Britain by BritRail 2005, 25th (Britain By Britrail)

Rating:
Summary: Base city - day excursion model = good; updating = suspect
Review: You have to wonder about a guidebook that says "most reliable" and "2005" on the cover but contains details from two years ago.

The "Crossing the English Channel" section is my favorite. The narrative on Page 41 mentions "only three hours to Paris and ... two hours, forty minutes to Brussels", and looks forward to the day when "[h]igh-speed tracks will ... be constructed within Britain". That day arrived in September, 2003, when the first section of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link opened. Paris is already down to 2 hours, 35 minutes and Brussels, to 2 hours, 20 minutes. Curiously, the schedules on Page 44 are recent and do reflect the new timings.

This makes me wonder whether the publisher takes updates seriously -- or just puts in new schedules and changes the cover.

On the plus side, I do think that the book's base city - day excursion approach is useful.