EUROPEAN Sleeper has been forced to delay the opening a new train route connecting Barcelona to Amsterdam.
Trains linking the holiday destinations were meant to start operating in 2025, but the launch of the line has been postponed until 2026.
Train operator European Sleeper confirmed the delay last week after citing several issues.
Co-founder Chris Engelsman told Treinreiziger, a Dutch travel agent, the delayed launch date was because of issues negotiating with French railway manager SNCF Réseau.
He said: “Things are improving step by step. We also hear from other parties that it is simply difficult to do business with SNCF Réseau.”
According to Travel Tomorrow, Engelsman added: “They [SNCF Réseau] plan a lot of work in advance that does not always happen.
“They do not even have that many contractors. They are playing it very safe, and that does not make a night train possible.”
European Sleeper have also struggled to acquire the right train carriages for the service, with a larger number acquired.
Despite the year-long delay, train bosses remain hopeful for its future, with 2026 slated as the launch year.
When the service does open in two years, it will run overnight between Amsterdam and Barcelona.
It is thought the route will make it easier to reach the Catalan capital for those who don’t want to travel by plane.
European Sleeper have previously said that the route will stop at Rotterdam, Antwerp, Brussels and Lille in the evening and Avignon, Montpellier, Perpignan, Figueras and Girona in the morning en route to its destination.
With the Eurostar taking just one hour and 22 minutes from the UK to Lille, this means Brits will be able to join the journey.
There are as of yet no concrete details about how long it will take to make the full journey, other than the fact it will run overnight.
While there are currently plenty of sleeper train options running through Europe at the moment, European Sleeper say they are looking to improve what’s on offer.
Earlier this year, a new train route in Europe relaunched after being closed for more than 30 years.
The reopened train line connects Italy to Croatia via Slovenia – allowing customers to visit three countries on just one train.
Passengers can board at Villa Opicina train station in Trieste at 7:50am.
The first stop is on the Slovenian border in Sežana, followed by Divača, Pivka and Ilirska Bistrica, the final stop in Slovenia, at 8:54am.
The train then enters Croatia, stopping at Šapjane, Opatija Matulji and Rijeka, the final stop.
The entire journey takes around two hours and runs both ways.
Back in March, a 15-hour night train journey launched connecting Brussels and Prague for the first time.
Operated by European Sleeper, the route stops in Antwerp, Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Berlin and Dresden before arriving in Prague.
Sun Travel's journalists have taken their fare share of train journeys on their travels and here they share their most memorable rail experiences.
Davos to Geneva, Switzerland
“After a ski holiday in Davos, I took the scenic train back to Geneva Airport. The snow-covered mountains and tiny alpine villages that we passed were so beautiful that it felt like a moving picture was playing beyond the glass.” – Caroline McGuire
Tokyo to Kyoto by Shinkansen
“Nothing quite beats the Shinkansen bullet train, one of the fastest in the world. It hardly feels like you’re whizzing along at speed until you look outside and see the trees a green blur. Make sure to book seat D or E too – as you’ll have the best view of Mount Fuji along the way.” Kara Godfrey
London to Paris by Eurostar
“Those who have never travelled on the Eurostar may wonder what’s so special about a seemingly ordinary train that takes you across the channel. You won’t have to waste a moment and can tick off all the top attractions from the Louvre to the Champs-Élysées which are both less than five kilometres from the Gare du Nord.” – Sophie Swietochowski
Glasgow to Fort William by Scotrail
“From mountain landscapes and serene lochs to the wistful moors, I spent my three-hour journey from Glasgow to Fort William gazing out the window. Sit on the left-hand side of the train for the best views overlooking Loch Lomond.” – Hope Brotherton
Beijing to Ulaanbatar
“The Trans-Mongolian Express is truly a train journey like no other. It starts amid the chaos of central Beijing before the city’s high-rises give way to crumbling ancient villages and eventually the vast vacant plains of Mongolia, via the Gobi desert. The deep orange sunset seen in the middle of the desert is among the best I’ve witnessed anywhere.” – Ryan Gray
Dutch train operator GoVolta hopes to launch train routes from Amsterdam to Berlin and Copenhagen in 2025.
And Czechia public transport operator Leo Express has revealed plans to connect Belgium to Slovakia via a 19-hour train journey.
STUBBORNNESS is not what one could call a horrible trait – ultimately, though, it is one that can come back to haunt you.
