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Buying a night train ticket, AKA the worst task on the web - S08 E01

If you've ever tried to buy a night train ticket on a platform that usually sells day trains, you know it's pure hell. And it's the same when you're buying from the actual merchant.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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8.19.23

23.9.2023

Should we become a Railway Company? Nicolas challenges our vision - S07 E03

This time, it's official: Nicolas Bargelès is a full-time part of the Midnight Trains adventure. But his immense expertise in the railway world raises new and fundamental questions for Adrien and Romain.‍

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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8.12.23

23.9.2023

We’ve found a rare gem - S07 E02

While Romain and Adrien await Nicolas' response, they reflect on the difficulty they had in finding a profile like his. They describe his journey and passion for rail travel.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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8.5.23

23.9.2023

Recruiting slowly to find the best talent - S07 E01

While Romain and Adrien have already enlisted the services of several partners and consultants who are specialists in their field, they’re now forging ahead with their first hire. And it’s a big one.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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7.29.23

23.9.2023

A mass catering operation like none other - S06 E03

Adrien and Romain now have business partners to help them create the catering service they want for their trains. But they will discover that delivering high-quality catering en masse, especially with good-quality products, is more complicated than it seems.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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7.22.23

23.9.2023

Feeding hundreds of passengers properly - S06 E02

Adrien and Romain now know the direction they want for the catering on their trains. But in order to feed all those beautiful people, they need someone with an extraordinary background. But, as it happens, they have an idea in mind.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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7.15.23

23.9.2023

No haute cuisine, but no plain sandwiches either - S06 E01

For Adrien and Romain, food was an essential component of Midnight Trains. Now they needed to work out what their future passengers could eat and drink on board their trains.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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7.8.23

23.9.2023

The emergence of Midnight Trains - S05 E03

Now Adrien and Romain had decided to launch the brand publicly, well before the actual Midnight Trains were on the market, they had to work on a communications plan. And it turned out, this would provoke a flurry of interest throughout the French and international press.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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7.1.23

23.9.2023

To launch or not to launch? - S05 E02

When they created the Midnight Trains brand, Adrien and Romain knew that they wouldn’t be able to launch any sleeper trains for a good few years. So a crucial question: should they make themselves known to the wider public? Or remain in the shadows until the trains are ready to go?

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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6.24.23

7.7.2023

The meeting with Yorgo & Co - S05 E01

While they were researching how to buy and lay out their trains, Adrien and Romain went about creating the Midnight Trains brand. To do this, they recruited Yorgo Tloupas, one of Europe’s greatest artistic directors. It was a meeting of minds that was all the more important for our brand’s identity because Yorgo is passionate about all things transport and mobility.‍

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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6.17.23

25.8.2023

Designing the interior of new trains - S04 E04

Romain and Adrien had finally found the trains they were searching for. But now, they had to come up with the layouts, technical specifics and interior design with the help of Yellow Window, Luigi Martinelli and the manufacturer. Starting from a blank slate didn’t make things any simpler.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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6.10.23

25.8.2023

On the hunt for new stock - S04 E03

Now they’d abandoned the option of buying second-hand rolling stock, Romain and Adrien started looking for brand-new trains. But because they were a private company, and one that was so new to the market, this would prove no simple task.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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6.3.23

8.9.2023

Where did the idea for autonomous vehicles come from? - S04 E01

Unlike flying cars, which we looked at in our first series, self-driving cars are already in action in several parts of the world. But where exactly did the idea for these vehicles come from? And how has it evolved over the years?

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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6.3.23

1.9.2023

Going on a treasure hunt - S04 E02

While they were attempting to redesign second-hand Spanish trains remotely, Adrien and Romain explored other avenues for second-hand rolling stock. These would lead them, virtually, from Belgium to Russia and the living room of a rather famous French actress.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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5.27.23

20.6.2023

Will our fleets be powered by hydrogen anytime soon?‍ - S03 E04

Insufficient ‘green’ hydrogen production, the many technological challenges that may get in the way of motorisation and the explosion in the number of planes in our skies: hydrogen-fuelled aircraft won’t be zooming across our skies anytime soon. No way.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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5.27.23

1.9.2023

Redesigning second-hand trains - S04 E01

At the same time they were carrying out their analyses and raising funds, Romain and Adrien were looking to purchase rolling stock. Some second-hand Spanish trains had caught their eye, but this would involve redesigning them. No simple task.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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5.20.23

