Fantasy Ferroviaire

Trains as they should be…

ADIÓS FLIGHT SHAME

Pre-pandemic, half of Europe’s air passengers were flying on routes of less than 3000km already connected by rail- what needs to improve is the provision of direct night trains, especially over longer distances.

Inspired by the best science fiction, my timetables use real-life constraints (existing infrastructure capacity, rolling stock and locomotives). They are limited to 200kph even on high-speed lines.

The fantasy element is to assume political will to ensure technical interoperability, cooperation, and investment in rolling stock for long-term sustainability rather than the environmentally destructive model of low-cost aviation.

EN 1: LONDON-MOSKVA

Two core night trains (new London-Berlin and existing Warszawa-Moskva) are connected by the existing EC Berlin-Warszawa to give a daily direct sleeping car from both London and Paris to Moskva, replacing the weekly through train from Paris.

Portion working provides overnight services London-Hamburg/ Malmö/ Berlin/ Warszawa, as well as Paris/ Bruxelles to all these destinations, and Amsterdam-Moskva.

Key shunts are at Lille Europe (London-Italy/ Spain sleeping cars detached, ex-Paris portions attached), Köln Hbf (Amsterdam-Moskva and Bruxelles-Berlin cars attached), Hannover Hbf (Hamburg and Malmö cars detached), Hamburg Hbf (terminating sleeping cars detached, EuroCity day train attached), Berlin Ostbhf (terminating sleeping cars detached, EuroCity day train attached) and Warszawa Wschod. (day train detached, sleeping cars attached).