land set with lakes, small villages with wooden churches, and boreal forests (one third of the country is forested).
After about thirty kilometers across the countryside, Rail Baltica reaches Marijampolė (35,000 inhabitants), the first major Lithuanian city from the border. Its most beautiful monument: its station. With its crenellated tower and colorful stained glass, the building, erected in 1923, recalls a neo-Gothic castle, but its décor is mainly marked by the Modernist Art Deco influence that also pervades other buildings in the city.
From Marijampolė, Rail Baltica heads toward the former capital of Lithuania, Kaunas, about sixty kilometers to the northeast. Before arriving at the central station, the train traverses one of the oldest railway tunnels still in service in Eastern Europe, built under the Russian Empire in 1862, then crosses the Neman River. Kaunas is worth a stop. Just outside the station, one is swept up by its vitality. Fringed with linden trees, café terraces, booksellers, and galleries, Laisvės Alėja (“the Avenue of Freedom”), a 1.6-kilometer pedestrian thoroughfare, is the city’s beating heart. Kaunas is home to about 35,000 students (out of 300,000 inhabitants, more than 10% of the population). It is here, at Vytautas Magnus University, that Emilija Pundziūtė-Gallois teaches political science. “In February 2025, our electrical lines, which had until then been connected to Russia, were finally linked to the European grid,” the researcher explains. “We still need rail to free ourselves from our dependence on Moscow.” A notification on her cell interrupts: “There is a drone above my children’s high school in Vilnius, they must take shelter.” In recent months, incursions by Ukrainian drones, either misdirected or jammed by Russia, have multiplied in the Baltic States. Once down, they are often hard to locate. “We’ll find them at mushroom season,” Lithuanians joke.
The Baltic peoples share a priority with Latvians and Estonians: to break free from any ties to their Russian neighbor, including culturally. Before a concert in a Kaunas theater, violinist Barbora Valiuk tastes the traditional šaltibarščiai, a cold beet soup made with kefir.
Vilnius, Green Capital
“Today in Lithuania, we can no longer play Russian music. I can’t even teach Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto in D major to my students” says the violinist, lamenting this loss even as she understands the political reasons.
From Kaunas, a branch of Rail Baltica veers east to join Vilnius, about a hundred kilometers away. Surrounded by hills (including the country’s highest point, Aukštojas, a modest 294 meters tall), the Lithuanian capital, two-thirds of which is natural space, was designated the European Green Capital in 2025. Its parks, the Neris riverbanks, and its charming baroque center make it a haven of peace. Yet signs across the city reveal another reality. A modern building is draped with a gigantic poster reading: “Putin, The Hague awaits you”, a reference to the International Criminal Court, which has jurisdiction, among other charges, for war crimes. Ukrainian flags flutter on city buses. Many Lithuanians are convinced that the Baltic states will be Moscow’s next target. To oppose its powerful neighbor, Lithuania has anchored itself more than ever in the Western economy. It is in Vilnius that Vinted, a clothing resale specialist and one of Europe’s leading digital stars, was founded in 2008.
Returning to Kaunas, the main Rail Baltica route heads north toward the border with Latvia. On this stretch, bulldozers and excavators are at work to construct the future high-speed line. The rail will pass not far from the Hill of Crosses, near Šiauliai. This 19th-century pilgrimage site, entirely covered by an intricate tangle of hundreds of thousands of crosses and rosaries of all kinds, is one of the country’s most visited sites and a 20th-century symbol of resistance to communist atheism. From there, the train will travel about forty kilometers through cereal fields and meadows to the Latvian border, which, being in the Schengen area, is not marked by border posts. The Latvian side presents the same agricultural landscape, in the Zemgale plain, Latvia’s grain basket.