8.6.2023

Could the technology be rolled out widely? - S03 E03

Now we know a little more about the production of green hydrogen and the technological challenges that may get in the way of motorisation, it remains to be seen if this technology could ever be rolled out at large scale in our skies.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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5.20.23

31.8.2023

Our friends the venture capitalists - S03 E02

While the first fundraising round for Midnight Trains was launched in a rather unexpected way, loads of potential investors soon got in touch with Adrien and Romain.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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5.13.23

8.6.2023

Can planes really be powered by hydrogen? - S03 E02

Now we’ve studied the production of hydrogen necessary for a carbon-neutral fleet, next we’ll be looking at how feasible it actually is to power planes using this technology. Because despite all the hype, things might not be so simple.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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5.13.23

8.6.2023

Putting ideas on paper - S03 E01

Adrien and Romain had found the perfect consultants to help them refine their projected costs and revenue. So it was time to move onto the next stage: fundraising. It would prove quite the challenge.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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5.6.23

8.6.2023

Can hydrogen be green? - S03 E01

When it comes to reducing the huge environmental impact of air traffic, hydrogen fuel is often put forward as one of the most viable solutions. But is this so-called low-carbon energy as green as claimed?

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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5.6.23

17.8.2023

Tracking down the best railway consultants - S02 E04

Adrien and Romain now had a pretty precise idea of costs and future revenue for Midnight Trains. Their next task was to recruit a team of specialist railway consultants. The only problem? This industry doesn’t really work like any other.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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4.29.23

8.6.2023

Can it make a dent in the aviation industry? - S02 E03

Now that we all know a little more about the history of speed on the railways – and the infrastructure required – it’s time to ask a crucial question. Can trains travelling at 1,000 kilometres/hour eradicate the plane? And if so, over what sort of distance?

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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4.22.23

8.6.2023

First we figured out the costs, now for revenue - S02 E03

Now Romain and Adrien had cross-referenced their advice from experts with their analysis of the railway-sector economics, they had to come up with their company’s potential revenue. To do this, they looked at both the sleeper-train market and the aviation industry.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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4.22.23

8.6.2023

Can we create the necessary infrastructure? - S02 E02

For the pursuit of speed to keep rolling on, it will be necessary to build new infrastructure all over the globe. But would this be economically, technologically or environmentally feasible? The jury’s out.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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4.15.23

Diving into the business units - S02 E02

While Adrien set up meetings with railway experts, Romain started exploring the economics of the industry. His main aim? To try and make it fit Midnight Trains’ unique economic model.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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4.15.23

8.6.2023

Two centuries in pursuit of speed - S02 E01

Since the railways were invented, engineers and operators have always aimed to make trains as fast as possible. To such an extent that Very, Very High-Speed may soon be a reality.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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4.8.23

8.6.2023

“That’s impossible, guys” - S02 E01

During lockdown, Adrien and Romain started to immerse themselves in the industry. The only problem? Most experts in the sector tell them that setting up a business like Midnight trains is impossible. But it would take a lot more than that to stop them.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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4.8.23

8.6.2023

Is the flying car incompatible with our era? - S01 E04

Unable to find the right economic model, hampered by regulation and wrongly supported by automobile manufacturers, the flying car really does seem like a distant reality. Above all because it looks like it’s fundamentally incompatible with our era.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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4.1.23

8.6.2023

Setting up a transport business in the middle of lockdown - S01 E04

Like the rest of humanity, Adrien and Romain were locked down for months. As well as putting together the Midnight Trains board, they consulted experts across the sector. Except that at that time, European train services were shutting down one after the other.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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4.1.23

8.6.2023

When will it see the light of day? - S02 E04

Now that we know what led to the race for the (very, very) high-speed and we’ve explored its potential, it’s time to ask whether it will actually see the light of day in our lifetimes. And if we had one bit of advice? Don’t put much money on it.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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3.29.23

8.6.2023

Why do flying-car prototypes keep being made? - S01 E03

Despite the conclusions of our first two episodes, the press regularly hails the arrival of the flying car based on the results of experiments and success of prototypes. The reasons for this aren’t what you might expect.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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3.25.23

8.6.2023

Stick with what you know - S01 E03

The more they worked on the project, Romain started to believe in the future of Midnight Trains and having no doubt that he and Adrien were a good team, he became his business partner in the venture. Together they started to move in railway circles in an effort to form a board.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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3.25.23

27.6.2023

Can drones revive the flying car? - S01 E02

With their innovative motors and ability to take off horizontally, drones have carved out a space in our skies over the past decade or so. But could they become fully-fledged vehicles one day too?

