A recent in-depth analysis covering 5,000km of railways across six EU countries found that high-speed trains rarely reach their full potential, and in fact run much slower than previously expected. We ask why European high-speed railways are falling short of their targets, and what can be done to boost efficiency across the network.

This issue also delves into the potential dangers of a Siemens-Alstom merger, analysing how the British rail market, and ultimately passengers, could end up paying dearly if two of the industry’s biggest players decide to join forces.

We also turn our attention to tech, an area where rail is often pushing boundaries. For instance, Crossrail tells us about its innovative use of virtual reality to train staff in a fully immersed environment, while Thales addresses the growing popularity of drones across the sector.

Finally, we profile the much anticipated expansion of Paris Gare du Nord, an ambitious project which will transform this station into a modern hub worthy of handling a large number of international visitors, while still keeping key elements of its original, timeless design.

Read on for all this and ­­­­join the conversation on Twitter.

Eva Grey, editor