Is it auf wiedersehen, jet?

A direct Berlin-London train route would change the travel game, says Simon Calder. But an expert says it is unlikely

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“Working with Germany, we’re building bridges between our people and paving the way for a more sustainable, connected future,” said the transport secretary, Heidi Alexander.

She was announcing a plan for a direct train between London and Berlin. “A new task force will bring our nations closer together and create new opportunities for tourism, business and cultural exchange,” the minister said.

A laudable aim - but how feasible is it? Over to Mark Smith, the international rail guru who founded The Man in Seat 61 website. After years of experience as a frontline railwayman, he has devoted the past 24 years to encouraging and empowering people to switch from planes to trains. He (like me) desperately wants rail to succeed.

You might expect Mr Smith to welcome the government’s vision. But he says bluntly: “I don’t think we'll see a direct London-Berlin train.”