Art Nouveau in Majestic Splendor
When arriving in Riga, the contrast is striking. The station is undergoing a major extension in glass and aluminum. The roof shape echoes the vast metal arches of the Central Market, one of Europe’s largest, located just a few dozen meters away. Originally, this building, constructed by the Germans during World War I, served as a hangar for zeppelins. Today, it hosts the Baltic specialties, but also dishes from other former Soviet republics. In the stalls they even cook a plov (pilaf rice with vegetables, meat, cumin, coriander, and turmeric) worthy of the eateries of Samarcanda in Uzbekistan!
The project for Riga’s new station had to be UNESCO-protected, as the entire central area is on the World Heritage List. Ornate balconies, lavish woodwork, old Riga fascinates with the exuberance of its Art Nouveau buildings. Some were designed in the early 20th century by the Russian architect Mikhail Eisenstein (father of Sergei Eisenstein, the famous director of the Battleship Potemkin). Among his masterpieces, 10 Elizabetes Street, built in 1903, is known for its blue-and-white façade, glazed bricks, and giant carved faces. A stunning showcase for Jugendstil, the German-Baltic version of Art Nouveau. Walking through the Latvian capital, one can easily imagine its prosperity in the era of the Russian Empire, when it stood as an equal to Saint Petersburg.
A Tunnel Under the Baltic?
It’s a bit of a crazy project: linking Helsinki, the Finnish capital, to Tallinn, Estonia, by an underwater railway connection, thus extending Rail Baltica. The journey could then be made in thirty minutes, compared with two to three hours today by ferry. To do this, a 103-kilometer-long tunnel would have to be dug under the Baltic Sea (double the length of the Channel Tunnel). This would make it the longest underwater railway tunnel in the world! But the cost, between 13 and 20 billion euros, is a restraint for the two countries. A similar project is being pursued by Finnish entrepreneur Peter Vesterbacka. The businessman, seeking European private investors, dreams, beyond the tunnel, of constructing, along the route, an artificial island served by the train in the Gulf of Finland, intended to house residents and students.
Today, 40% of Riga’s population is Russian-speaking (compared with 25% nationwide — the highest proportion in the Baltic states). A surprisingly discreet presence: no Cyrillic signs, very few Russian restaurants… But within Rail Baltica, a company owned by the three Baltic railways and headquartered in Riga, suspicion remains. “Europe did not want to work with the Russian-speakers of Latvia, fearing their proximity to Moscow and the risk of espionage, says Federico Antoniazzi, a railway engineer dispatched by France to Rail Baltica. Yet they are the ones who, since the Soviet era, have rail expertise. It was necessary to seek personnel in other European countries.”
Beyond Riga lies the most spectacular stretch of the route. Before reaching Estonia, some 120 kilometers farther north, the line will run along the Baltic Sea, between dunes and pine forests. One of the Baltic states’ least densely populated areas. The train will stop at Vangaži station, gateway to Gauja, the country’s oldest national park and one of the largest in the Baltic states. A paradise for hikers and heritage lovers, with its wooded valleys, lakes, and medieval castles.
Bears, Lynx, and Capercaillie
Remote from major arteries, this park is a well-kept secret. Thus, in this corner, Rail Baltica’s route, between a natural park and preserved coastal zones, has sparked controversy. On the other side of the border, in Estonia, in the Luitemaa nature reserve, biologist Mati Kose rages: the Rail Baltica route was “chosen to be as short as possible, without regard for nature.” With its forests, peat bogs, and coastal meadows, this region hosts a largely preserved environment… for now. Because building the high-speed line is likely to jeopardize local wildlife: bears, lynx, and also capercaillie. “Even the Soviets paid more attention to nature” protests Mati Kose, pointing to marshes that must be drained to make way for the tracks. In response, Rail Baltica officials cite the construction of ecoducts, bridges spanning the tracks to allow animals to cross without the risk of collision. Several have already been built. Fully vegetated, they are rich in shrubs and water features to attract animals. Not reassuring Terje Mitev, who runs an organic farm in southern Estonia along the line: “No animal uses them, plus humans are not allowed to use them. It’s absurd!”, she exclaims. In summer, Terje sells her artisanal ice creams in Pärnu, a seaside resort that will be served by Rail Baltica and which has the quaint charm of 1930s resort towns, with cruise-ship hotels and kiosks lined along the beach.
