Ffestiniog Travel’s Dan May talked to broadcaster Alistair McKenzie on his ‘Hangout on Air’ show about rail travel.  You can see the broadcast on YouTube by clicking on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEltbfKLMYE&feature=youtu.be  Dan joined a panel of rail travel experts and described the origins and relationship between the Ffestiniog historic steam railway line and Ffestiniog Travel since it started taking people on rail tours all over the world in 1974 - highlighting tours to India, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. He answered questions from  viewers about travelling on the Trans-Siberian route, about the cost benefits of pre-booking European rail tickets in advance and InterRail passes, and about a rail connection between India and Asia/Europe via Iran.

Forget gifts of Eau de Cologne on Valentine’s Day and treat your loved one to a short break in the city that created it instead. Culture lovers will be drawn to Cologne’s superb opera house, theatres and the impressive modern art collections of Museum Ludwig, whilst couples simply content to potter will find plenty of restaurants and cafés in which to while away the hours. A four-night trip in February costs from £410 pp (two sharing) including Eurostar, onward train connections and B&B. 

Take the train to avoid Christmas strain - Bruges from £435 pp with Ffestiniog Travel. Why wander aimlessly around the High Street when you can combine Christmas gift acquisition with a short break to Bruges? This beautiful medieval city hosts Advent markets from the end of November until 31 December, offering a tantalising combination of stalls selling hand-crafted goodies, wonderful restaurants and cafés, and picturesque canal-side scenery. A four-night festive trip costs from £435 pp (two sharing) including standard-class Eurostar, onward rail connections to/from Bruges, and B&B.

Follow Michael Portillo to Monte Carlo with Ffestiniog Travel. Railway enthusiast and former MP Michael Portillo indulges his passion for all things train in his very first episode of the successful Great Continental Railway Journeys TV series which sees Michael travel from London to Monte Carlo. He follows the most popular route of the Edwardian traveller through France. Rail tour specialists Ffestiniog Travel have recreated his route to the South of France in a 5-day rail holiday priced from £950pp.