Rename European Rail forum to British Isles & European Rail
Feb 16, 2009, 9:26 am
#1
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Rename European Rail forum to British Isles & European Rail
As many of you may already know, UK Rail queries are currently dealt with in the UK&I forum, yet European Rail queries by the European Rail forum. I believe this leads only to confusion.
Last time I checked, the UK was firmly in Europe (despite the lunatic fringe who rant that it is not!). With this in mind, any chance we can have the European Rail forum renamed to "British Isles & European Rail"?
This would certainly make it easier for people to know where to look, especially since it is now possibly to combine UK rail fares with travel on Eurostar across to the continent.
For those who are not aware, the British Isles is the collective term for the UK & Ireland.
Last time I checked, the UK was firmly in Europe (despite the lunatic fringe who rant that it is not!). With this in mind, any chance we can have the European Rail forum renamed to "British Isles & European Rail"?
This would certainly make it easier for people to know where to look, especially since it is now possibly to combine UK rail fares with travel on Eurostar across to the continent.
For those who are not aware, the British Isles is the collective term for the UK & Ireland.
Last edited by Moderator2; Feb 16, 2009 at 11:24 am Reason: OP Title change request
Feb 16, 2009, 9:44 am
#2
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I believe the issues are currently quite different.
Except for Eurostar, there are no cross-border trains originating in the UK, while there are ICE trains going to France, Switzerland, Belgium, TGV trains going to Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland as well as many cross-border Eurocity trains.
In addition, in the UK, levels of service and price can vary across competing operators, which is not yet the case in Continental Europe.
Although I can see a point in time when rail travel in the UK and continental Europe will be more closely related, I can understand the reasons why most of the questions about train travel in the UK start in the BA or BD forum before being moved to the UK & Ireland forum. I believe there is a risk of lower participation and decreasing level of contributions from UK based train experts if we move UK train travel issues into the European rail travel forum.
Except for Eurostar, there are no cross-border trains originating in the UK, while there are ICE trains going to France, Switzerland, Belgium, TGV trains going to Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland as well as many cross-border Eurocity trains.
In addition, in the UK, levels of service and price can vary across competing operators, which is not yet the case in Continental Europe.
Although I can see a point in time when rail travel in the UK and continental Europe will be more closely related, I can understand the reasons why most of the questions about train travel in the UK start in the BA or BD forum before being moved to the UK & Ireland forum. I believe there is a risk of lower participation and decreasing level of contributions from UK based train experts if we move UK train travel issues into the European rail travel forum.
Feb 16, 2009, 10:41 am
#3
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As the OP points out, the UK (and by extension the British Isles) is part of Europe.
I see no point in the tortology of 'British Isles AND European ...' as if they were separate entities. Besides, it wouldn't be helpful. Things are working just fine, so why change?
I see no point in the tortology of 'British Isles AND European ...' as if they were separate entities. Besides, it wouldn't be helpful. Things are working just fine, so why change?
Feb 16, 2009, 12:03 pm
#4
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I am unable to find fault with the current set up.
chrissxb has proactively provided a helpful announcement in the European Rail Travel forum which for me clarifies its scope, and I quote...
chrissxb has proactively provided a helpful announcement in the European Rail Travel forum which for me clarifies its scope, and I quote...
Originally Posted by chrissxb
please read before you post
Hello,
welcome to the European Rail Travel forum. just a few things to know before you post your question in here:
* local, suburban train travel issues (for example: RER in France, U-Bahn, S-Bahn for Germany, Heathrow Express, London Underground) will remain in their geographical forums (for example: Italy, France, Germany, UK&Ireland, Europe, ...)
* national and cross-border train questions will be handled in the European rail forum, except for the some UK questions
* special rail products linked to airlines (for example: rail&fly in Germany) will remain in the airline forum
* questions about facilities at rail stations should be in destination forums. however, if it's related to train operations (things like check-in - what is minimum check-in time, even, what tickets can I use the lounge on), then it would be better here into the European rail forum
if a thread started here fits better in destination forums (for example: its no longer about rail travel but about the country itself), I will move it to the specific destination forum.
Hello,
welcome to the European Rail Travel forum. just a few things to know before you post your question in here:
* local, suburban train travel issues (for example: RER in France, U-Bahn, S-Bahn for Germany, Heathrow Express, London Underground) will remain in their geographical forums (for example: Italy, France, Germany, UK&Ireland, Europe, ...)
* national and cross-border train questions will be handled in the European rail forum, except for the some UK questions
* special rail products linked to airlines (for example: rail&fly in Germany) will remain in the airline forum
* questions about facilities at rail stations should be in destination forums. however, if it's related to train operations (things like check-in - what is minimum check-in time, even, what tickets can I use the lounge on), then it would be better here into the European rail forum
if a thread started here fits better in destination forums (for example: its no longer about rail travel but about the country itself), I will move it to the specific destination forum.
Feb 16, 2009, 6:06 pm
#5
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As the UK is part of Europe, I see no reason for the change.
Feb 16, 2009, 10:52 pm
#6
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Irish people may take offence to being described as belonging to that former colonial designation. Just a guess.
From this vantage point I believe Aussies would also think of the UK belonging to the EUrozone, even if some UK citizens do not.
From this vantage point I believe Aussies would also think of the UK belonging to the EUrozone, even if some UK citizens do not.
Feb 17, 2009, 4:01 am
#7
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OT: The French name for the English Channel (geographical, not political) has no mention of nationality: la Manche (the sleeve).
Feb 17, 2009, 5:41 am
#8
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It has been a few years, however, IIRC The Orient Express train does travel from London to Paris and points beyond.
Feb 19, 2009, 6:55 am
#9
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FWIW, I'd keep British Isles train queries in the UK & Ireland forum (and I would put a sticky in the European Rail forum to that effect). For a start, only UK residents are likely to know the answers to what is easily the worlds most complicated booking and ticketing system and that means posts need to be somewhere where UK residents will see them. I would prefer not to add another forum to my list of subscribed ones.
Difficult to see why a Heathrow Express, Gatwick Express and Stansted Express query should go anywhere except the UK & Ireland forum, especially as these questions are - like much of the UK and Ireland questions - asked by people planning their first trip here.