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Stretch of California Highway 1 that collapsed in Big Sur closes again as new storm arrives

UK airports get more time to put in new scanners that will allow more liquids and packed laptops

Cruise ship carrying 1,500 passengers stuck in Spain port due to Bolivian passengers’ visa problems

Klaus Mäkelä, just 28, to become Chicago Symphony Orchestra music director in 2027

US traffic deaths fell 3.6% in 2023, the 2nd straight yearly drop. But nearly 41,000 people died

Nyc natural history museum previews new wing.

The American Museum of Natural History gave a tour Thursday of the museum’s new wing, the under-construction Richard Gilder Center for Science, Education, and Innovation (Oct. 27) (AP Video: Ted Shaffrey)

Tourism boom helps Greece face rising costs

80-year-old american tourist killed in elephant attack during game drive in zambia.

United Airlines is asking pilots to take time off in May because of a shortage of new Boeing planes

A big airline is relaxing its pet policy to let owners bring the companion and a rolling carry-on

A tropical cyclone makes landfall in northern Madagascar, killing 18 people

Federal EV charging stations are key to Biden’s climate agenda, yet only 4 states have them

The British Museum names Nicholas Cullinan its new director as it tries to get over a rocky patch

Voters to turn a new page in the history of Istanbul, guardian of the Bosphorus

A delta flight was cut short after a panel behind one of the engines fell off during takeoff.

NYC subway rider is fatally pushed onto tracks, reviving discussion about mental illness in system

Baby gorilla cuddled by mother at London Zoo remains nameless

A braking system ‘anomaly’ caused an American Airlines jet to exceed a Dallas runway, NTSB says

Federal officials want to know how airlines handle — and share — passengers’ personal information

Police say he got on a plane using a photo of a girl’s boarding pass. now he faces a felony charge.

Natural wonders. Napoleon’s exile. A remote island in the South Atlantic is now easier to reach

A critical Rhode Island bridge will need to be demolished and replaced

A Danish hippie oasis has fought drug sales for years. Now, locals want to tear up the whole street

Oregon governor wants tolling plan on 2 Portland-area freeways scrapped

Intense rainfall sweeps across Dubai and the wider United Arab Emirates, disrupting flights

US poet laureate Ada Limón to launch book and parks project ‘You Are Here’

JetBlue and Spirit are ending their $3.8 billion merger plan after a federal judge blocked the deal

Cambodia defends family relocations around the famous Angkor Wat temple complex

California ski resort workers tunnel their way into the office after getting 10 feet of snow

Alaska’s Iditarod dogs get neon visibility harnesses after 5 were fatally hit while training

Cheers to being crooked again. Quirky English pub bulldozed after a fire to be rebuilt as it was

Mexico crowns new ‘Queen of the Mountains’ as community reckons with recent mountaineering deaths

Checking a bag will cost you more on United Airlines, which is copying a similar move by American

Avalanche kills a Russian skier while 5 others are rescued at a resort in Indian-held Kashmir

United Airlines says after a ‘detailed safety analysis’ it will restart flights to Israel in March

London’s beloved and futuristic BT tower sold for $347 million to be turned into a hotel

Eiffel Tower operator warns the landmark is closed as strike turns visitors away for a second day

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Busiest holiday travel season in years is off to a smooth start

The Associated Press

Travelers walk the ramp as they arrive to Grand Central Station in New York, Thursday, Dec. 21, 2023. Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/AP hide caption

Travelers walk the ramp as they arrive to Grand Central Station in New York, Thursday, Dec. 21, 2023.

