A couple years ago, we were all able to live our greatest dream of wearing repurposed airline seat covers, thanks to Worn Again, which turned worn-out covers from Virgin Atlantic planes into bags and accessories.
This year, they've taken the collaboration several steps further by branching out from Virgin to include Eurostar, and hiring UK designer Christopher Raeburn to create the products. And for the first time, all of the products are completely made in the UK.]]>
Planes, trains and automobiles, indeed! Today, Virgin Atlantic announced that they've struck a deal to partner up with the Eurostar train, making it possible to book a seamless journey on both international flights and high-speed European rail.
For example, book a flight to London-Heathrow on Virgin Atlantic and you'll have the option to also book and reserve a seat on a Eurostar train from London to Brussels or Paris. No more separate ticketing necessary; hop your flight then hop a train through the Channel Tunnel. Of course it eliminates the need for the connecting flight to the same European capitals, but taking the train is often preferred. ]]>
We are positively blushing with excitement over the latest NYT train travel news out of Italy: in 2011, a "new privately owned high-speed train company, Nuovo Trasporto Viaggiatori, will introduce a stylish, candy-apple-red fleet of 25 trains collectively known as .Italo."
It's estimated that speeds on the new train will reach 225 mph, effectively cutting the old 6-hour trip between Rome and Milan down to three hours—the Eurostar does it no faster than four hours now. This won't be the only .Italo route however, as it's scheduled to run the main corridors between Turin and Naples, crowded routes we know all too well.]]>
It's a crazy world out there, complete with wild animals on planes and trains racing each other through tunnels; all stuff which once belonged to action films.
We recently mentioned that Europe's high speed train systems are deregulating—which should lead to more competition and cheaper train fares for zipping across Europe. Well, there's even more good news for the budget traveler now.
The High Speed One track, which links London's St Pancras Station to the Chunnel, is about to be sold off and it's expected that the new owner will open up the track to more than just Eurostar. The word is that at the least, both Air France and Germany's Deustche Bahn are keen to set up rival trains to make the crossing between Britain and continental Europe.]]>
Trouble must be trickling upward for a change: Pop star Miley Cyrus was spotted arriving at St Pancras Station in London to catch the Eurostar to Paris. Wait... a train?
Ticket sales on European lines probably haven't soared the way they have in the US, because they haven't entirely caught the cold other economies did when the American stock market sneezed. But you don't see Vanessa Hudgens on a train. Is Hannah Montana afraid of flying?
Related Stories:
· Miley Cyrus Much Easier To Find Than Waldo [Jaunted]
· Dangerous Movie Set Travel: Extras In Peril At "Hannah Montana" Shoot [Jaunted]
· Celeb Travel coverage [Jaunted]
[Photo: Celebrity-Gossip.net]]]>
As news swept the wires Thursday that the Channel Tunnel was closed because of a fire, visitors to Eurostar's website remained in the dark about any trouble at all. One would-be passenger who checked online before heading to the station told the BBC:
[The website] just said delays are expected but it didn't say anything about canceled services, so we came today and it's not happening. We are going to see if we can get a bus to Dover and a ferry to Calais.
Now, though, the train line has prominently posted updates about the situation--and the fact that the Chunnel will remain closed at least until Saturday.
But because investigators are still trying to sort out exactly what happened, Eurostar says it has no way of knowing when service will recommence. The company is advising ticket holders to look into other options if they want to travel between England and France this weekend.
Related Stories:
· Updates on the Situation and Refund Info [Official Site]
· Weekend Hit by Tunnel Disruption [BBC]
· Channel Tunnel Fire Shuts Down UK-France Trains [Jaunted]]]>
Your trains can't save you now, Europe! A fire has closed the Channel Tunnel to all traffic, and more than 30 people escaped the blaze through a separate service tunnel. A load of phenol was at the heart of the incident, though it's not known yet what sparked the fire.
All train service through the Chunnel has been suspended until Friday. The UK-France rail link handles 50 departures daily, so the effect on travelers isn't slight.
As far as we can tell, even the Eurostar website hasn't been updated with the news--or tips on what ticket-holding passengers should do, though a spokesman tells The Guardian:
Our priority is to find alternative means of travel for those passengers who are stranded.
Related Stories:
· Eurostar [Official Site]
· Channel Tunnel Evacuated after Fire [Guardian]
· Channel Tunnel Rail Services Suspended [Reuters]
· Train Travel coverage [Jaunted]
[Photo: lazytom]]]>