For 15 years, Nikki Garcia made a living showcasing her physical prowess in the wrestling arena. Her toughness and stamina were a given whenever she and sister Brie Garcia—known professionally as...
A NEW train linking two of Europe’s most popular cities will be up and running in time for Christmas market season.
The high-speed service will run from Berlin to Paris, between Berlin Hauptbahnhof and Paris Gare de L’Est, with stops in Frankfurt, Strasbourg and Karlsruhe.
Passengers will be able to get from Berlin to Paris in just eight hours using the service, which will be run by German rail operator Deutsche Bahn and France‘s SNCF.
The first departure is scheduled to happen in December.
Michael Peterson, an executive at Deutsche Bahn, said: “This is the first daytime direct connection between the capitals of Germany and France, and it is also a symbol of a growing Europe.”
Alain Krakovitch, from SNCF, added: “This new connection is further proof of the Franco-German friendship and contributes to a shared foal of our two countries: more CO2-free mobility.”
The train journey will depart from Berlin at 11:54 am and arrive at Paris’ Gare de l’Est at 7:55 pm.
In the reverse direction, it will leave Paris at 9:55 am and arrive in Berlin at 6:03 pm.
Stops on the route will include Strasbourg, France, but not Saarbrücken, as initially requested by Deutsche Bahn.
The train will also make stops in the German cities of Frankfurt and Karlsruhe.
Second-class tickets will be available starting at €60 (around £50), which is slightly more expensive than the cheapest flights between the two capitals.
But with this route, the number of daily connections between France and Germany will increase from 24 to 26.
A long-distance night train service, operated by Austrian Railways, has connected Berlin and Paris previously, although it’s currently suspended due to construction work.
As the new route between the two capital cities only takes eight hours and is set to launch before Christmas, you could technically visit Christmas markets in two cities in one day.
Berlin Christmas Time at the Red Town Hall is usually open from 11am, and from there to the train station it’s a 12 minute taxi ride.
Jardin des Tuileries Christmas Market in Paris is open until 11:45pm.
Deutsche Bahn is also planning other new international connections.
Among them are routes from Munich to Milan and Rome, in collaboration with Trenitalia, scheduled for 2026.
According to Peterson, demand for international train travel has grown faster than for domestic routes.
The new service adds to the high-speed rail network between Germany and France, which already includes routes to Marseille and Bordeaux from Frankfurt.
Sun Travel's journalists have taken their fare share of train journeys on their travels and here they share their most memorable rail experiences.
Davos to Geneva, Switzerland
“After a ski holiday in Davos, I took the scenic train back to Geneva Airport. The snow-covered mountains and tiny alpine villages that we passed were so beautiful that it felt like a moving picture was playing beyond the glass.” – Caroline McGuire
Tokyo to Kyoto by Shinkansen
“Nothing quite beats the Shinkansen bullet train, one of the fastest in the world. It hardly feels like you’re whizzing along at speed until you look outside and see the trees a green blur. Make sure to book seat D or E too – as you’ll have the best view of Mount Fuji along the way.” Kara Godfrey
London to Paris by Eurostar
“Those who have never travelled on the Eurostar may wonder what’s so special about a seemingly ordinary train that takes you across the channel. You won’t have to waste a moment and can tick off all the top attractions from the Louvre to the Champs-Élysées which are both less than five kilometres from the Gare du Nord.” – Sophie Swietochowski
Glasgow to Fort William by Scotrail
“From mountain landscapes and serene lochs to the wistful moors, I spent my three-hour journey from Glasgow to Fort William gazing out the window. Sit on the left-hand side of the train for the best views overlooking Loch Lomond.” – Hope Brotherton
Beijing to Ulaanbatar
“The Trans-Mongolian Express is truly a train journey like no other. It starts amid the chaos of central Beijing before the city’s high-rises give way to crumbling ancient villages and eventually the vast vacant plains of Mongolia, via the Gobi desert. The deep orange sunset seen in the middle of the desert is among the best I’ve witnessed anywhere.” – Ryan Gray
Brits could one day travel to Spain by train, with new routes planned for 2026.
