a train all aboard tourism

INFORMATION

The update patch Build 34358.975 for Steam version is now available.

(Please check Steam for details on the update.)

The update patch ver.1.2.3 for Nintendo Switch version is now available.

[Bug fixed]

The display of the carriages was not correct when "Change Formation" and "Replace" were performed in a specific procedure.

Cars could be placed on top of each other by certain operations.

Station] - Station display is incorrect when certain conditions are met.

When "Signal Station" is overwritten by "Lay Track", the color remains the same as that of the site.

Shinkansen stations could be added by certain operations even when the Shinkansen line could not be opened.

You can watch it on YouTube, with English subtitles!

Become the president of

A railroad company .

A-Train: All Aboard Tourism is a business simulation game

in which you use the railroad to help towns develop.

In the world of A-Train,

people gather around stations, gradually developing the surrounding town.

As president of your very own railroad company,

you are free to build stations and lay train lines as you see fit.

What kind of railroad will you create? How will you develop the town?

All these choices and more are yours to make.

However, as company president,

your job is about more than just developing the transportation network.

It's important that you decorate your town by establishing subsidiaries

and advertise your company to increase your brand power.

The bigger your company grows,

the more freedom you will have to develop the town, bringing it ever closer to your ideal.

Tourism-based urban planning

In each town, you will find a variety of tourist attractions,

from idyllic hot spring districts to ancient historical castles.

There are many tourists who would love to visit these locations at least once.

However, whether these locations ever reach their full potential

depends entirely on your skill.

If a destination is difficult to reach, it will receive few visitors,

regardless of how stunning its sights may be.

Use the railroad, bus lines, and even ferries to envision and enable enjoyable holidays.

Your success will surely be reflected in the number of tourists flocking to your town.

All aboard!

Tourism is a one-way ticket to urban planning.

Any town you can envision is yours to create!

Do you want to see a highly developed metropolis?

Perhaps a quiet town, tucked away in the shadow of its beautiful tourist attractions?

How about a bustling city with a highly efficient transportation network?

You decide the town's future.

This story is yours, told with the help of your friends and associates.

Now, it's time to get started on tourism planning

and begin working towards your ideal city!

Product Information

Supported Platform

Release date

Planning / Development

Nintendo Switch

Package (Japan / South Korea / Hong Kong /Taiwan)

City Management Simulation

English / Japanese / Korean

and Chinese (Simplified / Traditional)

Friday, March 12 2021

Package (Japan)

English / German / Japanese / Korean

Wednesday, December 7 2021

KOMODO (Gaming brand "DEGICA GAMES")

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A-Train: All Aboard! Tourism

Try it for free.

A free demo of A-Train: All Aboard! Tourism is now available. Play through the game's first scenario and get to grips with running your very own railroad company. You can then carry your save data from the demo over to the full game, and continue building the city of your dreams!

You can download it from Nintendo eShop on your Nintendo Switch, or via this page – just sign in and press the “Download demo” button to get started.

Climb aboard and prepare to build the city of your dreams in A-Train: All Aboard! Tourism , the latest entry in the classic urban development simulation series, on Nintendo Switch !

Become the president of your very own railroad company, laying tracks and running your trains as you see fit. However, you're responsible for more than just the railroad! You'll also be tasked with managing subsidiaries, playing the stock market and participating in urban planning, in order to develop and expand your town.

This latest installment in the A-Train series introduces the element of tourism to the urban planning formula, and focuses on building up towns into bustling tourism capitals.

Providing realistic business management simulations of financing, investing and more, as well as a wide variety of customisable options for all your vehicles, A-Train: All Aboard! Tourism is packed full of features for you to explore.

But don't be overwhelmed! Players old and new alike will be able to jump right into the series thanks to the fun and practical tutorials provided in the early stages.

So why not hop aboard the A-Train with your trusted team of advisors, and start crafting a bright future for your town?

Please note: this game supports English, Japanese, Chinese (Traditional/Simplified), and Korean only.

This description was provided by the publisher.

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Demo available , Handheld mode , Tabletop mode , TV mode

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A-Train: All Aboard! Tourism

• View history

A-Train: All Aboard! Tourism is a city simulation game by Artdink . It is the first entry in the A-Train series for the Nintendo Switch and serves as the 35th anniversary game. The major new mechanic is a tourism feature. It features character art by Yuji Himukai , an artist known for their work on the Etrian Odyssey series . The game was announced as a part of the October 2020 Nintendo Direct Mini Partner Showcase .

Gameplay [ ]

Reception [ ]

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A-Train: All Aboard! Tourism

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All aboard the time machine

Travelling by overnight train through Russia tops my personal list of unmissable journeys. The trains themselves are part of the pleasure. There's something instantly epic about their brutal engines - 18ft high, they're half as tall again as British ones - and the coal-fired samovars in each carriage, and the weighty steel doors that seal the terrifying gaps between each car. Then there's the enforced idleness, the fussy little packet of towels and bed linen you get, and the chance to glimpse the minutiae of ordinary Russian life out of the windows and among your fellow travellers. But, mainly, there's no better way to appreciate the natural beauty and heartbreaking immensity of this extraordinary country.

Trains in Russia are time machines. They rumble across blighted industrial landscapes and through villages that have barely altered since the 19th century. The oligarch bosses of Russia's new oil and gas behemoths have private carriages - some, I'm reliably informed, with luxurious wood-panelled rooms inspired by the gentleman's clubs of Piccadilly - but out of the window they'll still see the tiny, self-sufficient hamlets that Dostoevsky and Tolstoy idealised, and Lenin despaired of, and Stalin tried to plan out of existence.

Arriving in Moscow has never been easier. When I first came on my own in 1990, I was told to bring a carton of Marlboro to pay for my taxi from the airport. There are still importuning drivers waiting for you, but there's also a new train service that sweeps you from Domodedovo airport to Paveletsky station on the Moscow metro in under 40 minutes.

