To promote the new link, a special flat fare to a range of stations in southern France is being introduced for the summer. Bargain of the week: cut-price luxury to the South of France this summerFrom 10 June, it will be quicker for rail travellers from London to reach Marseille than to get to Aberdeen, even though the Mediterranean coast is 300 miles further and a change of trains is required. Thanks to a new extension to the TGV network, journey times to a range of destinations in the South of France are being cut by an average of 75 minutes. To promote the new link, a special flat fare to a range of stations in southern France is being introduced for the summer. A First Class ticket costing £145 return will get you wined and breakfasted from Waterloo International to Lille or Paris, where you change for a spacious ride to Aix-en-Provence, Avignon, Cannes, Marseille, Montpellier, N?s, Nice, or Perpignan. The deal applies for journeys between 10 June and 12 August.For these fares, you must book a week in advance on Rail Europe Direct (08705 848 848; www.raileurope.co.uk). To show what a bargain this is, the corresponding First Class trip to Paris alone is £160 and to Aberdeen, £144.Second-class travel is also available, for a flat rate of £95 return and extra leg-room is to be provided on the new long-range Mediterranean routes.Airport alert: trouble on the Heathrow TubeTravellers heading for Britain's biggest airport on selected summer Sundays, starting tomorrow, will find that the Underground link has been severed.
On 27 May, 10 June, 24 June, 1 July and 22 July, Piccadilly Line services will be terminating at Northfields. Passengers for Heathrow should connect at Hammersmith for a special "express bus".London Underground says journeys to and from the airport will take 30 to 60 minutes longer than usual.The high-speed Heathrow Express from Paddington will be running as normal. The one-way fare of £12 is increased by £2 if you pay on the train, but drops by £1 if you book online at www.heathrowexpress ; up to four children under 16 can travel free with each fare-paying adult. The Airbus service to Kensington and the West End is a slower, cheaper option. Both are likely to be crowded, with airport staff as well as passengers migrating from the Tube.From other parts of the UK, an easy low-cost alternative is to take a train from Basingstoke, Reading, Colchester, Ipswich or Norwich to Feltham station, and then a connecting bus (or walk) to the airport.
Dozens of bus services are provided direct to Heathrow see www.gobycoach for the details in full.Warning of the week: dangers lurking in "safe" placesAustralia: In Alice Springs, 80 children have been admitted to hospital following an outbreak of rotaviral gastroenteritis. "Travellers with children should take extra care with food and water hygiene in this area," says MASTA, the travel health organisation.Canada: The provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan have confirmed 50 cases of cryptosporidiosis, and many more are suspected. This highly unpleasant stomach infection is caused by a tiny parasite that has reared its evil head in Mediterranean resorts. In Canada, the cause is thought to be an infected water supply; boil water or drink bottled water.Singapore: Eleven cases of dengue fever were reported last month.
