Throughout 2025 I have been investigating the future of long distance trains through the Channel Tunnel. On 17th November the report of my conclusions of this work was released. All the stations, all the types of rolling stock, all the operators - assessed.

Between 6th June and 5th August I went to more than 80 more international railway lines, at some of the most forgotten corners of central and eastern Europe, and the EU's external borders to Ukraine and Moldova. It was more than 30000km of rail routes, and more than 1000km on the folding bike. And it was the last #CrossBorderRail large tour - as there are not that many more borders to visit now! The conclusions will be written up in August.

This project in early 2025 is slightly different to the #CrossBorderRail projects to date. Rather than multiple borders, this time I am assessing the potential to run trains to the UK from destinations in Continental Europe, and gauge whether better use of the Channel Tunnel for through trains is possible. The journey is complete, drawing the conclusions is ongoing.

Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Kosovo.
The borders between them, and their borders with the EU.
5 weeks. 66 trains. 35 bike stages. More than 30 cross border rail lines to investigate...

At least 20 more #CrossBorderRail lines. 99 trains. More than 10 events. A speech on the Kulturzug to Wrocław, and a ferry and train trip to Ireland. The Autumn 2023 project has now concluded.

2nd-15th May 2023 - the first month of the new Deutschlandticket - I travelled to all of Germany's borders to its neighbouring countries, with a focus on the places I did not visit in 2022. In total I explored more than 30 more cross border railway lines.

After more than 30000km on trains, and 95 borders crossed, the first conclusions of the #CrossBorderRail project were presented 29th August 2022 in Berlin - 20 places where change is needed and could be implemented fast!

Anyone who has ever tried to cross borders within the EU by train has seen the problem: international trains (if they even run!) are often less regular, have worse timetables, and are harder to book than trains in one country. I want to highlight these issues, and show ways to solve them in this project.