Although I was fogged with a head cold and tired after the overnight flight, my heartbeat quickened when I got out at Komsomolskaya, the metro stop in the north-east of the city that serves three of Moscow's main rail terminuses. From here, trains run north-west to St Petersburg and Finland; east along the Trans-Siberian lines; and due north to my initial destination: Arkhangelsk, on the White Sea.

Yaroslavl station, on the north-eastern edge of Moscow, has a faintly disreputable air in the early morning. At the kiosks rumpled men were buying cans of beer as pick-me-ups. Europop blared out of a snack bar. The smell of grilled meat rose from kebab stalls. But inside my designated carriage there was a reassuring Soviet calm. Each carriage is looked after by an attendant who gives out the bed linen, makes tea and coffee, and generally keeps order. Mine took my ticket and showed me to a spotless two-berth compartment. I was half-hoping I'd be the only occupant, but shortly before the train pulled out Alyona and Alexei arrived. They'd lost their reservation and had come to an arrangement with the attendant to travel with me as far as Yaroslavl - about four hours out of Moscow. I suspect money had changed hands.

But Alyona and Alexei were charming company and this, after all, is why I'd come. Even in Soviet times, when westerners tried vainly to penetrate the enigma of Russia and generally went home baffled and badly fed, trains were a no man's land where you could fraternise with ordinary people. The suspicion and defensiveness evaporated. Russians padded around the sleeping cars in their slippers. You met wide boys and doctors, academics and caviar smugglers, largely on equal terms.

Alyona and Alexei were in their mid 20s and both worked for Colgate-Palmolive in Russia. They had been in Moscow for a two-day conference. They showed me pictures on their mobile phones of the fancy-dress party that had closed it. Alexei had dressed as Long John Silver. Both of them were feeling the effects of their late night. Alexei went to the buffet car for a beer after making up a bed on the spare berth for Alyona to curl up in and fall asleep.

It seemed less than an hour out of Moscow that the suburbs gave way to deep countryside. If Alexei and Alyona are Russia's future, here was its past: wooden houses whose quaint exteriors belie the hardscrabble lives of the people who live in them.

At Yaroslavl, Alexei and Alyona left and Irina arrived. Irina was in her late 40s, an accountant and mum of two. It's not uncommon for men and women to share berths on Russian trains. Irina asked me to step outside so she could change into her travelling attire - slippers and tracksuit bottoms. When I told her I was going to eat in the buffet car, she rolled her eyes and muttered darkly about the standards of hygiene. I felt pretty confident that the food would be fine - I'd already been down there for a sandwich - but she advised me to do my food shopping at the next station.

When we arrived at Danilov, Irina and I went out and she haggled with the pensioners who work their way along the platforms selling food. We ate potatoes with dill dipped in a big jar of homemade sour cream, spring onions, pickled cucumbers, and wild strawberries for pudding. The whole spread cost 100 roubles - about £2.

From Danilov, the train continued north. It was the middle of June and by midnight there was still enough light to read by. I felt overstimulated by the Arctic light and the feeling of immersion in the country. Less than 24 hours into my trip, I'd covered almost 1,000km, and felt like I was getting a privileged glimpse of that deep Russia, which seems somehow vast and eternal.

At six the next morning the train pulled into Arkhangelsk. I said goodbye to Irina. This was where I was changing trains in order to experience a different style of rail travel. Independent travel in Russia is not for everyone. It's easier than you think, but the linguistic obstacles and occasional discomforts can be off-putting. One solution is to go by private train.

A number of tour operators run private trains through Russia. They're organised like cruises on land, covering a specific route in a set number of days, and providing food, accommodation and excursions along the way. I joined this one half-way through its itinerary.

Just after 11am mine, The Golden Eagle, pulled in. It had 16 carriages, two doctors, two restaurant cars, a bar car with an upright piano and a classically trained Russian pianist to play it. After the scheduled overnight train from Moscow, the level of luxury seemed almost surreal. Some of the sleeping carriages were the regular Russian first-class compartments, albeit much better looked after. But in Gold Class you could travel through the Russian far north with your own private shower and a carriage attendant who would rustle up an espresso. And while the romantic in me likes the surprises and odd revelations of travelling by scheduled sleeper, the sybarite knows a good thing when he sees it.

The 60 or so tourists - about 60% British, 20% American, but no Russians - who were travelling on it had already been riding the rails for a week, working their way up to Murmansk in the Arctic Circle via Moscow and St Petersburg. Some were Russia buffs, some were rail buffs who had been enticed by the fact that much of the mileage we were covering was going to be under steam.

They were full of stories about the things they'd seen so far: the blasted industrial landscape of Nikel, which one of them described as a blueprint for Hell; the monastery on the distant Solovetsky islands. Although they'd chosen to travel in comfort, they all seemed to understand that Russia's unique history is memorialised in the bizarre and grim as well as the beautiful.

The rhythm of travel on the private train was slower than my journey to Arkhangelsk and there was a soothing predictability about it: the set meal-times, the comfort, seeing the same faces at breakfast each day. Everyone I asked had been sleeping better and having more vivid dreams, rocked to a deeper level of sleep by the motion of the engine. The whole train was our kingdom. It was like a space station from which we descended to explore life on this formerly red planet. At the larger towns - Arkhangelsk, Vologda, Uglich - we disembarked to explore by coach. They were rewarding stops. Vologda, which I'd never heard of, was a flourishing farming town with a beautiful monastery on its outskirts. Uglich, which we explored in the yellow light of late evening, boasted beautiful onion-domed churches perched on a pretty bend of the Volga. And other days we simply pootled around the branch lines, taking turns to ride on the footplate.

