UK Tourist Attractions

Who would have thought there are only twenty years, when they denounced a project that would betray their specific island and disregard their cultural heritage, they would come to regret that link fixed the close of the continent.

Yet the moral to be drawn from the misfortune of thousands of passengers (including some Britons) victims of the failure of Eurostar, rendered incapable of linking London to Paris and Brussels because of the effects of winter weather on electric motors. It is true that the tunnel used by the express train shook the links between the UK and the rest of Europe, starting with France and Belgium but also all other countries through the continuity of the various networks Railway ...

The end of the island

The proposed fixed link had yet started badly. The former were many who understood that "docking" of the Kingdom to the European continent were a vague metaphor. Nostalgic for a conquering England, the mistress of the seas and oceans, fiercely jealous of its splendid isolation, had already had the opportunity to defeat the previous projects. The most advanced, launched in 1957 for work undertaken in 1973, had been abandoned since 1975. Also, when Francois Mitterrand and Margaret Thatcher, agreed to launch a new tender in 1984, lobbies against any fixed link could be heard again. Rabies, they said, would re-appear! But although Margaret Thatcher did not put all the goodwill desirable, denying that public money was put to work ("Not a penny, she imposed), the Eurotunnel project was still retained.

Learning Europe

Faced with other futuristic projects (a suspension bridge for motor traffic and a railway tunnel, a series of bridges and tunnels between artificial islands, tunnels alternately road and rail), the Eurotunnel project was deemed the most realistic , implementing proven techniques. But to finance the adventure was complete because we had never seen a site as pharaonic infrastructure financed with private funds, without public funding. The rest is history: the imagined assembly led to a financial fiasco for small shareholders, and cost originally proposed 46 billion francs (about 7 billion euros) skidded to over 100 billion (15 billion euros ).

Nevertheless, the project launched in 1987 led seven years later. After the inauguration by Queen Elizabeth II and President Mitterrand May 6, 1994, Eurostar was on its maiden voyage with great fanfare on November 14 next, while Eurotunnel shuttles, the concession company, were beginning their return to transport heavy goods vehicles and passenger vehicles. Then the United Kingdom uncovered, sometimes in spite of himself, more European than it had expected

British trade more oriented towards the Continent
In fact, the entry into operation of the tunnel accompanied the economic transformation of the country, including its foreign trade. Even in the years 1970 to 1980, most trade was done with his old "Dominions", British colonies with which Great Britain kept close trade relations even after independence. The United States also maintained historic trade links with Great Britain, who looked so continental Europe far enough. But the emancipation of its former colonies forced the UK to find new markets and new suppliers, so that trains and shuttle buses that traversed the Channel Tunnel came timely complete the offer sea and air already in place ...

Ten years about the commissioning of the tunnel, the United Kingdom had doubled its imports from continental Europe. So much so that the deficit of trade balance of the Kingdom with other EU countries, of 7 billion euros in 2000 according to Eurostat, rose to 47 billion in 2004. Today, over 55% of exchanges are made with continental Europe. Of course, shipping is always a very important role in British trade. But the tunnel has contributed significantly to this growth, less by the passage of freight trains (between 1.4 million and 2.8 million tons per year) than that of trucks on the shuttle 5 million to nearly 18 million tons in a dozen years before the crisis hits.

More than 100 million passengers for Eurostar
In passenger traffic, the trend is even more convincing. While only 2.9 million passengers had taken the Eurostar in 1995, they are now more than 8.5 million to cross the Channel every year in both directions, almost three times in just over ten years . And if we add the occupants of cars transported by shuttle bus (about 8 million people per year), then you are beyond 16 million crossings per year - less than half of Britons. The commissioning of the high speed line in Britain and the new St Pancras International in London in November 2007 gave a boost to passenger traffic. 

Business travelers will appreciate the fast connection between three European capitals (London and the City, Paris, Brussels): their number on board the Eurostar is growing twice as fast as all passengers. And the symbol of the growing importance of the TGV in the Channel, the 100 million Eurostar passengers was taken in late August 2009.

