perigueux tourist train

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Périgueux Little Train

Périgueux Little Train Tourist train Rides in Périgueux

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Opening hours

• Monday 10:00 am - 06:00 pm
• Tuesday 10:00 am - 06:00 pm
• Wednesday 10:00 am - 06:00 pm
• Thursday 10:00 am - 06:00 pm
• Friday 10:00 am - 06:00 pm
• Saturday 10:00 am - 06:00 pm
• Sunday 10:00 am - 06:00 pm

Closes at 06:00 pm Detailed schedules

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Useful information

Location : In town

Province : White Périgord

• Chèques Vacances (Holiday voucher)
• Dutch spoken
• English spoken
• German spoken
• Spanish spoken

Guided tour of PÉRIGUEUX in Small Train, to discover the ancient city and the old town. On this course you are told in 6 languages (Dutch, English, French, Spanish, German and Mandarin) ... Come to perfect your knowledge on this course of more than 4,5Km while admiring : - The Bullring - Tour of Vésone - The Gallo-Roman villa - Castle Barrière - Church of the City - The Cathedral Saint-Front - The pedestrian streets * departure of the tourist train: Rue Eguillerie (corner Credit Mutuel and Societe Generale) TRAIN TOURISTIC from April to October. INDIVIDUAL RATES : • High season: July / August • Adults : 9€ • Children : 6€ (under 10 years) • Group : 7.50€ (from 20 persons) GROUP RATES on reservations contact us. Address for information and reservations : 74 boulevard Joseph Santraille - 24100 Bergerac

Find it on the Guide du Périgord's Blog ...

Traveller reviews google périgueux little train.

3.4 sur 5 89 reviews

1 sur 5 Reviews posted by Chris se fait des films on 25/08/2023

My god, it sucks!...🥱 You're tight, you have No room on the train... nothing interesting from the ruins. 🥺 You see that the city and the streets...we lost €20!!😠

5 sur 5 Reviews posted by michel mathis on 16/06/2019

Very friendly guide Very interesting walk when you don't know the city and where to park I recommend

1 sur 5 Reviews posted by Ma Mina on 15/08/2023

You might as well take a walk with a good paper guide. Expensive visit for the duration, especially for those under 4 years old (€6 is excessive), succinct explanations and the train does not stop for a few moments in front of the important sites.

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24000 Perigueux

Phone : 07 88 47 62 75

GPS coordinates

45° 11'7.15"N, 0° 43'12.07"E

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Perigueux travel guide

Visit Perigueux (Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France)

Perigueux is an important town in the central part of the Dordogne department to the north-west of Sarlat (66 kilometres) - in fact it is the capital (prefecture) of the department and the town has played an important role in the region for more than 2000 years.

Exploring Perigueux

France This Way review: there are various historical sites and a lovely old town in Perigueux, making it one of our favourite Dordogne towns, if slightly north of the most visited parts of the department.

There are really two towns to see at Perigueux, the medieval town and the roman town, as well as an imposing cathedral. Go to the tourist office when you arrive and ask for their ‘carte touristique’ to make sure you don’t miss anything: I had been to Perigueux twice on shopping trips before realising what a beautiful medieval centre it has!

Perigueux Cathedral and the old town

Arriving in Perigueux the first thing to attract your attention is the amazing Saint Front Cathedral which dominates the town centre. The original church was built in about 1120 and changed in the 19th century by Paul Abadie who used it as a model for the design of the Sacre Coeur church in Montmarte.

Its layout is in the shape of the Greek cross, similar to St Mark’s in Venice, and above the centre and each arm a lovely domed roof (cupola) has been added. Apparently architects and locals do not like the changes and prefer the more traditional Romanesque church of St Etienne de la Cité, which used to be the cathedral of Perigueux.

For my part I think it is a beautiful building though it is very austere inside. The cathedral was classified as a Unesco World Heritage Site in 1998 as an important stage on the St James of Compostella Pilgrimage.

See Perigueux cathedral for more information.

Upon entering the medieval town next to the cathedral you will see the Mataguerre Tower. The ramparts initially included 28 towers and 12 gates but the Mataguerre Tower is the last of these. Throughout the medieval centre of Perigueux there are various examples of houses that were owned by wealthy merchants.

Rue Limogeanne is one of the best streets and has several half-timbered houses. Here you can see the Maison Estignard which is one of the best examples of the wealthy merchants houses in Perigueux. Its façade is of the first Renaissance period and uses the chateaux Blois and Chambord as its inspiration.

In the courtyard is a lovely doorway with a tympanum carved with the Salamander, symbol of King Francois I. Inside is a superb stone staircase. It is made of the white limestone for which the region is famous and for which this part of the Perigord is called white Perigord (Le Perigord Blanc).

At no 12 on the same street you can see the Hotel Meredieu, a lovely 15th century town house. Note: Hotel here means 'wealthy residence' rather than hotel in the modern sense.

The Rue Eguillerie (Threadneedle Street) leads to the 14th century Maison du Patissier which has a very fine 16th century door and was once the residence of a well-known patissier who made the famous Perigueux ‘Paté de foie gras’. Rue Mignot is a narrow passage which was used in the filming of ‘Jacqou Le Croquant’ a popular film in France directed by Stellio Lorenzil.

The centre of Perigueux has lots of little squares, many of which have restaurants whose tables spill into the square inviting you to stop and have lunch.

Roman Perigueux

Roman Perigueux, to the west of the current town centre, is smaller than the medieval centre but is fascinating. The Vesunna Temple was built in the second century AD and the remains of the ‘cella’, the sacred part, can still be seen. Only the priest could enter the cella in order to worship the Celtic goddess ‘Tutela Vesunna’. The tower is 27metres high and 27 metres in diameter.

The Gallo Roman Vesunna Museum, designed by the internationally acclaimed architect Jean Nouvel, is a modern glass building built over the remains of a roman villa. There are two main collections in the museum: ‘town and public life’ and ‘domestic and private life’. This museum is well worth a visit.

In this part of town you can see the remains of the Barriere Castle, a 12th century castle burnt down in the wars of religion. One of the gateways of the ramparts, the Norman Gate, can also be seen. Named after invasions by the Vikings in the 9th century.

A public garden, ‘Le Jardin des Arenes’ was once the site of the Roman Ampitheatre: though only ruins remain today of the amphitheatre the gardens are nicely maintained and a pleasant place for a picnic. Close to the arena you can see the lovely Eglise Saint Etienne de la Cite. This was originally the cathedral of Perigueux. In 1577 Protestants destroyed two of its cupolas and its bell tower.

Other information

A good day to visit Perigueux is Saturday when the colourful market is held in the Place de la Clautre. This square was originally the place where executions took place in the town and is now full of colour every Wednesday and Saturday morning.