Best of all were the unscheduled stops. The steam locomotives that pulled us were relics from the Stalin era. Every 60 miles, we would have to stop to fill the tenders with water. We found ourselves at stations and halts whose raison d'être is the railway: Sonkovo, Babaevo, Kalyazin. Local people would come to gawp at the steam engine. The millionaires, retirees, train fanatics, celebrities and travel enthusiasts who made up the passenger list would hop down from the train in the middle of nowhere to pick flowers and wild strawberries that grow in abundance beside the track. At Sonkovo we cheered ourselves up with a shot of vodka in a bar. At Babaevo I dipped my toes in the Volga. At Kalyazin I chatted to the security guard of a hotel that looked like a prison. Then the whistle would sound and we'd climb back on and head to the bar car while the northern landscape slid by the windows in the round-the-clock sunshine.

Not all the miles were covered by steam. The trains are antiques - one was reconstructed from a wreck - and we fell behind schedule and had to use a diesel engine to make up time. But when the steam was working the motion of the whole train had a distinctive muscularity.

On my third day aboard I got a chance to go up on the footplate with the driver and firemen. The heat in the cab was hellish. It was too noisy to talk, but there was something intoxicating about the sheer, brute power of the vibrating engine.

Until the year 2000, the Russian government maintained a stock of working steam engines in what is called its "Strategic Reserve" - for use in case of national emergencies; but they've started to decommission them. Even on our trip, it became clear that the railway authorities are not maintaining the infrastructure that the steam engines need in order to be reliable. Hoses to water the tenders were faulty or nonexistent. And while the drivers of the steam engines were surprisingly youthful, it's only going to be a matter of time before the locomotives are history. The former Soviet Union has never been sentimental about the price of progress.

I'm not a steam buff, but I feel it will be a shame when steam ends forever in Russia. Travelling with Irina, I felt I got a glimpse of the 21st-century Russia that gets ignored because of our preoccupation with Russia's new super-rich; but riding on the steam train, with all its unscheduled stops, our pace was even slower and we were able to get closer to the ancient face of the country: unmetalled roads, unplumbed villages, subsistence farmers; the bit of Russia that, depending on your degree of optimism, is either an image of the past or the future.

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Journeying through the Malaysian Rainforest Aboard the Legendary Eastern & Oriental Express

By Arati Menon

I pried open the blinds, letting dawn’s filigreed light into the cabin. Outside my window, wild forest zoomed past. All night the train had barreled up the “jungle rails,” a historic set of tracks that spans the length of peninsular Malaysia, from its southernmost tip to its border with Thailand in the northeast. Those tracks would lead us to Taman Negara, one of the world’s oldest rainforests and the last refuge of the Malayan tiger.

I was one of 56 passengers, from as far as Texas, Romania, and New Zealand, who’d assembled the previous afternoon at Singapore ’s Woodlands station to experience the return of the Eastern & Oriental Express, A Belmond Train, Southeast Asia, four years after being shut down by the pandemic. Waving the sticky heat around with our tickets, we awaited our boarding call, combing the crowd for the likelihood of new friendships.

Belmond’s Eastern & Oriental Express returns to Southeast Asia with two new routes from Singapore through Malaysia.

There’d be plenty of time for both great conversation and long silence. Over three days the train would bear north on the eastern coast to Taman Negara, then backtrack and head up Malaysia’s more populated west coast to Penang , before looping back to Singapore. We’d pass forests, paddy fields, and townships while cosseted in the silken luxury that Belmond’s sleepers, like the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express , are renowned for. For its second coming the train has retained its trademark exterior green and gold, but its interiors have been carefully restyled. My cabin was bathed in peacock blues and jade greens, with vintage touches like brass lamps and fine marquetry. A velvet couch would turn into a bed at night; cherry wood paneling concealed a full bathroom. This was my private oasis—breakfast and high tea would arrive here, along with wake-up calls and turn-downs—and for my part, I’d sit by the large windows with the tasseled curtains and surrender to the views.

The cabins on the train (like the Pullman cabin, pictured above) have been restyled with rich velvets, Thai silks, and vintage touches like brass lamps and fine marquetry.

On our first evening the piano bar—resplendent in gold Thai silks, with tiger orchids blooming across the green carpet—was filled with laughter, the glug-glug-glug of Champagne pouring, and the tinkle of keys. An opening night special, magician Ming Da brandished a pack of cards and a broad grin for guests in floaty dresses and linen jackets. I met Andy and Chris, a young couple in tech from San Francisco, and Rob and Alan, brothers from Nova Scotia with unflagging pep. We toasted the start of the journey, then ate laksa bouillabaisse in the train’s glamorous dining cars as it trundled through the darkness.

About twice the size of Singapore, Taman Negara is the largest protected lowland rainforest in Malaysia. It’s the headliner of Belmond’s “Wild Malaysia” itinerary, which gives passengers special access to its diverse and vulnerable ecosystems. Accompanied by guides, we piled into jeeps and drove through pristine forest wreathed in mist, looking for signs of the dusky leaf monkey or barking deer. I knew better than to expect to see a tiger—the species is critically endangered here. An elevated walkway took us close to the canopies of trees, including the majestic Tualang, which have been undisturbed for millions of years. We waded in a river where Mahseer fish nibbled at our feet, and ate spicy karipaps and seri muka on its shaded bank. Illegal logging and poaching are ever-present threats in Taman Negara, but for a moment the babble of the river and the chattering of cicadas let us forget those concerns.

In the train's glamorous restaurant carriages, guests are treated to regionally-inspired fare such as Penang duck curry and laksa bouillabaisse.

Early morning wake-up calls are happily accompanied by breakfast in bed.

Daytime excursions such as this are designed to spotlight less-explored sides of Malaysia. On the second morning we rode a ferry to George Town, a colonial port on the island of Penang, where we twisted through its by-lanes by Vespa, exploring street murals, shop houses and artist ateliers. Other adventures were less planned: a longer-than-usual pit stop at the historic tin-mining town of Ipoh turned into a heritage walk, with train manager Wolfgang Eipeldauer leading a small group past stately colonial buildings and hip cafés with peeling paint and bright stools.

