After months of delays, Rail Europe finally began new high-speed rail service between Paris and Barcelona. The first of the new route's double decker TGV trains took off from both the Gare de Lyon station in Paris and the Barcelona Sants station on Sunday.
Sponsored by SNCF, France's state railroad, and Renfe, the Spanish rail operator, the direct service takes under six and half hours on trains that can run speeds up to 320 kilometers, or 200 miles, per hour.
Passenger can choose from two daily trips leaving from each station. The speedier service should increase train travel during the day, on route that is busier with overnight travelers, said Melanie Albaric, a marketing manager at Rail Europe, the largest distributor of Europe train tickets in North America. Two more daily trips from each destination are planned by March.
The route is typically busier with overnight passengers. Two more daily trips are to be added by March, according to Seat61.com, a website that offers information and resources on European railways.
One-way tickets start at 136.10 euros (about $192) for comfort/economy class and € 177.00 (about $250) first class.
Source & Photo : The New York Times, Dec 18, 2013
No comments:
Post a Comment