The holiday travel rush hit its peak Friday as mild weather and lower flight cancelation rates raised hopes for merrier drivers and airline passengers than last year. U.S. airlines are predicting a blockbuster holiday season and have projected confidence they can handle the crowds after hiring thousands of pilots, flight attendants and other workers, seeking to avoid the delays and suspensions that marred travel last year and culminated with the Southwest Airline debacle that stranded more than 2 million people. Airlines have canceled just 1.2% of U.S. flights so far this year, the lowest in five years, but bad weather is always a threat. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has warned the government will be holding the airlines accountable to operate smoothly and treat passengers well if there are disruptions. Earlier this week, Transportation Department announced a settlement in which Southwest will pay $140 million for its meltdown last year. Some 70 flights had been cancelled in the U.S by early Friday evening and about 3,480 had been delayed, according to FlightAware. The Transportation Security Administration screened more than 2.6 million passengers on Thursday, which had been projected to be one of the busiest travel days, along with Friday and New Year's Day. That's short of the record 2.9 million that agents screened on the Sunday after Thanksgiving, since travel tends to be more spread over over Christmas and New Year's. Travel has been strong this year — surpassing pre-pandemic levels — even though many Americans say they are worried about the economy. The TSA has already screened 12.3% more travelers than it had by this time last year and 1.4% more than in 2019. Robert Lake said he hoped taking a pre-dawn flight from Atlanta International Airport would help him beat the crowds Friday but found the world's busiest airport was already packed in the wee hours. "It was very hectic. I got to my boarding area, like, maybe just minutes before the plane took off," Lake said after arriving in Tampa to go to a cruise for the holidays. "I cut it way too close." Other travelers said they were pleasantly surprised at the ease of their trips despite the crowds. "Super easy. We had a great flight. No issues so far," said Kendall Black, who flew from Houston to Chicago O'Hare International Airport with her spouse and 3-year-old daughter to visit her sister. Auto club AAA forecasts that 115 million people in the U.S. will go 50 miles or more from home between Saturday and New Year's Day. That's up 2% over last year. The busiest days on the road will be Saturday and next Thursday, Dec. 28, according to transportation data provider INRIX. Inflation has cooled off a bit, and travelers were helped by lower average gas prices and air fares. The nationwide gas price average Friday was $3.13 a gallon, down 15 cents from a month ago and about 3 cents more than this time last year, according to AAA. Average fares in October were 13% lower than a year earlier, according to the government's latest data.

Travelers wait in the departure hall at Dusseldorf Airport, Duesseldorf, Germany, Friday Dec. 22, 2023, at the start of the Christmas vacations. Thomas Banneyer/AP hide caption

Travelers wait in the departure hall at Dusseldorf Airport, Duesseldorf, Germany, Friday Dec. 22, 2023, at the start of the Christmas vacations.

Internationally, air travel has also rebounded, though it remains below pre-pandemic levels. Airlines have sold 31% more tickets for international arrivals to global destinations between Dec. 21 and Dec. 31 compared to the similar period last year, according to travel data firm FowardKeys. Some travelers in northern Europe had a run of bad luck with bad weather and labor unrest. A storm brought heavy rain and strong winds across northern Europe overnight and into Friday, bringing down trees and prompting warnings of flooding on the North Sea coast. Workers at the undersea tunnel between Britain and France held a surprise strike on Thursday, forcing the cancelation of passenger and vehicle-carrying service before an agreement with unions was reached.

Travellers queue for the Eurostar trains at St Pancras Station in London, Friday, Dec. 22, 2023. Alastair Grant/AP hide caption

Travellers queue for the Eurostar trains at St Pancras Station in London, Friday, Dec. 22, 2023.

Eurostar, which operates passenger train services from London to continental Europe, said services will resume Friday and it will run six extra trains between Paris and London into the weekend. In the U.S., AccuWeather forecasters said that Pacific storm that pounded parts of Southern California on Thursday will merge with another storm in the Northwest and produce a major snowstorm in the Rockies. AccuWeather warned travelers to watch for possible flight cancelations and delays in Denver over the weekend.

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TravelAwaits

Our mission is to serve the 50+ traveler who's ready to cross a few items off their bucket list.

Year In Review: Top Travel News Stories Of 2023

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• Travel News

From a remarkably cold winter and a new comet to the closure of an immensely popular UNESCO World Heritage Site, the past year in travel has seen some ups and downs. In 2023, we covered travel news that helped our readers hit the road while staying up to date. From travel warnings to potential brand-new national parks, our top travel news from 2023 showed us which topics interest our TravelAwaits readers the most.

Our most popular travel news stories from the U.S. occurred in Florida, but international news seemed to really concern our readers this past year, whether it was the closing of an ancient ruin in South America or celestial events occurring outside of Earth’s atmosphere.

Let’s take a second to look back at the travel news that piqued our readers’ interest the most this past year, and then look ahead at 2024.

