Alicante to Paris by train in 8hrs

[Bee]

Wouldn't it be terrific. That is what the Mediterranean Railway Corridor is promising. Michael Portillo will be delighted. I see from today's Informacion that the government say 2023 for the La Encina Alicante connection if it is included in the budget. I hadn't a clue where La Encina was but on asking Mr Google I found a great website dedicated to lobbying for the link to Alicante to connect it to the network. You can also add your name to their campaign. From the dropdown menu click Estados de las Obras and there is a map of the complete line.

https://elcorredormediterraneo.com/quierocorredor/

https://www.informacion.es/premium/econ ... 35982.html


Bee

[Carl]

There was some talk in the UK media last month about a possible resurgence in long distance train journeys from the UK to destinations in mainland Europe including Spain, so would be ideal if it could somehow join up with the Mediterranean Railway Corridor.

It was thought that the possible increase in interest in long distance train travel from the UK is as a result of Covid19 and people not wanting to mix with others on a plane. It was assumed that on the long distance trains you would be in a cabin for the majority of your journey, thereby in your own bubble.

There was however one major sticking point to opening up long distance travel travel from the UK that was raised and that has never been resolved since the opening of the Channel Tunnel, permission for other trains other than Eurostar or Le Shuttle to pass through the tunnel. Apparently there is strict safety/design regulations that trains must meet to use the tunnel and up till now no other trains other than Eurostar or Le Shuttle comply with those regulations.

[freddo]

It would be good if you could catch the ATV Train to Paris direct from Alicante without having to go to Barcelona journey time should then be cut to about 12 hours then Eurostar to Waterloo

[TobyJones]

It would be good if you could catch the ATV Train to Paris direct from Alicante without having to go to Barcelona journey time should then be cut to about 12 hours then Eurostar to Waterloo

Although the original Eurostar services terminated in London at Waterloo International they were transferred to St Pancras International in November 2007

[freddo]

Even better then I could just go next door and catch the train to Newcastle from Kings Cross

[Bee]

Another bit of information on the arrival of SNCF on the Alicante/Madrid rail corridor and hopefully bringing the Paris high speed connection a little nearer. Bee

The French railway company SNCF, a pioneer in the development of high speed in Europe, has postponed its arrival at the Alicante-Madrid corridor due to the Covid crisis until spring 2022, coinciding, in addition, with the celebration of the Fallas de València. It is the date decided to start planting direct competition to the public operator Renfe and the Italian Trenitalia and Air Nostrum, which also plan to start that year depending on the evolution of the covid pandemic. SNCF has already announced its launch in the Madrid-Barcelona corridor and will arrive in Alicante in 2022 with the intention, according to what it points out, of creating 1,300 direct and indirect jobs. It operates with double-decker high-speed trains and it will be strong competition for Renfe in a corridor, in Alicante-Madrid, where there is room to increase operations by 50%. It is one of the most profitable in Spain with two million passengers until the COVID crisis broke out, which has delayed the arrival of private operators for a year. In December of this year, the opening up of rail traffic in Spain comes into force but the COVID crisis has delayed the plans of the two companies that will compete with Renfe.

The French operator SNCF will debut on Spanish high-speed lines as of March 15, 2021 under the same trademark under which it operates in France, Ouigo. It will start in the corridor that connects Madrid and Barcelona with stops in Zaragoza and Tarragona. The company will cover this route with the Euroduplex, a two-story Alstom train, with capacity for 509 seats and with a bar inside, committing to put on sale in the coming weeks cheap tickets capable of competing with the «low cost »from Renfe, Avlo. In a presentation ceremony with the press, the company has defended that it is landing in Spain with the aim of "popularizing" the train in the country, with the double commitment of guaranteeing sustainability and creating employment. Specifically, its debut in the Spanish high speed will lead to the creation of 1,300 jobs, both direct and indirect and mostly permanent, and with a strong female presence, which now accounts for 52% of its workforce.

For its part, the Spanish Avlo will be a "smart train" in which costs can be reduced thanks to the use of new technologies and the customization of services. The approach is similar to the business model of low-cost airlines. Reduce general services and charge them if the passenger requests them. Pay for the transport of larger suitcases or the choice of seats, which will be cheaper depending on your location (window, aisle, direction of travel). Something that has already been incorporated, for example, Renfe with the "table" rate, which allows cheaper travel although sharing space with other passengers.

[Carl]

For its part, the Spanish Avlo will be a "smart train" in which costs can be reduced thanks to the use of new technologies and the customization of services. The approach is similar to the business model of low-cost airlines. Reduce general services and charge them if the passenger requests them. Pay for the transport of larger suitcases or the choice of seats, which will be cheaper depending on your location (window, aisle, direction of travel). Something that has already been incorporated, for example, Renfe with the "table" rate, which allows cheaper travel although sharing space with other passengers.

Be interesting how this business model will work on the trains, or rather how popular certain "extras" will be. Not sure that the "extras" necessarily can be read across from the air to the rails.

Direction of travel - I think this is tough on those that suffer from travel sickness unless they face the direction of travel.

Aisle or window seat ? To a certain extent on a train does it really matter. Even in the aisle seat you can still see out of the window as there is no middles seat, although being in an aisle seat on a train you do tend to get knocked more than on a plane. Window seat on a scenic journey would be beneficial.

Oversized luggage - Not sure that trains would necessarily suffer from this as much as planes.