Off the Pleasant Tallinn, the Russian Ghost Fleet
For Priit Pruul, spokesperson for the Estonian railways, this line will be a springboard for tourism: “Travelers will be able to easily traverse the three Baltic states during a single trip, he says. Residents will also be able to better discover their own region.” Here is Tallinn, the terminus of the line. The new Tallinn Central Station, designed by the English firm Zaha Hadid Architects, is under construction in the Ülemiste high‑tech district, where about 400 companies are based. With its glassy office towers, this smart city illustrates the Baltic states’ rapid leap into a market economy. Estonia, birthplace of Skype and Bolt, is a cradle of startups aided by favorable taxation. In the center, old railway wastelands have become a bohemian district named Telliskivi. The warehouses have been transformed into boutiques, restaurants, and concert halls. Near the port, the old power plant hosts exhibitions.
Beyond its famous colorful houses and renovated churches, Tallinn has become one of the most exciting cities in northern Europe. A revival that contrasts with a remnant of the past: Linnahall. With its spectacular concrete architecture, this former Soviet-era palace of culture and sports, built in 1980 for Moscow’s Olympics, lies abandoned. Some would like it demolished, others defend it for its aesthetic value or its memorial dimension. In the evenings, its steps, overgrown with vegetation, come alive with improvised DJ sets. The atmosphere is gentle, carefree. In the distance, the Baltic Sea has become a nerve center of geopolitical tensions. Offshore, among ferries and freighters, lies the Russian ghost fleet, ships used by Moscow to clandestinely transport oil despite the sanctions.
This is the Baltic States’ paradox: the proximity of the war in Ukraine gives the region a renewed vigor and a desire to live even more intensely than before. By further shrinking distances to the rest of Europe, Rail Baltica should amplify this momentum.
➤ Article appeared in GEO magazine no. 572, “The Azores, nine islands, nine worlds to explore,” October 2026.
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Christmas Travel: Should You Book SNCF Train Tickets This Wednesday to Save Money?
The countdown is officially underway. On Wednesday, September 30, 2026, SNCF opens its ticketing for the Christmas and New Year period. With advertisements and reminders on its app, the French company is urging travelers to book their tickets as soon as possible to secure the best prices. But is that really the best approach?
According to a study from the reservation platform Trainline, relay by RMC, travelers could save up to 30% on a train ticket by booking as soon as the booking opens. Especially since this period is extremely busy in transport, most French people travel to spend the holidays with family. Trains fill up quickly and the prices of remaining tickets tend to rise.
Which dates are the most popular for train travel in December 2026?
According to data from another journey-booking platform, Kombo, December 18, 19, 24, 25 and 26 will be the most sought-after travel dates this year. They correspond to the Friday and Saturday of the school holidays and the days surrounding Christmas, which falls on a Friday this year. Sundays December 20 and 27 and the period from December 30 to January 3 will also be highly sought after.
By booking early, you will therefore have more choice regarding the type of train you will take, the number of connections, or your seat in the carriages. In addition to avoiding price spikes as the holidays approach, you will also gain in comfort. If you wait too long, you risk ending up with pricier tickets on less comfortable trains, or even not being able to sit next to your loved ones.
Several tips to avoid paying more for your ticket than your neighbor
If you want to plan even further ahead, know that the European companies operating in France do not start selling tickets on the same date as SNCF. The Italian company Trenitalia, which offers trips toward the southeast from Paris, including to Lyon, has already released its tickets. The company Eurostar, which goes to London, Belgium, the Netherlands and some German cities as well. The German, Swiss and Spanish companies, they should open reservations in mid-October.