Peru Closes Machu Picchu To Visitors

In late 2022, Peru’s President Pedro Castillo was impeached due to corruption. Spurring countrywide protests, the political issue caused civil unrest and forced the Ministry of Tourism to close the ancient Inca ruins of Machu Picchu — a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Demonstrations near the ruins caused rail damage to nearby trains and forced the Cusco airport to suspend operations. The U.S. State Department issued a travel advisory for Peru and urged visitors to “exercise increased caution due to civil unrest.”

Luckily, the disruptions did not last very long and Machu Picchu was reopened on February 12, 2023.

Farmers’ Almanac Predicts Very Cold Winter In Canada

Our readers like to stay in the know regarding one specific topic over any other: the weather. Every year, the Farmers’ Almanac releases its extended weather forecast for the U.S. and Canada. From an unusually warm winter in 2022 to a sizzling summer in 2023, TravelAwaits readers proved once again that they’re interested in the weather.

This year, though, it wasn’t any of the U.S. forecasts that made the list of top travel news stories. Indeed, the Farmers’ Almanac Winter Weather Forecast for Canada is the next story on our list. While readers scoured to see the upcoming winter’s potential outcome, they were told that “The BRRR Is Back!” — not unlike the U.S. forecast .

According to Canada’s winter outlook — and this is still relevant for the upcoming 2024 winter — the eastern part of the country will be chilly and stormy with a “wintry mishmash.” The central region will be “bitterly cold,” and the west will be seasonally cold, or very cold, with snowfall and wetness.

April’s Lyrid Meteor Shower Could Bring Up To 20 Meteors An Hour

“The Lyrid meteor shower occurs each year in April when Earth passes through the debris trail of a comet called C/1861 G1 Thatcher, which was discovered on April 5, 1861, by A. E. Thatcher,” said Jim Fulcher. “The comet takes 417 years to orbit the sun.”

One of several annual celestial events, the Lyrid meteor shower serves as an introduction to the springtime. Not specific to any region, the meteors are visible from anywhere that has dark skies and low levels of light pollution.

From meteors and comets to blue moons, our readers loved the astronomy news this year — as you’ll see later on in this list.

Orca May Return To Ocean After 50 Years In Captivity

One of the more somber stories on this list, Lolita from the Miami Seaquarium had heaps of hope this past April when it was announced she’d be returning to her home waters in the Pacific Northwest. In partnership with the seaquarium, an animal rights organization, and philanthropist Jim Irsay, Lolita was set to return sometime this year.

The original plan was for her to return during a gradual process so as to not aggravate her sickness, which was the main reason she was leaving the seaquarium in the first place. With even greater hopes to return to her mother — a 95-year-old killer whale still said to be living in Puget Sound waters — Lolita was supposed to live the rest of her life as a free creature. 

Unfortunately, Lolita was unable to complete the journey back to her original home and passed away in August. A heartwarming story that ended in sadness, it’s a stark reminder of the preciousness of endangered species worldwide.

Great White Sharks Located Near Swimmers Along California Coast

Just a few states below Lolita’s home waters in Washington State, another aquatic visitor made a splash this summer. Instead of killer whales, it was juvenile great white sharks that stirred up a commotion this time.

Thanks to a study from California State University Long Beach Shark Lab , “hotspots” of juvenile great whites were found in multiple areas near Southern California. Luckily, it was only juveniles reported to have been in these waters back in the summer; great whites are known as “juvenile” from birth to about 6 years old. 

“Juveniles like warm water and the safety of shallow areas for protection and access to their favorite food: sting rays on the shore line,” said TravelAwaits contributor Christy Karsten . 

What Will Be The Next U.S. National Park? A Look At 7 Contenders

In 2020, New River Gorge National Park and Preserve became America’s newest national park. Since then, readers and travelers have been eager for news of the park service’s next installment. This past summer, we took a look at seven potential candidates for America’s next national park . 

“The U.S. is full of worthy candidates, but national parks are created through congressional legislation, and there are many considerations — including available infrastructure such as roads and restrooms,” said National Geographic . “Community advocacy can help fuel the effort. With strong local and federal support, some sites stand a good chance of becoming America’s 64th national park.”