So the question now has to be asked, when will owners the Gredley family put to one side whatever issue they have and allow the outstanding Callum Shepherd to be reunited with Ambiente Friendly?
Don’t get me wrong here, of course the races Ambiente Friendly has been contesting recently have been much more competitive since he hacked up under Shepherd in the Lingfield Derby trial.
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But that day at Lingfield, Ambiente Friendly and Shepherd came together as one. You may remember the jockey talking afterwards, and these were his words.
“I’ve been riding him in loads of work and I thought he’s come on so much from his first run back at Newmarket,” said Shepherd.
“He’s a much more relaxed horse. I can’t speak highly enough of him. I am so pleased with how he was mentally.”
That bond is the crucial point.
Ambiente Friendly then went on to run well in the Derby itself, but has gradually got worse and worse since.
Indeed, the son of Gleneagles was back in action in France at the weekend and finished last in the Group 2 Qatar Prix Niel having never been in with a chance of winning. It was dismal.
I don’t know what the Gredleys will do with Ambiente Friendly next, but if they have any sense at all, or any ability to admit that they might have got something wrong, then Shepherd will be back on top.
Since being ditched, Shepherd has continued to grow in his role as the go to man for trainer George Scott.
Maybe the latter is the problem, for reasons which I don’t need to go into here.
But whatever the case, Shepherd and Scott are proving a potent and top combination.
In the last few days they have taken the Group 2 Champagne Stakes at Doncaster with Bay City Roller and the Deutsches St Leger with Prydwen.
Sometimes in life you have to move on. Sometimes in life you move on but eventually go back.
That should be the case with Ambiente Friendly and Callum Shepherd.
Meanwhile… ‘nearly horses’ are underestimated in their importance to the game and so I want to celebrate three in today’s column.
The first is Ghostwriter, who ran in his fifth successive Group 1 of the season when fifth behind Economics in Saturday’s Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes.
The Clive Cox-trained inmate has also been third in the Juddmonte International and Copral Eclipse, fourth in the French Derby and fourth in the 2000 Guineas.
Ghostwriter is clearly a talented animal but his consistency is a dream for handicappers.
He now links form between Notable Speech, Rosallion, City of Troy, Look de Vega and Economics and Auguste Rodin.
Owned by Jeff Smith, Ghostwriter deserves much praise.
In a different role King’s Lynn has been magnificent for Andrew Balding this term but hasn’t won a race since Haydock in May of 2022.
Since then he’s run 21 times with form figures this term of 923425342 during which his handicap mark has hovered from 97 to 93.
Balding has popped him over trips from 5f to 7f and he runs well over all of them.
King’s Lynn is a joy and chased home the gambled on Baldomero at Doncaster yesterday. I can’t wait for him to get his head in front once again.
While we are at it let’s chuck in Emily Upjohn.
Much has been written about the John & Thady Gosden-trained mare in 2024 because the former Group 1 heroine hasn’t landed anything huge.
But she’s actually been performing with huge credit for Kieran Shoemark, with former figures of 542633.
The simple truth is she’s banged against some decent younger horses, but her third to Bluestocking in the Vermeille was terrific, as was her second to the same horse in the Pretty Polly at the Curragh.
Another third behind Content in the Yorkshire Oaks was also excellent.
Let’s support and enjoy consistent horses. They deserve much credit.
Elsewhere, some have called for star stayer Kyprios to run in the Prix de l’Arc de Triumph after his fine success in the Irish St Leger over the weekend.
However, that’s very unlikely to happen.
Trainer Aidan O’Brien told me today: “Probably not Matt”. Enough said.
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THE “secret” location for the Premier League’s hearing which could end with Manchester City being relegated has been revealed.
While both sides in the dispute are sworn to secrecy, City’s legal lead, £5,000 per hour Lord Pannick KC, was spotted heading into the International Dispute Resolution Centre in the City of London.
Lord Pannick is part of a high-powered City team, which also included Philip Marshall KC.
But his opposite number, heading the Prem’s legal arm, is a member of the SAME chambers at the Inns of Court.
Adam Lewis KC, like Lord Pannick, works out of Blackstone Chambers and has previously acted for both the Prem and the FA.
He is working alongside Blackstone colleague Andrew Hunter KC with a legal team of seven more behind them for day one of the hearing.
