RUSSIA: ‘This is not just a train and these are not just carriages, this is a different life, different technology, a different means of transport’, said Russian Railways President Vladimir Yakunin before joining passengers on the first Sapsan high speed train service from Moscow to St Petersburg at 19.00 on December 17.

Goldman Sachs is set to become the biggest shareholder in Eurotunnel by taking a 21.2 percent stake. The boardroom presence of the investment bank is expected to help the channel tunnel operator in the pursuit of “upcoming strategic developments”.

Eurostar is undergoing a boardroom reshuffle, thought to be connected with its new ownership restructure. The promotion of Frenchman Nicolas Petrovic to chief executive, replacing Briton Richard Brown, is seen to appease a new proposal that will see the French reduce their stake in the high-speed train operator from 62% to 55%.

SOUTH West Trains are now the latest rail operator to team up with Eurostar. In a joint ticketing deal, passengers will be able to book direct trips to Paris and Brussels.

Short-haul flights between the UK and Europe could be replaced by a growing rail network of high-speed trains, under new plans outlined by the UK government. But the proposals have met with vehement opposition from the airline industry, with Ryanair chief Michael O’Leary describing them as “insane”.