Expert TravelAwaits contributor and avid national park goer Jim Fulcher covered the following parks: 

• Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park
• Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve
• Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument
• Chiricahua National Monument
• Shawnee National Forest
• Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
• Tongass National Forest

While the newest park could be any one of these, or none of them, our readers were interested to read about which lucky location could have the honor of joining some incredible U.S. landmarks.

Popular Florida Spring Closed To Visitors For Six Months

Back to Florida for our next story about a beloved vacation excursion closing for over half the year — Three Sisters Springs in Crystal River, Florida. Made up of Pretty, Big, and Little Sister Springs, the wildlife refuge was closed for a canal-stabilization project to improve the surrounding habitat for the springs’ native manatees.

Closed from April 1 until November 15, the project was calculated to start and end before the beginning of manatee mating season, which lasts from November to April. Located in a wetlands habitat in Kings Bay, Three Sisters Springs has since reopened to visitors.

Newly Discovered Comet Expected To Be Brighter Than Stars

Another celestial event on the list, the arrival of Comet/2023 A3 won’t occur again until later in 2024, but it deserved the early coverage for good reason.

Discovered this past February, the comet — otherwise known as Tsuchinshan-ATLAS — takes 80,000 years to orbit the sun. Named after Purple Mountain in China, where the comet was first photographed, it “should be at its closest to Earth on October 13, 2024,” said Jim Fulcher, according to EarthSky .

U.S. Warns Tourists To Avoid Certain Areas Of Mexico

Not unlike the complications in Machu Picchu, early 2023 saw a lot of unrest in Mexico as well, but for even more dangerous reasons. When the story of American tourists kidnapped in Mexico, two of which were killed, made headline news, the U.S. State Department was quick to warn future visitors of Mexico’s potential dangers .

“Violent crime — such as homicide, kidnapping, carjacking, and robbery — is widespread and common in Mexico,” the State Department explains . “The U.S. government has limited ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in many areas of Mexico, as travel by U.S. government employees to certain areas is prohibited or restricted. In many states, local emergency services are limited outside the state capital or major cities.”

Offering visitors various cautions in specific areas around Mexico, the State Department urged Americans not to travel to places like Colima and Sinaloa. Visitors were told to reconsider traveling to “Baja California (where Tijuana is located), Chihuahua, Guanajuato (where Guanajuato City is located), Jalisco state (home to Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta), and Sonora.” 

While the State Department did not caution travel to all of Mexico, it wouldn’t be the first time civil unrest has led to a travel warning in America’s neighbor country to the south.  

The Dangerous Situation Happening In Cancun

Focused solely in the resort state of Quintana Roo, where Cancun is located, February saw even more complications in Mexico as the result of a new rideshare policy in the area. 

“The problem is that taxi drivers, who are protesting that Uber has begun operations in Quintana Roo, have repeatedly blocked the main road from the airport to Cancun’s Hotel Zone,” said TravelAwaits’ Jim Fulcher. “At other times, cab drivers have allegedly thrown rocks at Uber drivers, and fights have allegedly broken out between taxi and Uber drivers in the street.”

Taking away from local taxi drivers, a two-sided conflict arose, and tourists were in the crossfire, pushing the U.S. State Department to release yet another warning for people traveling to Mexico.

Looking Ahead To 2024

With yet another year in the books, we are left to wonder what’s next. We hope our TravelAwaits readers are strapping in for yet another year of travel. Want a preview of what might be in store? Check out our travel trend forecast for 2024 .

Brian has a passion for film and his hobbies include writing movie reviews, playing and watching soccer, and exploring the city of Philadelphia. He has published stories for the online publication Philadelphia Neighborhoods and his coverage went on to win the 2021 Division I Keystone Student Media Award for Best Ongoing News Coverage.

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Deadly April storm batters Northeast, snarling travel and knocking out power to half a million

A powerful April storm is hitting the Northeast on Thursday, dumping rain and snow with howling tropical force winds, prompting major airport delays and whiteout road conditions, and knocking out power to over half a million customers.

The strong storm system has been crawling across the U.S. since the weekend — and has already led to several weather-related deaths.

In Pennsylvania, two people died in separate incidents in which a tree fell on the car they were in during Wednesday’s storms. An elderly man died in Delaware County, and an elderly woman , described as in her early 80s, was also killed in Collegeville, Pennsylvania, NBC Philadelphia reported.