But perhaps the greatest pleasures came from finding a quiet corner and losing myself in the unfolding landscapes. The ride affords glimpses into the small towns of rural Malaysia, where a quarter of the country’s population live, with their candy-colored homes and tin-roofed stalls. Between the towns there are rice fields, limestone outcroppings, and repeat patterns of oil palms that stretch as far as the eye can see.

Daytime excursions include a visit to George Town's colorful alleys, traditional temples, and artist ateliers.

The observation carriage, with its wraparound windows, is the perfect spot to take in the shifting landscapes.

When I wanted company, the piano bar was a fulcrum of swinging social activity. There Kishen, the lead bartender, dipped into his arsenal of dehydrated herbs, grilled pineapple shrubs, and baobab jellies. “I’m not just making drinks,” he told me. “I’m giving you a piece of my heart.”

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As the journey progressed, the passengers’ stories got more personal. Barbara, an older British lady, recounted the bucket-list adventures she’s gone on every year since emerging from a long coma 27 years ago. By the third day guests were sharing cigars and coffee on the observation deck and passing out tiaras and maracas for birthdays of fellow passengers.

The carousing reached its apogee on the final night. After a sumptuous meal that included Penang duck curry, a few of us returned to the bar, where the singer was belting out power pop hits. Chris and Andy ordered a round of nightcaps—pineapple-infused cognac sweetened with honey from the Tualang tree, which came out flaming—and then a couple more. “One more song,” we took turns shouting. We’d barely noticed when we arrived (or when we left) Kuala Lumpur; the bar car had turned into a rowdy sing-along. By morning we’d be back among Singapore’s bright lights and thrumming streets. But in this moment, we were a world away.

The piano bar is designed for lively sing-alongs.

A postprandial nightcap as the train trundles through the darkness.

What to know before you go

There are currently two routes offered on the Eastern & Oriental Express. The three-night Wild Malaysia itinerary departs from Singapore, traveling northeast through Malaysian countryside to Taman Negara National Park before heading back down and then up the Western coast of Malaysia to Penang and looping back to Singapore. On the Essence of Malaysia itinerary, which also runs for three nights, you travel from Singapore through Kuala Lumpur, Langkawi, and Penang, with excursions that allow for snorkeling and island exploration.

There are three levels of cabins available on Belmond's Eastern & Oriental Express. The Pullman Cabin in shades of orange and red is the narrowest and comes with two berths; the lower berth turns into a plush couch by day. The slightly larger State Cabin, bathed in peacock blues and greens, has twin beds—the couch turns into one, while the other pulls out from the wall by the window. The Presidential Suite offers the most space with a larger bathroom, a separate seating area, a mini bar, and additional storage. Each night, an indulgent turn-down service turns your cabins into bedrooms—look out for the thoughtful gifts on your pillow.

What to pack

You are allowed to bring approximately 60 lbs. of hand luggage with you on the train—and the recommendation is to bring soft luggage. Cabins come with a luggage rack and a narrow storage cupboard with a few hangers. If you have additional luggage with you, the team offers to safely store it for the duration of the train trip, but remember, it won't be accessible during the train journey, so ensure your medicines, wallet, passport, toiletries, and any important gadgets are packed in your hand luggage.

How to dress

For daytime excursions, pack cool, breathable cottons and linens, as well as comfortable shoes for walking and a hat for protection from what can be an unyielding sun. By evening, the vibe on the train turns more formal—think cocktail dresses and sandals for women and summer jackets and loafers or Oxfords for men. Still, there’s an ease to the atmosphere on board compared to some other luxury trains, even within the Belmond universe. Dinner jackets are recommended but far from insisted upon—an “unbuttoned luxury,” if you will, that suits both climate and landscape.

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The Trans-Siberian Trip Packages

The Trans-Siberian journey is a unique destination for people with a flame in the heart and desire to discover new uncovered cultures, to see the best world's heritages, and feel life in full. The challenging travel provides comfortable accommodation onboard the train for at least two weeks. You also stay in local luxury hotels and unique accommodations during the journey, such as the real Mongolian ger camp. You see the beauty of Russia, dive into Mongolian nature, and immerse yourself in gorgeous China. Our experienced destination specialists have prepared the best itineraries and are ready to customize them according to your wishes and interests. Do you know when you would like to travel?

Things To Do & Places To See on the Trans-Siberian Travel

Don't miss out on any important sights & experiences on the Trans-Siberian Travel

Don't miss anything during your lifetime vacation. The Trans-Siberian railway goes through Russia, Mongolia, and China. There is so much to see! Get inspired with the best highlights for your future travel.

• The Kremlin in Moscow
• Red Square in Moscow
• Folk Show in Ulan-Bataar
• Night in Mongolian Ger Camp
• The Lake of Baikal
• Europe-Asia Monument
• The Great Wall of China
• The Summer Palace

The Trans-Siberian Travel Tips

Get ready for your journey with our professional suggestions and enjoy the trip with ease and comfort.

What to pack

Pack comfortable pair of shoes and waterproof jacket, since some tours require walking for quite some time or spending time outdoors.

How much to tip

Tipping usually is up to you. Nobody expects tips from you in China, but it's polite to leave around 10% of the bill in Mongolia and Russia.

Russian climate is challenging to predict, and the weather can be windy and rainy, even during summers. Please check the weather beforehand.

When to travel

The Trans-Siberian journey is a tour requiring planning in advance. The best seasons are Summer and Late Spring, as the weather is sunny with fewer rains.

Please check the currency exchange rate beforehand. In Russia is Russian Ruble, in Mongolia - tugrik (you can change money for local currency straight upon arrival), in China - yuan.

Leave space in your luggage for famous souvenirs from each country: matryoshka and caviar from Russia, carpets and woolen sweaters from Mongolia, silk and green tea from China.

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All aboard the train to nowhere cutting through pristine Mexican jungle for votes

T he crashing blows from the giant piledriver reverberate above the jungle canopy, scaring away jaguars, spider monkeys, and other wildlife.