To pay less, don’t hesitate to compare prices across the different companies on dedicated platforms, to place options – valid for one week on InOui trains – so that the price does not change while you refine your departure plans, and to book rather quickly. If your train is sold out, you can still join a waiting list via SNCF or platforms like traincomplet.fr which, for a fee, try to find a last-minute seat on these apparently full trains.
DTH Travel Reimagines Multi-Destination Travel in Asia with The Ultimate Asia Adventure by Train
It is in this spirit that DTH Travel launches “The Ultimate Asia Adventure by Train,” an unprecedented 35-day itinerary spanning seven Asian countries, from Singapore to the temples of Angkor in Cambodia, without flying between the different stages.
Through this new program, DTH Travel asserts its commitment to offering tourism professionals new ways to explore Asia, by envisioning products that invite travelers to rethink the journey and depart from traditional circuits. An approach made possible by its presence in several Asian countries and by its on-site teams, which allow DTH Travel to design and coordinate multi-destination itineraries directly on the ground.
Conceptualized as a grand crossing of Southeast Asia and southwest China, this new program combines day and night trains, Mekong river navigation, and excursions, turning the journey into a true part of the adventure.
From Singapore to the Angkor temples: 7 countries, 35 days and no flights
The route continues in Thailand, from Bangkok to Chiang Mai, then toward the northern part of the country and the border with Laos. After the bustle of the capital, the journey takes on a different dimension in Chiang Mai, before reaching the Golden Triangle and Chiang Khong.
In Luang Prabang, temples, traditional houses and the surrounding mountains extend this immersion, with a visit to the Kuang Si waterfalls.
The train journey then resumes to reach Kunming, China, gateway to Yunnan. This leg lets travelers discover a region renowned for its landscapes and cultural diversity, including the spectacular Stone Forest, before entering Vietnam via Lao Cai in the north of the country.
From Danang to Hoi An and Quy Nhon, the itinerary alternates heritage sites, landscapes and discoveries along the central coast of Vietnam. In Hoi An, the lanes of the old town and the ancient houses bear witness to the commercial history of this city, before resuming the train to continue south.
The final stretch of the journey leads to Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta. A side trip allows exploring the canals, villages and floating markets that shape the daily life of this region, intimately connected to the river.
An itinerary you can tailor to your wishes
The DTH Travel teams will be at IFTM 2026
Would you like to learn more about this itinerary, design a tailor-made program, or discover other itineraries offered by DTH Travel in Asia? The teams are already available to discuss and arrange a meeting during the IFTM show.
Find the DTH Travel teams at the IFTM show
| Stand of the Philippines (A008) | Stand of Thailand (B044) |
|---|---|
| Gregor ZAJC General Manager, DTH Travel Philippines Email : [email protected] |
Mathilde THRIERR Business Development Manager in charge of the French market, DTH Travel Thailand Email : [email protected] |
Contact the DTH Travel teams now to learn more or to schedule an appointment.
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Voralpen-Express and Centovalli Train
Saint-Gall
Founded by the itinerant monk Gallus around the year 612, St. Gallen stands as one of the historic jewels of eastern Switzerland. Nestled not far from Lake Constance, the town offers both tranquil moments in nature and major cultural sites. In the heart of the old town lies its emblem, the famed abbey district with its Baroque cathedral. Together with the abbey library and abbey archives, it was inscribed in 1983 on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
The abbey library today houses roughly 170,000 volumes. Of these, around 50,000 are displayed in the sumptuous Baroque hall, regarded as one of Europe’s finest historic library rooms.
Wandering through the lanes of Saint-Gall, one quickly senses how history and modernity are closely intertwined. Since the industrial revolution, which began in Saint-Gall with the operation of its first mechanical spinning frame, the town developed into an important center for the textile and embroidery industries. This richly traditional textile legacy is impressively documented at the Textile Museum. Even today, Saint-Gall embroidery is used in exclusive haute couture creations around the world.
