The prospects for European railways - is the second railway age still here or yet to begin?

The prospects for a renaissance in rail travel in Europe are discussed. While high speed train services continue to lead rail development in many cases, European rail transport is dominated by much slower moving trains and this is considered likely to be the case for the foreseeable future. The increasing need for transport to be sustainable is also seen as an issue that facilitates rail bound transport development. Comfort, reliability, accessibility and affordability are also considered important. The development of the Japanese Shinkansen, the TGV, the tilting train and MAGLEV technology are described. Progress in the opening up of rail markets, competitive tendering, service reliability, the commercialisation of railway stations, modal shift, the position of railways in Eastern Europe, faster journey times into congested city centres, and the improvement of freight railways is discussed briefly.