After a challenging 2020, 2021 has been declared the European Year of Railways by the European Parliament and the Council. The year will feature a number of initiatives such as dedicated events, exhibitions and campaigns to promote rail as the most sustainable and innovative mode of transport, as well as supporting the achievement of the […]
London Underground’s District Line trains launched the first production trains fitted with lightweight aluminium composite honeycomb doors in 1978. Several decades after this first step, what are the advantages of using composite materials today? Need for weight reduction in rail vehicles Increasing passenger demands, including universal access toilets, CET tanks, power outlets, air conditioning, […]
Richard Branson’s Virgin Hyperloop made headlines around the world in November 2020 after the first tests with passengers were conducted. But what are the foundations of this innovative means of transport? Let’s trace the most important moments in its evolution. 18th and 19th centuries: precursor projects of the hyperloop Musk’s idea of building a superfast […]
Natural gas could become a key element in the journey towards a hydrogen economy. A particularly good example of the technological advances being made in hydrogen production came from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany. Researchers at the institute are developing a new method to separate hydrogen from natural gas using a liquid metal […]
For global domestic tourism, rail travel has long surpassed air travel in terms of volume. In 2019, 2.1 billion journeys were made by train, compared to just over a billion for air travel. While for international tourism, the numbers are completely reversed: 41 million international departures were made by train, compared to 735 million by […]
Traditional train tickets are generally structured according to the average working day, with prices modelled around peak hours and weekly passes. However, as many people now work from home, fares and tickets should change to reflect new commuting habits. Accelerating a change that has already happened The pandemic has severely disrupted most commuter […]