Beneath the forest floor, in a partially submerged cavern – part of the extensive but fragile system of aquifers on which the arid Yucatan peninsula relies for water – the noise is muffled but now comes from directly overhead.

Rust from the huge concrete and iron pillars forced into the ground leaches into the water, turning it from a pure crystalline to dark brown, hiding the once-white sand beneath.

“The damage this train is doing to this extremely delicate ecosystem is incalculable,” says biologist Roberto Rojo. “They’re destroying everything that makes this zone unique, a tourist magnet.”

Mr Rojo is referring to the Maya Train , the flagship infrastructure project of Mexico’s outgoing president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, universally known by his initials AMLO.

Running some 1,000 miles through southern Mexico’s Maya Forest, Latin America’s second-largest jungle after the Amazon, the £20 billion train will, AMLO promises, create one million jobs and drive development in some of the poorest regions of the country.

It will do so, in part, by connecting the crowded beaches and throbbing nightclubs of Cancun and the surrounding “Riviera Maya” – the jewel in the crown of Mexico’s tourism industry – with Palenque, a breathtaking Maya ruin in the jungles of troubled Chiapas, home of the Zapatista rebellion.

The hope is that the train will make it easier for the roughly 30 million foreigners who visit the Mexican Caribbean each year to travel into the underdeveloped Maya heartland, spending much-needed tourism dollars there.

But critics say the train has ridden roughshod over not just the environment but also the law and the very rural communities the Left-wing populist claims to be empowering. Officially managed by the army, it is emblematic, they say, of the president’s authoritarianism and mendacity, as well as his militarisation of the country – even while tiptoeing around the growing power of the trigger-happy drug cartels.

With only cursory environmental impact studies and flouting dozens of injunctions, the railway passes through nature reserves and indigenous land. AMLO initially promised that not a single tree would be cut down. Yet CONAFOR, the official forestry agency, now calculates 10 million have been felled.

That is ecocide, environmentalists claim, in a region famous for both its forests and cave system, whose cenotes or turquoise sink pools are central to Maya mythology and a significant tourist attraction.

The impact has included cenotes filled with cement and the driving of 17,000 pillars into the porous limestone subsoil, too weak to bear the weight of the train on its own.

AMLO has claimed the pillars have a special paint to prevent pollution – a paint missing from those witnessed by The Telegraph.

Perhaps the only thing AMLO and his opponents agree on is that the train will form a major part of his legacy, a legacy that must also include his push to dismantle Mexico’s internationally respected electoral agency and his frequent disdain for the victims of the drug war.

When the US Department of State recently published its annual human rights review of Mexico, detailing once again the torture and extrajudicial executions carried out by security forces, AMLO responded haughtily. Instead of engaging with the allegations, he warned Washington not to meddle with Mexican “sovereignty”.

Although AMLO is not running – Mexican presidents get a single six-year term – this Sunday’s presidential election will be a referendum on his government.

His protégé, Claudia Sheinbaum, is running 20 points clear of her nearest rival. That makes her an apparent certainty to become the first woman leader of a society notorious for its machismo, visceral sexism whose effects range from stark pay disparities to soaring levels of femicide.

The 61-year-old PhD engineer and former mayor of Mexico City is widely viewed as well qualified. But she is also seen as lacking charisma and owing her huge lead to Mexicans’ desire for AMLO’s lavish social spending to continue.

In a country where 40 per cent of the population of 128 million live below the poverty line, the president has introduced cash transfers to some 25 million people, buying popularity and helping persuade many – despite the statistics – that he has transformed Mexico into a less violent and more affluent society.

One of them is Demetrio Maldonado, 66, an indigenous farmer now cut off from his five-acre plot in the village of Uh May by the Maya Train.

He is bitter about the inadequate 20,000 Pesos (£950) compensation paid by the government over his loss of access to the land where he grows hardwood trees as a long-term investment and corn and other subsistence crops.

But he is also an AMLO supporter, thanks to the 6,250 Pesos (£300) he now receives each month under the Sowing Life programme aimed at reducing rural poverty.

“He’s the first president who’s actually done something for us. The others, all we got from them was breadcrumbs,” says Mr Maldonado in his ramshackle home as lorries supplying the train construction rumble by.

That exasperates Maya activists like Angel Sulub, who object to even the train’s name as well as the development model, already manifested in nearby Cancun, it represents.

The city was built from scratch on barely inhabited beaches after technocrats chose them in the 1970s as the perfect spot for a mass tourism resort. Since then, Cancun has filled government coffers with foreign currency – in a country where public funds are routinely pilfered – but marginalises locals.

Maya leaders also complain that the railway has sparked a rush of land speculation. Among others, the cartels, keen to launder proceeds through real estate, are now causing yet more deforestation as they build hotels and vacation apartments – and unleash a wave of bloodshed.

Mr Sulub says he personally knows 20 people murdered or disappeared from this once relatively peaceful zone during 2023 and 2024. Their remains have often been found bound and gagged, with signs of torture.

Yet when Maya communities have complained about the train, they have had army posts installed in their villages.

“AMLO has constructed this narrative about how he’s helping indigenous communities but the truth is exactly the opposite,” says Mr Sulub. “He’s abandoned us. It’s so cynical.”

The president has responded to criticism of the Maya Train as he usually does – by shooting the messenger. When Mr Rojo called on AMLO to stop destroying the forest, the president called him a “pseudo-environmentalist” and “traitor”.

“It’s a smear,” says Mr Rojo, who studies the Yucatan’s cave system. “It’s how AMLO operates, belittling his critics instead of listening to them. Anyone who questions him is from ‘the right’.”

He is in good company. Not just has AMLO denigrated journalists , judges and some of Mexico’s most prominent public intellectuals, he has even accused parents protesting shortages of cancer medicines for their children of being “hired”.