There is a tourist train in Perigueux and if you want to find out more about the history of this charming town there are guided tours available throughout the year including Torchlight tours on some nights of the year: the tourist office has details of these. For garden lovers there is even a tour of the gardens by bicycle on Tuesday mornings in the summer.

As well as the Gallo-Roman Vesunna museum there is also the Perigord Museum of Arts and Archeology, the Military Museum and the Trompe l’oeil Museum and workshop.

Attractions nearby

The best known attractions in the Dordogne including the famous caves, the Vézere Valley and the Dordogne river itself are to the south of Perigueux, but we recommend you also find time to visit the picturesque town of Brantome and the castle and village at Bourdeilles , both a little way north of Perigueux.

The popular Chateau de Hautefort is 40 kilometres east of Perigueux.

Explore elsewhere in the Perigord Blanc . You can find more travel ideas in the Dordogne guide and the Aquitaine guide .

See also Find Perigueux hotels

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Map of perigueux and places nearby, visit near perigueux with france this way reviews.

Perigueux cathedral

The cathedral in Perigueux combines roman and byzantine elements to create a most unusual - and impressive - building

Saint-Astier

Saint Astier is a small town in the Dordogne with an attractive riverside setting.

The Jardin du Bouquet is a large park containing 50 different gardens of clipped box formed into different geometric patterns.

Sorges is a village in the Dordogne renowned for its truffles and has an ecomuseum dedicated to the history and cultivation of truffles.

Bourdeilles

Close to Brantome, the Chateau de Bourdeilles is quite modest compared with some in the region but a visit is still recommended

Chateau de Bourdeilles

The Chateau de Bourdeilles consists of a medieval defensive castle and a Renaissance castle in the pretty village of Bourdeilles.

... or see ALL recommended places to visit in Dordogne

Tourist classifications for Perigueux

Perigueux has received the following tourist classifications: listed town of Art and History ; historical protected town centre' (secteur sauvegardé); village in bloom (ville fleurie) 4*

Address: Périgueux, Aquitaine, 24000, France || GPS coordinates: latitude 45.193, longitude 0.7216

Plan your visit to Perigueux, Dordogne

Sightseeing & tourist attractions to visit nearby.

• Perigueux cathédrale Saint Front (monuments on French pilgrim routes) : heritage site
• Eglise Saint Etienne de la Cité (Perigueux): religious monument
• Abbaye Notre Dame (Chancelade): religious monument (5 km)
• Ancien Prieuré de Merlande (La Chapelle-Gonaguet): religious monument (6 km)
• Abbaye Saint Pierre (Brantome) : religious monument (20 km)
• Chateau de Puyguilhem : national monument (25 km)
• Abbaye Cistercienne de Boschaud (Villars): religious monument (25 km)
• Saint-Jean-de-Cole : most beautiful village (27 km)
• Jardins du château de Montréal: remarkable garden (29 km)
• Eglise Notre Dame de l'Assomption (Thiviers): religious monument (29 km)
• Eglise Notre Dame de Faye (Faye): religious monument (31 km)
• Abbaye de Saint Martial (Paunat): religious monument (34 km)

Market days in Perigueux, France

Regular market(s) are held in Perigueux each Wednesday all day & Saturday all day. (Markets are held in the morning unless stated.)

The French version of this page is at Perigueux (Francais)

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Home Little Tourist Train of Périgueux

Petit Train Touristique De Périgueux

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• Near a TER access (train, coach)
• Accessible on foot from the tourist office
• In the city

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• French "Chèques vacances"

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Little Tourist Train of Périgueux

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Office de Tourisme Intercommunal du Grand Périgueux 9 bis Place du Coderc 24000 Périgueux

[email protected]

+33(0)5 53 53 10 63

Useful information

How to get to Périgueux ?

The different accesses to Périgueux and its agglomeration

Paris > (A 20) Limoges > (RN 21) Périgueux Paris > (A 10) Poitiers > (RN 10) Angoulême > (D 939) Périgueux Bordeaux > (A 89) Périgueux Toulouse > (A 62) Montauban > (A 20) Brive > (A 89) Périgueux

Useful links :   www.viamichelin.com  ;  www.mappy.fr , Blablacar

Car rental agencies :

Ada Auto Loc 24 05.53.05.40.28, Europcar 05.53.08.15.72, Avis 05.53.53.39.02, E-leclerc 05.53.53.67.73, Rentacar 05.53.05.00.50

Allo taxis 24 05.53.09.09.09, Les taxis du Périgord Vert 05.53.04.14.14, AD Filipe Taxi 06.89.43.02.27

As an indication, here are some prices for races from Périgueux: Montignac 105€, Les Eyzies 90€, Brantôme 50€, Bergerac 95€, Sarlat 125€.

The Grand Périgueux is easily accessible by train, especially coming from Paris: Departure from Paris-Austerlitz, via Limoges (duration of the journey between 4h30 and 5h) Departure from Paris-Montparnasse, via Libourne by TGV (journey time between 2h30 and 4h). Connection to Libourne by TER. Direct TGV Roissy-Libourne or Roissy-Bordeaux, then connection to Libourne by TER. Departure from Bordeaux, Limoges or Brive: about ten daily connections, for 1h to 1h20 of travel. More information : www.ter.sncf.com/nouvelle-aquitaine .

The nearest airports are Bergerac Dordogne Périgord, Brive, Bordeaux and Limoges. Bordeaux-Mérignac airport: shuttle bus from the airport to the train station for a dozen trains per day between Bordeaux and Périgueux. Limoges airport: cab links from the airport to the train station for about ten trains per day between Limoges and Périgueux.

The bus network of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine : numerous lines to allow you to reach the different cities and villages of the region all year long, without forgetting the summer lines towards the pretty tourist places.In The Grand Périgueux area, the Péribus network offers 27 lines and multiple adapted and accessible transport solutions for your trips in the agglomeration.

For your rides, three bicycle rental companies are in the area: Cycles Mazeau in Coulounieix-Chamiers: bicycle rental in the store, children’s bicycles, and helmets available, no electric bikes. 05.53.08.98.51 / Giant store in Marsac sur l’Isle: bicycle rental in the store. Mountain bikes, VTC and electric bikes. 05.53.53.31.56 / Le véloc café in Périgueux : bike rental in the store. Classic vintage and electric bikes. 06.33.48.22.89 / The Périvélo (Péribus service) is only available to adults living or working in the territory of The Grand Périgueux. The use of the bicycle is limited to the agglomeration’s perimeter.

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Train Paris - Périgueux prices from $44.65

Find the cheapest ticket for your trip, secure your ticket today and get the best deals, paris to périgueux by train.

The journey from Paris to Périgueux by train is 265.26 mi and takes 4 hr 20 min. There are 13 connections per day, with the first departure at 6:00 AM and the last at 11:06 PM. It is possible to travel from Paris to Périgueux by train for as little as $44.65 or as much as $206.19. The best price for this journey is $44.65.