Eurostar is also launching a new winter route – here’s what you need to know.
MANCHESTER UNITED host Tottenham in a huge Premier League clash to cap off Super Sunday.
The Red Devils will be looking to bounce back from their disappointing 1-1 draw with FC Twente in midweek.
Erik ten Hag‘s men have had an underwhelming start to the new Premier League season, with just two wins from their first five matches.
Tottenham sit just above United on goal difference but Ange Postecoglu’s side are yet to claim three points on the road this term.
FOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS
Follow our live blog below…
STRICTLY Come Dancing star Shayne Ward put his wedding on hold for a second time to fulfill his dancing dreams.
The former Corrie star and his partner Sophie Austin were due to tie the knot later this year.
This isn’t the first time the couple pushed back their big day after they had to cancel their ceremony due to Covid-19.
But it was Hollyoaks actress Sophie who encouraged him to sign up to the show.
“It’ll be happening. Sophie and I were actually looking at the end of this year, but we couldn’t because this incredible show happened,” he told The Sunday Mirror.
“It was actually Sophie who put me forward for the show. For many years she’s talked about Strictly, she loves, loves the show, so every year the music would come on and she’d whisper: ‘You’d be good at this’.”
“She always had that belief in me, she’d say: ‘I just think you’d really enjoy it, and I want people to see you’. This year she said to me: ‘Can I please put your name forward?’ and I said: ‘Yeah’ because it felt like the right time.”
Shayne said joining Strictly was one of the “best things he’s ever done”.
His daughter is following in his footsteps and is also rehearsing for a dance competition.
But Shayne has recently been hit with backlash from trolls who branded him “insufferable”.
Shayne, 39, and his Strictly partner Nancy Xu made their dance debut on Saturday night with a Samba to Stevie Wonder’s Do I Do.
They scored 23 from judges Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke.
But some viewers took to social media to hit out at Shayne following the performance.
He later posted a lengthy statement slamming the claims and now he’s hit back again.
Shayne reposted a photo and message on Instagram from a fan that read: “This is the Shayne Ward I’ve known and loved for almost 20 years.
“Who has been nothing but kind, funny and very caring towards everyone he meets.
“If you knew his heart or met him even once you would think twice about those nasty comments being said online.
“Why would you wanna try and bring someone else down that you’ve never even met just because you can see them enjoying themselves.”
The follower added: “I hope none of this gets to him and he continues to be the superstar that he is.”
ONE Chelsea star teased Cole Palmer by writing a ruthless message on his match ball despite the ace scoring four goals against Brighton.
The Blues golden boy sealed a ten-minute hat-trick with a stunning free-kick and grabbed a fourth BEFORE half-time as Chelsea claimed a 4-2 win over Brighton.
Palmer hit the net in the 21st, 28th, 31st and 41st minutes in a bonkers first half at Stamford Bridge.
And that saw him become the first player ever in a Premier League match to score four goals in the first half.
Last season a mystery man wrote on his match ball “s*** player” after he netted a hat-trick in the 4-3 win over Manchester United in April.
And this time it was Romeo Lavia who played the role of the mischief-makers he wrote “You’re a mid player regardless” on Palmers ball.
Lavia tagged Palmer as he posted a picture of his graffiti on Instagram, saying: “There you go CP”.
And his prank has caused a stir on social media.
One fan said: “Cole Palmer is a world-class is what he meant.”
Another added: “Best Player in the Premier Rn.”
BEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERS
While some saw the truth in Lavia’s message and said: “Palmer is truly a mid player. He never turns up for big games.”
Sceptics should take a look at the scoring and assists charts, where Palmer ranks second with six goals and four assists this season.
The midfielder has accumulated 43 Premier League goals and assists since the beginning of last season more than any other player.
In another freak twist, Palmer has now scored four goals in the Premier League more times than he has bagged for three.
He snatched a dramatic hat-trick to complete an outrageous 4-3 turnaround victory against Manchester United on April 4.
Just 11 days later, he banged in four as Chelsea tore Everton apart and his quadruple against Brighton.