Another death was reported in Armonk, New York, Wednesday evening after a tree fell onto a car, killing the operator, North Castle police said. 

As of Thursday morning, the system is making its way out of the Northeast, with 5 million people under wind alerts across New England and 8 million under winter alerts.

The system will produce heavy, wet snow over north-central New England and northeast New York and pass through Maine on Thursday, the National Weather Service Prediction Center forecast. An additional 12 inches of snowfall is possible through Friday.

The system will create “significant impacts from heavy snow and wind,” and perilous travel due to whiteout conditions, snow-covered roads, tree damage and power outages, the NWS said.

Disrupted travel, crashes and power outages

Air travel has already been affected, with over 1,200 delays and over 300 cancellations inside, into or out of the U.S. reported, according to Flight Aware data — all amid a week of busy spring break bookings.

The storm system has also wreaked havoc on roads.

In New Hampshire, state troopers responded to three tractor-trailer rollover crashes in less than seven hours by late Wednesday. State police urged locals “to avoid unnecessary travel.” Massachusetts State Police also responded to multiple crashes Wednesday evening, describing road conditions as “poor.”

Powerful winds have whipped through the region since Wednesday, downing power lines and trees.

Nationally, over 500,000 customers are without power — including over 235,000 in Maine, 53,000 in West Virginia and over 51,000 in New York as of 8:30 a.m., according to PowerOutage.us.

By 2:30 p.m. ET, more than 640,000 were without power with over 334,000 out in Maine and over 173,000 out in New Hampshire.

In New Hampshire as of early Thursday, more than 100,000 customers were without power, the state’s division of homeland security and emergency management said. The agency’s State Emergency Operations Center has been activated in response to the storm.

New York State Electric and Gas, which serves the upstate region, said Wednesday’s severe weather led to 180 downed wires and more than 30 broken poles.

“NYSEG pre-staged more than 2,100 additional line workers and tree personnel across its service areas in preparation for the storm and are currently shifting resources to support its hardest hit areas,” the company said.

Utility company National Grid said it was responding to stormy conditions in upstate New York by increasing staffing, extending overnight shifts, bringing in additional resources from other states and Canada, and pre-staging crews in areas anticipated to be “most severely impacted.”

In Brookfield, Connecticut, a mother and her three kids narrowly escaped injury Wednesday when stormy winds caused a tree to fall on their car, completely crushing it.

In Maine, where heavy snow is forecast, Gov. Janet Mills directed all state offices to be closed Thursday and urged locals to “take proper precautions and to prepare for possible power outages.”

More wind, rain and snow

The storm has already drenched much of the Northeast, with a daily record of 1.75 inches recorded at New York City’s LaGuardia Airport on Wednesday, 1.55 inches in Central Park, 1.49 inches in Philadelphia, and 1.84 inches in Newark, New Jersey.

Even Lady Liberty was hit by rumbling thunderstorms, struck by a bolt of lightning Wednesday evening around 6 p.m. in a stunning moment captured by a photographer from Liberty State Park in New Jersey.

The system has also brought with it dangerously high winds, with a gust of 67 mph reported Wednesday in Nantucket, Massachusetts, 64 mph in Stamford, Connecticut, 59 mph in Manhattan and 54 mph in Boston.

Winds are forecast to stay strong through Thursday, with isolated wind gusts of 50-60 mph possible especially for coastal New England.

Alerts for minor to moderate coastal flooding also remain in effect through Thursday evening for 26 million from the Delmarva Peninsula to the Maine coast.

The system will slowly move off the Northeast coast by Saturday.

Breaking News Reporter

Kathryn Prociv is a senior meteorologist and producer for NBC News. 

US issues Mexico 'increased caution' warning for spring break travelers

The U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Mexico has issued a spring break travel warning for Americans planning to visit the country. The message posted on Monday highlighted a range of potential safety threats in the popular destination like crime.

“U.S. citizens should exercise increased caution in the downtown areas of popular spring break locations including Cancun, Playa del Carmen, and Tulum, especially after dark,” the advisory said, though it noted that crime can occur anywhere in Mexico. The U.S. State Department's travel advisory for the country notes various warning levels for different states, ranging from Level 1 (“exercise normal precautions") through 4 (“do not travel”).