Paris to Périgueux Train Times

Get from paris to périgueux with virail.

Do you know the best way to get from Paris to Périgueux? No? Don't worry, Virail knows. Our search tool uses data from thousands of travel providers to show you all the available routes for your chosen travel dates. Whether you want to travel by train, bus, plane, or carpool, we can help. Filter your results to suit your personal needs: decide whether you want a one-way or round trip ticket, look for a direct journey or one with connections, and choose the time of day that you prefer to travel. Take a look at all the information and find the transport option that's right for you. When you've selected your ideal journey, Virail will transfer you to the website of your chosen travel provider, where you can complete your booking. Your adventure is waiting - let Virail help you today.

How can I get the cheapest train tickets to travel from Paris to Périgueux?

Prices will vary when you travel from Paris to Périgueux. On average, though, you'll pay about $109.36 for a train ticket. You can find train tickets for prices as low as $44.65, but it may require some flexibility with your travel plans. If you're looking for a low price, you may need to prepare to spend more time in transit. You can also often find cheaper train tickets at particular times of day, or on certain days of the week. Of course, ticket prices often change during the year, too; expect to pay more in peak season. For the lowest prices, it's usually best to make your reservation in advance. Be careful, though, as many providers do not offer refunds or exchanges on their cheapest train tickets. Unfortunately, no price was found for your trip from Paris to Périgueux. Selecting a new departure or arrival city, without dramatically changing your itinerary could help you find price results. On average, you can expect to spend around $109.36 for your train ticket. Virail will help you find a journey that fits your budget. You can expect prices to vary between different travel providers and methods of transport; often, faster journeys will cost more than slower routes. If your travel dates are flexible, you might be able to find cheaper train tickets, as prices may fluctuate a little from day to day. You may also find lower prices by booking at certain times of day, avoiding rush hour traffic. Another tip for travelers on a tight budget is to look for connecting journeys. Sometimes it can be cheaper to make a change or two along the way, rather than traveling on a direct route from Paris to Périgueux.

How much time will it take to go from Paris to Périgueux by train?

Traveling from Paris to Périgueux by train will usually take 4 hr 20 min. This journey covers a distance of 265.26 mi . When planning your trip, bear in mind that 4 hr 20 min is an average, and route times may vary from day to day. Weather conditions, issues with transport, unexpected diversions, and local events could all cause delays to your journey. Please keep the possibility of these exceptional events in mind when making travel plans. The distance between Paris and Périgueux is around 265.26 mi. Depending on the exact route and provider you travel with, your journey time can vary. On average, this journey will take approximately 4 hr 20 min. However, the fastest routes between Paris and Périgueux take 3 hr 30 min. If a fast journey is a priority for you when traveling, look out for express services that may get you there faster. Some flexibility may be necessary when booking. Often, these services only leave at particular times of day - or even on certain days of the week. You may also find a faster journey by taking an indirect route and connecting in another station along the way.

When do the first and last departures from Paris to Périgueux leave?

The first journey of the day departs from Paris at 6:00 AM. If you prefer to travel later in the day, the last departure will leave at 11:06 PM. Remember, these are the general times of journeys between Paris and Périgueux. However, they are somewhat changeable as they may be affected by local events or holidays, peak seasons, or other factors. Always check your travel dates in advance to be on the safe side. In general, the first departure of the night will leave Paris at 6:00 AM, and the last departure will leave at 11:06 PM. However, it is important to remember that this is general information, and these journey times are not necessarily available every day. Timetables for each provider on the route from Paris to Périgueux can change from day to day or month to month. In particular, many providers offer different schedules on weekdays and weekends. Public holidays, local events, and seasonal timetables can also cause schedules to change.

Which stations are used when traveling from Paris to Périgueux?

There are different options to choose from when traveling between Paris and Périgueux. You can start your journey in Paris at stations such as Paris - Orly Airport,Paris, Porte Maillot,Paris Montparnasse 3 Vaugirard,Paris - Gare De Lyon,Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport Terminal 2C,Paris Beauvais-Tillé Airport,Paris Gare du Nord,Paris La Défense. These connect to stations including Perigueux St Georges,Périgueux in Périgueux. There may not be a direct connection between all the stations in the two locations. Some providers will only serve a selection of the stations, and you may have to travel from one station to another in the same city after arrival to reach your ultimate destination. Virail will show you both all direct routes and any connecting services which you can take to get from Paris to Périgueux.

How many journeys from Paris to Périgueux take place each day?

If you want to get from Paris to Périgueux, you can travel with providers such as . You will find a maximum number of departures per day. On average, there are 13 departures per day. Book in advance to make sure that your journey will run smoothly and you depart at a time that suits you best. When you travel, you can look for direct journeys or other routes which offer connections and changes. On average, there are 0 direct journeys between Paris and Périgueux. If you don't mind changing along the way, you may find more options available to you. There are usually 13 journeys with at least one change. These numbers may vary depending on the time of year or day of the week. Some travelers prefer direct routes, particularly if they are carrying heavy suitcases or concerned about missing a connection. Others enjoy the flexibility offered by connecting journeys. Whatever you prefer, Virail can help you find the right options to suit you. Unfortunately, no connection was found for your trip from Paris to Périgueux. Selecting a new departure or arrival city, without dramatically changing your itinerary could help you find connections.

Compare prices and tickets from Paris to Périgueux

Book in advance and save.

If you're looking for the best deal for your trip from Paris to Périgueux, booking train tickets in advance is a great way to save money, but keep in mind that advance tickets are usually not available until 3 months before your travel date.

Stay flexible with your travel time and explore off-peak journeys

Planning your trips around off-peak travel times not only means that you'll be able to avoid the crowds, but can also end up saving you money. Being flexible with your schedule and considering alternative routes or times will significantly impact the amount of money you spend on getting from Paris to Périgueux.

Always check special offers

Checking on the latest deals can help save a lot of money, making it worth taking the time to browse and compare prices. So make sure you get the best deal on your ticket and take advantage of special fares for children, youth and seniors as well as discounts for groups.

Unlock the potential of slower trains or connecting trains

If you're planning a trip with some flexible time, why not opt for the scenic route? Taking slower trains or connecting trains that make more stops may save you money on your ticket – definitely worth considering if it fits in your schedule.

Virail Pro Tip ✌: Booking 10 days in advance save 10% on average

Price as departure date approaches

Train companies may charge higher ticket prices as the date of departure approaches. Prices in the next days can range from around $31.82 to $101.59 but may be subject to change. Our advice is to book as early as possible to potentially save up to 69% on your trip!

Best time to book cheap train tickets from Paris to Périgueux

The cheapest Paris - Périgueux train tickets can be found for as low as $47.11 if you’re lucky, or $62.04 on average. The most expensive ticket can cost as much as $88.93.