When is a high-speed information?
These successes can prevent outages caused by weather, although weather conditions have not been a catastrophic level on the night of December 18 to 19. One can understand the constraints that increase speed trains are facing. Too bad that it takes a detention of several days to detect the cause of a problem that could have been anticipated, if this is indeed the reason.

But we note from this is that, whatever the tricks played by a Winter TGV trains under the Channel became a tie that Europeans can not live without. And the British, today, less than other

Train travel is an ideal means of transport in the UK and the rest of Europe. Rail travel is fast, practical and convenient in both urban and more rural areas. Railway stations often allow for car hire services if you need access to a car or perhaps need to venture to an area not accessible by train.

Rail travel is often convenient even if you have flown partway to your destination. Train travel works well for personal or corporate travel, and can be an economical way to transport staff to a conference, event venue, or meetings. It can also be a luxurious and comfortable way to transport clients quickly and efficiently. Train travel is a viable option for conferences, annual meetings and other events throughout Europe. You may be pleasantly surprised to learn that you can easily opt for rail travel to or from the UK and mainland Europe.

Booking rail travel is easy thanks to online interfaces that offer planning, scheduling and trip organisation services. Both personal and corporate travel arrangements can be made easily and practically online. Whether you need to simply book a rail ticket or opt for a full package, both can be done with little effort. Corporate travel to events including annual meetings, conferences, and other events can be planned quickly and easily. Many online trip organisers even allow you to book airline tickets, car hires, rail travel and accommodations in one step. A well planned trip can be especially important for group travel, or for corporate travel arrangements. Discount on rail fares are even available for groups of more than ten.

Eurostar services offer fast check in and a short trip between London and Paris or Brussels. Eurostar allows you to travel in high speed comfort, with champagne, drinks, and food available at your seat in Leisure Select and Business Premier Classes. Business Premier may be an ideal choice for corporate hospitality or business travel to general meetings, conferences and PR events. Business Premier offers even faster check in services as well as additional business amenities. Standard class offers affordable and practical travel between London and France. Eurotunnel can also offer those travelling by car a helpful and cost effective rail option as you simply drive your car onto the shuttle and make a short 35 minute trip via shuttle to Calais, France.

Train travel is ideal in many ways as a corporate travel option, or even for corporate hospitality events. Comfortable rail travel is convenient and practical, and some train travel routes even offer wireless internet access and charging capabilities for laptop computers. If you are transporting important clients for PR events, product launches or exhibitions, rail travel can be an excellent choice. Train travel is an ideal choice for corporate hospitality, allowing your clientele to use their travel time for business needs or work.

While train travel works well for shorter trips, it is also ideal for longer trips. Sleeper cars are available on some train routes, allowing for a comfortable night's sleep. While train fares can be quite economical, first class seating in the UK and Europe will allow travellers an enjoyable and relaxing ride to their destination.

You can effectively extend a touring holiday of Europe by several days and perhaps save money. To do it you need a Eurail pass and a little forward planning. This is how it works. With a Eurail Pass you can go from city center to city center in Europe in great comfort at a reasonable price.

The key to this is the phrase 'city center to city center'.

Consider Paris. The airport, Charles de Gaulle, is 23 km north-east of Paris. If you go by taxi in either direction it costs the national debt and takes 45 minutes. There are regular buses and trains but your journey is never going to be less than 45 minutes. Leaving, you have security to go through and the airlines would like you there well before take-off. At least an hour, sometimes two hours.

Thus on any flight you find that as much as six hours, never less than four, are spent getting to the airport, checking in, flying, getting there and collecting your luggage. Then getting to the center of your destination.

By train, in every capital in Europe (I have searched and found no exception) you arrive in the center of the city.

Yes, you need to be at the train station ten minutes before the train leaves -- make it fifteen minutes to be on the safe side -- and when you get to your destination it is instant arrival. Your baggage is with you and you are there, bang in the center of the city. To test this stay with Paris for the moment.

At Easter -- one of the busiest times of the year for Paris -- I arrived at Gare de L'Est, one of the main stations of Paris. In the station was the tourist help desk -- every station in Europe has a help desk.

