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Forbes
13-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Best Bike-Friendly Trains In Europe - Belgian And Swiss Top Rankings
A new report evaluated the bicycle friendliness of 67 long-distance train operators across Europe. Belgian and Swiss national railways, followed by MÁV-START in Hungary, are the most cycle-friendly train companies in Europe. Each garnered an 'excellent' 18 companies, including Deutsche Bahn in Germany, ÖBB in Austria, the NS in the Netherlands, PKP Intercity in Poland, and the SNCF in France, were ranked 'good.' Snälltåget (Sweden) was rated 'very poor.' Those are a few highlights of a new report that evaluated and ranked 67 long-distance train companies in Europe for the quality of infrastructure and services they provide to make bicycle-friendly travel a reality for more cyclists across the continent. 'Cyclists Love Trains 2025: An analysis of the bicycle friendliness of European railway operators,' was released on Tuesday by the European Cyclists' Federation (ECF), a Brussels-based nonprofit umbrella group with more than 70 member organizations in over 40 countries. For leisure travelers planning to enjoy Europe's cities and countryside from the seat of a bicycle in combination with rail journeys, and for local commuters who use both modes of transport to get to and from work, the ease of combined bike-and-train travel is important, according to the ECF, which advocates to improve cycling and promote it as a sustainable, healthy and cost-effective way to get around. Companies received one of five overall ratings, from the top 'excellent' to 'very poor,' based on six criteria: number of dedicated bike storage or carriage spaces; ease of booking; cost of transport; access to information in a number of languages; functionality of website; and availability of bike sharing programs. In Belgium, NMBS/SNCB was cited for expanding its bike carriage capacity by 20% since 2021 and for developing the accessibility app BikeOnTrain. In Switzerland, SBB/CFF/FFS was noted for providing ample capacity for bicycle carriage, and for booking channels and website/ app functionality. In 2023, the railway carried some 1.7 million bicycles on its entire train network. Hungary's MÁV-START 'particularly excels in providing generous bicycle carriage capacity on routes to popular tourist destinations. It also performs well on affordability and software functionality,' according to the updated report, first published in 2021. The second edition was released as Velo-city was set to begin in Gdansk, Poland. The annual cycling planning and promotion conference is co-organized by the ECF and a different city every year. Other key findings from the report: 'Despite these challenges,' the report noted, 'ECF is optimistic about the momentum towards greater bicycle-train integration.' The cycling group said that new wagon acquisitions by train operators since 2021 have largely incorporated bicycle-friendly features, and a new EU regulation on rail passengers' rights that became effective on June 7 2025, 'will establish a legal minimum for bicycle spaces on trains.' The ECF's recommends that train operators adopt the following measures to improve bicycle-carriage on trains: For more information about the European Cyclists' Federation, click here. To read the full report, click here.