The message also warned of other potential hazards like unregulated alcohol and pharmaceuticals. “Unregulated alcohol may be contaminated, and U.S. citizens have reported losing consciousness or becoming injured after consuming alcohol that was possibly tainted,” the advisory said. 

The U.S. Embassy and Consulates noted that counterfeit medication is “common” and could be ineffective or an incorrect strength. Those products may also have dangerous ingredients. “Medication should be purchased in consultation with a medical professional and from reputable establishments,” the message said.

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Learn more: Best travel insurance

The advisory warned of drowning and high private hospital prices, as well, among other risks. The message urged travelers to take precautions like keeping an eye on their drinks; staying with a group of friends in bars and clubs, while walking in dark areas or in taxis at night; and letting family and friends know about their travel plans.

Despite the warning, however, it noted that “the vast majority” of U.S. citizens visiting Mexico at spring break each year do so safely.

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at [email protected].

Watch CBS News

Earthquake snarls air and train travel in the New York City area

By Megan Cerullo

Edited By Aimee Picchi

Updated on: April 5, 2024 / 4:36 PM EDT / CBS News

An  earthquake  centered in New Jersey and felt across the New York City region on Friday disrupted air and rail travel, with ground stoppages at airports in the New York City area and delays in train service. 

Travel operations were momentarily halted Friday morning with ground stoppages at John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens and at Newark Liberty International Airport in Newark, New Jersey, with crews working to resume normal air traffic operations. By early afternoon, the ground stoppage at JFK had been lifted. 

Arriving and departing flights in Newark also resumed in the afternoon, but delays averaged roughly two hours,  according  to the Federal Aviation Administration. 

The earthquake, which occurred roughly 10:20 a.m. Eastern time, had either a 4.7 or 4.8 magnitude and was centered near Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, 40 miles west of New York City,  according to the United States Geological Survey.

Newark airport is experiencing average departure delays of 43 minutes, according to flight tracking website FlightAware. Inbound aircraft that are already airborne are delayed by about an hour. Inbound flights that have not yet taken off are being held until 12:30 p.m., according to the site.  

Flights in and out of LaGuardia airport in Queens were also delayed, likely in order for airport staff to check for damage to the airport and runways and clear away any debris. 

The ground stoppages and delays are not expected to last long. 

Additionally, New Jersey Transit said it's experiencing up to 20-minute delays across its entire rail service system, in both directions. NJ Transit said it's inspecting a bridge for damage to ensure train travel is safe. 

—CBS News' Kris Van Cleave contributed reporting.

Megan Cerullo is a New York-based reporter for CBS MoneyWatch covering small business, workplace, health care, consumer spending and personal finance topics. She regularly appears on CBS News Streaming to discuss her reporting.

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Riding in Style on Japanese Trains

Luxurious rail cars offer countryside views with a range of cultural itineraries and budgets.

By Vivian Morelli

Reporting from Tokyo

Japan’s public transportation is known for its punctuality, efficiency and high-quality service, which means train travel is a great way to see the countryside and to experience Japanese culture — even if you’re squeezed into Tokyo’s crowded Yamanote line at rush hour or experiencing the popular high-speed Shinkansen bullet train .

But many savvy visitors crisscross the country in another way, using luxury trains that resemble five-star hotels on rails.

Luxury rail travel appeals to “someone who wants slow travel, the experience of excellent service in a contained environment, the finest dining, the most exquisite accommodation with private bathrooms,” Simon Pielow, co-founder of the Luxury Train Club , said by phone from Wiltshire County, England. “Things that many people have no idea is possible on anything other than a royal train.”

One trip chartered by his agency starts and ends at Hakata station in the city of Fukuoka, crossing the southern Japanese island of Kyushu on the Seven Stars , a seven-car luxury sleeper train. Journeys for either two days and one night (per person, double occupancy) range from 650,000 to 900,000 yen (about $4,292 to $5,942), or four days and three nights from ¥1.2 million to ¥1.6 million. (A single supplement would apply.)

“The train is very much sought-after because of the quality of the service on the train and its exclusivity,” Mr. Pielow said. “The people who come to us are desperate to travel on the train.”

With limited space, most would-be travelers need to apply several months in advance.

