rail – The News Desk

Plans to close rail ticket offices have been cancelled – Business Traveller

31Oct

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Plans to close rail ticket offices have been cancelled – Business Traveller

Plans for the proposed closure of around 860 rail ticket offices in England have been abandoned after a U-turn in government policy. Rail Delivery Group (RDG) first announced the mass closure of staffed ticket offices this summer, citing that only around 12 per cent of tickets were still purchased this way. However the cost-cutting proposal sparked major backlash, particularly from unions and disability groups, with the Transport Committee saying measures went “too far, too fast“. Around 750,000 responses were received by public watchdogs during the consultation process, with 99 per cent of people opposing the proposals. Today, Transport Secretary Mark Harper revealed the government has told train operators to withdraw their proposals, as they “failed to reach the high threshold of servi...

Rail strike planned for 30 September and 4 October – Business Traveller

19Sep

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Rail strike planned for 30 September and 4 October – Business Traveller

Rail strikes are set to continue into the autumn, with workers across 16 train companies set to walk out later this month. The ASLEF union says that members will walk out on 30 September and 4 October in a dispute over working conditions and pay. There will also be an overtime ban for drivers on 29 September, and then from 2 October until 6 October. Mick Whelan, ASLEF’s general secretary, said: “While we regret having to take this action – we don’t want to lose a day’s pay, or disrupt passengers, as they try to travel by train – the government, and the employers, have forced us into this position. Our members have not, now, had a pay rise for four years – since 2019 – and that’s not right when prices have soared in that time. Train drivers, perfectly reasonably, want to be able to buy no...

France to launch low-cost rail pass in 2024 – Business Traveller

12Sep

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France to launch low-cost rail pass in 2024 – Business Traveller

France is set to launch a cheap monthly rail pass next summer, following the likes of Germany’s Deutschland-Ticket. Transport minister Clément Beaune told France 2 that the rail pass will allow unlimited travel on TER regional and intercity trains throughout the country and cost around €49. The initiative aims to mimic Germany’s Deutschland-Ticket, introduced earlier this year, which provides unlimited nationwide travel by rail, tram and bus for €49 per month (£43). Germany to launch €49 monthly rail pass on May 1 France’s rail pass aims to promote the use of trains, with the announcement coming a few months after the country banned domestic short-haul flights which could alternatively be travelled by train in under two and a half hours. Beaune added that there will be the potential to ...

2Sep

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Price of Japan Rail Pass to Increase

Indeed, one common rule of thumb for the seven-day pass is that it essentially pays for itself after a single Tokyo-Kyoto round trip. For motivated travelers, a pass can mean savings in the thousands of dollars.What’s changingIn April, the JR Group, which operates the expansive network of shinkansen as well as local and regional lines, announced that prices for an ordinary class, seven-day rail pass will jump to 50,000 yen (about $342) from 29,650 yen (about $203), while Green Car class seven-day passes will increase to 70,000 yen from 39,600 yen. The 14- and 21-day passes will see similar increases in the 65 percent to 71 percent range.In an email, a spokesman for the JR Group noted that despite improvements to its services — including extending shinkansen lines and increasing the covera...

Rail strikes planned for 26 August and 2 September – Business Traveller

11Aug

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Rail strikes planned for 26 August and 2 September – Business Traveller

Rail workers are set to strike across 14 train operating companies later this month. The RMT union says that 20,000 members will walk out on 26 August and 2 September in a dispute over working conditions, pay and job security. The union states that it has “been left with little choice” as it has not yet seen an “improved or revised offer from the Rail Delivery Group”. The 14 train operating companies include: Avanti West Coast Chiltern Railways Cross Country Trains c2c East Midlands Railway Greater Anglia Great Western Railway (GWR) GTR (including Gatwick Express) LNER Northern Trains South Eastern South Western Railway Transpennine Express West Midlands Trains RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “The mood among our members remains solid and determined in our national dispute over p...

Milan Bergamo begins work on airport rail station – Business Traveller

19Jul

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Milan Bergamo begins work on airport rail station – Business Traveller

The airport is also building a new northern taxiway, which will increase capacity by 35 per cent, alongside the addition of three new aircraft stands. Ryanair is the biggest carrier at Milan Bergamo, serving the airport from UK destinations including Birmingham, Bristol, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Liverpool, London Stansted, Manchester and Newacastle. EasyJet also operates flights to Bergamo from Gatwick. Milan Bergamo is one of three airports in the Milan area, the others being Milan Malpensa and Milan Linate. The airport recently recorded its busiest ever day, welcoming 50,242 passengers on June 11. Commenting on the news Giacomo Cattaneo, director of commercial aviation, SACBO, said: “We have been working continuously to ensure the airport’s infrastructure development allows us to hand...

Virgin Red adds option to redeem points against rail ticket purchases – Business Traveller

15Jul

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Virgin Red adds option to redeem points against rail ticket purchases – Business Traveller

Virgin Red is continuing to add new options for members to redeem their Virgin Points, with the latest partnership with the group’s Virgin Trains Ticketing app. Members can now put their points towards the purchase of rail tickets across Great Britain, starting from 200 points for a £1 discount, up to 50,000 points for a £250 discount. The redemption rate values one Virgin Point at 0.5p, which is the same as the new Costa, Pizza Express and Nike gift card redemption options which were launched last month. https://www.businesstraveller.com/business-travel/2023/06/28/virgin-red-adds-gift-card-redemption-options/ The Virgin Trains Ticketing app already allows members to earn three points for every £1 spent on rail tickets. To celebrate the launch of the new redemption option, Virgin Trains ...