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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3.18.23

8.6.2023

EasyJet started with £5 million and two planes - S01 E02

Adrien is now sure of himself: he’s going to launch a night-train company that meets travellers’ needs – right now and in the future. His first idea was to take inspiration from what was done in the aviation sector. Wrongly.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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3.18.23

8.6.2023

The impossible fantasy of total freedom - E01 S01

Since the start of the twentieth century, inventors have built flying-car prototypes of all sorts. From cars with foldable wings to mini-planes with detachable limbs, they’ve tried basically everything. But never with any real success.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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3.11.23

8.6.2023

A railway aperitif, a Greek island and an idea - S01 E01

Adrien tells us about two trips – a night train with his other half and a holiday in Greece with one of his friends – that inspired the idea for Midnight Trains. Two experiences which have ended up changing his life.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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3.11.23

8.6.2023

On board the stunning Cévennes railway in the French mountains

In the nineteenth century, a huge railway was built through the Massif Central.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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2.25.23

5.6.2023

Welcome to Rotterdam

Known for its ultra-modern, avant-garde architecture, it makes for quite the scenic getaway too.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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2.25.23

5.6.2023

Thalys is making way for Eurostar

It’s official: the Thalys brand is no more. But rest assured that this legendary passenger service isn’t going to disappear from the European railway industry.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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2.24.23

5.6.2023

How a small French town revived a historic train

An early-twentieth-century Autorail (a French word for a single powered railcar) called La Richelaise was revived.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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2.18.23

5.6.2023

Welcome to Aberdeen

Scotland’s third biggest city (population 200,000) is often ranked among the country’s happiest cities, quite often coming top.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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2.18.23

5.6.2023

The world’s longest possible train journey

Train buffs are often the sorts of people who like numbers, thought experiments and the poetry of long journeys.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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2.17.23

5.6.2023

The Chinese train to a spaceport in the Gobi desert

We’re in the middle of the Gobi desert in the autonomous Chinese region of inner Mongolia, and this railway leads to one of China’s most important spaceports.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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2.11.23

5.6.2023

Welcome to Bristol

It’s not exactly the most touristy of British destinations. However, as you’re about to find out, this is a city full of weird and wonderful sights.

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2.11.23

5.6.2023

The EU backs ten international rail projects

A year after the end of the European Year of Rail, the European Commission has announced that it will support ten pilot projects in international train travel to make the sector more efficient, quicker and more affordable for travellers.

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2.10.23

5.6.2023

Welcome to Granada

Because while it may only have 230,000 inhabitants, the various civilisations that have called this city home have let behind a gloriously rich and diverse heritage.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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2.5.23

5.6.2023

On board Tunisia’s Red Lizard train

This is Metlaoui, a city of around 40,000 inhabitants in the west of the country. The atmosphere in the white and blue building on the station platform is relaxed.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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2.4.23

5.6.2023

Will the Kenya-Uganda train see the light of day?

This new railway is supposed to link up the port of Mombasa on the Kenyan coast with central Uganda.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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2.3.23

5.6.2023

All aboard stunning (if slow) Japanese coastal railway

Known for their speed, cleanliness and legendary promptness, the Japanese bullet trains or Shinkansen are admired by train buffs the world over.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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1.28.23

5.6.2023

Bienvenue à Montpellier

‍Puisque les trains de la Renfe s’arrêteront bientôt à Montpellier, nous avons décidé de vous faire visiter cette ville du sud de la France, son légendaire ciel bleu et son inarrêtable énergie.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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1.28.23

5.6.2023

Renfe’s entry into the French railway sector

After the arrival of Trenitalia on the Paris-Lyon line at the end of 2021, this time Renfe – the historic Spanish operator – is also making moves in France

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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1.27.23

5.6.2023

A journey through northern Europe’s longest railway tunnel

‍The birth of a bridge, a tunnel or a railway line that better connects people and places is always an event. That’s the case for the Blix Tunnel.

