Luxury train travel may have fallen out of fashion over the last few years, but French designer Thierry Gaugain is all about putting it back on the right track.
The designer, known for his futuristic creations, including Steve Jobs’ superyacht Venus and the Sailing Yacht A, is set to take travel by rail to a whole new level.
He recently unveiled the design concept for the G Train, touted as the world’s first private luxury train. Described as a “palace on rails”, the 400-metre-long train is made of 14 cars, and can run at 160 kilometres per hour, with four bespoke locomotives adapted to railways across the Americas and Europe, from Mediterranean shores up to Scandinavia and Russia.
The space is big enough to fit 18 overnight guests. There are two main sections: one for the owner’s accommodation and entertainment space, and the other for crew and guests’ quarters, including VIP suites and a VIP salon. For social events, there are al fresco terraces where parties can be held. The train even has a space to store cars, motorbikes and “other toys”.
However, it’s the new generation technical smartglass that sheaths the trains that is possibly its most unique feature. The gold-hued exterior of the train has the ability to switch between transparent and opaque.
Meanwhile, the glass walls will also allow for a change in the interiors. That means that guests wanting to see more of their surroundings can switch to a transparent mode “with the touch of a button”. Seven inner journey concepts can be created inside, for those looking for a change of scene without leaving the train.
While the train doesn't have an owner yet, it would have to be someone who can shell out $350 million, which is how much the project is likely to cost.
In an interview with CNN, Gaugain admitted that he did have someone in mind as the ideal client: Laurene Powell Jobs, the widow of Steve Jobs.
"The owner we envision is someone who is aware of the uniqueness of this train and understands that we are not just talking about transportation. It's about travel, not how fast you get from point A to point B."
"Travel is not about speed," he says. "It's about taking the time, because time is the only treasure we have."
U19 WORLD CUP, WEST INDIES
UAE group fixtures (all in St Kitts)
Saturday 15 January: v Canada
Thursday 20 January: v England
Saturday 22 January: v Bangladesh
UAE squad
Alishan Sharafu (captain), Shival Bawa, Jash Giyanani, Sailles Jaishankar, Nilansh Keswani, Aayan Khan, Punya Mehra, Ali Naseer, Ronak Panoly, Dhruv Parashar, Vinayak Raghavan, Soorya Sathish, Aryansh Sharma, Adithya Shetty, Kai Smith
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Top New Zealand cop on policing the virtual world
New Zealand police began closer scrutiny of social media and online communities after the attacks on two mosques in March, the country's top officer said.
The killing of 51 people in Christchurch and wounding of more than 40 others shocked the world. Brenton Tarrant, a suspected white supremacist, was accused of the killings. His trial is ongoing and he denies the charges.
Mike Bush, commissioner of New Zealand Police, said officers looked closely at how they monitored social media in the wake of the tragedy to see if lessons could be learned.
“We decided that it was fit for purpose but we need to deepen it in terms of community relationships, extending them not only with the traditional community but the virtual one as well," he told The National.
"We want to get ahead of attacks like we suffered in New Zealand so we have to challenge ourselves to be better."
About Housecall
Date started: July 2020
Founders: Omar and Humaid Alzaabi
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: HealthTech
# of staff: 10
Funding to date: Self-funded
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
Water waste
In the UAE’s arid climate, small shrubs, bushes and flower beds usually require about six litres of water per square metre, daily. That increases to 12 litres per square metre a day for small trees, and 300 litres for palm trees.
Horticulturists suggest the best time for watering is before 8am or after 6pm, when water won't be dried up by the sun.
A global report published by the Water Resources Institute in August, ranked the UAE 10th out of 164 nations where water supplies are most stretched.
The Emirates is the world’s third largest per capita water consumer after the US and Canada.
The Great Derangement: Climate Change and the Unthinkable
Amitav Ghosh, University of Chicago Press
Yuki Means Happiness
Alison Jean Lester
John Murray
MATCH INFO
Day 2 at Mount Maunganui
England 353
Stokes 91, Denly 74, Southee 4-88
New Zealand 144-4
Williamson 51, S Curran 2-28
Hotel Silence
Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir
Pushkin Press