The charming old town, with its distinctive crenellations, its small shops and friendly cafés, invites strolling, shopping, and relaxation. Numerous other museums, galleries, and cultural institutions round out the city’s offerings.
Saint-Gall is also an ideal starting point for hikes as well as for excursions to Lake Constance or into the Appenzell and St. Gallen mountains. It is well worth lingering here a little longer.
Travel freely in Switzerland – discover even more!
Avec le Swiss Travel Pass, tu voyages librement en train, en bus et en bateau à travers la Suisse. Et en ce moment, tu peux profiter de jours de voyage supplémentaires offerts : pour tout achat effectué du 16 au 30 septembre 2026, tu reçois 1 jour de voyage gratuit avec un Swiss Travel Pass de 4 jours, ou 2 jours de voyage gratuits avec un pass de 8 jours – en 1re ou 2e classe. L’offre est valable pour les voyages effectués du 1er octobre au 31 décembre 2026.
Profite de l’offre et réserve ton pass : Swiss Travel Pass
Voralpen-Express
Près de Rapperswil, la « ville des roses » au bord du lac de Zurich, avec sa vieille ville pittoresque et son château médiéval, le train traverse la digue qui sépare le lac de Zurich de l’Obersee. Ensuite, la route longe le plus grand paysage de tourbières hautes d’un seul tenant de Suisse, près de Rothenturm. Cette plaine offre un habitat protégé à de nombreuses espèces végétales et animales. Pour te restaurer, rendes-toi dans la zone bistrot du Voralpen-Express : cet espace en libre-service propose des distributeurs automatiques avec un choix de cafés et de snacks variés. Le trajet se poursuit au milieu de panoramas montagneux impressionnants, avec les Mythen, le Rigi et le Pilate. Peu avant Lucerne, on découvre également une vue sur le Bürgenstock et son spectaculaire Hammetschwand, le plus haut ascenseur extérieur d’Europe. Après environ 2 heures et 15 minutes, le train arrive à sa destination, la ville de Lucerne, également connue sous le nom de Leuchtenstadt (ville des lumières). Cependant, contrairement à ce que l’on croit souvent à tort, ce nom ne vient pas du latin lucerna (lampe), mais de lucius (brochet).
Lucerne
La charmante vieille ville, avec ses ruelles tortueuses, ses remparts médiévaux bien conservés et ses nombreuses tours, caractérise le paysage urbain. Avec ses 870 mètres, le mur de la Musegg est la plus longue muraille conservée de Suisse. Sur les 30 tours d’origine, neuf sont encore debout aujourd’hui.
L’emblème de Lucerne est le pont de la Chapelle, long de 204 mètres, avec ses peintures historiques sur les pignons. La vieille ville se découvre à merveille à pied. Comme de nombreuses ruelles sont pavées, il est recommandé de porter des chaussures confortables. Parmi les sites touristiques majeurs figure également le monument du Lion, dédié aux gardes suisses tombés à Paris en 1792 pour Louis XVI. Une croisière sur le lac des Quatre-Cantons permet de découvrir les paysages impressionnants depuis l’eau. Une visite du Musée suisse des transports, qui propose des expositions interactives, des univers ludiques et des démonstrations sur le thème des transports et de la mobilité, vaut particulièrement le détour, notamment pour les familles. Grâce à sa situation centrale, Lucerne est également un point de départ idéal pour des excursions dans les montagnes environnantes, notamment vers les sommets du Rigi et du Pilate, déjà visibles depuis le train.
Locarno
The Centovalli Train
Montreux
Les célèbres vignobles en terrasses de Lavaux comptent parmi les points forts de la région. Ce site classé au patrimoine mondial de l’UNESCO se découvre à merveille à pied et séduit par ses vues exceptionnelles sur le lac Léman et les Alpes. Entre les deux, les villages viticoles et les caves à vin vous invitent à déguster les vins de la région.
