Madrid-Lisbon train line date revealed
Portugal has confirmed that a new high-speed train route linking Madrid and Lisbon will be operational by 2034.
Madrid and Lisbon have not been linked by a direct train service since 2020 when Renfe, Spain’s national rail operator, discontinued its overnight service. Last year, Renfe announced that it would launch a service between the two capitals.
Spain says it will have the section of the train route from Madrid to Estremadura, with stops in Toledo and Talavera completed by 2030, reports euronews.com
Portugal is also developing a new high-speed train line, the first phase of which will be operational by 2025. This will connect Madrid and Lisbon via Badajoz in three hours by 2034 when the entire Madrid-Lisbon route is operational.
Japan to upgrade its Tokaido line
Starting in 2026, Japan’s most popular rail line, the Shinkansen in Tokaido, will offer luxury private cars. Japan Rail said the service would offer private spaces for business travellers to have online meetings, and for customers to relax in.
It also says that encouraging more people to use the Shinkansen with the luxury private cabin offering, will contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas pollution.
Eurostar commits to going green
Eurostar has committed to reducing its carbon footprint by 2030, reports travelweekly.co.uk. The commitment includes implementing renewable energy sources and decreasing energy consumption, improving resource efficiency and reducing waste in aspects such as catering, and creating campaigns to encourage more domestic and international rail travel.
Additionally, the rail provider has announced that it plans to expand its network from London through the acquisition of more than 10 new trains.
Eurostar is in talks with train manufacturers to increase the size of its fleet from 51 to 67 trains.
Eurostar CEO Gwendoline Cazenave told the Financial Times that the operator was considering adding to its current services between London, Paris, Amsterdam and Brussels.
New line connects three European countries
Slovenian Railways has launched a new train service connecting Italy, Slovenia and Croatia. Tickets for the journey start at €8 (R158).
The two-hour trip departs from Trieste then crosses the Slovenian border and calls at Sežana, Divača, Pivka and Ilirska Bistrica. The train continues to Croatia where it will stop in Šapjane and Opatija Matulji before arriving in its final destination of Rijeka.
The line follows a 150-year-old railway route that has been closed for the past 30 years. The route will be operational for the 2024 European summer season until September 30.