Dr Sheinbaum’s low-key style is the antithesis of AMLO’s personality cult. That may be, in part, because, with such a big lead, she is running a cautious campaign. But it could signal a more democratic approach.

“She’s more moderate, more thoughtful. She deals well with tough questions and can engage respectfully,” says Raúl Diego Rivera Hernández, a professor at Pennsylvania’s Villanova University.

But, if elected on Sunday, whatever course Dr Sheinbaum takes, it will be too late to reverse the impacts on this stunning ecosystem that enchants visitors from around the world.

Whether he acknowledges it or not, trampling a large swathe of the Maya Forest will unavoidably be part of AMLO’s complicated legacy.

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All aboard for endless adventure with San Antonio Zoo's new annual train pass

by SBG San Antonio Staff Reports

SAN ANTONIO - Officials with the San Antonio Zoo announced Tuesday the launch of its inaugural Zoo Train Annual Pass.

This pass grants enthusiasts unlimited access to the historic San Antonio Zoo Train for an entire year, all for just $25 per person. This exciting initiative opens up endless opportunities for both kids and adults to embark on captivating adventures aboard one of the city's most cherished attractions.

Our community has so many special memories with our beloved trains, and we've heard you loud and clear," said Tim Morrow, President & CEO of San Antonio Zoo. "hat's why we're thrilled to offer this annual pass for unlimited rides, so you can create even more unforgettable moments with us, your friends, and your family.

The San Antonio Zoo Train holds a special place in the hearts of locals and visitors alike. Originally inaugurated in 1956, it proudly boasted the title of the longest miniature railroad globally, a testament to its historical significance. Now, with the introduction of the Zoo Train Annual Pass, individuals can rediscover the magic of this iconic train time and time again.

Embarking on a journey through the picturesque landscape of Brackenridge Park, passengers will be greeted by The C.W.T Express, a newly introduced diesel-styled engine. Paying homage to the park's rich history while incorporating modern elements, this locomotive promises an exhilarating and nostalgic experience for riders of all ages.

In addition to The C.W.T Express, the fleet welcomes the Union Pacific Mini Train, featuring a design reminiscent of the classic Streamliner engines from bygone eras. With each train boasting enhanced amenities such as increased legroom, improved seating arrangements, upgraded sound systems, and full ADA accessibility, passengers can anticipate a comfortable and inclusive journey every time they step aboard.

The introduction of the Zoo Train Annual Pass not only offers incredible value but also invites individuals to immerse themselves in the charm and excitement of train travel while forging unforgettable memories with each ride. Priced at just $25, this pass presents an affordable opportunity for families and friends to create lasting experiences together.

Don't miss out on this remarkable opportunity to experience the San Antonio Zoo Train like never before. Secure your Zoo Train Annual Pass today and embark on a journey filled with wonder, nostalgia, and endless adventure.

WILD JUNE SAVINGS

Also, the Zoo is offering some wild savings in June.

You can get $10 off a standard admission ticket all June long.

For Teacher Appreciation Month, teachers can enjoy a free admission ticket and 50% off any day ticket for up to four tickets.

CLICK HERE for more info.

All aboard! 'The Conductors' takes little passengers on a big journey

Anyone who’s ever tried to keep a child quietly confined to their seat during a theater performance knows it’s a losing proposition. Kids are squirmy. And they have questions about the world around them that must be answered. Immediately. They laugh, they cry, they announce their boredom or immediate need for the restroom. All without any of the filter that ego imposes on the id.

So how are you supposed to keep a kid seated and silent for a play?

Simple, said Ashley Laverty. You’re not.

“We’re a shush-free zone,” Laverty explained of The Conductors , an interactive theater experience designed for children up to the age of 6 that's coming to Bloomington-Normal on Tuesday .

Chairs aren’t even a thing during the performances, which invite kids to move around the world of the play as they see fit.

“You can engage however you want,” Laverty said. “And sometimes that might even mean leaving or standing in the back. And that’s OK, too.” But for the most part, she said, kids are really excited to find out they’re participants, rather than just spectators.

Laverty is the founding artistic director of Kerfuffle, a Midwest-based theater and dance group that creates performances for young audiences. The Conductors , which Laverty directs, is billed as a celebration of community, friendship, and new experiences, all made possible with the help of a magic train.

But the production itself is happening thanks to a very real train that will deliver the cast and crew to Normal’s Uptown Station.

The Conductors is a co-production of Kerfuffle and The Connecting Routes Project, a Chicago-based theater group that travels the country by rail. Josh Bernaski, the founding artistic director of the project, was inspired by classic American theater programs and vaudeville artists who used to travel by train to communities across the country.

Beyond celebrating the connection trains have to the past, Bernaski also had an eye on the future.

“I wanted to bring attention to the incredible resource that trains are for our country,” he said. “And how traveling by train is one cleaner way of transportation.”

In collaboration with Illinois Art Station , two performances of The Conductors will be offered in Bloomington-Normal on Tuesday, June 4. The first will be held outdoors at 10 a.m. at the Connie Link Amphitheatre in Normal. A second indoor performance will kick off at 2 p.m. at the Bloomington Public Library. Admission for kids and their grownups is free.

Ukraine-Russia war latest: Kremlin responds to claims Russia is targeting Olympics

After reports that Moscow is targeting the Paris Olympics with a disinformation campaign, the Kremlin has responded. Meanwhile, NATO only has two to three years to prepare before Russia regains its ability to launch a conventional attack on the alliance, Norway's top general has said.

Tuesday 4 June 2024 18:07, UK

• Big picture: Everything you need to know about the war right now
• Kremlin denies disinformation campaign targeting Olympics  
• Russia could be ready to attack NATO in three years, Norway warns
• Baby among seven civilians injured in overnight missile strike
• Navalny's mother and supporters visit grave on his birthday  
• Live reporting by Bhvishya Patel

We're pausing our coverage for today but we will be back tomorrow with more updates.