En été, Montreux devient le rendez-vous des mélomanes du monde entier grâce au célèbre Montreux Jazz Festival. Pendant deux semaines, la ville vit au rythme de la musique. Les concerts et les événements se succèdent de l’après-midi jusqu’aux petites heures du matin.
À quelques minutes en bateau ou en bus se trouve le château médiéval de Chillon, situé dans un cadre idyllique au bord du lac. La visite de ce château fort entouré d’eau datant du XIIe siècle impressionne non seulement par ses décors uniques, parfaits pour les photos, mais plonge également les visiteurs dans l’histoire mouvementée du lac Léman.
Pendant la période de Noël, la promenade au bord du lac de Montreux se transforme en un village de Noël plein de charme, qui est visité chaque jour par le Père Noël volant. Il invite d’ailleurs petits et grands à le rejoindre dans sa demeure, perchée tout en haut des Rochers-de-Naye.
Organiser et réserver ce voyage avec Switzerland Travel Centre
L’offre forfaitaire comprend les nuitées choisies avec petit-déjeuner, ainsi que les trajets en train en 2e classe au départ et à destination de la frontière suisse ou de l’aéroport. Un surclassement en 1re classe est possible pour l’ensemble du voyage. De plus, diverses activités peuvent être réservées individuellement. Comme les trains panoramiques ne nécessitent pas de réservation et circulent régulièrement (toutes les 1 à 2 heures), le voyage reste particulièrement flexible.
Pour en savoir plus sur ce voyage : Voralpen-Express et train des Centovalli
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Robotic Trash Bins With Bulging Eyes Come to the Rescue of the World’s Busiest Train Station
Shinjuku Station in Tokyo is a sprawling transportation hub served by multiple railway companies, welcoming more than 2.7 million travelers each day. It holds the Guinness World Record for the world’s busiest station.
In a section of the station operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East), trash bins are emptied manually more than ten times a day, although their numbers have been reduced in recent years for cleanliness and safety reasons.
A Pilot Project
JR East is currently testing three automated trash bins, each measuring just over one meter tall and moving at a cautious speed of 20 centimeters per second.
“We wanted to test to what extent such a device can operate automatically and safely in an environment like Shinjuku Station,” said to AFP Shinya Kawamichi, head of research at JR East.
“We want to see what difference these mobile waste bins make, and whether people are truly willing to throw their waste into them”, he added.
This pilot project, which will run through the end of November, will put the robots to the test in the station’s busy underground hall, where they are expected to shuttle waste to the service staff.
Slow-moving Machines with Bulbous Eyes
Mr. Kawamichi noted that the robots are designed to be “slow, so that people can dispose of their waste into them and they can stop at any time”.
The company also wanted to verify whether the robots could navigate through a dense crowd and whether they would be well received by users, with a view to expanding future uses of this technology.
These bulky, bulb-eyed devices have proven extremely popular with tourists, many of whom stopped to take photos of them.
“Their eyes are really cute”, said Chris Genseliein, a 30-year-old German train driver, adding that he had trouble finding bins in Japanese stations.
Train and Flight on a Tight Schedule: Should the Airline Reimburse Fees? [ABO]
The travelers had booked a single ticket that included a train ride to Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport, followed by a flight to Seoul. After a schedule change, the flight was moved up by more than an hour, reducing the layover to just 1 hour and 50 minutes.
Feeling this interval insufficient to comfortably complete the connection, they chose not to use the planned train and instead left the day before. This decision incurred train, hotel, meals and transportation costs, totaling more than €500.
What the texts say:
On the legal front, the Mediation recalls that European Regulation No. 261/2004 does not apply to multimodal tickets combining a train and a plane within a single contract. The file is therefore assessed under the general contract law framework.Under Article 1217 of the Civil Code, a traveler can seek redress when the contract is not performed as agreed.
Yet, in this case, the layover was only 1 hour 50 minutes, while Paris airport guidelines require a minimum 2 hours 30 minutes between a train and a flight.