There I explained what I wanted -- an inexpensive (as in under 50 Euros a night) room in a hotel near Place Republique with a view over the rooftops of Paris. And I got it confirmed in ten minutes and went happily on my way. (In passing, it was the most romantic room I have ever had in a hotel anywhere and this was Paris in the spring and the chestnuts were in bloom and, alas, I was alone.)

On this trip I traveled from Salerno in Sicily right through Italy and then France, on to Spain to Barcelona to wonder at the work of Gaudi, back to Greece and then up again to Germany to Mainz. I had a lot of ground to cover and this was the best and least expensive and most pleasurable way. I saved a lot of time and a lot of money.

(And, if you are interested in old motorcycles you should know that I spent my birthday touring Sicily on a 350cc Royal Enfield which was an exact replica of the sixties model but made in Madras. I could have hired the 500 cc model but thought that going a bit over the top.)

You will typically only be dealing with relatively short travel times -- Paris to Lyon is two hours, Amsterdam to Cologne three hours, Geneva to Paris three-and-a-half hours and so on -- and these will be pleasurable experiences because the trains are fast, comfortable (especially in first class) and wonderfully quiet.

The best examples of the modern trains of Europe are the TGV trains of France, which are part of the Euro City network.

I am writing this while I travel on the TGV express -- TGV stands for Train a Grande Vitesse which translates, roughly, as high speed train -- from Paris to Avignon. The quietness -- we are running on rubber tyres -- is eerie. This is first class, and there is a three seat configuration in the carriage -- two and one. I am in the single seat, which is adjustable and comfortable.

There is a tip-down table, on which rests my computer.

We are now nipping through the suburbs of Paris at more than 200 kilometers an hour. We will eventually reach our maximum cruise speed, which is more than 270 kilometers an hour. There is no sway, no rattle, no lurch, and no jerk.

A gentleperson's conveyance for the grand tour of Europe.

For trains between big cities, the best bets are the super fast name trains like (ah ! the romance in the names) Catalan Tago, Maria Theresa, Voltaire, Leonardo da Vinci, Etoile du Nord. These are very fast and are almost never late.

Sometimes you will use the train only as high-speed, economical and comfortable transport, but at other times the train ride can be a sightseeing trip as well.

Bernina Express in Switzerland, the Bergen Express in Norway, and the Lois rail in France are examples where the journey is part of the scenic holiday.

Britain's trains may lack the break-neck speeds of some other European countries, but the rail network of England, Scotland and Wales is just as well developed. And speed isn't everything when you get more time to sit back and experience some of the most breathtaking scenery in the British Isles from the comfort of your chair.

Whether you're making a cross-country journey to marvel at the changing landscape, such as the Deerstalker Express from London Euston to the Scottish Highlands, or simply a local trip along well-established routes, train travel is often the most convenient way to get where you're going in the UK. Even if you live in the city, you're never too far from rolling green fields and coastal views, and train journeys offer a relaxing and reflective alternative to dealing with noisy traffic on busy motorways.

One of the nation's favourite train journeys is the route from Settle to Carlisle, connecting some of the major areas of the North of England, including Leeds. This charming 72-mile route travels through the spectacular Yorkshire Dales and also boasts a number of man-made attractions too, most notably the long tunnel at Blea Moor that's always a favourite with younger travellers.

The other side of Carlisle is just as well represented by the westerly route along the Cumbrian coast to Lancaster, which offers a number of diverse sights for travellers - from the industrial towns of Barrow and Workington to mudflats and salt marshes. You'll also get a tempting view of the spectacular Lake District, one of Britain's most remarkable areas of natural beauty.

Some of Britain's rail routes are tourist attractions themselves, rather than just being a convenient method of transport, and none more so than the charming steam trains which still carry passengers down heritage trails in many areas.

Some of the most delightful heritage routes can be found off the beaten track, such as the miniscule mile-and-a-quarter line from Craignure to Torosay Castle on the Scottish Isle of Mull. Others put passengers' mountaineering skills to the test, like the exhilarating rack-and-pinion haul up Snowdon in Wales.