Daily Mail
09-06-2025
- Daily Mail
Brits who challenge train ticket inspectors or make silly mistakes when booking are at risk of getting a criminal RECORD, new report reveals
Train passengers who are caught travelling without a valid ticket could find themselves with an unexpected criminal record, it has emerged. A review published by the Office of Rail and Road revealed that even passengers who have mistakenly bought the wrong tickets for their journey could be prosecuted if their appeals against a penalty fare are rejected. Penalty fares are handed by inspectors to passengers without a valid ticket while travelling and on National Rail services typically cost around £100 plus the full cost of a single fare for the journey. They can be appealed within 21 days of receipt. But in some extreme cases, fines of up to £1000 can be brought forward if a person is convicted of travelling with the intent to avoid payment. The rule change comes in a bid to clamp down on fare-dodging and was ruled by a judgement from the Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring earlier this year. An extract from the independent review reads: 'In February 2025, the Chief Magistrate ruled on whether an unsuccessful penalty fare appeal provided protection from prosecution for certain fare evasion offences. 'He ruled that criminal prosecutions can be brought following a penalty fare appeal being rejected.' Christian Waters, 47, from Leeds, was targeted for prosecution in 2022 after he had an appeal for a penalty fare rejected and told The Telegraph that the ruling, which was until now private, should have been made public. He said: 'Why was this ruling not published, given it affects the protection of that hundreds of thousands of passengers would assume they had from the regulations?' Mr Waters eventually had his case dropped after realising Northern Rail, a train company owned by the government, had broken their rules by trying to prosecute him at the time. He says his avoidance of prosecution now feels like he 'got off on a technicality' and still disputes that their ticket machine was not working at the time. The ruling at Westminster Magistrates' Court, which was allegedly seen by the newspaper, came after the also government-owned Southeastern asked the court if previous convictions it had brought were lawful. The newspaper last night reported that Judge Goldspring said: 'It is clearly irrational that a person who brought an unmeritorious appeal could not be prosecuted, whereas someone who did not could be.' Rules for commuters hit with penalty fares originally brought to the House of Commons had always sought to avoid seeing passengers criminalised. Conservative peer Lord Marshall told Parliament in 1988: 'If, however, a passenger on a train is not in possession of a ticket, he is not to be treated as a criminal under this bill. 'He is simply asked to pay a penalty fare which is a civil penalty and not a criminal one.' Regulation 11 (3) of the Railways (Penalty Fares) Regulations Act 2018 states that prosecution is only allowed where the penalty has been cancelled by the operator before the appeal panel has decided the outcome. Judge Goldspring allegedly said in February that prosecutors 'should not bring a prosecution if it is excluded' and that there is 'no obligation on the court to investigate whether the defendant has a defence'. Private company Appeal Services handle all penalty fare appeals, and are paid by train operating companies to do so. Its website reportedly says that four in five first-stage appeals were rejected in the last 28 days. A Department for Transport spokesperson told MailOnline: 'Deliberate fare-dodging costs the taxpayer up to £400 million annually – money which could be better spent on improving passenger experience. 'This must be dealt with in a balanced manner, which is why Great British Railways will bring operators together to establish oversight and better standardise practices, putting an end to inconsistent prosecutions and making sure passengers are treated fairly. 'We're working at pace to simplify ticketing as part of our rail reforms, to alleviate confusion and make it easier for people to buy the right fare.' They added that only a small number of prosecutions could see a person land a criminal record.
The Independent
04-06-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Rail fare dodger – or simply bamboozled by the train ticketing ‘system'?
One million pounds per day: that is how much fare dodging costs the country. TransPennine Express estimates one in 30 of its passengers does not have a valid ticket. Unsurprisingly, train operators are keen to catch people who set out to travel ticketless. But as today's report from the Office for Rail and Road (ORR) shows: they can often be heavy-handed. Some people inadvertently find that they are travelling without a valid ticket simply because the fare system is so darn complicated. Take the journey from Bristol to London. Forget for a moment about complications such as advance tickets and railcard conditions. All you want is a standard ticket for immediate departure, whether you buy it from a ticket office (which only two out of five passengers do), online or through a ticket machine. A so-called 'walk-up ticket' comes in five different financial flavours (rounded here to the nearest pound). There's an anytime ticket, price £139, which it is difficult to imagine anyone buying. Rational passengers who need to travel in the rush hour would go for the 'Didcot dodge'. You travel on the same train, in the same seat – just making sure it is one of the majority of services that stop at Didcot Parkway in leafy Oxfordshire. That will save you (or whoever is paying for your ticket) £52. Anyone with a bit of