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1.21.23

5.6.2023

Welcome to Bergen

Having already visited Stockholm and Copenhagen, we’re heading back to Scandinavia to visit a city that’s not quite as well known as those capital cities: Bergen.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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1.21.23

5.6.2023

How rising electricity costs have impacted the French railways

As it had announced in 2022, SNCF, the French national rail operator, increased train ticket prices on January 10 2023.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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1.20.23

5.6.2023

On board Iran’s incredible Unesco-listed train

Today, to pay homage to this struggle (and the incomparable beauty of Iran), we’ve decided to take you on board one of the world’s most spectacular trains: the Trans-Iranian Railway.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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1.14.23

5.6.2023

Welcome to Erevan

We’ve decided to whisk you off to a place where influences from that part of the world mingle with those of the Old Continent: Yerevan, the splendid (albeit little-known) capital of Armenia.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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1.14.23

5.6.2023

Will a trans-Afghanistan train ever be a reality?

The result of an agreement signed by Uzbekistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan in February 2021, the initiative was thrown into disarray by the coming to power of the Taliban in August of that year.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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1.13.23

5.6.2023

Bienvenue à Nantes

Nicknamed ‘the city of the Dukes of Brittany’ and ‘the Venice of the West’, this small city of around 300,000 inhabitants is famous for its relaxed pace of life and architectural heritage.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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1.7.23

5.6.2023

Climb aboard Thailand’s incredible floating train

It’s no secret that trains don’t float. People could be forgiven for opting for a vessel of some sort over a TGV to get across a river or ocean.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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1.7.23

5.6.2023

The two faces of the Vientiane-Kunming train

Since Laos has been involved in China’s new Silk Road initiatives, for better or worse, things have changed.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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1.6.23

5.6.2023

On board the real-life Hogwarts Express

Dépêchez-vous, le train va partir ! Alors que vous courez comme un dératé à travers la gare londonienne de King’s Cross en poussant votre chariot de bagages, vos parents ne cessent de vous presser.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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12.31.22

5.6.2023

All aboard the Santa Claus Express

There’s a train – yes, an actual train – that allows travellers to visit his house in Finnish Lapland. So roll up and climb aboard!

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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12.24.22

5.6.2023

Welcome to Swedish Lapland

Make sure to wrap up warm and definitely remember to pack a camera – we’re about to see something truly magical.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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12.24.22

5.6.2023

The origins of ‘flight shame’

It was first a Swedish word, flygskam, comprising the words flyg (plane or aviation) and skam (shame or dishonour).

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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12.23.22

5.6.2023

America’s missing high-speed trains

Only a handful of trains on the east coast get anywhere close, but the journeys are so short that the trains don’t reach top speeds. It’s an astonishing quirk that can be put down to a mix of historic, demographic, geographical and cultural factors.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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12.20.22

5.6.2023

Welcome to Vilnius

With just over 500,000 inhabitants, it stands out for the concentration of unusual sights to be discovered in the city centre. So put on your Gore-Tex, a woolly hat and some gloves – it’s time to discover Europe’s northeastern corner.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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12.17.22

5.6.2023

The weird world of railway-themed video games

Could all those who’ve never dreamed of driving a train raise their hand? Yep, just as we thought: there are no hands in the air.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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12.16.22

5.6.2023

On board Louis Brennan’s gyroscopic monorail

‍In 1910, the City of London hosted The Japan-British Exhibition. Aiming to celebrate the renewal of the Anglo-Japanese relationship, this enormous international expo went all out to promote the Land of the Rising Sun among the British public.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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12.10.22

5.6.2023

Welcome to Ankara

The city is so underappreciated by travellers, in fact, that we’re sure many of you would struggle to even imagine what it looks like, not in the same way you can for London, Paris or New York. We’re here to change all that.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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12.10.22

5.6.2023

The effects of the Ukraine war on China’s ‘new Silk Road’

Clearly referring to the mythical route that transcontinental salesmen used in centuries gone by, it is essentially a vast web of commercial rail and sea links that will allow the country to transport goods to Europe and Africa.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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12.9.22

5.6.2023

All aboard the Barnum circus train

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome on board the RBBX, the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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12.3.22

5.6.2023

Bienvenue à Toulouse

Just because you’re more of a train person, that doesn’t mean you should miss out on a trip to the ‘Pink City’.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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12.3.22

5.6.2023

Could lightway trains save local railway lines?

SNCF, for example, has launched a service known as Flexy, which can carry up to 14 passengers on lines where trains can travel between 10 and 30 kilometres an hour.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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12.2.22

5.6.2023

Why did Russia send a train of race horses to North Korea?

