The Trans-European Race, taking place this week from London to Istanbul, has echoes of a mystery tour. The organiser, Wigan-based Lupine Travel, did not reveal the location of checkpoints dotted around the continent until a few minutes before the start at 10am on Saturday. Except for the first stop. The race director, James Finnerty, told me: “Ahead of time they’ve been given the first checkpoint, which is in Paris, because forcing people to purchase a last-minute Eurostar ticket would be exploitative.”
I checked: the only seats were in Business Premier at a one-way fare of £325. Space on the high-speed train from London St Pancras International to Paris Nord is a scarce and much sought-after commodity and the usual way in which such desirable items are allocated is by price. Good luck to Eurostar, which was arguably harder hit by the Covid pandemic – and absurd decisions on travel restrictions by governments on both sides of the Channel – than any other transport enterprise.