Here is a rundown of the key developments today:

• Norway's top general said NATO only has two to three years to prepare before Russia regains its ability to launch a conventional attack on the alliance;
• German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Ukraine's use of Western-supplied weapons to strike targets in Russia will not "contribute to escalation";
• Microsoft made allegations in the New York Times that Russia was targeting the upcoming Olympics with a disinformation campaign;
• The mother of Alexei Navalny and his supporters visited his grave to lay flowers and pay tribute to the late Kremlin critic on what would have been his 48th birthday.

You can scroll back through the blog to read all our updates from today.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said any foreign military staff training Ukrainian troops will not have any "immunity" from Russian strikes.

"Any instructors who train the Kyiv regime's troops don't have any sort of immunity," he said in a conference call with reporters today.

Reports have suggested talks are ongoing over whether French instructors could soon be sent to support training centres in Ukraine.

Ukrainian troops have been preparing to fire towards Russian positions on the frontline in the eastern Donetsk region.

Donetsk is one of the four provinces Vladimir Putin proclaimed as part of Russia in an illegal referendum at the start of the war and fighting here is particularly intense.

Russia's two biggest banks plan to open branches and offices in the regions of Ukraine that Moscow claimed to have annexed next month.

Sberbank chief executive German Gref said in Russia's upper house of parliament the bank would be "present throughout the whole country's territory".

VTB chief executive Andrei Kostin said they would open two offices in Luhansk in July and had plans to start serving clients in Donetsk and the port city of Mariupol by the end of the year.

For context : Vladimir Putin illegally annexed Ukraine's Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions in September 2022, after what Ukraine and its Western allies branded sham referendums. 

The move was condemned by many countries as illegal. 

Russian forces only partly control the four regions.

Manufacturers and distributors need to improve compliance with Russia-related sanctions, the deputy secretary of the US Treasury has said.

American companies in particular need to pay more attention to their supply chains to ensure they are not complicit with Russia's evasion of sanctions over Ukraine, Wally Adeyemo said in an interview with CNBC.

He said manufacturers of microelectronics and machine tools especially needed to step up compliance to help cut off supplies of "dual use" goods to Russia, including from Chinese producers. 

Freight forwarders and distributors need to do the same and financial institutions need to look at their relationships with small and medium-sized banks in "countries of concern" because Moscow is looking for ways around US sanctions, Mr Adeyemo said.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy's chief of staff has said that using Western weapons to strike inside Russia was a vital decision that would impact Moscow's tactical aviation and its offensive ability in border regions. 

"This will impact the conduct of the war, planning of counteroffensive actions, and will weaken Russians' abilities to use their forces in the border areas," Andriy Yermak said on Telegram. 

Russia has said the move would mark an escalation to the conflict and has threatened war with NATO if Western weapons are used in its airspace.

By  Ivor Bennett , Moscow correspondent

Dozens of Alexei Navalny supporters have visited his grave to lay flowers and pay tribute to the late Kremlin critic on what would have been his 48th birthday. 

The opposition leader died at an Arctic prison colony in February, prompting outrage from Western governments.

Nearly four months on, his family say the cause of his death remains unexplained.

His widow Yulia Navalnaya has accused Vladimir Putin of ordering his murder, and last week his allies called for additional sanctions to punish the Russian president's inner circle.

The Kremlin has repeatedly denied any involvement in his death. According to his death certificate, he died of natural causes.

Navalny's mother, Lyudmila, as well as his mother-in-law Alla Abrosimova, were among those who gathered at his grave in the Borisovskoye cemetery in southeast Moscow today.

Video posted by SOTAvision on the social media platform Telegram shows a memorial service led by Dmitry Safronov, a priest who was previously banned from clerical duties by the Russian Orthodox Church for presiding over a similar service in March, which marked 40 days since the activist's death.

According to the independent Novaya Gazeta newspaper, three police officers were on duty near the cemetery but they did not make any arrests.

Having been convicted of multiple charges, ranging from fraud to extremism, Navalny was serving sentences totalling more than 30 years when he died.

His Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK) is outlawed in Russia, and has been accused by the authorities of having links to the CIA.

What remains of his team now operates in exile.

Polish farmers have resumed their protest blockade at the Ukrainian border crossing due to agricultural imports from the country.

Farmers in Poland have staged sporadic demonstrations at the border since last autumn.

The demonstrators are blocking trucks from leaving Ukraine.

Cargo vehicles heading to Ukraine are allowed to enter by 12 trucks per 12 hours and by four trucks with humanitarian aid per hour, the Ukrainian Border Guard Service said.

Other vehicles are continuing as usual.

"Representatives of Polish farmers demand reduced imports of Ukrainian crops to Polish territory from Ukraine," the Border Guard Service said.

Disputes over crop imports have strained the relationship between Warsaw and Kyiv, with both countries being major agricultural producers.

Polish farmers have complained that Ukrainian products create uneven competition, particularly since the EU lifted tariffs in 2022.

Poland banned the import of several products from Ukraine, including grain, corn, and rapeseed, in 2023.

In our last post, we brought you news that Microsoft had made allegations in the New York Times that Russia was targeting the upcoming Olympics with a disinformation campaign.

Moscow has now branded those accusations "absolute slander", with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov saying there is no substance to them.

Russia is widely accused of having waged disinformation campaigns over the years, often targeting elections in the United States, Europe and Britain.

Moscow has always denied it uses disinformation to influence public opinion. 

The Paris Olympics are being targeted by a Russian-linked disinformation campaign, according to the New York Times.

Since last summer, efforts have been under way by a hacker group named Storm-1679, the paper reports.

The campaign "began in earnest" when a documentary was released with a doctored International Olympic Committee (IOC) logo, along with an AI-powered impersonation of Tom Cruise's voice.

The hackers "are trying to cultivate an anticipation of violence", said Clint Watts, the head of Microsoft's Digital Threat Analysis Centre.

