It is an impressive experience to travel on Germany’s newest high-speed railway, between Frankfurt and Cologne. ICE-3 trains accelerate fast to speeds of up to 330kph on the route, opened in December 2002, and run up the many steep hills as if they were level.

It is no less impressive, however, to travel on France’s newest high-speed rail route, the Ligne à Grande Vitesse Méditerannée, south from Valence towards Marseille. Double-deck Trains à Grande Vitesse (TGVs, high-speed trains) sweep over dramatic bridges over the River Rhône at up to 320kph on the route, opened in 2001.