[neil_s_wood]

The first thing that comes to mind is the quality of the journey and trains. I don't get on a train here inless I have to and I love train travel. The train service in the UK while I think it is good is very expensive for what it is and discourages me from using it when it would otherwise be my prefered mode of travel.

There are many factors why train would be popular in Switzerland and Japan rather than here or the UK. Lack of investment by the government would be one major reason.

 

[neil_s_wood]

Thanks guys for showing me the opposite end of the rail travel market from the one I have to deal with.

Here are some more from that survey.

42 Switzerland
28 Denmark, Luxemburg
24 Austria
22 Germany

and km's travelled

1. 1900 Km Japan
2. 1739 Km Switzerland
3. 1418 Km Belarus
4. 1266 Km France
5. 1150 Km Ukraine
6. 1090 Km Denmark
7. 1046 Km Austria
8. 990 Km Russia
9. 936 Km Hungary
10. 914 Km Germany

I notice Russia, Ukraine and Belarus feature prominently. I guess thats more about the distances they have to travel?

 

[neil_s_wood]

QUOTE (dwb @ 18 Feb 2007, 21:51) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>>I notice Russia,
That will be the trans-Siberian I expect. And St. Petersburg - Moscow isn't short either although I don't know the distance. For a "flavour" of what long distance train travel in Russia is like, read this recent piece on the BBC's "From our own correspondent".

David
Very different from long distance travel in India. Every time the train stopped there a whole procession of people selling everything you can imagine would parade by. Although the service in no way compares with that of Switzerland, in terms of friendlyness and sheer enjoyment and entertainment, my best journeys were in India.

 

[neil_s_wood]

QUOTE Here's a picture of the trailer driving car. This one is nicknamed the "Dino" car because of the graphic on the side:-
Roco actually do a model of this coach