#2,755

To start 2018 with depressing news from the United Kingdom, the country where the railways were for so long a matter of national pride. We learn now that anyone using a train for his or her daily commute to a workplace around 30 miles away will spend about 14% of their earnings for their season ticket.

In Germany, the cost would be half as high. In France, just 2.4% of monthly salaries would be asked of passengers riding trains that in general will be more modern than those deployed on British routes.

Sic transit... (pun intended!)