It is now understood that the three-member independent commission, approved by both sides, will conduct the majority of the likely 10-week hearing at the ven, just a stone’s throw from St Paul’s Cathedral.
City have consistently denied all of the “115” charges – actually now 130 separate allegations – that were first laid against them, following a six-year probe, in February 2023.
While the majority of the hearing will take place in a court-style room, with thousands of pages of documentary evidence expected to be produced by the two feuding legal teams, some witnesses may be quizzed remotely.
Under Prem rules, all hearings take place behind closed doors with strict confidentiality requirements on all sides.
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MAN CITY are favourites to win the Premier League title yet again – but there is one elephant in the room that threatens to put the skids under the Etihad giants.
Sunsport’s MARTIN LIPTON discusses what the next few months could hold with Head of Sport SHAUN CUSTIS….
Custis: So the big question – will there be a resolution this season?
Lipton: Yes…. probably! We know the case will start to be dealt with in October or November.
It will take at least a month to go through the evidence. So I suspect around March, April time, we will get a result. But that’s where it starts to get tricky.
Custis: Why is that?
Lipton: If the result is in City’s favour, that’s the end of the matter. They will be cleared. They will have no punishment to face.
But if City are found guilty, these will be the heaviest penalties ever imposed by the Premier League.
I suspect if they are found guilty, they will be expelled from the league or given a massive points deduction and a huge fine so that they’re not in the Premier League next season.
Check out the full discussion on Man City’s future.
It means the names of the commission members will not be publicly available until the final ruling and any sentence if the charges are proven.
That is not expected to come for at least six months, with experts anticipating the “written reasons”, outlining the arguments, rebuttals and legal points from both sides, could stretch to 400 closely-typed pages.
It is also now understood that the initial part of the case will see the Premier League lawyers seeking to prove that City were in breach of the regulations.
Unlike criminal trials, the burden on proof for the Prem is the civil one of “balance of probabilities” rather than “beyond reasonable doubt”.
But should the charges be upheld, there would effectively be a second element of the case, in which the two sides would argue over the sanction that should be applied.
Under Prem regulations, all punishments – from a fine, through points deductions and up to expulsion from the League – would be at the discretion of the commission.
A MONSTER moggy who tipped the scales at an eye-watering 38lbs has finally shed some of weight after weeks in a fat camp.
The flabby feline, named ‘Kroshik’, Russian for “Crumbs”, for his ability to has been under the care of a veterinary diet centre in Perm, Russia.
The real-life fat cat ballooned to the size of a small toddler after living on a diet of biscuits and soup.
The ginger moggy was so obese he could barely walk and was found defecating on himself.
Thankfully, his time a diet clinic has paid off – with Crumbs shedding more than 2.2lbs (1kg) after he was placed on a strict diet and was made to workout on a water treadmill.
It comes after the obese cat tried make a break from fat camp and was found stuck in a shoe rack with his face jammed in a vet’s rubber clog.
Clinic vets told local media his weight loss is in part down to the loss of excess fluid and his increased physical activity.
His current rehabilitation programme includes hydrotherapy, massage and stretching up to four times a week.
Pictures from the vet centre show the fed-up-looking cat being put through his paces on a treadmill.
He was also put in a water tank to ease the strain on his leg joints due to his extreme weight.
But lazy Crumbs can be seen making sad faces while trying to avoid doing exercise.
Other pictures show him with a shaved belly that makes it easier to dry following his exercise sessions.
Rehabilitation specialist Ekaterina Bedakova says his escape bid is actually a sign that he is slowly improving.
She wrote in a Telegram post: “[Crumbs] caused a ruckus and escaped today. He’s already a very active guy.
“He was extremely displeased when we found him disguised as slippers, but… after a portion of food, he mellowed out.”
Crumbs’ new home plans to shift almost three-quarters of his bodyweight, getting him down to around 8lbs.
Animal rescuers found him living in the basement of a hospital in Perm, Russia.
He is believed to have piled on the pounds after being fed by the staff.
The fat cat – who bears more than a passing resemblance to the cartoon character Garfield – was so rotund he could barely move.
He is believed to have been abandoned by his owners before taking up residence beneath the hospital.
A CAT’S weight depends on its breed and age.
Health conditions and gender also have a bearing – with tom cats usually slightly larger than females.
According to the Blue Cross, you can see if your cat is overweight by just looking at it.
If you cannot see or feel their ribs then they are probably overweight.
