Europeanrailwaysreturningto normalafterthree-monthshutdown
RAILservicesacrossEurope returnedto a new normalityin mid-Juneasgovernmentslifted coronaviruslockdownrules.
Thebiggestsingledifference to operationthreemonths earlierwasa nearuniversal requiremenftor passengertso wearfacemasksw, ith some countrieshavingmadethis mandatoryin publicfor several months.
FromJune15many restrictionson international travelwithin Europewerelifted sointernationatlrainswereable to resumeoperation,although
Reduced
Eurostacr ontinuedto operate a veryreducedservicew, ith just a singletrainfrom Londonto Parisa, sthe BritishGovernment insistenceon a 14-day quarantinefor arrivingtravellers haddepressed emand,leading to Frenchauthoritiesimposing a similarrequiremenot n arrivals fromthe UK.
Othercountriesi,ncluding Polandh, adimposedsuch quarantinesfor international arrivalsin mid-Marchs, oby mid-Junewereableto relax them.
In Europeancountriesthat had managedto containor tracethe coronavirusmoresuccessfully thanthe Franceleisure travelby railrestartedin May, andfrom earlyJuneonwards tourist railwaysand mountain railwaysreopenedin both AustriaandSwitzerland.
A smallnumberof narrowgaugesteamlinesin eastern Germanynevercompletelyshut asthey providelocaltransport.
In manycountriesi,ncluding PolandF, ranceS, witzerlandand Germanym, ainlineservices returnedto the full timetable, with train operatorssellingall seatson trainsor permittingfull trainsduringJune-albeit with all passengerws earingmasks.
In Switzerlandall on-board cateringand restauranct ars reopenedfromJune8.
Overnight
Someopenaccessoperators that sensednew market opportunitiesintroducednew overnightservicesto allow peopleto go on holidaywithout flying.
Inthe CzechRepublicR, egiojet announceda summercouchette servicelinkingPragueand Rijekain Croatiaa, servicewhich startedoperationlastJune; morethan 8,000ticketswere soldwithin 24 hoursof it being announced.
OutsideEuropethe situation in mid-Junevaried.
NewZealandhaddeclared the countryfreeof coronavrius for 24days,but sufferedseveral localisedoutbreaksthrough foreigntouristsbeingallowed to bypassfull quarantineon compassionatgerounds.
In Indiathe numberof cases recordedincreasedsignificantly, leadingto SOOrailwaycoaches beingcommandeeredin Delhi to actastemporaryhospital accommodation.