The Seven Stars, or Nanatsuboshi in Japanese, was named in part after the number of its carriages, in part after the seven prefectures of Kyushu: Fukuoka, Saga, Nagasaki, Kumamoto, Oita, Miyazaki and Kagoshima, and for seven of the main attractions of the region, including its nature, food and hot springs. (Other stars have been known to ride these rails: The actress and producer Margot Robbie told Vogue last year that she and her husband had traveled to Japan in part to ride the Seven Stars.)

The train consists of a lounge car, a bar, a tatami-mat tearoom and a souvenir shop, as well as eight 108-square-foot private rooms and two larger suites, the biggest measuring 226 square feet.

Guests don’t necessarily have to spend all their time on board. They can also get off to participate in activities such as a guided walk along the Wakimoto coast, a seaside area of Kagoshima Prefecture, that lasts about an hour.

Meals can be consumed aboard the train or at restaurants along the way, and one night can be spent in a ryokan, a traditional Japanese inn.

So how does that work on a train? Some stops last an hour or more, enough time for guest excursions. But often, the train will keep rolling and pick up the guests at a later station.

But there also are other luxury trains in Japan. (Seven Stars and the Shiki-Shima, detailed below, can be booked from overseas. The others listed here must be booked from within Japan.)

The Twilight Express Mizukaze is an Art Deco-inspired sleeper train decorated from traditional crafts such as pottery and cut glass. Onboard entertainment includes a tea ceremony, live music and a signature cocktail from the bar. Five routes are offered, including a two-day, one night one-way trip and a three-day, two-night round trip. A suite includes a private balcony and bathroom with a tub at ¥875,000 for a shorter journey and ¥1.4 million for a longer one. A “royal” twin room with windows on both sides of the car was recently listed at ¥385,000 per person, double occupancy.

The Aru Ressha is known as a “dessert train” that runs between Hakata and Yufuin in Kyushu. The one-way, three-hour itinerary is just enough time to indulge in appetizer, fish, meat and dessert courses for ¥35,000 per person. The train is decorated with black and gold arabesques on the outside and baroque styling inside.

The Spacia X offers a more budget-minded luxury experience. This six-carriage train equipped with plush sofas and private lounges links Tokyo to Nikko, a picturesque city in Tochigi Prefecture. Simran Nagra, a 33-year-old Canadian actuary who lives in Tokyo, used the train for a two-hour, ¥3,840 trip in July to the hot springs resort of Kinugawa Onsen. “I was really excited to ride it because it’s a luxury train, but has very affordable pricing,” she said. “The windows are huge and hexagonal, to highlight the views,” she said, and the cafe car featured Nikko specialties including craft beer on tap, two types of sake and locally sourced coffee.

GranClass was the choice out of necessity for the Australian journalist Jake Sturmer, 35, and his wife, Rachel, in 2018. “We had just moved to Japan, some friends invited us on a trip, and the only seat available for us to travel was on GranClass,” he said, referring to the first-class cabin on the Shinkansen. “What a luxury it was,” he said, mentioning the large, cushy seats, the hot towels to cleanse hands and faces, and bento boxes they were served during a two-hour ride from Tokyo to Iiyama in Nagano Prefecture.

The Train Suite Shiki-Shima was created to contribute to the recovery from the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in northern Japan.

Riders can choose from four seasonal routes lasting from one to three nights and departing from Tokyo. One goes northward along the Sea of Japan to Hakodate and the Upopoy National Ainu Museum and Park in Hokkaido Prefecture. Another is a wintertime itinerary through the snowy Tohoku region, where guests will get off the train to view traditional dancing and participate in woodwork or sewing workshops with local artisans. Prices range from ¥420,000 to ¥1.3 million per person, based on double occupancy in a sleeper car.

Shinobu Ohashi, 34, a paper-cutting artist who lives and works in Saitama, Japan, used the Shiki-Shima in December 2020 and April 2022. “I wanted to experience the design of the Shiki-Shima train, which I had seen on TV and in magazines, and the hospitality provided,” she wrote in an email.

The attention to detail impressed her: “When my companion complimented the garnishes that were offered only to the women on the dishes,” she said, “he was then also brought the same ones. We were both surprised.”

During one trip the cherry blossoms in Hakodate were in full bloom, she said: “We were taken to a cherry blossom viewing spot that was not on the trip schedule.”