Find the best day to travel to Périgueux by train

When travelling to Périgueux by train, if you want to avoid crowds you can check how frequently our customers are travelling in the next 30-days using the graph below. On average, the peak hours to travel are between 6:30am and 9am in the morning, or between 4pm and 7pm in the evening. Please keep this in mind when travelling to your point of departure as you may need some extra time to arrive, particularly in big cities!

Carriers on this route

Find out more about the carriers on this route.

• INTERCITÉS de nuit

Intercités de Nuit is a night train service operated by the French national railway company, SNCF. It connects major cities in France and offers overnight travel options for passengers. The trains are equipped with sleeping compartments, reclining seats, and dining cars. Intercités de Nuit combines the advantages of transportation and accommodation, making it a popular and environmentally friendly choice.

Intercités is a train service offered by SNCF. Intercités trains operate on regional, national, and international routes, connecting cities and towns within France as well as with neighboring countries. Unlike the high-speed TGV trains, Intercités trains have a more traditional feel and offer a scenic way to travel and explore the country. Sleep on board an Intercités train is possible through the "Intercités de nuit" offer, which includes the option to reserve a reclining seat or berth.

In 2013, the French national railway company SNCF introduced OUIGO to offer budget-friendly TGV travel options. Choose between the lightning-fast OUIGO Grande Vitesse, reaching speeds of 300 km/h, or the more leisurely OUIGO Classique, which offers a nostalgic train ride experience.

Société Nationale des Chemins de fer Français, or SNCF, is the name of the French National Railway Company. Explore the beauty of France with SNCF rail transport and choose between three major SNCF trains - TGV inOui, TER, and INTERCITÉS - for travel on national, regional, and local routes, including high-speed trains departing from Paris train stations. Also, SNCF aims to revolutionize sustainable travel by becoming the world's first carbon-neutral operator, offering this eco-friendly service at no additional cost to passengers.

SNCF, the French national railway company, offers TER, a comprehensive regional train service. TER (Transport Express Régional) trains connect cities, and villages within regions of France, offering local transportation for commuters and tourists as they explore the regional culture, landscape, and attractions through its vast network of regional routes. TER trains are slower than the high-speed trains but offer a more affordable and comfortable alternative for shorter journeys within the regions.

TGV inOui, which replaces traditional TGV services by offering a contemporary upgrade, is a high-speed train service operated by the French National Railways, SNCF that make it easy to explore around 50 destinations in neighboring countries such as Belgium, Germany, and Spain. TGV inOUI is designed to offer more comfort and flexibility to travelers, with features such as spacious seats, Wi-Fi, and catering services. It connects major cities in France and provides a fast, convenient, and comfortable mode of travel.

Ticket types and facilities from Paris to Périgueux

Compare the different ticket types and the facilities provided by INTERCITÉS, OUIGO and TER when traveling from Paris to Périgueux.

Second Class - The Essential

First class-the comfort, intercités pro, standard class / tgv, standard class / classical, second class (the essentials), first class (the comfort), business première (the flexibility), facility description.

Find out more about the different facilities available onboard with each carrier on this route.

Paris to Périgueux CO2 Emissions by Train

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Nothing can ruin a vacation like being the victim of a pickpocketing scam. Throughout Europe specifically, a new study shows that there are some destinations where theft is more prevalent than others.

Travelers to Italy should be on their guard since the country ranked the highest for pickpockets among all popular European hotspots, according to a recent study by UK insurance price comparison platform Quotezone.co.uk . To determine the ranking, the study looked at pickpocketing mentions in visitor reviews at popular attractions like the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, and Pantheon in Rome, the Duomo di Milano in Milan, and the Gallerie Degli Uffizi in Florence.

Overall, Italy had 478 pickpocketing mentions for every million British visitors, the highest of countries studied in Europe, according to the report.

“Theft can happen anywhere and tourist hotspots are convenient places for criminals to target holidaymakers’ wallets and purses whilst they are busy taking in the sites,” Greg Wilson, the founder and CEO of Quotezone.co.uk, said in a statement. “It is essential always to remain vigilant, leave valuables, like expensive [jewelry], in a safe in the hotel and always travel with a secure cross-body bag with zips to secure phones and wallets or even a money belt.”

Travelers heading to France should also be aware of their surroundings since the country ranked second on the list with 251 mentions of being pickpocketed for every million British visitors. That’s especially true for the area around Paris’ most iconic structure, the Eiffel Tower, which the study found was the worst for pickpockets in the country.

That was followed by Spain — and particularly Barcelona’s Las Ramblas — and Germany, which each saw 111 mentions of being pickpocketed for every million British visitors. 

On the other end of the spectrum was Ireland, which had only seven mentions of pickpocketing for every million British visitors, according to the study. Where you want to watch out for your bag is the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin, a notorious tourist trap but a worthwhile one nonetheless .

If you do get pickpocketed, Wilson encouraged travelers to file a police report to be covered for any possible insurance claims.

It’s also a good idea to make copies of important documents and make sure all your devices are password-protected.

And remember: you’re not alone. Even the most seasoned travelers can fall victim to pickpockets, just like Rick Steves did when he wasn't wearing his money belt on the Paris Metro a few years ago.

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Train bridge in North Sioux City partially collapsed from rising water

NORTH SIOUX CITY, S.D. (KTIV) - The train bridge in North Sioux City over the Big Sioux River has collapsed with the flooding.

The partial collapse was reported shortly before 11 p.m. on June 23. Authorities have been monitoring it all night:

Residents are asked to avoid the area . The Big Sioux was expected to crest at 1 a.m. Monday morning. As of 7:30 p.m. Sunday, officials say they saw the Big Sioux River was at 44.25 feet, to put that in perspective, the record is 37.7 feet. The National Weather Service, says the Big Sioux will be at 43.5 at about 1 a.m. Monday, meaning they believe the Big Sioux has crested and should start coming down.

For the Missouri River, they are expecting a crest at 7 a.m. Monday where it should reach 31.1 feet, which is higher than the 30.2 feet seen in the 2019 floods. But it is lower than what was measured during the 2011 floods, which was 35.2 feet.

Burlington Northern Santa Fe owns the railway. We have reached out and waiting for comment. We hope to learn more about plans from authorities during a press conference held by South Daokta’s Governor Kristi Noem at 8:30 a.m. Monday.

Copyright 2024 KTIV. All rights reserved.

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Rays of sunlight slice through pools of crystal water as clusters of fish cast shadows on the limestone below. Arching over the emerald basin are walls of stalactites dripping down the cavern ceiling, which opens to a dense jungle.