flexibility can halve the number Great Western Railway first thought of by buying an off-peak ticket, price £67, for journeys between the peaks leaving London, and in the morning rush-hour only when heading from Bristol to the capital. A bit more flex? The fare can fall a further one-third to £45, with a slightly more restrictive super-off-peak. But perhaps you're in no great hurry to reach the capital? If you are happy to go the exceptionally pretty way through Bradford-on-Avon and Westbury, changing trains in Salisbury – that's another 33 per cent discount, down to £33. By now you may be reaching for the car keys – or perhaps the FlixBus or National Express apps, to secure a straightforward and low-cost option on the motorway. And that's before the complexity of advance tickets and complicated railcard rules, which include some discounts that are available only in July and August. Before you exclaim indignantly about the laughable complexity of it all, perhaps I can persuade you that there are good reasons for this range of options? While the 'system' baked in at the time of privatisation remains in place, the clunky inevitability of a 'cliff-face' drop or rise in fares at the prescribed rush-hour boundaries will continue, and it will be in the commercial interests of the rail firms – and the taxpayer – to offer progressively lower prices if you are prepared to travel on the quietest trains or via a roundabout route. Inevitably, though, some people find themselves travelling without the appropriate ticket. Or they may make a mistake online and select '16-25 Railcard' rather than '26-30' – and, even though the ticket price is exactly the same, face possible prosecution. For me, that was the most shocking aspect of the ORR report – that railway people would conclude that an error which made no difference to fare revenue was worthy of pursuit. The staff I have encountered would have had a quiet word to just recommend more care next time. The best policy for any passenger uncertain of the validity of their ticket/railcard combo is simply to ask staff on the station gateline or the train guard whether they can travel. But some will remain blissfully unaware that they have the wrong sort of ticket. I contend that most of the people who inadvertently breach fare rules are making occasional journeys and are bamboozled by the range of fares and railcard rules. Conversely, most of the 'professional' fare dodgers know exactly what they are doing and are making regular journeys for which they don't fancy paying the right price. It is down to rail staff to judge which side each errant traveller is on. And, from my observation, most of the time they get it right.
Daily Mail
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Disabled train passenger is forced to move so Coronation Street stars on way to Soap Awards could have their own private carriage
A train company has sparked fury after a disabled passenger were forced to move so Coronation Street stars on their way to the British Soap Awards could enjoy their own 'exclusive' carriage. Passengers were denied access to their allocated seats by Avanti West Coast staff on Saturday so the TV stars could sit together and have a carriage to themselves. The Corrie stars, alongside their makeup artists, were travelling from Manchester Piccadilly to London Euston to attend the awards - with a sign on a carriage door the same day reading 'Exclusive carriage - Sorry for today's journey this carriage is not available'. The sign added: 'If you have a reservation please speak to the host for your reallocated seat!' Once the journey was underway, an Avanti staff member reportedly guarded the door to Standard Premium to stop anyone from entering as the cast drank prosecco. Several stars posted photographs of themselves and the cast while on the train, including Cait Fitton and Channique Sterling-Brown. Passenger Matthew Nichols furiously took to social media to report the incident, posting on X: 'Good morning from an @AvantiWestCoast train where disabled passengers are being removed from their pre-existing seat reservations so that the cast of a TV show can sit together in one carriage. 'Makes you wonder if Avanti prioritises corporate bookings over disabled customers.' He added: 'Once the journey was underway, an Avanti staff member [stood] guard at the door to the coach, prohibiting anyone else from entering. 'At the same time, some of the cast from the TV show were keen to bring their friends through from the adjacent coach to join them... in drinking prosecco. 'So, disabled people are removed from their seat reservations whilst Avanti staff guard the doors so that the actors from a TV show (why do they *have* to sit together?) can drink Prosecco and bring their mates in.' In response to the furious post, Avanti West Coast @AvantiWestCoast replied: 'Hi Matthew. We're extremely sorry to hear this. Are you able to please provide me with further information about your experience, and let me know which service you're travelling on via DM? Many thanks!' Former Corrie actress Tracie Bennett described the incident as 'horrendous behaviour', while comedian Jennie Éclair said she could not believe the actors would be 'complicit'. Stars of the country's favourite soaps descended on Hackney Empire in London on Saturday for the annual bash which was hosted by Jane McDonald. But it was the BBC's EastEnders that cleaned up on the night with eight awards while Hollyoaks received three, Emmerdale two and Coronation Street only one. They kicked off their wins with Best Episode which went to Phil's Psychosis: The Mitchells In 1985. EastEnders also won Scene of the Year for Angie Watts' Shock Return while Navin Chowdhry won Best Villain for his role of Nish Panesar.
