“Flying shame” has become a major topic in Europe (amplified by Greta Thunberg) and the EU is considering measures to encourage people to fly less — perhaps even banning short-haul flights altogether. But you can’t ban flights unless there are alternatives and the most obvious alternative — the European rail system — is fragmented, expensive and slow. Reporter Rachel Waldholz documents her attempts at making a climate-friendly rail journey to the UN climate summit in Madrid, illustrating the absurdities and policy challenges along the way, from the difficulty of booking international travel to the sticker shock of ticket prices.