Category Archives: Public transport trips

New sleeper service will run from Paris to Berlin next year

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European Sleeper will operate the new service from March 2026, replacing the Nightjet train that is being axed next month

The resurgence of sleeper trains on the continent hit a kink in the tracks in September, when the Austrian state operator ÖBB announced that it would be axing its two Nightjet services – Paris to Vienna and Paris to Berlin – from 14 December. ÖBB cited the French government’s ending of subsidies, dealing a blow to the night-train renaissance.

However, there is light at the end of the tunnel. European Sleeper has told the Guardian that it will be taking over the route from Paris to Berlin, with the first train to run on 26 March 2026. The train will operate three times a week with departures likely to be from Paris Gare du Nord on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday evenings and the return service from Berlin Hauptbahnhof and Ostbahnhof on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The current Nightjet service departs Paris Gare de l’Est just after 7pm and winds east via Strasbourg, Frankfurt, Erfurt and Halle before arriving in Berlin around 8.30am. European Sleeper intends to make the journey via Brussels, with precise route details and timings currently being confirmed with infrastructure managers in France, Belgium and Germany.

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Thrush hour: study suggests birdsong can ease commuter stress

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Research for South Western Railway finds passengers who listened to natural soundscapes reported 35% reduction in stress levels

At the end of summer even adults suffer that “back to school” feeling as they resume stressful commutes on packed trains. But instead of listening to a podcast or music, opting for a nature soundtrack of birdsong or waterfalls could be the key to a “zen” commute, according to a study.

The research, undertaken by South Western Railway (SWR) on one of its trains and analysed by Charles Spence, a professor of experimental psychology at the University of Oxford, measured the impact of listening to nature soundscapes on passengers’ stress levels and relaxation.

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One of Australia’s most expensive commutes becomes the cheapest, as Queensland’s 50c public transport trial begins

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Operators not predicting a large influx of new customers right away, with patronage still well below pre-Covid levels

In an Australian-first trial of super-cheap public transport, Queensland bus, train and ferry fares are set to drop to just 50 cents this week.

Train tickets in the sunshine state had been among the country’s most expensive – up to $31.10 for a single adult paper train ticket.

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Are Australia’s public transport discounts for seniors too generous? Are they fair?

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School and tertiary students receive concessions, but their fares are still more than three times those offered to seniors in some states

It’s the uncomfortable question few politicians would dare to ask. Are generous travel discounts afforded to Australia’s older citizens, especially self-funded retirees who are not means tested, sustainable? Moreover, are they fair?

Seniors have long enjoyed heavily subsidised public transport fares across Australia. But as the population ages, public finance strains and a cost-of-living crisis weighs disproportionately on younger generations, some are suggesting a rethink.

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London bus operator withdraws electric fleet after Wimbledon bus fire

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TfL says GoAhead temporarily replacing route 200 fleet while investigating doubledecker fire on Wimbledon Hill Road

A fleet of electric buses has been taken out of service after a doubledecker caught fire in south London this week.

Transport for London (TfL) said the electric buses had been “temporarily withdrawn” by operator GoAhead.

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All-day public transport travel for $2 in Victorian Liberal election pledge

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The party said it would save a typical family $3,500 a year, and cost nearly $1.3bn over four years

Victorians could pay just $2 for all-day public transport if the Liberal party wins the state election.

The opposition on Sunday announced it would slash the price of train, tram and bus travel in a bid to combat the cost of living.

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Sydney commuters to get free public transport for 12 days in April

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Scheme is an attempt by NSW government to revitalise city centre and compensate for February train shutdown

Sydney commuters will get free public transport for 12 days in April, including over the Easter holidays, as the state government attempts to revitalise the CBD and make amends for last month’s 24-hour train shutdown.

The fare-free period will run from 14-26 April, which includes the Anzac Day public holiday. The announcement is part of an agreement to end a long-running dispute between the New South Wales government and the state’s rail union over pay and workplace conditions.

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Covid set back attitudes to public transport by two decades, says RAC

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Most Britons see their car as more important now and would not choose greener alternative

The pandemic has put back attitudes to driving versus public transport by two decades, with almost two-thirds of UK car owners now considering their vehicle essential, research has found.

A clear majority would now refuse to switch to a greener alternative even if better trains or buses were available, according to the RAC. The research for its annual Report on Motoring found reluctance to use public transport was now at its highest for 18 years.

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