These glowing sinkhole lakes – known as cenotes – are a part of one of Mexico’s natural wonders: A fragile system of an estimated 10,000 subterranean caverns, rivers and lakes that wind almost surreptitiously beneath Mexico’s southern Yucatan peninsula.

Now, construction of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s crown jewel project – the Maya Train – is rapidly destroying part of that hidden underground world, already under threat by development and mass tourism. As the caverns are thrust into the spotlight in the lead-up to the country’s presidential elections, scientists and environmentalists warn that the train will mean long-term environmental ruin.

Deep in the jungle, the roar of heavy machinery cuts through the cave’s gentle “drip, drip, drip.” Just a few meters above, construction of the train line is in full swing. The caverns rumble as government workers use massive metal drills that bore into limestone, embedding an estimated 15,000 steel pillars into the caverns.

Engineer Guillermo D. Christy looks upon the once immaculate cave, now coated with a layer of concrete and broken stalactites, icicle-shaped rock formations normally hanging from the roof of the cave. A mix of grief and anger is painted upon the face of D. Christy, who has long studied the waters running through the caves.

“Pouring concrete into a cavern, directly into the aquifer, without any concern or care,” D. Christy said. “That’s total ecocide.”

A TOURISM BOON, BUT AT WHAT COST?

For nearly a thousand miles, (1,460 km) the high-speed Maya Train will wind its way around Mexico’s southern Yucatan peninsula. When it’s completed, it’ll connect tourist hubs like Cancun and Playa del Carmen to dense jungle, remote communities and archaeological sites, drawing development and money into long-neglected rural swathes of the country.

The more than $30 billion train is among the keystone projects of Mexico’s outgoing President López Obrador, who has spent his six years in office portraying himself as a champion of the country’s long-forgotten poor.

“The Maya Train will be our legacy of development for the southeast of Mexico,” the president wrote in a post on the social platform X last year.

With elections set for June 2, the future of the train, and López Obrador’s legacy, is uncertain. Both leading candidates to replace him have made promises for a green agenda, but also supported the economic promises the train brings.

At issue is the path the train takes.

It was originally planned to run along the region’s highway in more urban areas. But after waves of complaints by hotel owners, the government moved one of the final sections of the line deeper into the jungle, atop the most important cave system in the country. It’s plowed down millions of trees, a chunk of the largest tropical forest in the Americas after the Amazon.

The caves contain one of the biggest aquifers in Mexico and act as the region’s main water source, crucial at a time when the nation faces a deepening water crisis. In 2022, archaeologists also discovered some of the oldest human remains in North America within the caverns.

The area was once a reef nestled beneath the Caribbean Sea, but changing sea levels pushed Mexico’s southern peninsula out of the ocean as a mass of limestone. Water sculpted the porous stone into caves over the course of millions of years.

It produced the open-face freshwater caverns, “cenotes”, and underground rivers that are in equal parts awe-inspiring and delicate, explained Emiliano Monroy-Ríos, a geologist at Northwestern University studying the region.

“These ecosystems are very, very fragile,” Monroy-Ríos said. “They are building upon a land that is like Gruyere cheese, full of caves and cavities of different sizes and at different depths.”

López Obrador promised his government would prevent damage to the Great Mayan Aquifer by elevating the sections of the train on thousands of hefty steel pillars buried deep into the ground.

DOCUMENTING DESTRUCTION

D. Christy treks through dense rainforest and clicks on his headlight as he climbs into a split in a rock.

The engineer and hydrological expert has spent 25 years roving the intricate cave system, tracking the quality of the waters. Like many of the people studying the mysteries of the ancient cave system, his once tame job was inadvertently turned turbulent with the rise of the train project.

Today, he wanders into a small section of the caverns known as Aktun Tuyul, located less than an hour from the tourist city of Playa del Carmen. As the 58-year-old Mexican walks past layers of stalactites and steel pillars burrowing into the rock formations, the cave’s darkness is broken by wagon wheel-sized holes drilled into the roof of the cave, where even more pillars will be implanted.

D. Christy wades through waist-deep water, now turned a murky brown by corroded metal from the pillars, and pushes his body through a narrow passage in the rock.

Sitting next to one of more than a dozen pillars embedded into this cavern, he pulls out a series of syringes and bottles, taking a sample of the water next to the metal.

“It clearly has a color characteristic of iron contamination,” he said, holding up a syringe of foggy yellow water. “We’re going to take a sample.”

D. Christy pours the water into a glass vial, mixing it with a chemical that turns it a deep blue, indicating the water contains traces of iron from the poles. Next to other pillars, he presses his ear to the metal, listening to globs of concrete pour into the hollow tube.

Across the cave system, stalactites broken off by vibrations from train construction litter the ground like rubble following an earthquake. In other caverns, the concrete filling the pillars has spilled out to coat the limestone ground.

While the long-term environmental consequences of the construction are unknown, what is certain is that it is transforming the entire ecosystem, said geologist Monroy-Ríos.

“Just by drilling, before you even put in the pillars, you are killing an entire ecosystem that was in those caves” he said. “Why? Because now light is coming in, the gasses within have changed, and there are very sensitive species that live in total darkness. They have already killed hundreds of millions” of organisms.

But the geologist’s greatest concern continues to be that the morphing limestone upon which the train is built and caves underneath the pillars could cause a collapse of the line. Scientists have long warned of the risks of building on soluble rock like limestone.

Already, sections of highway in the Yucatan have warped or caved in , and the Maya Train has been marred by a series of accidents, including a March train derailment, which government officials blamed on a loose clamp set by contractors.

Further damage to the limestone could lead to another accident that could be deadly. If a cargo train derailed, it could cause an oil spill that could permanently devastate the aquifer, Monroy-Ríos said.

Aktun Tuyul

Plan view of the cavern and the train construction above ground

‘IT WILL BENEFIT US ALL’

Not everyone is opposed to the train running through the remote communities. Some see an unprecedented economic opportunity, a chance to help poor families earn money.

Maria Norma de los Angeles and her family have long lived off a modest flow of tourists in their community of Jacinto Pat, tucked in a stretch of jungle in the southern coastal state, Quintana Roo.

They offer temazcal baths, traditional Mayan steam rooms meant to purify and relax the body, and charge visiting foreigners to swim in a nearby cenote.

The family, like many along the train’s path, was originally opposed of the project because they worried it would destroy the cenotes drawing tourists.

But their feelings about the train began to change when government officials contracted local people to build the track, De los Angeles said. They also promised to bring communities electricity, a sewage system and running water, and agreed to pay more for the land the train would pass over.

“It has its pros and its cons,” De los Angeles said as her family gathered to kill a pig to eat for her father’s birthday. “But there will be a moment when we see an economic spillover … I know that it will benefit us all.”

That’s the mentality of many Mexicans toward both the train and López Obrador. Many are willing to overlook the controversies of the populist and his train, in favor of his charisma and the strong economy seen during his presidency.