The Independent
21-05-2025
- The Independent
Wheelchair user misses train and branded ‘rude' by station staff after they refused to get ramp
A wheelchair user missed her train when staff refused to assist her with a ramp and called her 'rude' after she complained. Anna Landre, 26, had planned to travel to Cambridge from London Liverpool Street on Sunday, but was forced to cancel her plans when station staff were 'too busy' to help her on the train. She arrived at the station 15 minutes before her train was set to leave at 11am and went to the information desk to let them know which train she was getting and that she would need a ramp. 'Some stations are excellent, and you can arrive like any other non-disabled person five minutes before the train and they're happy, whereas others look at you and say, no, you're not here 30 minutes before, and won't even try,' the PhD student told the Independent. It got to five minutes before her train was scheduled to leave, and she was told the staff were 'really busy' and would not be able to help her. Ms Landre remained hopeful that platform or onboard staff would be able to help. However, she was told they did not have any ramp keys and could not assist her. When a member of staff from Liverpool Street Station eventually arrived to help her, it was too late and she missed the train. Frustrated, but still hopeful she could get the next train in 30 minutes, Ms Landre went back to the desk to request assistance again. Passengers with a disability can book assistance before they travel – like buying a ticket in advance, but this fails around a quarter of the time, Caroline Stickland, CEO of Transport for All explained. An alternative is 'Turn Up and Go', which allows people to simply arrive at the station and ask for assistance. 'Turn Up and Go can be piecemeal. Only 11 per cent of stations are staffed all the time, which can make turning up and going quite challenging,' Ms Stickland added. A few minutes after Ms Landre missed her train, a member of staff came over to ask if she had pre-booked assistance. 'I explained that I have the right to turn up and go, but he kept explaining that they were very busy and have to help people who are booked first,' Ms Landre said. 'I told him, I know my rights. I know the law. I don't need a lecture on it. He just kept going and I said it again. I'm just waiting for the next train, and he really didn't like that and said I was rude, and he would not help me.' The member of staff went to his manager, who then told Ms Landre she understood she was rude to a member of staff and was frustrated. Although Ms Landre agreed that she was frustrated for missing a train, she did not believe she was rude. Minutes later another manager stepped in with two security guards and Ms Landre claims she was told they would not be providing assistance to her, leaving Ms Landre no option but to cancel her plans and go home. A Network Rail spokesperson said: 'We are really sorry that Ms Landre had this experience when using our station. 'Our director for the Anglia region, which includes responsibility for Liverpool Street station, spoke with Ms Landre this morning and personally apologised for her experience. 'Our aim is to provide a positive experience for each and every passenger and she should never have been denied assistance to board a train and we know we let her down.' Network Rail will now be launching an investigation into what went wrong but for Ms Landre, the ordeal has left her feeling anxious to travel. 'I think for most wheelchair users traveling is very anxiety-inducing because the system fails us so frequently. Then we're painted as the irrational, anxious or unreasonable ones for reacting in a very rational way,' she said. Ms Landre explained she avoids taking trains to work or university because the 'Turn Up and Go' system is 'unreliable'. 'It's such an overlying just burden and cloud over a life that is already challenging because of the additional logistics necessary to live in an inaccessible world,' she said. Ms Stickland said: 'We all want the freedom to travel when we need to, but disabled people are often blocked from that by inaccessible stations and information. 'We hear about horrific experiences like Anna's every single day, but they are not recorded anywhere official. 'Companies have targets around leaves on the line or how many minutes late trains are, but nobody's measuring how often disabled people are stranded - we are erased from the data.'