When railway services restarted between Russia and North Korea in early November 2022, the first train that travelled from one country to another was in fact a convoy filled with… 30 horses: five stallions and 25 mares.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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11.26.22

5.6.2023

Welcome to Krakow

You’d be foolish to leave Krakow off your bucket list. For this must be one of Europe’s most beautiful and exciting places.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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11.26.22

5.6.2023

Iryo, Spain’s third high-speed rail operator

Having run an inaugural trip between Madrid and Valencia on November 21 2022, Iryo aims to run 16 return journeys daily between the Spanish capital and the city of Barcelona.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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11.25.22

5.6.2023

How Dickens saved one of his manuscripts from a trainwreck

It’s 3.30pm on June 9 1865 in the county of Kent. A train travels from Folkestone to London. On board was the writer Charles Dickens,

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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11.19.22

5.6.2023

Welcome to Birmingham

Nicknamed the ‘City of a Thousand Trades’ and the ‘Workshop of the World’ because of its importance during the Industrial Revolution

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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11.19.22

5.6.2023

The railway linking up the Gulf states

Gulf Railway, a project that aims to link up the various member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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11.18.22

5.6.2023

The train station hidden under the Waldorf-Astoria

One thing few people know about this veritable symbol of luxury and excess, on 301 Park Avenue, in Manhattan, is that it has a secret railway station hidden beneath it.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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11.12.22

5.6.2023

Bienvenidos a Salamanca

You can’t ignore all the history here. So start by mooching around the Plaza Mayor and its splendid arcades.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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11.12.22

5.6.2023

France hands €3 billion to the railways (then backtracks)

On the initiative of Gérard Leseul, the Socialist MP for Seine-Maritime's 5th constituency, this sum was based on figures from se Réseau Action Climat

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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11.11.22

5.6.2023

A 478-kilometre journey in the middle of the Aussie desert

Except in Australia, that is, where you’ll find what is considered to be the longest straight train line in the world.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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11.5.22

5.6.2023

Welcome to Zurich

For proof that Zurich is far from boring, head straight to Rote Fabrik (literally, the red factory).

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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11.5.22

5.6.2023

The world’s longest-ever passenger train

The trip took around 45 minutes, at an average speed of between 30 and 35 kilometres per hour.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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11.4.22

5.6.2023

The French rail workers who resisted the Nazis

As railway workers, you and your comrades have to put into place the Operation Vert which would support the imminent landings of the Allied Forces in France. It was finally time to push out the Nazis.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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10.29.22

5.6.2023

Bienvenue à Bordeaux

Known for its beauty and refinement, the city of Bordeaux is above all famous for its wine.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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10.29.22

5.6.2023

The French regions seeking €100 billion for the railways

A column by a group of 15 regional leaders in the newspaper Le Monde. In it, these men and women from across the political spectrum called on the national government to launch a new railway deal worth €100 billion between 2023 and 2033.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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10.28.22

5.6.2023

The Baikal-Amur Mainline, a railway made in the Gulag

It’s 1932 and the Soviet government has ordered the construction of this gigantic line to create an alternative to one part of the Trans-Siberian.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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10.22.22

5.6.2023

Welcome to Bucharest

Let’s hit up the city sometimes known as ‘little Paris’.You can immediately see why it’s acquired that nickname. First off, the architecture is pretty stunning and definitely brings the City of Light to mind.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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10.22.22

5.6.2023

How Belgium plans to reinvent its railways

At a time when the protection of the planet is an absolute necessity, the modernisation of the railway network in a country known for being flat is no less honourable or important. Let’s dig a little deeper.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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10.21.22

5.6.2023

Climb aboard the high-speed KTX

Named KTX, for Korea Train Express, the trains are a symbol of the country’s cutting-edge technology and a very popular means of transport for locals. Let’s take a short trip.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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10.14.22

5.6.2023

How trains (briefly) connected the two Koreas

The unsurpassable 248-kilometre-long, four-kilometre-deep no man’s land has, however, seen several trains passing through that are testament to efforts to make peace between the two Koreas.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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10.14.22

5.6.2023

Welcome to Malaga

Much lesser known than Madrid and Barcelona, this Andalusian city of 580,000 people boasts an exceptional heritage and all sorts of hidden treasures.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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10.14.22

5.6.2023

The great families of the railways - Episode 5

Having arrived in Canada at the age of 20, Georges Stephen was one of the principal architects of the railway industry in this part of the world, and was the first Canadian to be ennobled. Quite a character, in other words.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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10.8.22