The 70-year-old leader has connected with Mexico’s long-invisible working class in a way few leaders have in recent history . López Obrador’s government has raised the minimum wage and provided cash handouts to older Mexicans and students. The government says more than 5 million people have been pulled out of poverty while López Obrador was president.

Luruama de la Cruz, a California resident whose family comes from the local town of Leona Vicario, said she bought her father tickets to the train for his birthday because it was a dream of his.

“A dream made reality,” De la Cruz says as she rode the train and took a video on her phone, meandering past passengers wearing “Maya Train” T-shirts and watching an interview between López Obrador and Russian state media.

“Whenever you build something, something else is destroyed,” she said, adding that family members worked on train construction. “This is for the good of the people.”

A RUSH TO BUILD THE TRACK

López Obrador has fast-tracked construction of the train to try to keep promises to complete it before June elections, something that has appeared all but impossible . The moves he’s made have only deepened his ongoing clashes with the country’s judiciary, further fueling criticisms that his government is undermining democratic institutions.

In a violation of Mexican law, the government didn’t carry out a comprehensive study to assess the potential environmental impacts before starting construction. That’s led to blindly plowing into caverns with no clue what’s being damaged, scientists and independent lawyers say.

“Our president has little respect for the law. He’s in a sort of tug of war for power and he does what he wants,” said Claudia Aguilar, a lawyer at Mexico’s Free School of Law.

When a judge ordered construction of the line be suspended until an adequate report of how the train would affect the caves was carried out, López Obrador ignored the ruling, and the work continued.

At the same time, much of the project has been cloaked in secrecy as López Obrador has charged Mexico’s military with construction and blocked the release of information in the name of “national security”.

While Mexico’s Supreme Court ruled that unconstitutional, López Obrador disregarded that ruling, too, saying it was to protect his project from “corrupt” critics.

When the AP requested an interview with leadership of the Maya Train project, spokesperson Mariana Galicia said they were “ordered that we cannot give interviews” but could respond to questions sent over email to “better control” the information shared. They did not respond to questions sent by email.

Watch the video

AP journalists traveled through the jungles of the Yucatan peninsula to investigate the impact of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s Maya Train. They documented the destruction of part of the country’s most important cave network, which provides freshwater to much of the region.

‘SWIMMING IN POOP’

Meanwhile, thousands of passengers are already riding sections of the train that have been built. The atmosphere above is far-removed from the conflicts playing out around the caverns.

Hotels and clubs host raves and even music festivals in some of the cenotes, with one club boasting it “takes the relaxation and wellness experience to another level. Let yourself be enveloped by this sacred, timeless place.”

Luxurious beach hotels and booming clubs packed with drunk, khaki-clad tourists dominate the coastal tourist city of Playa del Carmen. Once a Mayan settlement, the city is among many in the Yucatan peninsula that in recent decades have been converted into a party hub for vacationing foreigners.

In the caves below, biologist Roberto Rojo paddles through a sea of trash.

Under the arching cavern roof, Rojo and a group of volunteers push a green kayak through a cenote, filling bulking bags of glass beer bottles, plastic tubes, metal grating, plastic Coca-Cola bottles, rotten wooden planks and even a printer.

“You don’t even want to know what many of those things are,” Rojo said.

It’s a fate Rojo and many others worry may await hundreds of cenotes, caves and underground lakes and rivers along the new Maya Train line.

“It’s not just the train, but everything the train brings with it – urban developments, hotel developments,” said water expert D. Christy. “Rather than solving a problem, they’re coming in and making a big problem worse.”

Millions of tourists a year flock to the region, affecting the entire underground as the industry guzzles water and sewage seeps through the earth and into the caves, killing fish and other wildlife. In 2022, authorities found that the water of more than a dozen of the caverns near the tourist city of Tulum was tainted with E. Coli bacteria .

Last year, the environmental organization Va Por La Tierra estimated that approximately 95% of the cenotes in the Yucatan state – where the Maya Train cuts through – were already contaminated due to the lack of a sufficient sewage system. Scuba diving master Bernardette Carrión even told the AP that tourists admiring the splendor of some cenotes in Tulum “are swimming in poop.”

The underground system is connected to the sea, so waste trickles out to the ocean, where scientists say it feeds seaweed-like algae piling up on Caribbean coastlines, spurring on a slate of other environmental and health hazards .

Rojo and other volunteers created the organization known as “Urban Cenotes” in Playa del Carmen to clean the water system, cave by cave.

“We’re trying to return the dignity that these spaces have had for thousands of years, that are now being turned into landfills, sewers and drains,” Rojo said.

But it’s an uphill battle for the hundreds of volunteers, and something they worry will become impossible as pollution expands into rural areas with the Maya Train, deepening ongoing pollution caused by pig farms and massive soy plantations.

Looking forward, they’re uncertain about what will come as June elections loom, with López Obrador leaving office in the coming months. The leader will likely be replaced by either race frontrunner and ally Claudia Sheinbaum or rival ex-senator Xóchitl Gálvez.

Sheinbaum, an environmental scientist who leads the race by a comfortable margin, has portrayed herself as a champion for the environment, but has supported López Obrador’s fossil-fuel agenda and made few remarks about the environmental damage the train has wrought.

Little more than a week before the presidential election, Sheinbaum said she was meeting with leaders of neighboring Guatemala and Belize in talks to extend the Maya Train to Central America.

Gálvez, a López Obrador opponent, has taken advantage of the controversy to tear into her adversaries , calling the train’s damage “irreversible” and a “consequence of the negligence of the government because they didn’t do any environmental impact studies.” Months earlier, though, she said she would also continue with plans to extend the train.

Meanwhile, groups like Rojo’s do everything they can to salvage an ecosystem that took millennia to form. They worry they might not have all that much time left.

“I’m not going to sit quietly and wait for the government to solve things,” Rojo said. “The people who live in the Yucatan peninsula are on the verge of a water crisis."

Text: Teresa de Miguel and Megan Janetsky

Photos: Rodrigo Abd

Video: Teresa de Miguel and Rodrigo Abd

Design and development: Caleb Diehl

Illustrations: Peter Hamlin

Text editor: Anna Jo Bratton

Photo editor: Enric Marti

Creative direction: Teresa de Miguel

Handout footage of drill in cavern courtesy of Elias Siebenborn

The AP used data and estimates provided by scientists and activists on the ground to build these maps. The Mexican government has not responded a number of information requests by the AP, and has released scarce official information on the project.

The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org

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NJ Transit, Amtrak service suspended again at Penn Station

Rail service was disrupted for a second day on Friday, with Amtrak trains into and out of New York City delayed or canceled and service on the commuter line NJ Transit suspended during the morning rush.

Several Amtrak trains scheduled to run between New York City and upstate New York were canceled,  the railroad said on X , and trains from Pennsylvania to New York were terminating in Philadelphia.