The train has special meaning for her. “I am from the Tohoku region, from Fukushima Prefecture,” she said. “Even though a lot of time has passed since the March 11, 2011, earthquake and tsunami in Japan, I believe that Shiki-Shima is a reassuring presence.”

Passengers face travel chaos as train drivers strike for third time in four days

Members of the Aslef union are walking out in an almost two-year dispute over pay with no sign of a breakthrough.

News reporter @niamhielynch

Monday 8 April 2024 00:14, UK

Passengers on some of the UK's busiest rail routes will face travel chaos on Monday as train drivers are set to strike for the third time in four days.

Members of Aslef will walk out resulting in significant reductions in services, especially in East Anglia and the South East.

Aslef is embroiled in a near two-year long dispute over pay, with no sign of a breakthrough and no talks planned.

The strike will hit c2c, Gatwick Express, Greater Anglia, Southeastern, Southern, South Western Railway, Great Northern and Thameslink.

What train operators are affected?

No c2c trains will run on Monday, with its managing director Rob Mullen saying he was "really disappointed" an agreement hadn't been reached.

"The impact of this ongoing action is significant for our customers and colleagues," he said.

"I'm hopeful that further meetings with the unions are productive and see progress made toward concluding this challenging time for the railway."

Gatwick Express

There will be no Gatwick Express services but Gatwick Airport will continue to be served by the limited non-stop Southern shuttle.

Great Northern

There will be no Great Northern services on Monday.

Greater Anglia

Greater Anglia said its first trains of the day will start later and last trains finish earlier than normal, excluding the Stansted Express.

An hourly train service will operate on the following Greater Anglia routes: Norwich/Colchester and London Liverpool Street, Southend Victoria and London Liverpool Street, and Stansted Airport and London Liverpool Street

A bi-hourly train service will run between Cambridge and London.

No other Greater Anglia services will operate on any other routes.

Southeastern

The operator said most of its routes and stations will be closed. There will be an extremely limited service where trains are running and the operator advised customers not to travel.

A statement said: "If you do travel, expect severe disruption, plan ahead and allow much more time for your journey.

"Trains that are running will be extremely busy, they start later and finish early.

"You may be unable to board trains at some stations, and we estimate that there could be queues for up to two hours due to the very limited service.

"Only 29 out of 165 Southeastern stations will be open. No rail replacement buses will serve stations that are closed."

Southern said there will be no trains running across the vast majority of its network, with a limited shuttle service running non-stop between London Victoria and Gatwick Airport.

South Western Railway

South Western Railway said a significantly reduced service will operate on a small number of lines, while the rest of its network will be closed.

Trains will only run between 7am and 7pm.

There will be no Thameslink services running, except for a limited shuttle service calling at Luton, Luton Airport Parkway and London St Pancras and another limited non-stop shuttle service between London Kings Cross and Cambridge.

The union says the dispute has cost the industry over £2bn, far more than it would have cost to resolve the conflict.

Aslef members at 16 train companies are also banning overtime on Monday and Tuesday which will further disrupt services.

Picket lines will be mounted outside the railway stations of operators affected by the strike.

More on Rail Strikes

Train strikes in April and May 2024: Full list of dates and lines affected

Train drivers at five companies vote to continue strike action for another six months - ASLEF

Rail strikes: LNER train drivers to walk out for five extra days in February

Related Topics:

• Rail strikes

Aslef general secretary Mick Whelan said his members remained solidly behind the industrial action and criticised the government and rail companies for the lack of contact over the past year.

The government introduced a new law last year aimed at ensuring minimum levels of service during strikes, but none of the train companies have opted to use it.

A Rail Delivery Group spokesperson said: "Train companies are working through plans to manage the unnecessary disruption to our passengers caused by this damaging industrial action.

"Minimum service levels are one potential tool for that but they are not a silver bullet.

"In the meantime, we remain committed to resolving this dispute and our offer, which would take average driver salaries to £65,000 for a four-day week without overtime, remains on the table."

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A Department for Transport spokesperson said: "Aslef is the only rail union continuing to strike, targeting passengers and preventing their own members from voting on the pay offer that remains on the table.

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"Having resolved disputes with all other rail unions, the transport secretary and rail minister have ensured that a pay offer is on the table - taking train drivers' average salaries from £60,000 up to £65,000."

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