Will European rail travel be back on track by summer?

Simon Calder answers your questions on European train trips, voucher refunds and hen parties

Today’s reader hopes to visit Switzerland in July (iStock)

Q Most of the questions you receive seem to be about people wanting to fly to places in Europe this summer. I want to go there but, as is always my desire, by train – starting with Eurostar. I’m hoping to visit Switzerland in mid-July with my wife. What do you think is likely to be the possibility here, particularly given the need to travel through France, Belgium, Germany and possibly Austria by train?

Colin B

A Sadly, travellers who fly from the UK to Europe are around 10 times more numerous than those who go by train. And the coronavirus pandemic means longer-distance rail trips are currently particularly fraught. A tangle of international travel restrictions stands in the way of anyone seeking to travel overland from the United Kingdom to Switzerland and back.