What You Need To Know

Rail service was disrupted for a second day on friday, with amtrak trains into and out of new york city delayed or canceled and service on the commuter line nj transit suspended during the morning rush widespread train delays and sweltering heat made for a nightmarish commute thursday evening amtrak warned commuters thursday afternoon that high temperatures may require trains to operate at lower speeds.

As of 4:30 p.m., there are still 30-minute delays due to "Amtrak overhead wire issues," according to the NJ Transit website.

Midtown direct trains were being diverted to Hoboken, New Jersey. Raritan Valley Line service will originate from Newark Penn Station. NJ Transit rail tickets and passes are being cross honored by NJ Transit, private carrier buses and the PATH at Newark Penn Station, Hoboken and 33rd Street in New York.

It comes after Amtrak delayed or canceled trains in and out of the city.

NJ Transit, meanwhile, appeared to blame Amtrak for the fact that its own service in and out of Penn Station was suspended during Friday's morning rush hour.

“Rail service is suspended into and out of Penn Station New York due to AMTRAK overhead wire issues in Penn Station New York,” the commuter line, which shares tracks with Amtrak, said on its website.

Service resumed around 11 a.m. with 45-minute delays, NJ Transit said.

Widespread train delays and sweltering heat made for a nightmarish commute Thursday evening.

"I'm disgusted because it's always something different,” said Denise Wooten, who commutes from Montclair, New Jersey, to Penn Station for work. “Delays. This has been going on for too long now. Every time you turn around. I just want to get home.”

NJ Transit and Amtrak users arrived at Penn Station Thursday only to learn that power outages were causing delays from New Haven all the way to Philadelphia.

An Amtrak spokesperson said two things were to blame for the service disruptions: brush fires in Secaucus, New Jersey and a malfunctioning circuit breaker which caused a loss in power on the tracks between New York, and Newark Penn stations.

"I take the train every day, but over the last couple of weeks, NJ Transit has really sucked. I mean we have had very poor services,” said Thurston Green, who takes Amtrak five days a week.

To make matters more unconformable, temperatures climbed well into the 90s Thursday, marking the hottest day of the year so far. And below ground, there wasn’t much relief.

"Look at me. I'm sweating, it's hot. It's too much,” said Wooten.

Amtrak warned commuters Thursday afternoon that high temperatures may require trains to operate at lower speeds, resulting in delays of up to 60 minutes between noon and 7:30 p.m. for the remainder of the week.

Power was restored at 5:30 p.m., but Amtrak warned riders to expect congestion along the rails.

Commuters said they’d like to see more accountability from transit leaders both in New York and New Jersey.

“They have to fix the trains. We keep spending all this money, $5 a fare. There are 365 days in a year, how much money are you spending here? Where's that money going to?” said Shawn Mendez, who was traveling to an event in Newark.

A heat advisory has been issued for the city beginning noon Friday with feels-like temperatures expected to reach 97 degrees.

Train companies accused of ‘hiding secret tickets’ that could save you money

Passengers are missing out on ‘more than 25’ cheaper fare deals that are not available through third-party sellers, a survey claims

Train companies have been accused of hiding “secret” rail tickets that could save cost-conscious passengers money.

More than half of rail passengers have no idea that train operators can restrict certain fares, leaving them paying more than they need to for some train journeys .

Virgin Trains Ticketing said that a survey of rail travellers showed that many simply did not understand the complexity of Britain’s train ticketing system , which has more than 55 million individual fares available.

Together with the Independent Rail Retailers (IRR) trade association, the company claimed that more than 25 ticket types are not available for passengers to buy except through train companies themselves.

Consumers trying to shop around are left in the dark by this practice, they say - and are potentially overpaying when cheaper ticket options they do not know about are available.

The news comes after the number of season ticket sales dropped to historic lows in the first part of this year, suggesting British travellers are turning their backs on the railways as a cost-effective way of getting around the country.

With Louise Haigh, the shadow transport secretary, promising to simplify train fares if the Labour Party wins July’s general election, the £10 billion ticketing market is poised for a radical shake-up.

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Mark Plowright, director of Virgin Trains Ticketing, said: “There are more than 25 fare types not available for retailers to sell – which accounts for millions of tickets.

“It’s confusing for passengers, who then feel there are ‘secret’ fares they don’t know about or are not able to access easily.

“Consumers are left searching for the best value fare. No wonder they have lost trust in the system.”

One-third discount

A list compiled by the IRR and seen by The Telegraph shows that some ticket types are restricted to certain outlets only.

For example, the Groupsave promotion offered by 14 train companies including the operators of the Gatwick Express, Stansted Express, Thameslink and GWR, lets groups of between three and nine adults claim a one-third discount on their fares.

No travel card or other subscription is needed to claim the discount - but the lower-price tickets can only be bought directly from the train companies themselves, not from third parties.

Similarly, some train operators offer “own brand only” discounts to students, groups of young people and teachers.

Restricted ticket availability is a sore issue for the likes of Virgin Trains Ticketing because their business model relies on taking five per cent commission from each fare that they sell.

Train companies have an incentive to sell direct to travellers because then they can pocket the entire fare, instead of paying a portion of the ticket price to another company.

Although train ticket sellers say restricting tickets in this way is unfair, passenger rail industry sources point out that the vast majority of their fares are set centrally by the Department for Transport.

Train operators say this means they themselves do not control the price of their own product, leaving them looking for alternative ways of increasing their revenues to balance the books.

£4 billion in subsidies

Last year the Government handed just over £4 billion in subsidies to the UK’s 20 passenger train operators, with the entire rail industry absorbing £12 billion in public money.

Labour has pledged to nationalise passenger train companies if it wins the upcoming general election, as well as reviewing the number and type of tickets available.

The Conservatives have said they will keep the private sector involved in running trains, on the grounds that privatising the railways led to a massive surge in passenger numbers over the last 20 years.

A spokesman for the Rail Delivery Group, the trade body for train operators, said: “Any customer no matter where they are can buy every ticket type on sale for use across the railway. 

“A small number of ticket types are only on sale direct from a train company and in some cases, it may be cheaper to buy from them direct. 

“We want to make things as simple as possible for our customers and have long called for the reform of ticketing and fares.

“Changes like the rollout of tap-in tap-out and digital ticketing are two examples of how we are making that happen. We welcome the innovation, choice, and competition that third-party retailers have brought for our customers.”

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Are Planes Safe Right Now? Here’s What the Experts Say.

You should expect the unexpected while flying, but few disruptions should provoke serious concern, aviation experts say.

By Niraj Chokshi and Christine Chung

Smoke in the cabin. A tire blowout. A cracked windshield. No shortage of problems can affect a flight, fueling traveler anxiety and contributing to thousands of daily delays and cancellations around the world.