The Mediation also notes that the airline ultimately accommodated the passengers on the Seoul-bound flight even though they had not taken the intended train segment, which amounts to acknowledging that they had to organise themselves at their own initiative.
What the Tourism and Travel Mediation recommends:
It therefore recommends covering the duly justified expenses.
Agencies: 10 Tips to Sell the Train More Effectively [ABO]
1. Identify the Right Clients and Focus on Practicality
« Typically, for a family, the train is incredibly simple. You arrive in the city center rather than being far from the airport and having to pay again for a shuttle. », notes Hugo Bazin, cofounder and CEO of Tictactrip and Very Train.
Olivier Bernard, founder and partner at Déclic Evasion, also highlights « the ease of access and comfort », notably with a booking window of only 30 minutes before departure for TGV INOUI, as well as « the high frequency of TGV INOUI or OUIGO services, which offers great flexibility in planning ».
The train can also meet the expectations of travelers seeking more autonomy. « A well-prepared train journey, with a good travel diary, is still well structured », recalls Laure Jacquet, director of Discovery Trains, an agency specializing in train travel.
2. Turn the Journey into an Experience
The train can be more than just a means of transport: landscapes, night trains, scenic itineraries, or historic trains can build a genuine experience.« The primary motivation of train travelers, at least those who go through an agency, is not ecology nor love of rail travel. These travelers mainly want to experience a different kind of journey. », observes Laure Jacquet.
« People love the train, adds Hugo Bazin. We can walk, use the restrooms, work, read… You’re not in a car where you must stay focused, and you’re not in the plane where you have to arrive very early.
The travel advisor can also rely on destinations that are close and easy to access : Brussels, Amsterdam, Geneva, London or getaways in France. « Brussels, it’s under two hours by train and you arrive in the center » illustrates Hugo Bazin.
3. Favor One Carrier
« If one carrier manages the route, they will be more easily able to offer a solution in case of a missed connection », explains Laure Jacquet. Her advice: « choose the same company from start to finish ».
4. Allow Plenty of Time for Connections
« On all routes in Germany, plan generous connections, truly generous », insists Laure Jacquet. When possible, it’s even better to allow a layover night rather than a too-tight connection.
6. Check Timetables and Stations
7. Anticipate Disruptions
« They are aware. They know that a train has been canceled and they already know if there is a solution », she explains. For the agency, the key is therefore to anticipate difficulties and identify the right contacts.
8. Rely on an Aggregator or a Specialist
For complex cases, it’s better to depend on a specialist. « Trains aren’t straightforward », he concedes.
Aggregators can serve as an entry point for beginner agencies. « Aggregators are handy », confirms Laure Jacquet, especially to simplify managing multiple carriers. But « as soon as you become a specialist, it’s better to go through the carriers’ own sites ».
Discovery Trains represents Austrian trains (ÖBB) but also Canadian Via Rail Canada, Swiss trains (CFF/SBB) and the Swiss Travel System.
Read also: Travel Agencies: Is Train Travel Easier to Sell than Air Travel?
9. Sell a Package Rather than a Ticket
« If we talk about a complete package, it becomes interesting », he explains. Train, accommodation, and activities can create more value and margin. Very Train thus announces an average commission of 8 to 12% on the overall package, while circuits published on the Discovery Trains site are commissioned at 10% for agencies.
For Olivier Bernard, rail travel is also a compelling product for groups and works councils. « The group terms for SNCF INOUI trains allow adaptation to organizational constraints with more flexible registration deadlines and better control of financial risks in case of partial cancellations. »
10. Get Training and Start Simple
« We want to overturn preconceived notions. Well-sold, the train is a pleasant and profitable product, provided you know its codes and know how to showcase this experience », she insists.
The right approach for a starting agency: begin with simple itineraries, train and learn, and don’t hesitate to rely on a specialist when the project becomes more complex.
Written by Caroline Lelievre Journalist – TourMaG.com See all articles by Caroline Lelievre