5.6.2023

Benvenuti a Catania

Lesser known than the eternally beautiful Syracuse, the ‘Milan of the south’ has loads to offer travellers after a mix of beauty, discovery and delicious food.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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10.8.22

5.6.2023

A Green New Deal for Europe

At the end of September 2022, the European Commission signed off funding worth €101 million to modernise the Palermo-Catania-Messina train line.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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10.7.22

5.6.2023

The great families of the railways - Episode 4

The Vanderbilts is a modest family, descended from Dutch immigrants, would become both rich and incredibly divisive.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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10.1.22

5.6.2023

Welcome to Tbilisi

We’re heading for this small, little-known country between the Caucasus Mountains and the Black Sea. So pack a swimming costume, put on a sturdy pair of shoes and let’s head to this one-of-a-kind metropolis.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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10.1.22

5.6.2023

How rolling stock redefined our strategy: train carriages - S09 E03

How network constraints redefined our strategy - S09 E02

Will our children take hydrogen trains? - S07 E04

We’re taking stock, calmly - S09 E01

The best of both worlds - S08 E03

Building a team and getting advice - S08 E02

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Buying a night train ticket, AKA the worst task on the web - S08 E01

Should we become a Railway Company? Nicolas challenges our vision - S07 E03

We’ve found a rare gem - S07 E02

Recruiting slowly to find the best talent - S07 E01

A mass catering operation like none other - S06 E03

Feeding hundreds of passengers properly - S06 E02

No haute cuisine, but no plain sandwiches either - S06 E01

The emergence of Midnight Trains - S05 E03

To launch or not to launch? - S05 E02

The meeting with Yorgo & Co - S05 E01

Designing the interior of new trains - S04 E04

On the hunt for new stock - S04 E03

Where did the idea for autonomous vehicles come from? - S04 E01

Going on a treasure hunt - S04 E02

Will our fleets be powered by hydrogen anytime soon?‍ - S03 E04

Redesigning second-hand trains - S04 E01

Could the technology be rolled out widely? - S03 E03

Our friends the venture capitalists - S03 E02

Can planes really be powered by hydrogen? - S03 E02

Putting ideas on paper - S03 E01

Can hydrogen be green? - S03 E01

Tracking down the best railway consultants - S02 E04

Can it make a dent in the aviation industry? - S02 E03

First we figured out the costs, now for revenue - S02 E03

Can we create the necessary infrastructure? - S02 E02

Diving into the business units - S02 E02

Two centuries in pursuit of speed - S02 E01

“That’s impossible, guys” - S02 E01

Is the flying car incompatible with our era? - S01 E04

Setting up a transport business in the middle of lockdown - S01 E04

When will it see the light of day? - S02 E04

Why do flying-car prototypes keep being made? - S01 E03

Stick with what you know - S01 E03

Can drones revive the flying car? - S01 E02

EasyJet started with £5 million and two planes - S01 E02

The impossible fantasy of total freedom - E01 S01

A railway aperitif, a Greek island and an idea - S01 E01

On board the stunning Cévennes railway in the French mountains

Welcome to Rotterdam

Thalys is making way for Eurostar

How a small French town revived a historic train

Welcome to Aberdeen

The world’s longest possible train journey

The Chinese train to a spaceport in the Gobi desert

Welcome to Bristol

The EU backs ten international rail projects

Welcome to Granada

On board Tunisia’s Red Lizard train

Will the Kenya-Uganda train see the light of day?

All aboard stunning (if slow) Japanese coastal railway

Bienvenue à Montpellier

Renfe’s entry into the French railway sector

A journey through northern Europe’s longest railway tunnel

Welcome to Bergen

How rising electricity costs have impacted the French railways

On board Iran’s incredible Unesco-listed train

Welcome to Erevan

Will a trans-Afghanistan train ever be a reality?

Bienvenue à Nantes

Climb aboard Thailand’s incredible floating train

The two faces of the Vientiane-Kunming train

On board the real-life Hogwarts Express

All aboard the Santa Claus Express

Welcome to Swedish Lapland

The origins of ‘flight shame’

America’s missing high-speed trains

Welcome to Vilnius

The weird world of railway-themed video games

On board Louis Brennan’s gyroscopic monorail

Welcome to Ankara

The effects of the Ukraine war on China’s ‘new Silk Road’

All aboard the Barnum circus train

Bienvenue à Toulouse