"They want people to be fearful of going to the Olympics."

Storm-1679 makes around three to eight disinformation videos a week, Mr Watts told the newspaper, many of which appear as if they come from media outlets such as the BBC or Al Jazeera.

Both Russia and Belarus have been banned from competing in the Olympics over the war in Ukraine, but some athletes from those countries will be allowed to compete as "neutral athletes", the IOC announced in March.

The Paris games will take place between 26 July and 11 August.

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Train status: Delayed. Amtrak's new Acela fleet not ready for service just yet.

Amtrak’s new Acela trains are already years late.

The new trains were supposed to enter service in 2021, and the railroad says the delay is because testing isn’t going smoothly.

“We want our customers to experience these new train sets as soon as possible, but Amtrak cannot operate them for passenger service until Alstom has completed testing and meet all safety requirements,” an Amtrak spokesperson said in a statement to USA TODAY. “Based on currently available data from Alstom, the initial revenue launch is anticipated to be delayed to 2024.”

It comes down to Amtrak’s old tracks. Although the Biden administration has pledged millions of dollars to upgrade key segments of the Northeast Corridor – including aging bridges and tunnels around New York and Baltimore – the European-style high speed train sets simply aren’t ready for showtime on the 19th and 20th century rail infrastructure that predominates in the U.S.

The new trains, designed by Alstom, are also built to different standards than the previous generation of Acela. 

“The modeling of the wheel to track interface is particularly complex due to age, condition, and specific characteristics of Amtrak infrastructure on the Northeast corridor, and especially the existing tracks,” an Alstom spokesperson told USA TODAY in a statement. “Consequently, Alstom has been conducting extensive investigations to ensure that the trains will operate safely in all conditions, and we are working collaboratively with the FRA and Amtrak to complete modeling, simulation, and testing activities to ensure that all FRA safety requirements are fully met.”

New Federal Railroad Administration equipment safety standards for passenger trains went into effect in 2019.

The current Acela fleet began entering service in 2000 and was initially set to retire in 2021. Now the first generation high speed trains likely won’t be fully retired until 2024 at the earliest.

The new Acela train sets are being constructed in upstate New York and many have already been delivered to Amtrak – they just have not yet been approved for passenger service. 

Cruising Altitude: Progress for disabled travelers is not coming fast enough

Zach Wichter is a travel reporter for USA TODAY based in New York. You can reach him at [email protected]

The Amazing Story And Mission Of The US Coast Guard Ship Eagle

By 1946, years of war had destroyed large swaths of Germany's infrastructure, and the U.S. and other allied nations were picking through the ruins to see what might be repurposed or put to use. The German military had effectively been disbanded, including its navy, which was being haggled over as spoils of war. The U.S. Coast Guard needed a new training vessel and was lucky enough to find it in the destroyed German city of Bremerhaven. ( Italy would end up giving battleship Littorio to the United States in the aftermath of WWII as well.)

Cmdr. Gordon McGowan, a teacher of seamanship at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy (USCGA) in New London, Connecticut, was sent to the bombed-out city to claim the ship from the derelict German navy in early 1946. The vessel wasn't the most legendary ship of World War II , and, upon seeing it for the first time, McGowan reportedly said , "Her gray sides were smeared with stains, the paint on her yards and masts blistered and cracked." Undeterred, McGowan enlisted the aid of the ship's former captain and crew to make her seaworthy and then sailed her back to the United States. McGowan rechristened the ship the United States Coast Guard Cutter Eagle (WIX 327) on May 15, 1946, and he and his mostly German crew set sail for the U.S. soon after.

The Eagle helped train the US Coast Guard

The Eagle's design and construction were indicative of centuries of shipbuilding skill. Running nearly the length of a football field, the ship has three masts and 23 sails that cover an area of 22,227 square feet. The vessel is outfitted with a steel hull and decks with 3-inch teak wood covering the forecastle, quarterdeck, and weather decks. On the open ocean and under full sail, the Eagle can achieve speeds up to 17 knots (20 mph) or, when powered by its 750 horsepower diesel engine, around 10 knots (11 mph). The ship is maintained year-round by a crew of eight officers and 50 enlisted personnel.

The arrival of the three-masted Eagle to the USCGA on July 12, 1946, was critical to the fulfillment of the academy's mission. Originally founded in 1876 as the U.S. Revenue Cutter School of Instruction — Underway, its first nine students undertook their curriculum aboard the schooner Dobbin. Today, the Eagle's mission is two-fold: train future officers on seamanship and serve a symbol of goodwill on public relations tours. Every crew, consisting of up to 150 cadets, learns critical skills such as navigation, engineering, and rigging. The time aboard the Eagle, according to the Coast Guard is an "experience [that] builds character and helps future officers develop skills of leadership and teamwork that prove valuable assets throughout their careers."

The Eagle provides cadets with invaluable hands-on experience

The Eagle has trained thousands of Coast Guard officers in its nearly 80 years of service. Classroom work and study is a critical component of every cadet at the USCGA, but the value of putting it all together and applying it in real-time in a hands-on environment such as what the Eagle provides has proven invaluable. The ship itself holds a special place in the pantheon of U.S. naval vessels, being one of only two tall ships in the military. (The USS Constitution, the world's oldest ship still afloat is the other.) Often referred to as America's Tall Ship, the Eagle stands alone as the only active duty sail-ship in military service.

The cutter Eagle remains an integral part of the Coast Guards ability to train its future officers. The experience to sail aboard this classic vessel while learning and applying various skills from maneuvering, line handling, and identifying weather patterns, is a tactile experience that only the Eagle can provide. As a goodwill ambassador, the vessel also gives these cadets the opportunity to sail across the world. Every summer, the Eagle deploys to build and foster international relations in Europe, Africa, South America, or anywhere in between. The USCGC Eagle, a spoil of war, has established a legacy of maritime excellence while forging a path forward as an invaluable resource to both the USCGA and the United States.