ON THE TRACKS

As high-speed rail grows, trains are becoming more time-competitive. In 1998, the journey time from London to Manchester was three hours. Now it’s closer to two. European train companies are also applying dynamic pricing. If you book ahead, London to Paris starts at £44 one way, while Berlin to Prague is from

£18. Train expert and writer of blog The Man in Seat 61, Mark Smith, says: ‘A train ride can be part of your holiday. The railway from Belgrade to Podgorica and Bar in Montenegro is utterly spectacular.’ Companies such as Belmond have embraced this, extending its sleeper trains across Europe, Asia and South America after relaunching the Orient-Express. There’s a growing appetite for luxury train travel in the UK, too. GWR’s Pullman Dining services have increased from two per day in 2006 to ten. Its menus use produce sourced within 24km of the track.