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Paul Scraton

The construction of the railway up to the Jungfraujoch in Switzerland's Bernese Alps began in 1896. It was then that an opening, covered by a wooden door, was created in one of the railway tunnels in order to clear debris generated during the tunnel's construction. This door to the Eiger later proved vital in a number of rescue missions to save climbers attempting the ascent of the Eiger's North Face.

Looking back on past train journeys, we often think of a trip as being indelibly associated with a particular book. Paul Scraton recalls some of the volumes which he has taken along on a train ride.

Paul Scraton reflects on the merits of the journey as he boards the train to wherever. A train journey can be a wonderful stimulus to the imagination.

Paul Scraton reflects on the appeal of the urban tram as he explores tram routes in Berlin, Sarajevo, Prague and elsewhere. For visitors to a city, the tram is more than merely a way of getting around - it is an invitation to adventure.

Hop on a local suburban train in order to get a different view of a city. Whether it be your home town or an unfamiliar city, the view from the suburbs will be very different. Paul Scraton explores various expressions of Metroland across Europe.

Imagine you have an unexpected hour or two at a railway station far from home. What are the ingredients of a pleasing station? Perhaps uplifting architecture, a relaxed café, a decent bookshop and an engaging range of trains to watch. Paul Scraton reflects on the ideal railway station.

Tony Judt, who died ten years ago in August 2010, is remembered as a first-class historian. But he was also a great advocate for rail travel. Berlin-based writer Paul Scraton shares thoughts on Tony Judt's enthusiasm for the train.

There are proper night trains, the ones with couchettes and sleeping berths. And then there's the more spartan variant of the night train. merely offering passengers a seat for an overnight journey. Paul Scraton joins the 21.48 from Aachen to Berlin and discovers a certain ascetic pleasure as the ICE train rumbles eastward through the night.

We were travelling to Świnoujście for no other reason than curiosity. Perhaps because of growing up on an island myself, land borders have always fascinated me. The excitement of early Interrail trips was as much the novelty of being able to take the train to another country as it was what I found when I got there.

As a response to the pogrom against the Jews in Nazi Germany, the British Jewish community organized the Kindertransport which brought nearly 10,000 mostly Jewish children to Britain in 1938 and 1939. One of the children who came to Britain was Frank Meisler, then a boy of thirteen. He would grow up to become a sculptor.

Paul Scraton recalls his first European rail adventure back in 1999. Armed with an Interrail pass and the Thomas Cook European Rail Timetable and accompanied by two friends, Paul travelled from Zürich to Prague by train. It was the first long rail leg in a European tour.

What’s the best way to approach your destination? Is it by air? Or on foot? For Paul Scraton only the train can combine both the sweep of a skyline and the thrill of spotting the landmarks that give a place its visual character. Enjoy Paul's reflections on his train journey from Dresden to Prague.