But for all of the frustration and alarm such events cause, it can be difficult to interpret and understand their severity. Here’s how aviation safety experts say travelers should think about disruptions when they occur.

Problems happen.

Several alarming air travel incidents have made headlines in recent weeks — a sharp plunge toward an ocean, an unnerving wobble that damaged the tail of a plane and an aborted departure after an apparent engine fire .

But the most common mishaps and malfunctions, even if hair-raising, are not typically severe, experts said.

A hydraulic leak, for example, is a familiar occurrence that pilots take seriously, but it is not as disruptive as it may sound. That’s because planes have backup hydraulic systems, which are used to power equipment like the landing gear, brakes, wing flaps and flight controls, allowing planes to take off, fly and land. A plane veering off a runway, in what is known as a runway excursion, makes for captivating video and a possibly terrifying experience for those on board. But it doesn’t necessarily cause significant damage to an airplane or threaten the safety of those on board.

The same is true of the wide range of mechanical or maintenance issues that can come up before takeoff, which might force a pilot to hold a plane at its gate or return to the gate from taxiing. Those incidents are important to understand and address, but they are often minor, experts said.

“The pilots are saying, ‘I’ve been highly trained, I’m highly educated in this airplane, and we have to return to the gate and get the experts involved out of an abundance of caution,’” said Shawn Pruchnicki, a former airline pilot and an assistant professor at the Center for Aviation Studies at Ohio State University. “That is the system working perfectly. That’s a good thing.”

Sometimes, such problems can derail a flight or take an airplane out of commission. But in other cases, they can be fixed quickly. And because airplanes are packed with fail-safes, there are times when a flight with a malfunctioning system can safely proceed simply by relying on one or more backups instead.

Flying is a complex, gravity-defying feat that’s repeated thousands of times each day in a wide range of conditions. So travelers should not be surprised when things go wrong, said Amy Pritchett, a pilot and professor of aerospace engineering at Pennsylvania State University.

“Little small components will always start to burn out or break,” she said. “There will always be potholes in the pavement in the taxiway that jostles something. There’s always questions of whether the weather is good enough to fly, whether you might hit turbulence or not. All these things are sources of variability that need to be actively managed.”

Flying is safe.

Another thing for travelers to keep in mind is that serious flight problems are extremely rare, experts said.

Flying is safer than driving or traveling by train in part because safety is built into the design of everything from air traffic control to the airplane itself. Important systems and procedures have backups, there are rarely single points of failure, pilots receive intensive and repeated training, and airlines prepare for a wide range of possible outcomes.

“It’s the safest form of transportation ever designed by humankind,” said John Cox, a former airline pilot who runs a safety consulting firm. “Be careful driving to the airport.”

Over the past several decades, commercial aviation safety in the United States has improved more than fortyfold, according to a 2022 analysis of commercial aviation safety conducted by the National Academies.

According to the National Transportation Safety Board, typical causes of accidents include turbulence, hard landings, collisions on the ground with other planes or vehicles, and component failures, such as a malfunctioning wing flap or engine.

Flying is so safe in part because the industry generally responds to every problem, even those that pose little threat. In the United States, airlines, manufacturers and agencies like the Federal Aviation Administration and the N.T.S.B. are constantly monitoring and reviewing risks and hazards in air travel.

“The level of systems that are in place monitoring current-day commercial air transport are profound,” Ms. Pritchett said. But this doesn’t mean that anyone involved can lose vigilance in assessing the possibility of danger, she added.

And while trips are occasionally cut short, experts said, diverting a flight from its destination generally reflects due caution by pilots, airlines and air traffic controllers, not a life-threatening emergency. “Could we continue to our destination?” said Kenneth Byrnes, a pilot and an associate professor who leads the flight training department at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. “Yes, but is it the safest thing to do?”

Placing blame is complicated.

Because aviation is complex and defined by redundancy, problems rarely have a singular cause. Instead, most serious problems — even catastrophic ones — are a result of multiple factors.

“There’s never a smoking gun, so to speak,” Mr. Pruchnicki said. “There’s never this ‘aha’ moment, when we’re going through wreckage or we’re going through records and we say, ‘Ah, I found the single reason this plane crashed.’”

Take the episode early last year in which two planes nearly hit each other on a runway at Kennedy International Airport. The National Transportation Safety Board found that several factors had contributed to what could have otherwise been a disaster.

The pilots of one plane were distracted as they proceeded down the wrong taxiway, the agency found. At the same time, the air traffic controller who gave them instructions didn’t notice because his focus was elsewhere. And a runway status light activated too late to warn the pilots of the mistake, the agency concluded.

In investigating such incidents, placing blame is not only difficult, but also generally discouraged, experts said. Kyra Dempsey, who writes about aviation accidents in a blog, Admiral Cloudberg , said that “the blameless post-mortem is a cornerstone of modern aviation safety,” facilitating an open safety culture in which people are willing to report concerns .

Mr. Cox, the pilot turned consultant, said that “aviation accident investigators are really more interested in understanding cause than assigning blame because our job is to see that it doesn’t happen again.” Instead, “the lawyers get into blame,” he said.

Perspective is important.

When a mishap occurs, it’s important to keep some context in mind, experts said.

A casual observer might notice, for example, that many problems seem to affect two types of planes: Boeing 737s and Airbus A320s. But those plane families make up more than half of the commercial jets in service, so they are naturally reflected most in news coverage.

Experts also warned against confirmation bias. When an airline or a manufacturer figures in a headline-generating episode, the media and the public tend to be on alert for other problems involving the company, even those that have little to do with the company or that might not even be significant enough to attract much attention from safety agencies.

“When something happens, you need time to discover and learn about exactly what happened, and why did it happen,” said Jeff Guzzetti, a former accident investigator for the F.A.A. and the N.T.S.B. “That’s something that you can’t do in a news cycle or even two news cycles.”

It can take the N.T.S.B. months, and sometimes more than a year, to conduct investigations, which culminate with safety recommendations to prevent future accidents.

After a fuselage panel blew off a 737 Max during a flight in January, Boeing was intensely scrutinized, and rightly so, experts said. But several also said they received many calls from reporters in the months afterward seeking comment on problems involving Boeing planes in cases that had little to do with the company.

“Just because it’s a Boeing airplane that has a mechanical problem doesn’t necessarily mean that has anything to do with Boeing,” Mr. Pruchnicki said.

In the episode involving the fuselage panel, the plane was virtually new, focusing attention on the manufacturer. But a manufacturer is probably not at fault when a problem occurs with a plane that was delivered years earlier and has been flying safely since, experts said.

Niraj Chokshi writes about aviation, rail and other transportation industries. More about Niraj Chokshi

Christine Chung is a Times reporter covering airlines and consumer travel. More about Christine Chung

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