Ever since British Rail launched the slogan “This is the Age of the Train” in the 1970s, the railway has struggled to match reality to the marketing hype. Now, 30 years on, increasing congestion in the air and on the roads, environmental concerns and modern rail technology are making the train a more attractive option for the business traveller – though there is still some way to go.

High-speed lines are opening across Europe, creating fast cross-border connections between capitals. Meanwhile China is looking to introduce high-speed services across the vast distances between its cities to keep up with its rapid economic expansion. Japan has a long-established network of “bullet train” routes but the US remains the laggard, with fast services in the north-east corridor between Washington DC and Boston but little activity elsewhere.