However, if their ribs are clearly visible with not even a small amount of fat covering them then they are underweight.
The average moggy should have a small amount of fat covering their ribs.
You should be able to feel the ribs and spine when stroking their backs.
An average healthy puss should weigh between 3.6 to 4.5 kilograms, around 8-10lbs.
Larger breeds can hit 11lbs or 5kg.
If you have a Maine coon, these can weigh up to 25lbs or 11kg.
If you are worried about your pet’s size, then get advice from a vet.
THIS mind-boggling optical illusion has puzzle fanatics stumped and struggling to find the answer – but do you have what it takes?
If you can spot the hidden dog in this funky brainteaser within seven seconds, you may have 20/20 vision and the high IQ of a professor.
Everyone can see the rocky cave featured in this image – but only individuals with a high IQ can solve the taxing illusion and find the dog.
The picture may look simple – a brown cave with pebbles scattered across the floor but the colour makes it hard to distinguish what could be lurking inside.
Are you able to work out where the animal lies in the image?
It might seem a bit daunting at first, but the key is to carefully examine each section of the scene.
Be quick, the clock is ticking! Scroll down to reveal the answer if you’re still stumped.
Meanwhile, why not try some other optical illusions while you scroll?
Test your brain power and solve the questions in this test to reveal if you have a high IQ.
This picture will surely leave you baffled – and you might scratch your head trying to find the correct solution.
Although it may seem like an ordinary image, this is no easy feat, and the average person gives up after a minute.
If you look thoroughly, you’ll spot a dog outlined in a darker brown hue at the top right, perfectly blending into its surroundings.
Engaging in activities like solving optical illusions and brainteasers can have many cognitive benefits as it can stimulate various brain regions.
Some benefits include:
But don’t panic if you didn’t spot the man’s best friend – scroll down below to find the solution.
Psychologists at The University of Glasgow found that staring at an optical illusion can improve eye sight by allowing you to see small print.
Escape London says puzzles can also give your mind a great workout and may “boost your brain’s activity” which “reduces the risk of dementia.”
And according to ZenBusiness: “These visual puzzles can give you a good mental workout that can, in turn, help you think more efficiently and solve problems more easily.”
For a bundled subscription.
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A STUDENT has died after contracting the lethal Nipah virus – as health officials race to track down hundreds of people the victim came in contact with.
The 24-year-old is the second person to die of the brain-swelling bug in the Indian state of Kerala in the space of a few months.
Nipah is a zoonotic virus – meaning it can be transmitted from animals to humans – that can trigger a deadly, brain swelling fever.
It’s listed as a “priority pathogen” by the World Health Organization (WHO) because of its potential to trigger an epidemic.
There’s currently no vaccine to prevent Nipah virus infections and no treatment to cure it.
The student first came down with a fever on September 4 and died just five days later, Dr R Renuka, a district medical officer in the town of Malappuram in northern Kerala, told Reuters.
A blood sample was sent to the National Institute of Virology in Pune, which confirmed that the 24-year-old had succumbed to a Nipah infection.
Some 151 people are now being monitored for symptoms of the illness after coming into contact with the victim, to prevent the the deadly virus from spreading further, Dr Renuka added.
The local medical official said five other people had developed primary symptoms of a Nipah infection.
She said blood samples from the five patients had been sent for tests, but didn’t specify if they had come into direct contact with the student who passed away.
It follows the death of a 14-year-old boy in July, who went into cardiac arrest in the southern Indian state after contracting the Nipah virus.
The teen left a trail of 214 contacts, who were being monitored by officials – with 60 of at risk of becoming seriously ill if they contracted the bug.
Dr Anoop Kumar, director of critical care medicine at Aster MIMS Hospital in Calicut, said at the time: “There is a minimum chance of an outbreak of Nipah virus at this stage.”
The virus is predominantly seen in Bangladesh – where outbreaks occur almost every year – and was first spotted in Kerala in 2018.
Since, it’s been linked to dozens of deaths in the state.
An investigation published by Reuters last year, found that Kerala – which is a tropical state and is witnessing rapid urbanisation and tree loss – had “ideal conditions for a virus like Nipah to emerge”.
Experts say that animals are living in closer proximity to humans due to habitat loss, which helps the virus jump from animals to humans and poses a risk for outbreaks.
The bug – which inspired the blockbuster film Contagion about a global pandemic – has a fatality rate up to 75 per cent.
