Global InformationThomas Cook European Timetable information
 Cover in 1993; elements of this version were in the cover design from 1988–2004 | |
| Editor-in-Chief | John Potter |
|---|---|
| Editor | Chris Woodcock |
| Former editors | Brendan H. Fox (1985–2013); J. H. Price (1952–85), et al. |
| Categories | Travel reference; passenger rail transport |
| Frequency | Monthly |
| Circulation | 20,000 (as of 1977) |
| First issue | March 1873 (as Cook's Continental Time Tables) |
| Company | European Rail Timetable Ltd (2014–) Thomas Cook Publishing (and predecessor Thomas Cook & Son, Ltd.), 1873–2013 |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Based in | Oundle, Northamptonshire |
| Language | English, with 4-page introduction in four other languages |
| Website | European Rail Timetable |
| ISSN | 1748-0817 |
The European Rail Timetable, more commonly known by its former names, the Thomas Cook European Timetable, the Thomas Cook Continental Timetable or simply Cook's Timetable, is an international timetable of selected passenger rail schedules for every country in Europe, along with a small amount of such content from areas outside Europe. It also includes regularly scheduled passenger shipping services and a few coach services on routes where rail services are not operated. Except during World War II and a six-month period in 2013–14, it has been in continuous publication since 1873. Until 2013 it was published by Thomas Cook Publishing,[1] in the United Kingdom, and since 1883 has been issued monthly.[2] The longstanding inclusion of "Continental" in the title reflected the fact that coverage was, for many years, mostly limited to continental Europe. Information on rail services in Great Britain was limited to only about 30 pages (out of about 400-plus pages) until 1954 and then omitted entirely until 1970. June 2011 marked the 1500th edition.[3]
Although minor changes to the publication's title have been made over the years, every version included "Continental", rather than "European", from 1873 through 1987 — except for a brief period (1977–1980) when the coverage was expanded to worldwide and the name became the Thomas Cook International Timetable. From 1981, most non-European content was moved into a new publication named the Thomas Cook Overseas Timetable. "Rail" was added to the title only relatively recently, in 2005, making it the Thomas Cook European Rail Timetable, but its coverage continued to include some non-rail content, such as passenger shipping and ferry timetables. The Timetable has been recommended by several editors of travel guide books for Europe, one of whom described it as "the most revered and accurate railway reference in existence".[4]
In 2013, Thomas Cook discontinued publication of the Timetable, in accordance with a decision to close the company's publishing business altogether, and the final Thomas Cook edition was published in August 2013, ending a 140-year run.[5][6] However, within a few months a new company was formed to take over publication of the Timetable, having secured permission and legal rights from Thomas Cook Group to do so.[1] The new, independent company was named European Rail Timetable Limited.[6] The first issue compiled by the new company was published in March 2014,[7] with the publication title now being European Rail Timetable, no longer including "Thomas Cook" in the name.[8] In 2016, digital editions were introduced, and the number of printed editions per year was reduced from 12 to 6, but with digital issues thereafter being published monthly. In September 2019, Thomas Cook collapsed.[9] The Timetable was unaffected as they no longer published it.
- ^ a b Briginshaw, David (1 November 2013). "European Rail Timetable to be re-launched in February". International Railway Journal. Retrieved 28 April 2019.
- ^ Fox, Brendan (September 2009). "Thomas Cook Timetables–Covering the World" (PDF). Japan Railway & Transport Review. 53. East Japan Railway Culture Foundation: 18–23. ISSN 1342-7512. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 February 2014. Retrieved 21 May 2020.
- ^ "European Rail Timetable 1500th Edition". Thomas Cook Publishing. 2 June 2011. Archived from the original on 8 August 2011. Retrieved 7 October 2013.
- ^ Birnbaum, Stephen, ed. (1990). Birnbaum's Europe 1991. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. p. 60. ISBN 0-395-55732-1.
- ^ McClarence, Stephen (29 August 2013). "The end of the line for Thomas Cook's rail 'bible': After 140 years Thomas Cook has finally called time on its European Rail Timetable". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 30 August 2013. Retrieved 28 April 2019.
- ^ a b Kim, Soo (28 April 2019). "European Rail Timetable 'saved'". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 13 September 2018. Retrieved 17 November 2013.
- ^ Cassidy, Nigel (7 March 2014). "Back on schedule: Europe's InterRail timetable is re-born". BBC News. Retrieved 28 April 2019.
- ^ "News Update - 4th March 2014". European Rail Timetable Ltd. Archived from the original on 13 March 2014. Retrieved 28 April 2019.
- ^ Goodley, Simon; Makortoff, Kalyeena; Bannock, Caroline (23 September 2019). "Thomas Cook collapses, stranding 150,000 UK holidaymakers". The Guardian. Retrieved 19 February 2020.