Train travel is moving with the times, and still one of the best options for getting to and from places in Britain. For short journeys, they're a chance to save on petrol, and a more eco-friendly option for longer trips - that's not to mention the savings that can be made when getting train tickets online before you travel.

The cost of traveling in the UK can vary wildly, depending upon where you live. In general, if you reside in the bigger cities there tends to be more competition between rival transport operators - whether they are airline, train or coach companies - so chances are travelers will be paying a lot less per mile than their rural cousins. However, if you do live slightly out of the way, you may find traveling around the UK a lot more expensive. And if you reside in the sticks, forget public transport altogether; the infrastructure just isn’t there so a car is the only real alternative for getting around.

So, how do prices match up when it comes to differentiating between air, rail or road travel? For many years, air travel was only for the better off, with prices out of the reach of the masses. However, with the advent of low-cost airlines, competition increased and prices have dropped dramatically to the extent that an airline ticket can cost the same or less than mainline train tickets. Depending upon the carrier, a cheap return air ticket between London and Manchester can cost as little as £69 - comparing favorably against a return train trip fare of £110! However, low-cost domestic airlines only operate between major airports, which tend to be few and far between, giving the traveler less choice if they live outside the country's major conurbations.

Train operators have been subject to criticism lately, both over the cost of traveling and also their inability to consistently keep to their published timetables. Indeed, Virgin recently lost their cross-country franchise after 10 years service, mainly due to one in five trains arriving late and costing the government over £2m per week in subsidies. This move is seen by many as the start of price increases for train travelers, as the operators will now seek to recover their costs from the public rather than the government.

Coach travel is mostly a cheaper alternative to using trains or planes and in many cases can be even better value than car travel. Most coach travel in the UK operates between fixed routes on a timetable basis, but there are also many charter companies from which you can hire a coach to a destination of your choice. This is a handy solution if a group of people wish to travel to a special event, and again can prove cheaper than taking the car.

In summary, there are many options for traveling throughout the UK, but the majority of us still choose to use our own private transport. That is likely to continue until there is major investment in the rail and road infrastructure; until then traveling anywhere in the UK will continue to be frustrating, mostly expensive and largely unsatisfying.

Some vacationers might choose to arrive into the United Kingdom by air but they will change their mode of travel many times while they are there. The savvy shoppers prefer to travel UK by rail because the trains are much faster than some people care to walk even if the distance is just mile or so down the road.

Tourists really enjoy being able to travel UK subway systems because they might have seen them in many motion picture movies. There are many motion picture films which have captured the interior fixtures aboard trains throughout the United Kingdom. Some of those scenes were quite romantic and made people want to visit the United Kingdom just for the aura of romance it offered.

There were many people in the audience that were thrilled by the scenes in the motion picture movies because they could relate to the scenes that were captured and they fit them to a "T". Some of those scenes featured shoppers returning home after finding marvelous bargains and this was all possible because they chose to travel UK subway cars to their shopping destinations.

Subway tokens are always mentioned in the movies and travel UK destinations were identified by tickets. There are still porters who work each day on the railway system and they are there to provide visitors with a sense of well-being and to make sure that passengers have actually purchased a ticket. It is possible to travel UK from border to border without passengers having to worry about getting lost.

Smart shoppers know that they can venture into Scotland by rail too and ride the train all the way down to London if they wanted to. The railway systems are a bit more realistic to what motion picture movies portray trains to be. There are many opportunities to enjoy dinner in a dining car or buy some sweets and drinks from another railway car. Shoppers can even rest a while when they travel UK by rail because someone else is responsible for the driving portion of the trip.

Travelers have many opportunities to see parts of the United Kingdom that they have dreamed of seeing for many years. The meadows that slip by minute upon minute might have herds of sheep in them that roam freely. Some shoppers might start thinking about eating delicious cuts of lambs and then they will travel on wondering why some of the lambs were quite colorful on their backs. A seasoned shopper would know it was part of some ownership marking system of the country they are passing through.