Of those who survive it, around 20 per cent are left with long-term neurological conditions, including personality changes or seizure disorders.
For comparison, estimates based on the John Hopkins University dashboard suggest the fatality rate of Covid is just over one per cent.
Nipah is a serious, and sometimes deadly, viral disease
It’s carried by fruit bats which can be passed onto people.
Some patients present no symptoms while others present with severe inflammation of the brain.
Symptoms include fever, and headache followed by drowsiness and mental confusion.
About half of patients with neurological symptoms also experienced respiratory difficulty.
Progression of symptoms
People with Nipah usually start getting sick between four and 14 days after they were infected with the virus.
They are typically sick for three to 14 days with fever, headache, cough, sore throat, and difficulty breathing.
Later in the infection, some people may experience brain swelling, or encephalitis, where severe symptoms can include confusion, drowsiness, and seizures.
People with these symptoms can fall into a coma within 24 to 48 hours.
How it spreads
How to prevent it
If you travel to or live in an area where Nipah virus outbreaks have occurred, you should:
How it is treated
Treatment is currently limited to supportive care.
A vaccine has been developed to protect horses and this holds promise for future henipavirus protection for humans
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Nipah is typically transmitted to humans from animals such as bats and pigs, through direct contact with bodily fluids like blood or saliva.
Humans can also pick the disease up by eating foods contaminated with urine or saliva from infected animals, or through close contact with people who already have it – but these forms of transmission are much rarer.
People infected with the Nipah virus my not display any symptoms at all – but many go on to develop acute respiratory infections, seizures and fatal brain swelling, called encephalitis.
Encephalitis and seizures only occur in severe cases and can progress to coma within 24 to 48 hours.
It typically takes between four days and two weeks for people to develop symptoms after being infected – though in some cases it has taken up to 45, WHO noted.
Scientists previously told The Sun that Nipah could “absolutely be the cause of a new pandemic”.
Dr Rebecca Dutch, chair of the University of Kentucky’s department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry and a world a leader in the study of viruses, said that although there are no current Nipah outbreaks in the world, they occur periodically and it is “extremely likely” we will see more.
She told us: “Nipah is one of the viruses that could absolutely be the cause of a new pandemic. Several things about Nipah are very concerning.
“Many other viruses in that family (like measles) transmit well between people, so there is concern that a Nipah variant with increased transmission could arise.
“The mortality rate for this virus is between 45 per cent and 75 per cent depending on the outbreak – so this is much higher than Covid-19.
By Paul Hunter, professor of medicine at the University of East Anglia
Nipah virus is a nasty disease.
Although everything is possible in the world of infectious diseases. The threat of a global Nipah virus pandemic is not high on the list of the things that keep we awake at night.
Firstly, the primary host species are Pteropodidae bats, fruit bats or a flying fox.
Humans usually catch the infection from an infected animal, either the fruit bats themselves or from intermediate animals such as pigs, Contaminated food can also be a cause.
The pigs catch the infection from the fruit bats. Pteropodidae bats are not found in Europe -see figure below.
Secondly, person to person transmission does occur but it is not very efficient.
The R-value is below 1.0, around 0.33, so you would not get sustained person-to-person transmission unless there was some pretty impressive evolution, not impossible but very unlikely.
I guess there could be a risk of introduction into the UK from contaminated food, probably meat illegally brought into the country.
However, any subsequent illnesses would not spread far.
Of course with climate change the distribution of species may change over the next century and who knows what the risk may be in 50 or 100 years from now.
“Nipah has been shown to be transmitted through food, as well as via contact with human or animal excretions.
“The incubation period for Nipah can be quite long, and it can be unclear if transmission can occur during this time.”
Dr Jonathan Epstein, vice president for science and outreach at the EcoHealth Alliance, explained how they are tracking the Nipah virus and are worried about its potential.
He told The Sun: “We know very little about the genetic variety of Nipah-related viruses in bats, and what we don’t want to happen is for a strain to emerge that is more transmissible among people.”
A study published in The Lancet this year mapped the Nipah virus across nine countries – saying it had infected 749 people between 1998 and 2021.
Earlier this year, it was reported that a man in Bangladesh had died after drinking raw date juice contaminated by the urine or saliva of infected fruit bats.
The Sun's coverage of viral threats across the globe - from 'valley fever' infecting festival goers to the looming threat of a mutant mpox strain:
