Trip Report: Scotland to Puglia and return

[Sam Wilson]

In September we went on a cycling holiday in Puglia, the heel of Italy,
with three other couples. Two couples flew to Rome, one flew to Naples,
and we took the train all the way. At the end of the holiday we all spend
a couple of days together and then the other 6 flew back from Naples. My
wife and I dawdled back, staying a couple of nights in Rimini and a few
nights with friends in Germany.

I arranged all the train travel for the whole party. My wife and I
travelled on 7-day Interrail passes; for the others I booked tickets in
advance except for local trains where there was no advantage to booking
ahead.

Further postings in this thread will tell you how we got on

I was going to subtitle this “Most of the trains were on time” but I
haven’t counted and I’m not sure it’s true. “At least we got there” would
be a bit overdramatic.

[Sam Wilson]

Day 1, September 9th, Interrail day 1, Edinburgh Paris,
taxiXXXXbus-train-train

0745, taxi didn’t arrive; 0750 text message to say no ETA, still trying to
locate a driver, cancel? The bus app says there’s a bus in 6 minutes so we
cancel and roll our cases around the corner to the bus stop. At 0812 the
bus drops us at The Mound; at 0819 we’re on the platform for the 0830 to
London. It wouldn’t be a disaster to have missed the 0830, but it would
have reduced our slack for the Eurostar checkin.

801224 departs at 0832 as per the WTT. The reservation and food ordering
systems are broken. On time at Berwick. We reserved late and we have
airline seats across the aisle, rear facing. Ho hum. The chap sitting
behind has just been excessed £142 by the TM for travelling with some kind
of invalid discount card. She was being kind; she should have charged him
the full £230 from Dundee. Train fills up at Ncl.

At KX another Azuma has also arrived in the adjacent platform, so two
trains full of pax are trying funnel up the ramp at the same time. A
customer assistance buggy comes the other way and apparently finds its
customer in the middle of the ramp, so we’re down to a couple of people
width on either side. The exit gates fail to recognise our Interrail
tickets so I wave my phone at the attendant.

There’s no queue at E*. I’ll say that again: There’s No Queue At E*! Our
barcodes read perfectly, as they’ve always done. Our passports both fail
to work the automatic gates after several attempts so we’re bounced to the
manual check. That was after I’d had to have my bag searched. Apparently
the bike multitool I had packed near the bottom looked suspicious.

We get E* 9033, the 1431 to Paris GdN. It’s a e300, one of the original
class 373 sets. I haven’t been on one of these since the refurb. It’s
almost a shame about the refurb - I really liked the original dark design
with cubbyholes and stuff. The new design is much lighter and airier but
it’s retained the small secondary rack below the main luggage rack, and
it’s pretty comfortable. And you can still see over the seats!

We have a good window view despite being in rearward facing airlines.
Somewhere behind us a female voice from a seat against a pillar says
mournfully, “we’re going the wrong way and there’s no window!”

Somewhere in northern France we encounter some large bump in the track.
ISTR that the last time we came this way, in an e320, there was a point
where there was a loud bang from the suspension. The e300 just bounces.
Just after the bump there is a platform loop on the west side with an e300
also facing south.

It’s misty here; the plain just fades away after a mile or so. Trees and
bushes, houses, barns, lines of pylons appear and slowly vanish as our
circle of visibility moves south with us at 300 km/h.

Arrival in a slightly damp Paris on time, walk to our hotel near the Gare
de l’Est, first day over.

[Sam Wilson]

Days 2/3, September 10-11, Interrail days 2+3, Paris-Matera,
train-train-train-[train]-train-train-train

TGV 9551, the 0905 from Paris GdE to Heidelberg, though we’re only going as
far as Mannheim. This is the start of the longest continuous train trip
we’ve ever been on, from here to the south of Italy.

We’re on the top deck of the TGV Duplex facing backwards. We stopped
unexpectedly at Champagne-Ardenne and the PIS shows all the subsequent
stops as being +5 minutes, and our speed now as between 314 and 319 km/h,
198 mph. Forbach and Saarbruecken are each exactly 5 minutes late. It’s
interesting how the OHLE changes as you cross the border; I-beam columns
and register arms on the French side, lattice columns and headspans - great
big headspans! - in Germany.

We arrive in Mannheim on time at 1218. We switch platform to catch the
1230 ICE4 to Munich. It’s a 12-coach version - coaches 1-7, 9-12 and 14.
We’re sitting in seats marked BahnBonus on the reservation panel and
according to Reddit it seems that if someone with a BahnBonus card comes
along we should move, but the comments say no one ever does. At Stuttgart
the train gets less busy, we switch to table seats facing the new direction
of travel and get some lunch from the Bordrestaurant. It has quite an
impressive menu, belied by the almost empty cabinet under the counter.
Between Stuttgart and Augsburg there’s some fabulous scenery, including a
wonderful horseshoe curve at Geislingen, much of which is now bypassed by a
new line which, of course, our ICE takes. There are still some good views
of wooded hills and valleys, some filled with mist and rain.

We arrive at Munich Hbf, struggle with currency and toilets until we spot
the tiny contactless pad on the turnstile and then spend a pleasant few
hours wandering around and getting some dinner. Then back to the Hbf for
our bijou sleeperette.

This is where things begin to get weird. Our train is NJ295, the 20:10 to
Roma Tiburtina, arriving 11:05 tomorrow. We’re in one of ÖBB’s new sleeper
carriages, in a double ensuite room. The train has PIS screens at the ends
of the corridor which say it’s going to arrive in Roma Termini, two miles
beyond Tiburtina, at 09:10. The steward assures us that the train is
definitely not going to Termini. That’s OK, we’re expecting to make our
own way from Tiburtina to Termini.

The train formation is interesting. At the front as it arrives at the Hbf
terminal platform is an ÖBB Taurus loco with about 5 carriages which is
NJ2295 for La Spezia. Behind that is a driving carriage facing the same
direction and then NJ295 with another Taurus on what will shortly be the
front of the train. The sun’s just gone down as we’re waiting and we set
off on time in the gathering dark.

The cabin is tiny. We just about find room for our luggage (a small
suitcase, a larger wheeled bag and daysacks). Anyone with those wardrobes
on wheels that some tourists seem to wander around with would be hard
pressed to fit it in, especially if they wanted to open the door to the en
suite. The en suite is has a toilet and WHB, but the WHB also has a shower
head on a flexible hose, and a clip up on the wall, and it’s constructed
like a wet room with a lip at the doorway. I stub my toe on the lip a
couple of times. The cabin is not advertised as having a shower and we
don’t have the opportunity to try it out as such, as you’ll see. We do
have a breakfast menu; you choose up to 6 items on the list and they are
provided at 08:00 or thereabouts.

There is a comprehensive lighting control panel and individual berth
lights. You can control brightness and colour of the main cabin lighting.
We retire early. I’m in the top bunk which has a rather nice ladder built
into the wall, but the headroom is low and it requires some degree of
agility to get in and out. The berth has a thinnish foam mattress which is
*almost* good enough to let me sleep on my side without feeling I’ve
bruised my hip after three or four hours.

At 22:19 the cabin lights come on spontaneously at full brightness for the
third time. This time we can’t seem to turn them off. I search out a
steward who doesn’t have much English but another passenger is complaining
as well and the steward seems to be saying it will be sorted. The
overnight gift pack helpfully contains an eyeshade as well as slippers and
water. We managed to turn the lights off again after a few minutes but
they came on again at around 0200 and 0300 when we stopped, probably at
Villach, a major rail hub in Austria, and at Tarvisio on the Italian side
of the border. I should have clocked at this point that we were running
somewhat late - we should have been at Villach around midnight - but I
assumed we’d be fine. We reversed direction at some point too, probably at
Villach, but the top bunk has no view, despite having a decorative panel
that looks rather like a window blind.

Breakfast arrived at about 0815. My wife had used the bathroom and had got
dressed but I was still in pyjamas. At about 0830 we arrived at Firenze S
M N, a terminus. At 0845 the steward comes to tell us that the train is no
longer going to go to Rome. Cue rapid ablutions, dressing and packing. We
leap off and head down the platform. The train we’ve just got off is now
the rear portion of a double set with two driving carriages facing each
other in the middle. Half way down the platform we are met by a Trenitalia
lady who asks if we’re going to Rome. We say yes and she directs us to the
next train at the adjoining platform, carriages 7-11, sit in any free seat.
That turns out to be the 0914 Frecciarossa ETR 500 to Salerno, next stop
Roma Tiburtina and then Roma Termini where we want to go anyway. We’ll end
up getting there at 10:49, before we were due to be at Tiburtina anyway.
If the sleeper had carried on we might have had trouble getting to Termini
in time for our next train. At times the high speed track we are on
parallels what is probably the classic line to Rome.

Roma Termini is a confusingly signed station. We manage. We decide a
couple of hours isn’t enough to stash our luggage and explore Rome so we
sit in a station cafe, read books and try to find the station toilets. I
told you the signs were confusing.

Our next train is Frecciargento 8311, the 1305 to Bari Centrale, arr 17:14.
It’s one of the ETR460 family, one of the earlier generation of Pendolino
with the squared off nose. It’s showing its age a bit but it’s fairly
comfortable. The platform sign says 15 minutes delay and may have said we
were waiting for an incoming service, but my Italian is almost nonexistent
and the sign wasn’t up long enough for Google Translate to grab it. We
leave at 13:27. As we leave the station it rains. It’s been almost
totally clear skies so far today. The rain stops almost immediately.

The FA ride is quite lively, more so than the FR or the sleeper, though
that got livelier as we moved south so it may be to do with track
maintenance levels rather than the rolling stock. The FR and FA have PIS
screens at the end of the carriage but, unlike the TGV and ICE4, they are
too small to read from more than couple of seats away. We travel down the
west side of Italy, down broad valleys with impressive hills and mountains
to the east. We can’t see to the west because everyone on that side has
the blinds down to keep the sun out. At around Caserta we turn inland and
the route becomes hilly and twisty. Between there and Beneventura they
seem to be building a new railway alongside the old one, with new grade and
viaducts and, at one point, a tunnel portal built against the side of the
hill, which is yet to be excavated. The woods are green but all the fields
are brown; almost all are steep and some are vertiginous.

Both the FR and FA have staff aboard to service the toilets and of course
there’s a litter bin at every table. Under acceleration the fluorescent(?)
lights under the FA’s luggage racks flicker on and off randomly, and the
automatic doors don’t always work with either the proximity sensors or the
buttons. It’s reasonably roomy, fairly low seat backs and like the FR all
the seats align with the windows. This feels a little more roomy than the
FR but it’s not as good as the ICE4.

We reversed at Foggia, about 15 minutes behind time, and arrived at Bari
shortly after our due time of 1714. At this point our Interrail passes
stop being any use, but I buy reservations for one of the trains later on
in our return journey, which are only available from a station and not
online.

The tracks of the extensive FS station at Bari are at ground level. Next
door to it, in a trench, are the parallel tracks of the Ferrovia Nord
Barese, but we pass that terminus in the station square and move on to the
next station, the FAL, the Ferrovie Appulo-Lucano, whose tracks are
parallel but elevated. We are waiting to catch the 1809 to Matera,
changing at Altamura (3 minutes!). We’ve been warned by the members of our
party who came via Rome, and are a couple of hours in front of us, that the
change involves exiting the station and going round by the road because one
of the platforms is being worked on. It’s pretty much dark by the time we
get to Altamura but we follow the herd off one articulated 3-car diesel set
and onto another the same. We arrive in Matera about 15 minutes after our
scheduled time of 1953, having paid a princely EUR 6 for a nearly 2 hour
journey.

And that’s almost it for our outbound journey, 35 hours after leaving
Paris, and almost exactly 24 hours from Munich. Our friends left Edinburgh
for Rome a couple of hours before us (though they left home quite a while
before that!) and spent a couple of days in Rome.

[Sam Wilson]

Day 6 (7, 11), September 14 (15, 19),
train-trainXXXXXbus-(train-train)XXXXXXXXXXXXXbus

We stay in Matera for a couple of days then then we have to make our way to
Alberobello for the start of our cycling holiday. We met up with 2 couples
in Matera and the fourth couple will join us in Bari on the way to
Alberobello.

Plan: catch the 1114 to Bari changing at Altamura, then the 1421 to
Alberobello, changing Putignano. Aside: one of the features of public
transport around here, trains and buses run by both FAL and FS Sud Est, is
that the bus journeys between the same places are cheaper and faster than
the trains. One of our party really can’t stand buses, and at least one
(raises hand) prefers trains anyway so, given the small difference in price
and the lack of urgency, the choice is obvious.

The 1114 from Matera is cancelled. We were offered a replacement bus (see
above) and the next train is the 1207. We choose to wait for the train and
go and sit in a cafe. I have a hot chocolate you could stand a spoon up
in.

Matera Centrale is one stop from the end of the single line at Matera Sud.
The 1148 to Matera Sud is shown as 15 minutes late, which it was, and then
its return is marked as 10 minutes late, which it was. We proceed slowly
and wait for a significant time at Marinella to cross with another train -
the whole line is basically single track with passing loops at the
stations. At Altamura there is no train to Bari. At around 1320 we are
told to wait at the front of the station for a replacement bus service. It
comes at 1330 and people, many with luggage, pile on. It’s standing room
only for at least 3 of us. It’s an, erm, exciting ride and it deposits us
at the back of Bari Centrale at around 1435. In the mean time we find that
our friends who came via Naples arrived in Bari just before 1400 but were
told that the 1421 was 90 minutes late and they should take the bus (EUR 5
vs EUR 5.90 for the train). We check at the ticket office across the other
side of the station and are told there is no train to Alberobello, in a
tone that suggests there never have been, and never will be, any trains to
Alberobello. We buy tickets for the next bus at 1700 and go and sit in
another cafe and then outside by the fountains in the station square.

The bus leaves from the other, less attractive side of the station, where
the first bus arrived. We move there in plenty of time and the bus comes.
The member the party who really doesn’t like buses manages to bag the front
seat next to the driver and that’s fine except that conventions about using
a phone while driving (and having the other hand on the steering wheel)
don’t seem to apply here.

The bus deposits us at the station in Alberobello, a station which is
apparently in good commission. We meet up with the advance party, have a
drink, check in, get some dinner and sleep. The next day we start 6 days
of cycling around Puglia, the heel of Italy. Two days might have involved
trains, but didn’t. We end up in Lecce, spend a couple of extra days
there, and then…

[Sam Wilson]

Day 15, September 23, Interrail day 4, Lecce-Rimini, train

Our friends are taking the train to Bari, then Caserta and then Naples for
a night, and then flying home to Edinburgh. We’re stopping off to see
friends in Germany on the way, but first we’re going to break the journey
in Rimini, chosen entirely because we recognise the name and it’s a
convenient break point. Our friends set off in a pair of Alstom Pop EMUs.
We’re going via Bari as well, but if they’d come on our Frecciarossa it
would have cost more.

Frecciarossa AV8824, another ETR500, takes 6 hours and 7 minutes to travel
the roughly 700 km from Lecce to Rimini. Just after Brindisi we had a
ticket check. The lady conductor took one look at one of our reservations
- I was ready to get them both out and show our Interrail passes - and just
said OK and moved on.

It’s a beautiful run up the east coast of Italy between the sea and the
hills, sometimes closer to one or the other. The sea is startlingly blue,
the hills are slightly hazy and mysterious. We arrive in Bari just as it
starts raining, but it stops soon after and we spend a couple of nights
there. It’s slightly weird being there out of season. There are acres of
sun loungers on the beach, with no one at all in sight. There are notices
advising that it is permitted to walk along the beach but the facilities,
presumably the sun loungers, showers and so on, are private and you’ll be
charged if you use them. The river side is rather beautiful. The ruined
Roman amphitheatre is out of bounds.

[Sam Wilson]

Day 17, September 25, Interrail day 5, Rimini-Milan-Mannheim-Darmstadt,
train-train-train-walk

We catch the 0703 FR ET500 AV9802 to Milano Centrale. A pleasant enough
trip. Arrival bang on time at 0935. We find a way to get breakfast in a
cafe in Milano Centrale (interesting - you order what you want and then
they ask if you want to eat in or out and if you say “in” then you have to
go and sit down and apparently order again from the waiter; we choose out).

The departure board nearest to us has the top half stuck on times between
0500 and 0600, but the next one along has our train. I visit the sanitary
facilities and find that the autoflush on my one is somewhat
overenthusiastic; any move and it flushes - walk in, sit down, bend forward
a little, reach for the the toilet paper, and so on and so on - but
fortunately it doesn’t splash upwards at all. Too much information, I’m
sure.

The next train turns out to be the most interesting of the trip. Its
EC150, the 1110 to Frankfurt via Zurich, Basel and Mannheim, which is where
we’re going. It’s a pair of SBB RABe 501 Stadler articulated units, each
202m long and 11 coaches. We’re in coach 3. It’s not obvious from the
rear just how long the train is, so we pause at the third coach, numbered
23. We go along a bit further and then double back when we realise that
staff have appeared at the door (there’s only one per coach) and are
talking to other passengers. They explain that there are two trains joined
together so we all head further along the platform.

It’s an interesting train. It’s an articulated, low floor, high speed
intercity train. The entrance to our coach has a large luggage area with
room for bicycles, reminisicent of many regional-style trains, but there’s
lots of other storage too. The seats are mainly in facing bays of 4 with
peculiar numbering. We’re in 24 and 27 which are facing each other on the
aisle. 25 and 26 are next to the window, with 26 next to 24 and 25 next to
27. Across the aisle 21 and 22 are by the window with 23 next to 21 and 28
next to 22.

21 23 || 27 25
22 28 || 24 26

I’ve noticed that many continental trains have non-obvious seat numbering
patterns but I haven’t checked whether this is the same as the way others
do it.

Another passenger comes and says she has a reservation for 26. Another,
sitting in 23, says his reservation is for 25, but he’s happy to stay where
he is. After a bit of to-ing and fro-ing the young women sitting in 25 and
26 discover that their reservations are for 2 days ago. They vacate,
everyone shuffles round, and they head off. I don’t know what happened to
them.

Poor experience of WiFi in both Milano Centrale and on the train. Both
systems, RFI in the station and SBB+CFF+FFS on the train, need to send an
SMS code for registration. In the station the first code doesn’t work and
asking for a resend gets no more messages. On the train the WiFi page
simply says it’s unable to send an SMS at this time, please try again
later. Fortunately, or rather by design, the mobile signal on the train is
excellent so I just use that.

The PIS got a bit confused on the way to the border. It was announcing the
first stop as Chiasso on the Swiss side until we stopped at Como on the
Italian side, and then reverted to saying we were just starting from Milano
Cle. We leave Chiasso about 3 minutes late and later there’s an
announcement that there’s a delay of 6 minutes. We leave Lugano about 3
minutes late and then after Bellinzona we head through the Gotthard Base
Tunnel, 57.09 km, the world’s longest rail tunnel and deepest traffic
tunnel.

The train is really smooth, though that may be to do with track quality,
and from low and medium speeds its acceleration is really impressive. The
seats are firm and supportive, adequately wide, and cantilevered so that
there is luggage space under them and between, except where there is a step
up over the bogie. The windows are large which is great for rubbernecking,
which the scenery obviously encourages, and the blinds are stripy and
see-thru so at least you can see what’s going on even when they are down.

There are three toilet cubicles in the raised section over the bogie, one
unisex, one ladies only and one gents urinal. The signs showing occupancy
reflect these and there is an embossed plate with biological gender symbols
by each door. The floor, with ramps up from the door to an intermediate
level and then again over the bogies is slightly odd and the tables in our
bays, disappointingly for an intercity train, are only about 1/3 width, so
the window seats get a small table and the aisle seats get no table at all.
I guess many travel times are shorter in Switzerland so perhaps it makes
sense. We’re supposed to be in aisle seats for 7 hours and it’s
frustrating, though we move to the window seats later in the journey. The
seat backs are high but not oppressively so.

The scenery through the Alps is magnificent. We run almost at water level,
it seems, along and across Lake Lugano, across the head of Lake Maggiore,
through the Gotthard Base Tunnel and out through more spectacle until we
reach Zurich, where the train gets a lot less busy and we reverse. We
reverse again at Basel, and more people leave. We’re due to leave at 15:38
but it’s well past that when we get an announcement that there’s 10 minutes
delay owning to a technical fault plus some heavily accented English that I
don’t catch, so I don’t know if the fault is with the train or the track.
After a while the lights flicker a few times and then go out completely and
there’s that silence that happens when the ventilation goes off. The PIS
goes blank and air hisses from somewhere outside.

At 1555 the lights come back on and the PIS shows a clock. A number of
people have got up and left the train, presumably fairly local people who
know better ways to get where they’re going. We’re going to Darmstadt and
by now we’ve probably missed our connection in Mannheim, but that’s
probably OK. There are other options for the rest of the journey if this
train fails. The combination of the Interrail app and bahn.de are
invaluable.

At 1600 there is an announcement that we expect to leave in the next 5-10
minutes an at 1613 we finally leave. At about 1620 we stop at Basel
Badische Bahnhof and stay for several minutes, timetabled for an 8 minute
wait from 1544-1552. Our actual arrival must have been about 16:24. I’m
not sure when we actually left, but once we get going there is an
announcement about expected times at subsequent stops. Here are the
timetabled, announced and actual times in that order:

1622 1705 1700 Freiburg Hbf
1640 1719 1716 Ringsheim/Europa-Park
1729 —— 1805 Karlsruhe Hbf
1758 1828 —— Mannheim Hbf

I missed the announcement for Karlsruhe and was too busy getting off at
Mannheim to spot what time we actually drew in. We manage to catch the
1833 RE60 which left a few minutes late itself and paused en route as well.
We arrive in Darmstadt at about 1945 and reach our friends’ place just
after 8 - almost exactly 13 hours on the (rail)road.

[Sam Wilson]

Day 19, September 27, Darmstadt to Ludwigshafen-Rheingönheim,
walk-train-[train]-train-car

Just a short trip today, not using our Interrail days because we’ll need
them to get home. We aim for the 10.30 RE60 back to Mannheim. It arrives
on time and we get on and sit. And sit. And sit. There’s a southbound
ICE in the next platform over and that’s not moving either, and there are
no trains arriving from the south. Eventually at 1047 there is an
announcement in German. It seems to contain Zwingenberg, one of the
stations on our route, and possibly the word “Baum” - tree. We sit some
more. Another similar announcement at 1052 also containing the word
“normal”, and at 1106 the ICE moves off. Another ICE takes its place at
1109 and leaves at 1111. We eventually head off at 1114, 44 minutes late.


All goes well until we reach Weinheim, where we have to get off and wait
for the following RE60, timed an hour behind ours, as our trainset turns
round and presumably tries to regain its place in the schedule.

At Mannheim we catch the on time S3 S-Bahn for the 12 minute run to
Ludwigshafen-Rheingönheim. We are met by friends who give us a lift to
their house.

[Sam Wilson]

Day 20, September 28, Ludwigshafen-Rheingönheim to
Neustadt-an-der-Weinstrasse and return, car-train-train-car

Two short runs today. We head for Neustadt-an-der-Weinstrasse for a wine
festival. We take the S-Bahn for a 20 minute trip; it’s on time. The
friend of our friends, whom we meet up with, describes how the large
meeting hall behind us hosts a wine and food evening once a year where 1000
men (only men!) meet up and consume 1600 litres of four different wines. I
don’t think there’s a railway connection there.

When we come home we kind of misjudge the time and head for the station to
just miss a train, except our service is 6 minutes late and we catch it!
The S-Bahn trains in both directions are fairly full, with a few people
standing and very few empty seats.

Parked just outside Neustadt is a “Grünes Krokodil” - a class E94 which has
a similar outline to the Swiss Kroks but is actually a Co-Co. It’s coupled
to a rake of old coaches, probably 4-wheelers but there’s a hedge in the
way. Nice bit of heritage.

[Sam Wilson]

Day 21, September 29, Interrail day 6, Ludwigshafen-Rheingönheim to
Brussels, train-train-[train]-train

We’re back on Interrail today, heading for Brussels. We catch the 0951
S-Bahn into Mannheim planing to catch the 1031 ICE612 to Seigheim/Bonn and
then the 1323 ICE314 to Brussels Midi. The ICE612 is marked as nearly 30
minutes late at 11:00 due to track works, but that’s OK because we have
just over an hour to wait in Seigheim/Bonn. The delay ratchets up as we
wait until it’s finally marked as 11:19, which is when it actually left.
It’s a pair of 8-car ICE3s. We’re in the front coach of the rear set,
coach 21. The very front coach is 31 and we can look out of the front
window of our coach at coach 38, the rear one of the front set. Table
seat, disappointing window view. The PIS says we should arrive in
Seigburg/Bonn at 12:54 or 55.

Nice run along the Rhein to Mainz and then across the river towards
Weisbaden, where we pause several times before entering the Hbf. We leave
there at 1231. There were announcements in German and English, but the PA
or the announcer has a tendency to cut off early, especially during the
English announcements. As we leave Weisbaden it is announced that there
are water and biscuits available in coaches 26 and 36, but that the
Bordrestaurant will be closed for the rest of the journey. Expected
arrival on the PIS is now 1308, and we hit 301 km/h on the Neubaustrecke as
we achieve that.

We arrive at S/B to find that ICE314, or at least this stop on its route,
has been cancelled. The Interrail planner app and the lady in the booking
office both agree that the next train to Brussels doesn’t leave from here.
We need to catch the S-Bahn to Köln-Ehrenfeld, 38 minutes away, and then
ICE14 to Brussels. That’ll get us to Brussels 2 hours after we had
planned, but that’s OK. The lady tells us she can’t get us seat
reservations.

We skip the first available S-Bahn, buy lunch (zwei Schnittbrötchen mid
Gouda), and get to K-E with about 90 minutes to wait. The part of the trip
where we cross the Rhine in Cologne with views of the Rathaus and the
cathedral, and then through the Hbf is pretty spectacular. Köln-Ehrenfeldt
isn’t. It is a windswept station on a viaduct in the suburbs of Köln. It
has two vestigial bus shelters on each of its two long island platforms.
The weather is dry but a little breezy and is beginning to have an autumnal
feel. We go and look for a cafe. We find several kebab shops and a
McDonalds. We choose MaccyD’s as the lesser of two evils, and read books
in the warm for a bit.

The Interrail planner tells us it can’t offer us reservations either, and
the DB web page warns of very high demand on ICE14. When it arrives it’s
full and standing. We, and our luggage, end up with 4 other people and
most of their luggage in the vestibule. The next vestibule is also full
and someone is sitting in the gangway. Quite a lot people get off at
Aachen, so we get seats from there and it’s not bad for the rest of the
journey. Leige Guillemins is a spectacular station. Brussels Midi isn’t,
but that’s OK.

A pleasant evening in Brussels. I was first here in 2018 and the area
around Midi and up Stalingrad is still a building site. Mannekin Pis is
wearing clothes for some reason, but is still micturating.

[Sam Wilson]

Day 22, September 30, Interrail day 7, Brussels-London-Edinburgh,
train-train-taxi

Eurostar 9125, the 10:56 to StP. Through security with no problem. Our
passports fail to scan so it’s off to the booth. I mention to the cheerful
young lady that we were stopped on the way out as well. She says it’s
because I share a name with someone they’ve had trouble with before and
they have to check that I’m not him. I say that doesn’t explain why my
wife’s passport fails to scan, but she says that sometimes the machines
just don’t work. I don’t believe it’s coincidence.

The Brussels departure lounge is weird - you exit en masse via the gift
shop and unless the staff and/or CCTV has very sharp eyes the potential for
pilferage seems quite high. The train is announced as being delayed
because of the late arrival of the incoming set, and we eventually get on
board by 1116. It’s another 373, coach 3, seats 15 and 16, facing airlines
with an excellent window view.

Belgium and France are grey and damp and from the forecasts England has the
potential to be very wet. While we’ve been away there has been heavy rain
and flooding in east central Europe. There has been quite a lot of damage
and travel has been disrupted, but we’ve managed to skirt that.

We’re announced as having a 30 minute delay but it’s actually 20 something
and we arrive at SPI at 12:23, 26 minutes late. I see 3 more 373s on the
way before passing a 374 at Calais-Fréthun and another near Ashford. There
seem to be a lot of 373s still in use. On arrival it’s the first time I’ve
heard St Pancras being pronounced in the English announcement as if it were
a French name - San’ Pon’crasse.

Lunch-y snacks in the KX concourse awaiting the 1400 to Aberdeen. The
friendly lady in Costa asks if I’d like a medium hot chocolate. I say yes.
It turns out chocolate only comes in small and medium. I feel like I’ve
been upsold.

Real Time Trains says the 1400 is booked for platform 6 and then changes it
to p2. That throws up a conflict with an incoming service from Leeds
booked into p2 at 1401, expected 13:58. In the end that one runs 10
minutes late so we don’t collide.

From about 1320 there are PA announcements on the concourse that the 1400
to Aberdeen will terminate at Edinburgh and another service will continue
to Aberdeen. On board announcements confirm that this is an electric set,
801209, rather than a bimode, so it’s not going to get across the Forth
Bridge. I am unable to find anything on RTT which explains what LNER are
planning to do. In the end I think LNER passengers were 90 minutes late
into Aberdeen, possibly by cancelling and diverting a following
London-Stirling service.

We are behind the late running 1330. We arrive at Newcastle to see it
leaving at the time we should have left. We also get slowed down behind it
at Alnmouth, but we arrive only a couple of minutes late. And we get a
taxi home.

And relax. . .

I hope some of you get to the end of this thread. It was fun. I’m not
sure Interrail was the cheapest way to do the trip, but it was the most
flexible, even allowing for the required reservations on French and Italian
high speed trains. On the other hand there were very few detailed ticket
checks - sometimes there were none, especially on the local services, and
some were very cursory. Some time I’d like to do a less ambitious trip on
local trains, just hopping on and off.

Maybe next year. . .

And I’m going to be out of touch with uk.railway until at least next
weekend, so I’ll catch up with any comments when I’m back.

[Tweed]

Post by Sam Wilson
Day 22, September 30, Interrail day 7, Brussels-London-Edinburgh,
train-train-taxi
Eurostar 9125, the 10:56 to StP. Through security with no problem. Our
passports fail to scan so it’s off to the booth. I mention to the cheerful
young lady that we were stopped on the way out as well. She says it’s
because I share a name with someone they’ve had trouble with before and
they have to check that I’m not him. I say that doesn’t explain why my
wife’s passport fails to scan, but she says that sometimes the machines
just don’t work. I don’t believe it’s coincidence.
The Brussels departure lounge is weird - you exit en masse via the gift
shop and unless the staff and/or CCTV has very sharp eyes the potential for
pilferage seems quite high. The train is announced as being delayed
because of the late arrival of the incoming set, and we eventually get on
board by 1116. It’s another 373, coach 3, seats 15 and 16, facing airlines
with an excellent window view.
Belgium and France are grey and damp and from the forecasts England has the
potential to be very wet. While we’ve been away there has been heavy rain
and flooding in east central Europe. There has been quite a lot of damage
and travel has been disrupted, but we’ve managed to skirt that.
We’re announced as having a 30 minute delay but it’s actually 20 something
and we arrive at SPI at 12:23, 26 minutes late. I see 3 more 373s on the
way before passing a 374 at Calais-Fréthun and another near Ashford. There
seem to be a lot of 373s still in use. On arrival it’s the first time I’ve
heard St Pancras being pronounced in the English announcement as if it were
a French name - San’ Pon’crasse.
Lunch-y snacks in the KX concourse awaiting the 1400 to Aberdeen. The
friendly lady in Costa asks if I’d like a medium hot chocolate. I say yes.
It turns out chocolate only comes in small and medium. I feel like I’ve
been upsold.
Real Time Trains says the 1400 is booked for platform 6 and then changes it
to p2. That throws up a conflict with an incoming service from Leeds
booked into p2 at 1401, expected 13:58. In the end that one runs 10
minutes late so we don’t collide.
From about 1320 there are PA announcements on the concourse that the 1400
to Aberdeen will terminate at Edinburgh and another service will continue
to Aberdeen. On board announcements confirm that this is an electric set,
801209, rather than a bimode, so it’s not going to get across the Forth
Bridge. I am unable to find anything on RTT which explains what LNER are
planning to do. In the end I think LNER passengers were 90 minutes late
into Aberdeen, possibly by cancelling and diverting a following
London-Stirling service.
We are behind the late running 1330. We arrive at Newcastle to see it
leaving at the time we should have left. We also get slowed down behind it
at Alnmouth, but we arrive only a couple of minutes late. And we get a
taxi home.
And relax. . .
I hope some of you get to the end of this thread. It was fun. I’m not
sure Interrail was the cheapest way to do the trip, but it was the most
flexible, even allowing for the required reservations on French and Italian
high speed trains. On the other hand there were very few detailed ticket
checks - sometimes there were none, especially on the local services, and
some were very cursory. Some time I’d like to do a less ambitious trip on
local trains, just hopping on and off.
Maybe next year. . .
And I’m going to be out of touch with uk.railway until at least next
weekend, so I’ll catch up with any comments when I’m back.

Thank you for taking the trouble to write it up. You’ve confirmed my
intention not to use a sleeper ever again. I’ve always had to have a
catchup sleep the following day. Did you use 1st or 2nd class Interrail?

[Recliner]

Post by Tweed

Post by Sam Wilson
Day 22, September 30, Interrail day 7, Brussels-London-Edinburgh,
train-train-taxi
Eurostar 9125, the 10:56 to StP. Through security with no problem. Our
passports fail to scan so it’s off to the booth. I mention to the cheerful
young lady that we were stopped on the way out as well. She says it’s
because I share a name with someone they’ve had trouble with before and
they have to check that I’m not him. I say that doesn’t explain why my
wife’s passport fails to scan, but she says that sometimes the machines
just don’t work. I don’t believe it’s coincidence.
The Brussels departure lounge is weird - you exit en masse via the gift
shop and unless the staff and/or CCTV has very sharp eyes the potential for
pilferage seems quite high. The train is announced as being delayed
because of the late arrival of the incoming set, and we eventually get on
board by 1116. It’s another 373, coach 3, seats 15 and 16, facing airlines
with an excellent window view.
Belgium and France are grey and damp and from the forecasts England has the
potential to be very wet. While we’ve been away there has been heavy rain
and flooding in east central Europe. There has been quite a lot of damage
and travel has been disrupted, but we’ve managed to skirt that.
We’re announced as having a 30 minute delay but it’s actually 20 something
and we arrive at SPI at 12:23, 26 minutes late. I see 3 more 373s on the
way before passing a 374 at Calais-Fréthun and another near Ashford. There
seem to be a lot of 373s still in use. On arrival it’s the first time I’ve
heard St Pancras being pronounced in the English announcement as if it were
a French name - San’ Pon’crasse.
Lunch-y snacks in the KX concourse awaiting the 1400 to Aberdeen. The
friendly lady in Costa asks if I’d like a medium hot chocolate. I say yes.
It turns out chocolate only comes in small and medium. I feel like I’ve
been upsold.
Real Time Trains says the 1400 is booked for platform 6 and then changes it
to p2. That throws up a conflict with an incoming service from Leeds
booked into p2 at 1401, expected 13:58. In the end that one runs 10
minutes late so we don’t collide.
From about 1320 there are PA announcements on the concourse that the 1400
to Aberdeen will terminate at Edinburgh and another service will continue
to Aberdeen. On board announcements confirm that this is an electric set,
801209, rather than a bimode, so it’s not going to get across the Forth
Bridge. I am unable to find anything on RTT which explains what LNER are
planning to do. In the end I think LNER passengers were 90 minutes late
into Aberdeen, possibly by cancelling and diverting a following
London-Stirling service.
We are behind the late running 1330. We arrive at Newcastle to see it
leaving at the time we should have left. We also get slowed down behind it
at Alnmouth, but we arrive only a couple of minutes late. And we get a
taxi home.
And relax. . .
I hope some of you get to the end of this thread. It was fun. I’m not
sure Interrail was the cheapest way to do the trip, but it was the most
flexible, even allowing for the required reservations on French and Italian
high speed trains. On the other hand there were very few detailed ticket
checks - sometimes there were none, especially on the local services, and
some were very cursory. Some time I’d like to do a less ambitious trip on
local trains, just hopping on and off.
Maybe next year. . .
And I’m going to be out of touch with uk.railway until at least next
weekend, so I’ll catch up with any comments when I’m back.

Thank you for taking the trouble to write it up. You’ve confirmed my
intention not to use a sleeper ever again. I’ve always had to have a
catchup sleep the following day. Did you use 1st or 2nd class Interrail?

The Eurostar seats were standard class (373, coach 3), so I assume that
applies to the whole journey.

[Ulf_Kutzner]

Post by Tweed
Thank you for taking the trouble to write it up. You’ve confirmed my
intention not to use a sleeper ever again. I’ve always had to have a
catchup sleep the following day.

Went okay for me on two-night services...

[Sam Wilson]

Post by Tweed

Post by Sam Wilson
Day 22, September 30, Interrail day 7, Brussels-London-Edinburgh,
train-train-taxi
Eurostar 9125, the 10:56 to StP. Through security with no problem. Our
passports fail to scan so it’s off to the booth. I mention to the cheerful
young lady that we were stopped on the way out as well. She says it’s
because I share a name with someone they’ve had trouble with before and
they have to check that I’m not him. I say that doesn’t explain why my
wife’s passport fails to scan, but she says that sometimes the machines
just don’t work. I don’t believe it’s coincidence.
The Brussels departure lounge is weird - you exit en masse via the gift
shop and unless the staff and/or CCTV has very sharp eyes the potential for
pilferage seems quite high. The train is announced as being delayed
because of the late arrival of the incoming set, and we eventually get on
board by 1116. It’s another 373, coach 3, seats 15 and 16, facing airlines
with an excellent window view.
Belgium and France are grey and damp and from the forecasts England has the
potential to be very wet. While we’ve been away there has been heavy rain
and flooding in east central Europe. There has been quite a lot of damage
and travel has been disrupted, but we’ve managed to skirt that.
We’re announced as having a 30 minute delay but it’s actually 20 something
and we arrive at SPI at 12:23, 26 minutes late. I see 3 more 373s on the
way before passing a 374 at Calais-Fréthun and another near Ashford. There
seem to be a lot of 373s still in use. On arrival it’s the first time I’ve
heard St Pancras being pronounced in the English announcement as if it were
a French name - San’ Pon’crasse.
Lunch-y snacks in the KX concourse awaiting the 1400 to Aberdeen. The
friendly lady in Costa asks if I’d like a medium hot chocolate. I say yes.
It turns out chocolate only comes in small and medium. I feel like I’ve
been upsold.
Real Time Trains says the 1400 is booked for platform 6 and then changes it
to p2. That throws up a conflict with an incoming service from Leeds
booked into p2 at 1401, expected 13:58. In the end that one runs 10
minutes late so we don’t collide.
From about 1320 there are PA announcements on the concourse that the 1400
to Aberdeen will terminate at Edinburgh and another service will continue
to Aberdeen. On board announcements confirm that this is an electric set,
801209, rather than a bimode, so it’s not going to get across the Forth
Bridge. I am unable to find anything on RTT which explains what LNER are
planning to do. In the end I think LNER passengers were 90 minutes late
into Aberdeen, possibly by cancelling and diverting a following
London-Stirling service.
We are behind the late running 1330. We arrive at Newcastle to see it
leaving at the time we should have left. We also get slowed down behind it
at Alnmouth, but we arrive only a couple of minutes late. And we get a
taxi home.
And relax. . .
I hope some of you get to the end of this thread. It was fun. I’m not
sure Interrail was the cheapest way to do the trip, but it was the most
flexible, even allowing for the required reservations on French and Italian
high speed trains. On the other hand there were very few detailed ticket
checks - sometimes there were none, especially on the local services, and
some were very cursory. Some time I’d like to do a less ambitious trip on
local trains, just hopping on and off.
Maybe next year. . .
And I’m going to be out of touch with uk.railway until at least next
weekend, so I’ll catch up with any comments when I’m back.

Thank you for taking the trouble to write it up. You’ve confirmed my
intention not to use a sleeper ever again. I’ve always had to have a
catchup sleep the following day. Did you use 1st or 2nd class Interrail?

2nd class like Recliner deduced. I considered 1st but since we were
spending quite a lot of time in Italy where you need to pay for a
reservation (EUR 13) on long distance trains, that would also have raised
the budget quite a bit, and so would the sleeper reservation (approaching
EUR 300, IIRC, so a bit of an indulgence compared to taking two trains with
an overnight between).

I’d like to think that the lighting and timing issues were unintentional;
sleeping wasn’t a problem, though I find that short UK sleeper journeys are
less restful.

Sam

[Ulf_Kutzner]

Post by Sam Wilson

Post by Tweed

Post by Sam Wilson
And I’m going to be out of touch with uk.railway until at least next
weekend, so I’ll catch up with any comments when I’m back.

Thank you for taking the trouble to write it up. You’ve confirmed my
intention not to use a sleeper ever again. I’ve always had to have a
catchup sleep the following day. Did you use 1st or 2nd class Interrail?

2nd class like Recliner deduced. I considered 1st but since we were
spending quite a lot of time in Italy where you need to pay for a
reservation (EUR 13) on long distance trains, that would also have raised
the budget quite a bit, and so would the sleeper reservation
(approaching
EUR 300, IIRC, so a bit of an indulgence compared to taking two trains with
an overnight between).

In the new ÖBB NJ trainsets, sleeper cars are marked
A, not AB. But if that works well together with 2nd
class interrail...


Regards, ULF

[Ulf_Kutzner]

Post by Sam Wilson
Day 21, September 29, Interrail day 6, Ludwigshafen-Rheingönheim to
Brussels, train-train-[train]-train
We’re back on Interrail today, heading for Brussels. We catch the 0951
S-Bahn into Mannheim planing to catch the 1031 ICE612 to Seigheim/Bonn and
then the 1323 ICE314 to Brussels Midi. The ICE612 is marked as nearly 30
minutes late at 11:00 due to track works, but that’s OK because we have
just over an hour to wait in Seigheim/Bonn. The delay ratchets up as we
wait until it’s finally marked as 11:19, which is when it actually left.
It’s a pair of 8-car ICE3s. We’re in the front coach of the rear set,
coach 21. The very front coach is 31 and we can look out of the front
window of our coach at coach 38, the rear one of the front set. Table
seat, disappointing window view. The PIS says we should arrive in
Seigburg/Bonn at 12:54 or 55.

Make it Siegburg/Bonn.

Post by Sam Wilson
Nice run along the Rhein to Mainz and then across the river towards
Weisbaden, where we pause several times before entering the Hbf. We leave
there at 1231. There were announcements in German and English, but the PA
or the announcer has a tendency to cut off early, especially during the
English announcements. As we leave Weisbaden it is announced that there
are water and biscuits available in coaches 26 and 36, but that the
Bordrestaurant will be closed for the rest of the journey. Expected
arrival on the PIS is now 1308, and we hit 301 km/h on the Neubaustrecke as
we achieve that.
We arrive at S/B to find that ICE314, or at least this stop on its route,
has been cancelled. The Interrail planner app and the lady in the booking
office both agree that the next train to Brussels doesn’t leave from here.
We need to catch the S-Bahn to Köln-Ehrenfeld, 38 minutes away, and then
ICE14 to Brussels. That’ll get us to Brussels 2 hours after we had
planned, but that’s OK. The lady tells us she can’t get us seat
reservations.
We skip the first available S-Bahn, buy lunch (zwei Schnittbrötchen mid
Gouda), and get to K-E with about 90 minutes to wait. The part of the trip
where we cross the Rhine in Cologne with views of the Rathaus and the
cathedral, and then through the Hbf is pretty spectacular.

You would have missed it on ICE 314 as it would have
avoided the Hbf, too, matter of signalbox upgrading.

Regards, ULF

[Sam Wilson]

Post by Ulf_Kutzner

Post by Sam Wilson
Day 21, September 29, Interrail day 6, Ludwigshafen-Rheingönheim to
Brussels, train-train-[train]-train
We’re back on Interrail today, heading for Brussels. We catch the 0951
S-Bahn into Mannheim planing to catch the 1031 ICE612 to Seigheim/Bonn and
then the 1323 ICE314 to Brussels Midi. The ICE612 is marked as nearly 30
minutes late at 11:00 due to track works, but that’s OK because we have
just over an hour to wait in Seigheim/Bonn. The delay ratchets up as we
wait until it’s finally marked as 11:19, which is when it actually left.
It’s a pair of 8-car ICE3s. We’re in the front coach of the rear set,
coach 21. The very front coach is 31 and we can look out of the front
window of our coach at coach 38, the rear one of the front set. Table
seat, disappointing window view. The PIS says we should arrive in
Seigburg/Bonn at 12:54 or 55.

Make it Siegburg/Bonn.

I’m sorry - typo. I’m mentally pronouncing it Siegburg and not Seigburg.

Post by Ulf_Kutzner

Post by Sam Wilson
Nice run along the Rhein to Mainz and then across the river towards
Weisbaden, where we pause several times before entering the Hbf. We leave
there at 1231. There were announcements in German and English, but the PA
or the announcer has a tendency to cut off early, especially during the
English announcements. As we leave Weisbaden it is announced that there
are water and biscuits available in coaches 26 and 36, but that the
Bordrestaurant will be closed for the rest of the journey. Expected
arrival on the PIS is now 1308, and we hit 301 km/h on the Neubaustrecke as
we achieve that.
We arrive at S/B to find that ICE314, or at least this stop on its route,
has been cancelled. The Interrail planner app and the lady in the booking
office both agree that the next train to Brussels doesn’t leave from here.
We need to catch the S-Bahn to Köln-Ehrenfeld, 38 minutes away, and then
ICE14 to Brussels. That’ll get us to Brussels 2 hours after we had
planned, but that’s OK. The lady tells us she can’t get us seat
reservations.
We skip the first available S-Bahn, buy lunch (zwei Schnittbrötchen mid
Gouda), and get to K-E with about 90 minutes to wait. The part of the trip
where we cross the Rhine in Cologne with views of the Rathaus and the
cathedral, and then through the Hbf is pretty spectacular.

You would have missed it on ICE 314 as it would have
avoided the Hbf, too, matter of signalbox upgrading.

Ah, thanks. I’ve noticed you generally see less of the scenery from ICEs
than from other trains. Quite a high proportion of the NBS seems to be in
cuttings.

Sam

[Rolf Mantel]

Post by Sam Wilson

Post by Ulf_Kutzner

Post by Sam Wilson
Day 21, September 29, Interrail day 6, Ludwigshafen-Rheingönheim to
Brussels, train-train-[train]-train
We’re back on Interrail today, heading for Brussels. We catch the 0951
S-Bahn into Mannheim planing to catch the 1031 ICE612 to Seigheim/Bonn and
then the 1323 ICE314 to Brussels Midi. The ICE612 is marked as nearly 30
minutes late at 11:00 due to track works, but that’s OK because we have
just over an hour to wait in Seigheim/Bonn. The delay ratchets up as we
wait until it’s finally marked as 11:19, which is when it actually left.
It’s a pair of 8-car ICE3s. We’re in the front coach of the rear set,
coach 21. The very front coach is 31 and we can look out of the front
window of our coach at coach 38, the rear one of the front set. Table
seat, disappointing window view. The PIS says we should arrive in
Seigburg/Bonn at 12:54 or 55.

Make it Siegburg/Bonn.

I’m sorry - typo. I’m mentally pronouncing it Siegburg and not Seigburg.

Post by Ulf_Kutzner

Post by Sam Wilson
Nice run along the Rhein to Mainz and then across the river towards
Weisbaden, where we pause several times before entering the Hbf. We leave
there at 1231. There were announcements in German and English, but the PA
or the announcer has a tendency to cut off early, especially during the
English announcements. As we leave Weisbaden it is announced that there
are water and biscuits available in coaches 26 and 36, but that the
Bordrestaurant will be closed for the rest of the journey. Expected
arrival on the PIS is now 1308, and we hit 301 km/h on the Neubaustrecke as
we achieve that.
We arrive at S/B to find that ICE314, or at least this stop on its route,
has been cancelled. The Interrail planner app and the lady in the booking
office both agree that the next train to Brussels doesn’t leave from here.
We need to catch the S-Bahn to Köln-Ehrenfeld, 38 minutes away, and then
ICE14 to Brussels. That’ll get us to Brussels 2 hours after we had
planned, but that’s OK. The lady tells us she can’t get us seat
reservations.
We skip the first available S-Bahn, buy lunch (zwei Schnittbrötchen mid
Gouda), and get to K-E with about 90 minutes to wait. The part of the trip
where we cross the Rhine in Cologne with views of the Rathaus and the
cathedral, and then through the Hbf is pretty spectacular.

You would have missed it on ICE 314 as it would have
avoided the Hbf, too, matter of signalbox upgrading.

Ah, thanks. I’ve noticed you generally see less of the scenery from ICEs
than from other trains. Quite a high proportion of the NBS seems to be in
cuttings.

If not cuttings, anti-noise barriers block your view just as efficiently.

[Ulf_Kutzner]

Post by Rolf Mantel

Post by Sam Wilson

Post by Ulf_Kutzner

Post by Sam Wilson
Day 21, September 29, Interrail day 6, Ludwigshafen-Rheingönheim to
Brussels, train-train-[train]-train
We’re back on Interrail today, heading for Brussels. We catch the 0951
S-Bahn into Mannheim planing to catch the 1031 ICE612 to Seigheim/Bonn and
then the 1323 ICE314 to Brussels Midi. The ICE612 is marked as nearly 30
minutes late at 11:00 due to track works, but that’s OK because we have
just over an hour to wait in Seigheim/Bonn. The delay ratchets up as we
wait until it’s finally marked as 11:19, which is when it actually left.
It’s a pair of 8-car ICE3s. We’re in the front coach of the rear set,
coach 21. The very front coach is 31 and we can look out of the front
window of our coach at coach 38, the rear one of the front set. Table
seat, disappointing window view. The PIS says we should arrive in
Seigburg/Bonn at 12:54 or 55.

Make it Siegburg/Bonn.

I’m sorry - typo. I’m mentally pronouncing it Siegburg and not Seigburg.

Post by Ulf_Kutzner

Post by Sam Wilson
Nice run along the Rhein to Mainz and then across the river towards
Weisbaden, where we pause several times before entering the Hbf. We leave
there at 1231. There were announcements in German and English, but the PA
or the announcer has a tendency to cut off early, especially during the
English announcements. As we leave Weisbaden it is announced that there
are water and biscuits available in coaches 26 and 36, but that the
Bordrestaurant will be closed for the rest of the journey. Expected
arrival on the PIS is now 1308, and we hit 301 km/h on the Neubaustrecke as
we achieve that.
We arrive at S/B to find that ICE314, or at least this stop on its route,
has been cancelled. The Interrail planner app and the lady in the booking
office both agree that the next train to Brussels doesn’t leave from here.
We need to catch the S-Bahn to Köln-Ehrenfeld, 38 minutes away, and then
ICE14 to Brussels. That’ll get us to Brussels 2 hours after we had
planned, but that’s OK. The lady tells us she can’t get us seat
reservations.
We skip the first available S-Bahn, buy lunch (zwei Schnittbrötchen mid
Gouda), and get to K-E with about 90 minutes to wait. The part of the trip
where we cross the Rhine in Cologne with views of the Rathaus and the
cathedral, and then through the Hbf is pretty spectacular.

You would have missed it on ICE 314 as it would have
avoided the Hbf, too, matter of signalbox upgrading.

Ah, thanks. I’ve noticed you generally see less of the scenery from ICEs
than from other trains. Quite a high proportion of the NBS seems to be in
cuttings.

If not cuttings, anti-noise barriers block your view just as
efficiently.

Travel in upper floor seating.

Well, not (yet) on the HSL between FRA and Siegburg/Bonn.

[Sam Wilson]

Post by Ulf_Kutzner

Post by Rolf Mantel

Post by Sam Wilson

Post by Ulf_Kutzner

Post by Sam Wilson
Day 21, September 29, Interrail day 6, Ludwigshafen-Rheingönheim to
Brussels, train-train-[train]-train
We’re back on Interrail today, heading for Brussels. We catch the 0951
S-Bahn into Mannheim planing to catch the 1031 ICE612 to Seigheim/Bonn and
then the 1323 ICE314 to Brussels Midi. The ICE612 is marked as nearly 30
minutes late at 11:00 due to track works, but that’s OK because we have
just over an hour to wait in Seigheim/Bonn. The delay ratchets up as we
wait until it’s finally marked as 11:19, which is when it actually left.
It’s a pair of 8-car ICE3s. We’re in the front coach of the rear set,
coach 21. The very front coach is 31 and we can look out of the front
window of our coach at coach 38, the rear one of the front set. Table
seat, disappointing window view. The PIS says we should arrive in
Seigburg/Bonn at 12:54 or 55.

Make it Siegburg/Bonn.

I’m sorry - typo. I’m mentally pronouncing it Siegburg and not Seigburg.

Post by Ulf_Kutzner

Post by Sam Wilson
Nice run along the Rhein to Mainz and then across the river towards
Weisbaden, where we pause several times before entering the Hbf. We leave
there at 1231. There were announcements in German and English, but the PA
or the announcer has a tendency to cut off early, especially during the
English announcements. As we leave Weisbaden it is announced that there
are water and biscuits available in coaches 26 and 36, but that the
Bordrestaurant will be closed for the rest of the journey. Expected
arrival on the PIS is now 1308, and we hit 301 km/h on the Neubaustrecke as
we achieve that.
We arrive at S/B to find that ICE314, or at least this stop on its route,
has been cancelled. The Interrail planner app and the lady in the booking
office both agree that the next train to Brussels doesn’t leave from here.
We need to catch the S-Bahn to Köln-Ehrenfeld, 38 minutes away, and then
ICE14 to Brussels. That’ll get us to Brussels 2 hours after we had
planned, but that’s OK. The lady tells us she can’t get us seat
reservations.
We skip the first available S-Bahn, buy lunch (zwei Schnittbrötchen mid
Gouda), and get to K-E with about 90 minutes to wait. The part of the trip
where we cross the Rhine in Cologne with views of the Rathaus and the
cathedral, and then through the Hbf is pretty spectacular.

You would have missed it on ICE 314 as it would have
avoided the Hbf, too, matter of signalbox upgrading.

Ah, thanks. I’ve noticed you generally see less of the scenery from ICEs
than from other trains. Quite a high proportion of the NBS seems to be in
cuttings.

If not cuttings, anti-noise barriers block your view just as
efficiently.

Agreed - also true on French LGVs, but seems to be less prevalent.

Post by Ulf_Kutzner
Travel in upper floor seating.
Well, not (yet) on the HSL between FRA and Siegburg/Bonn.

Are DD ICEs planned?

Sam

[Ulf_Kutzner]

Post by Sam Wilson

Post by Ulf_Kutzner

Post by Rolf Mantel

Post by Sam Wilson

Post by Ulf_Kutzner

Post by Sam Wilson
Day 21, September 29, Interrail day 6, Ludwigshafen-Rheingönheim to
Brussels, train-train-[train]-train
We’re back on Interrail today, heading for Brussels. We catch the 0951
S-Bahn into Mannheim planing to catch the 1031 ICE612 to Seigheim/Bonn and
then the 1323 ICE314 to Brussels Midi. The ICE612 is marked as nearly 30
minutes late at 11:00 due to track works, but that’s OK because we have
just over an hour to wait in Seigheim/Bonn. The delay ratchets up as we
wait until it’s finally marked as 11:19, which is when it actually left.
It’s a pair of 8-car ICE3s. We’re in the front coach of the rear set,
coach 21. The very front coach is 31 and we can look out of the front
window of our coach at coach 38, the rear one of the front set. Table
seat, disappointing window view. The PIS says we should arrive in
Seigburg/Bonn at 12:54 or 55.

Make it Siegburg/Bonn.

I’m sorry - typo. I’m mentally pronouncing it Siegburg and not Seigburg.

Post by Ulf_Kutzner

Post by Sam Wilson
Nice run along the Rhein to Mainz and then across the river towards
Weisbaden, where we pause several times before entering the Hbf. We leave
there at 1231. There were announcements in German and English, but the PA
or the announcer has a tendency to cut off early, especially during the
English announcements. As we leave Weisbaden it is announced that there
are water and biscuits available in coaches 26 and 36, but that the
Bordrestaurant will be closed for the rest of the journey. Expected
arrival on the PIS is now 1308, and we hit 301 km/h on the Neubaustrecke as
we achieve that.
We arrive at S/B to find that ICE314, or at least this stop on its route,
has been cancelled. The Interrail planner app and the lady in the booking
office both agree that the next train to Brussels doesn’t leave from here.
We need to catch the S-Bahn to Köln-Ehrenfeld, 38 minutes away, and then
ICE14 to Brussels. That’ll get us to Brussels 2 hours after we had
planned, but that’s OK. The lady tells us she can’t get us seat
reservations.
We skip the first available S-Bahn, buy lunch (zwei Schnittbrötchen mid
Gouda), and get to K-E with about 90 minutes to wait. The part of the trip
where we cross the Rhine in Cologne with views of the Rathaus and the
cathedral, and then through the Hbf is pretty spectacular.

You would have missed it on ICE 314 as it would have
avoided the Hbf, too, matter of signalbox upgrading.

Ah, thanks. I’ve noticed you generally see less of the scenery from ICEs
than from other trains. Quite a high proportion of the NBS seems to be in
cuttings.

If not cuttings, anti-noise barriers block your view just as
efficiently.

Agreed - also true on French LGVs, but seems to be less prevalent.

Post by Ulf_Kutzner
Travel in upper floor seating.
Well, not (yet) on the HSL between FRA and Siegburg/Bonn.

Are DD ICEs planned?

Just ideas quickly given up.
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intercity-Express#Sonstiges

Might come back some day.

Regards, ULF

[Ulf_Kutzner]

Post by Sam Wilson
Day 20, September 28, Ludwigshafen-Rheingönheim to
Neustadt-an-der-Weinstrasse and return, car-train-train-car
Two short runs today. We head for Neustadt-an-der-Weinstrasse for a wine
festival. We take the S-Bahn for a 20 minute trip; it’s on time. The
friend of our friends, whom we meet up with, describes how the large
meeting hall behind us hosts a wine and food evening once a year where 1000
men (only men!) meet up and consume 1600 litres of four different wines.
I
don’t think there’s a railway connection there.

Didn't know about the men-only event
and couldn't find it yet.

Regards, ULF

[Sam Wilson]

Post by Ulf_Kutzner

Post by Sam Wilson
Day 20, September 28, Ludwigshafen-Rheingönheim to
Neustadt-an-der-Weinstrasse and return, car-train-train-car
Two short runs today. We head for Neustadt-an-der-Weinstrasse for a wine
festival. We take the S-Bahn for a 20 minute trip; it’s on time. The
friend of our friends, whom we meet up with, describes how the large
meeting hall behind us hosts a wine and food evening once a year where 1000
men (only men!) meet up and consume 1600 litres of four different wines.
I
don’t think there’s a railway connection there.

Didn't know about the men-only event
and couldn't find it yet.

I guess he could have been having us on. He said he was a member of the
Feucht-Froeliche-Neustadter thing whose area hosts the wine festival, and
we were sitting in front of the Saalbau where he said the event took place.
The idea seemed outlandish but not too far fetched to be untrue! :-)

Sam

[Ulf_Kutzner]

Post by Sam Wilson

Post by Ulf_Kutzner

Post by Sam Wilson
Day 20, September 28, Ludwigshafen-Rheingönheim to
Neustadt-an-der-Weinstrasse and return, car-train-train-car
Two short runs today. We head for Neustadt-an-der-Weinstrasse for a wine
festival. We take the S-Bahn for a 20 minute trip; it’s on time. The
friend of our friends, whom we meet up with, describes how the large
meeting hall behind us hosts a wine and food evening once a year where 1000
men (only men!) meet up and consume 1600 litres of four different wines.
I
don’t think there’s a railway connection there.

Didn't know about the men-only event
and couldn't find it yet.

I guess he could have been having us on. He said he was a member of the
Feucht-Froeliche-Neustadter thing whose area hosts the wine festival, and
we were sitting in front of the Saalbau where he said the event took place.
The idea seemed outlandish but not too far fetched to be untrue!

Did you know that all of it is VRN regional
transport area including bus or traim services
in Ludwigshafen-Rheingönheim without supplement
for local ticket holders?

Don't know whether they are very suitable for
you temporary address but for some it's fine to
avoid the (last) car leg after tasting wine...

Regards, ULF

[Rolf Mantel]

Post by Sam Wilson
Day 20, September 28, Ludwigshafen-Rheingönheim to
Neustadt-an-der-Weinstrasse and return, car-train-train-car
Parked just outside Neustadt is a “Grünes Krokodil” - a class E94 which has
a similar outline to the Swiss Kroks but is actually a Co-Co. It’s coupled
to a rake of old coaches, probably 4-wheelers but there’s a hedge in the
way. Nice bit of heritage.

This is part of a local railway museum

<https://eisenbahnmuseum-neustadt.de/liste-der-museumsobjekte/>

[Sam Wilson]

Post by Rolf Mantel

Post by Sam Wilson
Day 20, September 28, Ludwigshafen-Rheingönheim to
Neustadt-an-der-Weinstrasse and return, car-train-train-car
Parked just outside Neustadt is a “Grünes Krokodil” - a class E94 which has
a similar outline to the Swiss Kroks but is actually a Co-Co. It’s coupled
to a rake of old coaches, probably 4-wheelers but there’s a hedge in the
way. Nice bit of heritage.

This is part of a local railway museum
<https://eisenbahnmuseum-neustadt.de/liste-der-museumsobjekte/>

Thank you - I read afterwards that there is a railway museum in
Neustadt-a-d-W but wasn’t aware of that while we were there.

Sam

[Ulf_Kutzner]

Post by Sam Wilson

Post by Rolf Mantel

Post by Sam Wilson
Day 20, September 28, Ludwigshafen-Rheingönheim to
Neustadt-an-der-Weinstrasse and return, car-train-train-car
Parked just outside Neustadt is a “Grünes Krokodil” - a class E94 which has
a similar outline to the Swiss Kroks but is actually a Co-Co. It’s coupled
to a rake of old coaches, probably 4-wheelers but there’s a hedge in the
way. Nice bit of heritage.

This is part of a local railway museum
<https://eisenbahnmuseum-neustadt.de/liste-der-museumsobjekte/>

Thank you - I read afterwards that there is a railway museum in
Neustadt-a-d-W but wasn’t aware of that while we were there.

They even have
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuckoo_Railway#Heritage_railway_(since_1984)

Regards, ULF

[Ulf_Kutzner]

Post by Sam Wilson
Day 17, September 25, Interrail day 5, Rimini-Milan-Mannheim-Darmstadt,
train-train-train-walk
The next train turns out to be the most interesting of the trip. Its
EC150, the 1110 to Frankfurt via Zurich, Basel and Mannheim, which is where
we’re going. It’s a pair of SBB RABe 501 Stadler articulated units, each
202m long and 11 coaches. We’re in coach 3. It’s not obvious from the
rear just how long the train is, so we pause at the third coach, numbered
23. We go along a bit further and then double back when we realise that
staff have appeared at the door (there’s only one per coach) and are
talking to other passengers. They explain that there are two trains joined
together so we all head further along the platform.
It’s an interesting train. It’s an articulated, low floor, high speed
intercity train.
The PIS got a bit confused on the way to the border. It was announcing the
first stop as Chiasso on the Swiss side until we stopped at Como on the
Italian side, and then reverted to saying we were just starting from Milano
Cle. We leave Chiasso about 3 minutes late and later there’s an
announcement that there’s a delay of 6 minutes. We leave Lugano about 3
minutes late and then after Bellinzona we head through the Gotthard Base
Tunnel, 57.09 km, the world’s longest rail tunnel and deepest traffic
tunnel.
The train is really smooth, though that may be to do with track quality,
and from low and medium speeds its acceleration is really impressive.
The
seats are firm and supportive, adequately wide, and cantilevered so that
there is luggage space under them and between, except where there is a step
up over the bogie.
and the tables in
our
bays, disappointingly for an intercity train, are only about 1/3 width, so
the window seats get a small table and the aisle seats get no table at all.
I guess many travel times are shorter in Switzerland so perhaps it makes
sense.

Well, those trainsets are for international use as
they accept 3 kV.

Post by Sam Wilson
We run almost at water
level,
it seems, along and across Lake Lugano, across the head of Lake Maggiore,
through the Gotthard Base Tunnel and out through more spectacle until we
reach Zurich, where the train gets a lot less busy and we reverse. We
reverse again at Basel, and more people leave. We’re due to leave at 15:38
but it’s well past that when we get an announcement that there’s 10 minutes
delay owning to a technical fault plus some heavily accented English that I
don’t catch, so I don’t know if the fault is with the train or the track.
After a while the lights flicker a few times and then go out completely and
there’s that silence that happens when the ventilation goes off. The PIS
goes blank and air hisses from somewhere outside.
At 1555 the lights come back on and the PIS shows a clock. A number of
people have got up and left the train, presumably fairly local people who
know better ways to get where they’re going. We’re going to Darmstadt and
by now we’ve probably missed our connection in Mannheim, but that’s
probably OK. There are other options for the rest of the journey if this
train fails. The combination of the Interrail app and bahn.de are
invaluable.
At 1600 there is an announcement that we expect to leave in the next 5-10
minutes an at 1613 we finally leave. At about 1620 we stop at Basel
Badische Bahnhof and stay for several minutes, timetabled for an 8 minute
wait from 1544-1552. Our actual arrival must have been about 16:24.

See Skutečné řazení vlaku dne: st 4.9.2024
https://www.vagonweb.cz/razeni/vlak.php?zeme=TI&kategorie=TI:EC&cislo=150&rok=2024

Half of your train left at Basle.

Regards, ULF

[Sam Wilson]

Post by Ulf_Kutzner

Post by Sam Wilson
Day 17, September 25, Interrail day 5, Rimini-Milan-Mannheim-Darmstadt,
train-train-train-walk
The next train turns out to be the most interesting of the trip. Its
EC150, the 1110 to Frankfurt via Zurich, Basel and Mannheim, which is where
we’re going. It’s a pair of SBB RABe 501 Stadler articulated units, each
202m long and 11 coaches. We’re in coach 3. It’s not obvious from the
rear just how long the train is, so we pause at the third coach, numbered
23. We go along a bit further and then double back when we realise that
staff have appeared at the door (there’s only one per coach) and are
talking to other passengers. They explain that there are two trains joined
together so we all head further along the platform.
It’s an interesting train. It’s an articulated, low floor, high speed
intercity train.
The PIS got a bit confused on the way to the border. It was announcing the
first stop as Chiasso on the Swiss side until we stopped at Como on the
Italian side, and then reverted to saying we were just starting from Milano
Cle. We leave Chiasso about 3 minutes late and later there’s an
announcement that there’s a delay of 6 minutes. We leave Lugano about 3
minutes late and then after Bellinzona we head through the Gotthard Base
Tunnel, 57.09 km, the world’s longest rail tunnel and deepest traffic
tunnel.
The train is really smooth, though that may be to do with track quality,
and from low and medium speeds its acceleration is really impressive.
The
seats are firm and supportive, adequately wide, and cantilevered so that
there is luggage space under them and between, except where there is a step
up over the bogie.
and the tables in
our
bays, disappointingly for an intercity train, are only about 1/3 width, so
the window seats get a small table and the aisle seats get no table at all.
I guess many travel times are shorter in Switzerland so perhaps it makes
sense.

Well, those trainsets are for international use as
they accept 3 kV.

Yes, but I’ve noticed that international trains tend to adopt a more
regional stopping pattern as they pass through Switzerland, and seemed to
be used by local passengers.

Post by Ulf_Kutzner

Post by Sam Wilson
We run almost at water
level,
it seems, along and across Lake Lugano, across the head of Lake Maggiore,
through the Gotthard Base Tunnel and out through more spectacle until we
reach Zurich, where the train gets a lot less busy and we reverse. We
reverse again at Basel, and more people leave. We’re due to leave at 15:38
but it’s well past that when we get an announcement that there’s 10 minutes
delay owning to a technical fault plus some heavily accented English that I
don’t catch, so I don’t know if the fault is with the train or the track.
After a while the lights flicker a few times and then go out completely and
there’s that silence that happens when the ventilation goes off. The PIS
goes blank and air hisses from somewhere outside.
At 1555 the lights come back on and the PIS shows a clock. A number of
people have got up and left the train, presumably fairly local people who
know better ways to get where they’re going. We’re going to Darmstadt and
by now we’ve probably missed our connection in Mannheim, but that’s
probably OK. There are other options for the rest of the journey if this
train fails. The combination of the Interrail app and bahn.de are
invaluable.
At 1600 there is an announcement that we expect to leave in the next 5-10
minutes an at 1613 we finally leave. At about 1620 we stop at Basel
Badische Bahnhof and stay for several minutes, timetabled for an 8 minute
wait from 1544-1552. Our actual arrival must have been about 16:24.

See Skutečné řazení vlaku dne: st 4.9.2024
https://www.vagonweb.cz/razeni/vlak.php?zeme=TI&kategorie=TI:EC&cislo=150&rok=2024
Half of your train left at Basle.

Ah, thank you. I don’t recall any signage saying that the rear half of the
train was only going to Basel, but I may just have been unobservant.

Sam

[Recliner]

Post by Sam Wilson

Post by Ulf_Kutzner

Post by Sam Wilson
Day 17, September 25, Interrail day 5, Rimini-Milan-Mannheim-Darmstadt,
train-train-train-walk
The next train turns out to be the most interesting of the trip. Its
EC150, the 1110 to Frankfurt via Zurich, Basel and Mannheim, which is where
we’re going. It’s a pair of SBB RABe 501 Stadler articulated units, each
202m long and 11 coaches. We’re in coach 3. It’s not obvious from the
rear just how long the train is, so we pause at the third coach, numbered
23. We go along a bit further and then double back when we realise that
staff have appeared at the door (there’s only one per coach) and are
talking to other passengers. They explain that there are two trains joined
together so we all head further along the platform.
It’s an interesting train. It’s an articulated, low floor, high speed
intercity train.
The PIS got a bit confused on the way to the border. It was announcing the
first stop as Chiasso on the Swiss side until we stopped at Como on the
Italian side, and then reverted to saying we were just starting from Milano
Cle. We leave Chiasso about 3 minutes late and later there’s an
announcement that there’s a delay of 6 minutes. We leave Lugano about 3
minutes late and then after Bellinzona we head through the Gotthard Base
Tunnel, 57.09 km, the world’s longest rail tunnel and deepest traffic
tunnel.
The train is really smooth, though that may be to do with track quality,
and from low and medium speeds its acceleration is really impressive.
The
seats are firm and supportive, adequately wide, and cantilevered so that
there is luggage space under them and between, except where there is a step
up over the bogie.
and the tables in
our
bays, disappointingly for an intercity train, are only about 1/3 width, so
the window seats get a small table and the aisle seats get no table at all.
I guess many travel times are shorter in Switzerland so perhaps it makes
sense.

Well, those trainsets are for international use as
they accept 3 kV.

Yes, but I’ve noticed that international trains tend to adopt a more
regional stopping pattern as they pass through Switzerland, and seemed to
be used by local passengers.

They, literally, become local services in Switzerland, filling slots in the Swiss timetable. And that's proved very
controversial, with some (particularly DB, but also Italian and even Austrian) international services not turning up
punctually to take up their timetabled slot, and a few not turning up at all.

That's unacceptable in Switzerland, which therefore has to deploy its own reserve trains to fill the gaps. It's
therefore announced that it will be stopping this system on some routes, with international trains no longer running
local services. They'll just run to the first major Swiss station, and terminate there, connecting with the reliable,
punctual Swiss services there. On some other routes, the foreign trains have to start their foreign journeys earlier,
giving them a more realistic chance of turning up in Switzerland punctually.

https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/society/swiss-federal-railways-negotiates-with-neighbours-to-cut-train-delays/49164890

[Sam Wilson]

On Sat, 18 Jan 2025 14:05:43 -0000 (UTC), Sam Wilson

Post by Sam Wilson

Post by Ulf_Kutzner

Post by Sam Wilson
Day 17, September 25, Interrail day 5, Rimini-Milan-Mannheim-Darmstadt,
train-train-train-walk
The next train turns out to be the most interesting of the trip. Its
EC150, the 1110 to Frankfurt via Zurich, Basel and Mannheim, which is where
we’re going. It’s a pair of SBB RABe 501 Stadler articulated units, each
202m long and 11 coaches. We’re in coach 3. It’s not obvious from the
rear just how long the train is, so we pause at the third coach, numbered
23. We go along a bit further and then double back when we realise that
staff have appeared at the door (there’s only one per coach) and are
talking to other passengers. They explain that there are two trains joined
together so we all head further along the platform.
It’s an interesting train. It’s an articulated, low floor, high speed
intercity train.
The PIS got a bit confused on the way to the border. It was announcing the
first stop as Chiasso on the Swiss side until we stopped at Como on the
Italian side, and then reverted to saying we were just starting from Milano
Cle. We leave Chiasso about 3 minutes late and later there’s an
announcement that there’s a delay of 6 minutes. We leave Lugano about 3
minutes late and then after Bellinzona we head through the Gotthard Base
Tunnel, 57.09 km, the world’s longest rail tunnel and deepest traffic
tunnel.
The train is really smooth, though that may be to do with track quality,
and from low and medium speeds its acceleration is really impressive.
The
seats are firm and supportive, adequately wide, and cantilevered so that
there is luggage space under them and between, except where there is a step
up over the bogie.
and the tables in
our
bays, disappointingly for an intercity train, are only about 1/3 width, so
the window seats get a small table and the aisle seats get no table at all.
I guess many travel times are shorter in Switzerland so perhaps it makes
sense.

Well, those trainsets are for international use as
they accept 3 kV.

Yes, but I’ve noticed that international trains tend to adopt a more
regional stopping pattern as they pass through Switzerland, and seemed to
be used by local passengers.

They, literally, become local services in Switzerland, filling slots in
the Swiss timetable. And that's proved very
controversial, with some (particularly DB, but also Italian and even
Austrian) international services not turning up
punctually to take up their timetabled slot, and a few not turning up at all.
That's unacceptable in Switzerland, which therefore has to deploy its own
reserve trains to fill the gaps. It's
therefore announced that it will be stopping this system on some routes,
with international trains no longer running
local services. They'll just run to the first major Swiss station, and
terminate there, connecting with the reliable,
punctual Swiss services there. On some other routes, the foreign trains
have to start their foreign journeys earlier,
giving them a more realistic chance of turning up in Switzerland punctually.
https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/society/swiss-federal-railways-negotiates-with-neighbours-to-cut-train-delays/49164890

Ah yes, I was aware of the Swiss not allowing foreign trains to import
delay into their timetable, but I hadn’t realised everything behind the
reasoning. Ironic that the delay to our train happened to a Swiss train
in Switzerland!

Thanks,

Sam

[Roland Perry]

Post by Sam Wilson
I’ve noticed that many continental trains have non-obvious seat numbering
patterns but I haven’t checked whether this is the same as the way others
do it.
Another passenger comes and says she has a reservation for 26. Another,
sitting in 23, says his reservation is for 25, but he’s happy to stay where
he is. After a bit of to-ing and fro-ing the young women sitting in 25 and
26 discover that their reservations are for 2 days ago. They vacate,
everyone shuffles round, and they head off. I don’t know what happened to
them.

I remember having a FC ticket on a double-decker TGV to Geneva, and I
couldn't find my seat number. Could have been either deck, based on the
other numbers. But the carriage was completely empty so I just sat at a
random table.

When I got home I looked up the seating plans, and it turned out the one
I'd been allocated had been replaced by a luggage rack.

[Bob]

Post by Sam Wilson
Day 17, September 25, Interrail day 5, Rimini-Milan-Mannheim-Darmstadt,
train-train-train-walk
The next train turns out to be the most interesting of the trip. Its
EC150, the 1110 to Frankfurt via Zurich, Basel and Mannheim, which is where
we’re going. It’s a pair of SBB RABe 501 Stadler articulated units, each
202m long and 11 coaches. We’re in coach 3. It’s not obvious from the
rear just how long the train is, so we pause at the third coach, numbered
23. We go along a bit further and then double back when we realise that
staff have appeared at the door (there’s only one per coach) and are
talking to other passengers. They explain that there are two trains joined
together so we all head further along the platform.
It’s an interesting train. It’s an articulated, low floor, high speed
intercity train. The entrance to our coach has a large luggage area with
room for bicycles, reminisicent of many regional-style trains, but there’s
lots of other storage too. The seats are mainly in facing bays of 4 with
peculiar numbering. We’re in 24 and 27 which are facing each other on the
aisle. 25 and 26 are next to the window, with 26 next to 24 and 25 next to
27. Across the aisle 21 and 22 are by the window with 23 next to 21 and 28
next to 22.
21 23 || 27 25
22 28 || 24 26
I’ve noticed that many continental trains have non-obvious seat numbering
patterns but I haven’t checked whether this is the same as the way others
do it.

That's the standard "UIC" numbering pattern. Originally 3+3 compartments
were numbered x1/x2 by the window, x3/x4 in the middle and x5/x6 by the
corridor, where x is the compartment number. That leads people to
reserve seats in the preference order 1/2, 5/6, 3/4. It then makes sense
to add x7/x8 for 2+2 bays-of-four seating in such a way that preserves
personal space.

Post by Sam Wilson
There are three toilet cubicles in the raised section over the bogie, one
unisex, one ladies only and one gents urinal. The signs showing occupancy
reflect these and there is an embossed plate with biological gender symbols
by each door. The floor, with ramps up from the door to an intermediate
level and then again over the bogies is slightly odd and the tables in our
bays, disappointingly for an intercity train, are only about 1/3 width, so
the window seats get a small table and the aisle seats get no table at all.
I guess many travel times are shorter in Switzerland so perhaps it makes
sense. We’re supposed to be in aisle seats for 7 hours and it’s
frustrating, though we move to the window seats later in the journey. The
seat backs are high but not oppressively so.

There are tables built into the armrests on the aisle seats on those
trains. They slide out forwards then rotate 270 degrees away from the
passenger to a stop that holds them horizontal.

Robin

[Sam Wilson]

Post by Bob

Post by Sam Wilson
Day 17, September 25, Interrail day 5, Rimini-Milan-Mannheim-Darmstadt,
train-train-train-walk
The next train turns out to be the most interesting of the trip. Its
EC150, the 1110 to Frankfurt via Zurich, Basel and Mannheim, which is where
we’re going. It’s a pair of SBB RABe 501 Stadler articulated units, each
202m long and 11 coaches. We’re in coach 3. It’s not obvious from the
rear just how long the train is, so we pause at the third coach, numbered
23. We go along a bit further and then double back when we realise that
staff have appeared at the door (there’s only one per coach) and are
talking to other passengers. They explain that there are two trains joined
together so we all head further along the platform.
It’s an interesting train. It’s an articulated, low floor, high speed
intercity train. The entrance to our coach has a large luggage area with
room for bicycles, reminisicent of many regional-style trains, but there’s
lots of other storage too. The seats are mainly in facing bays of 4 with
peculiar numbering. We’re in 24 and 27 which are facing each other on the
aisle. 25 and 26 are next to the window, with 26 next to 24 and 25 next to
27. Across the aisle 21 and 22 are by the window with 23 next to 21 and 28
next to 22.
21 23 || 27 25
22 28 || 24 26
I’ve noticed that many continental trains have non-obvious seat numbering
patterns but I haven’t checked whether this is the same as the way others
do it.

That's the standard "UIC" numbering pattern. Originally 3+3 compartments
were numbered x1/x2 by the window, x3/x4 in the middle and x5/x6 by the
corridor, where x is the compartment number. That leads people to
reserve seats in the preference order 1/2, 5/6, 3/4. It then makes sense
to add x7/x8 for 2+2 bays-of-four seating in such a way that preserves
personal space.

OK. Thanks - it makes sense. So people just have to know that 3/4 and 7/8
aren’t opposite each other?

Post by Bob

Post by Sam Wilson
There are three toilet cubicles in the raised section over the bogie, one
unisex, one ladies only and one gents urinal. The signs showing occupancy
reflect these and there is an embossed plate with biological gender symbols
by each door. The floor, with ramps up from the door to an intermediate
level and then again over the bogies is slightly odd and the tables in our
bays, disappointingly for an intercity train, are only about 1/3 width, so
the window seats get a small table and the aisle seats get no table at all.
I guess many travel times are shorter in Switzerland so perhaps it makes
sense. We’re supposed to be in aisle seats for 7 hours and it’s
frustrating, though we move to the window seats later in the journey. The
seat backs are high but not oppressively so.

There are tables built into the armrests on the aisle seats on those
trains. They slide out forwards then rotate 270 degrees away from the
passenger to a stop that holds them horizontal.

Interesting. I didn’t spot any signage for that and no one else using
them. Next time!

Sam

[Ulf_Kutzner]

Post by Sam Wilson
Day 6 (7, 11), September 14 (15, 19),
train-trainXXXXXbus-(train-train)XXXXXXXXXXXXXbus
We stay in Matera for a couple of days then then we have to make our way to
Alberobello for the start of our cycling holiday. We met up with 2 couples
in Matera and the fourth couple will join us in Bari on the way to
Alberobello.
Plan: catch the 1114 to Bari changing at Altamura, then the 1421 to
Alberobello, changing Putignano. Aside: one of the features of public
transport around here, trains and buses run by both FAL and FS Sud Est, is
that the bus journeys between the same places are cheaper and faster than
the trains. One of our party really can’t stand buses, and at least one
(raises hand) prefers trains anyway so, given the small difference in price
and the lack of urgency, the choice is obvious.
The 1114 from Matera is cancelled. We were offered a replacement bus (see
above) and the next train is the 1207. We choose to wait for the train and
go and sit in a cafe. I have a hot chocolate you could stand a spoon up
in.
Matera Centrale is one stop from the end of the single line at Matera Sud.
The 1148 to Matera Sud is shown as 15 minutes late, which it was, and then
its return is marked as 10 minutes late, which it was. We proceed slowly
and wait for a significant time at Marinella to cross with another train -
the whole line is basically single track with passing loops at the
stations. At Altamura there is no train to Bari. At around 1320 we are
told to wait at the front of the station for a replacement bus service.
It
comes at 1330 and people, many with luggage, pile on. It’s standing room
only for at least 3 of us. It’s an, erm, exciting ride and it deposits us
at the back of Bari Centrale at around 1435. In the mean time we find that
our friends who came via Naples arrived in Bari just before 1400 but were
told that the 1421 was 90 minutes late and they should take the bus (EUR 5
vs EUR 5.90 for the train). We check at the ticket office across the other
side of the station and are told there is no train to Alberobello, in a
tone that suggests there never have been, and never will be, any trains to
Alberobello.

Only Rutigliano to Putignano was operated from
June to November.
https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferrovia_Bari-Taranto_(FSE)

Post by Sam Wilson
We buy tickets for the next bus at 1700 and go and sit in
another cafe and then outside by the fountains in the station square.

Could have checked in September for bustitution schedules...

Regards, ULF

[Sam Wilson]

Post by Ulf_Kutzner

Post by Sam Wilson
Day 6 (7, 11), September 14 (15, 19),
train-trainXXXXXbus-(train-train)XXXXXXXXXXXXXbus
We stay in Matera for a couple of days then then we have to make our way to
Alberobello for the start of our cycling holiday. We met up with 2 couples
in Matera and the fourth couple will join us in Bari on the way to
Alberobello.
Plan: catch the 1114 to Bari changing at Altamura, then the 1421 to
Alberobello, changing Putignano. Aside: one of the features of public
transport around here, trains and buses run by both FAL and FS Sud Est, is
that the bus journeys between the same places are cheaper and faster than
the trains. One of our party really can’t stand buses, and at least one
(raises hand) prefers trains anyway so, given the small difference in price
and the lack of urgency, the choice is obvious.
The 1114 from Matera is cancelled. We were offered a replacement bus (see
above) and the next train is the 1207. We choose to wait for the train and
go and sit in a cafe. I have a hot chocolate you could stand a spoon up
in.
Matera Centrale is one stop from the end of the single line at Matera Sud.
The 1148 to Matera Sud is shown as 15 minutes late, which it was, and then
its return is marked as 10 minutes late, which it was. We proceed slowly
and wait for a significant time at Marinella to cross with another train -
the whole line is basically single track with passing loops at the
stations. At Altamura there is no train to Bari. At around 1320 we are
told to wait at the front of the station for a replacement bus service.
It
comes at 1330 and people, many with luggage, pile on. It’s standing room
only for at least 3 of us. It’s an, erm, exciting ride and it deposits us
at the back of Bari Centrale at around 1435. In the mean time we find that
our friends who came via Naples arrived in Bari just before 1400 but were
told that the 1421 was 90 minutes late and they should take the bus (EUR 5
vs EUR 5.90 for the train). We check at the ticket office across the other
side of the station and are told there is no train to Alberobello, in a
tone that suggests there never have been, and never will be, any trains to
Alberobello.

Only Rutigliano to Putignano was operated from
June to November.
https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferrovia_Bari-Taranto_(FSE)

Post by Sam Wilson
We buy tickets for the next bus at 1700 and go and sit in
another cafe and then outside by the fountains in the station square.

Could have checked in September for bustitution schedules...

I checked all sorts of sources for trains to Alberobello (trenitalia,
bahn.de, Raileurope and Google, at least) and most were either bafflingly
silent or said there were trains. The silence I put down to the regional
nature of the trains - all except Google failed to mention the regional FAL
trains to Matera.

Sam

[Ulf_Kutzner]

Post by Sam Wilson

Post by Ulf_Kutzner

Post by Sam Wilson
Day 6 (7, 11), September 14 (15, 19),
train-trainXXXXXbus-(train-train)XXXXXXXXXXXXXbus
We stay in Matera for a couple of days then then we have to make our way to
Alberobello for the start of our cycling holiday. We met up with 2 couples
in Matera and the fourth couple will join us in Bari on the way to
Alberobello.
Plan: catch the 1114 to Bari changing at Altamura, then the 1421 to
Alberobello, changing Putignano. Aside: one of the features of public
transport around here, trains and buses run by both FAL and FS Sud Est, is
that the bus journeys between the same places are cheaper and faster than
the trains. One of our party really can’t stand buses, and at least one
(raises hand) prefers trains anyway so, given the small difference in price
and the lack of urgency, the choice is obvious.
The 1114 from Matera is cancelled. We were offered a replacement bus (see
above) and the next train is the 1207. We choose to wait for the train and
go and sit in a cafe. I have a hot chocolate you could stand a spoon up
in.
Matera Centrale is one stop from the end of the single line at Matera Sud.
The 1148 to Matera Sud is shown as 15 minutes late, which it was, and then
its return is marked as 10 minutes late, which it was. We proceed slowly
and wait for a significant time at Marinella to cross with another train -
the whole line is basically single track with passing loops at the
stations. At Altamura there is no train to Bari. At around 1320 we are
told to wait at the front of the station for a replacement bus service.
It
comes at 1330 and people, many with luggage, pile on. It’s standing room
only for at least 3 of us. It’s an, erm, exciting ride and it deposits us
at the back of Bari Centrale at around 1435. In the mean time we find that
our friends who came via Naples arrived in Bari just before 1400 but were
told that the 1421 was 90 minutes late and they should take the bus (EUR 5
vs EUR 5.90 for the train). We check at the ticket office across the other
side of the station and are told there is no train to Alberobello, in a
tone that suggests there never have been, and never will be, any trains to
Alberobello.

Only Rutigliano to Putignano was operated from
June to November.
https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferrovia_Bari-Taranto_(FSE)

Post by Sam Wilson
We buy tickets for the next bus at 1700 and go and sit in
another cafe and then outside by the fountains in the station square.

Could have checked in September for bustitution schedules...

I checked all sorts of sources for trains to Alberobello (trenitalia,
bahn.de, Raileurope and Google, at least) and most were either
bafflingly
silent or said there were trains.

IIRC, there were not included to the printed national timetables either,
and they might not accept interrail.

They might not send data to the Euopean timetable centre
as the might not know it exists or as they feel data processing
fees are too high for them.

Post by Sam Wilson
The silence I put down to the
regional
nature of the trains - all except Google failed to mention the regional FAL
trains to Matera.

See at the TOC's site. For now:
https://ferrovieappulolucane.it/en/work-in-progress/

Not sure I can find historic bustitution
schedules for your travel dates.

Foreign regional trains asre often okay for bahn.de
but many foreign regional operators aren't.

Regards, ULF

[Ulf_Kutzner]

Post by Sam Wilson

Post by Ulf_Kutzner

Post by Sam Wilson
Day 6 (7, 11), September 14 (15, 19),
train-trainXXXXXbus-(train-train)XXXXXXXXXXXXXbus
We stay in Matera for a couple of days then then we have to make our way to
Alberobello for the start of our cycling holiday. We met up with 2 couples
in Matera and the fourth couple will join us in Bari on the way to
Alberobello.
Plan: catch the 1114 to Bari changing at Altamura, then the 1421 to
Alberobello, changing Putignano. Aside: one of the features of public
transport around here, trains and buses run by both FAL and FS Sud Est, is
that the bus journeys between the same places are cheaper and faster than
the trains. One of our party really can’t stand buses, and at least one
(raises hand) prefers trains anyway so, given the small difference in price
and the lack of urgency, the choice is obvious.
The 1114 from Matera is cancelled. We were offered a replacement bus (see
above) and the next train is the 1207. We choose to wait for the train and
go and sit in a cafe. I have a hot chocolate you could stand a spoon up
in.
Matera Centrale is one stop from the end of the single line at Matera Sud.
The 1148 to Matera Sud is shown as 15 minutes late, which it was, and then
its return is marked as 10 minutes late, which it was. We proceed slowly
and wait for a significant time at Marinella to cross with another train -
the whole line is basically single track with passing loops at the
stations. At Altamura there is no train to Bari. At around 1320 we are
told to wait at the front of the station for a replacement bus service.
It
comes at 1330 and people, many with luggage, pile on. It’s standing room
only for at least 3 of us. It’s an, erm, exciting ride and it deposits us
at the back of Bari Centrale at around 1435. In the mean time we find that
our friends who came via Naples arrived in Bari just before 1400 but were
told that the 1421 was 90 minutes late and they should take the bus (EUR 5
vs EUR 5.90 for the train). We check at the ticket office across the other
side of the station and are told there is no train to Alberobello, in a
tone that suggests there never have been, and never will be, any trains to
Alberobello.

Only Rutigliano to Putignano was operated from
June to November.
https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferrovia_Bari-Taranto_(FSE)

Post by Sam Wilson
We buy tickets for the next bus at 1700 and go and sit in
another cafe and then outside by the fountains in the station square.

Could have checked in September for bustitution schedules...

I checked all sorts of sources for trains to Alberobello (trenitalia,
bahn.de, Raileurope and Google, at least) and most were either
bafflingly
silent or said there were trains. The silence I put down to the regional
nature of the trains - all except Google failed to mention the regional FAL
trains to Matera.

That source is great:
http://mobilita.regione.puglia.it/index.php/component/k2/item/11605-sospensione-e-sotituzione-servizio-ferroviario

But maybe not if viewed from abroad.

403: Access Forbidden
Your location (DE) has been blacklisted.

[Ulf_Kutzner]

Post by Sam Wilson
Day 6 (7, 11), September 14 (15, 19),
train-trainXXXXXbus-(train-train)XXXXXXXXXXXXXbus
We stay in Matera for a couple of days then then we have to make our way to
Alberobello for the start of our cycling holiday. We met up with 2 couples
in Matera and the fourth couple will join us in Bari on the way to
Alberobello.
Plan: catch the 1114 to Bari changing at Altamura, then the 1421 to
Alberobello, changing Putignano. Aside: one of the features of public
transport around here, trains and buses run by both FAL and FS Sud Est, is
that the bus journeys between the same places are cheaper and faster than
the trains. One of our party really can’t stand buses, and at least one
(raises hand) prefers trains anyway so, given the small difference in price
and the lack of urgency, the choice is obvious.
The 1114 from Matera is cancelled. We were offered a replacement bus (see
above) and the next train is the 1207. We choose to wait for the train and
go and sit in a cafe. I have a hot chocolate you could stand a spoon up
in.
Matera Centrale is one stop from the end of the single line at Matera Sud.
The 1148 to Matera Sud is shown as 15 minutes late, which it was, and then
its return is marked as 10 minutes late, which it was. We proceed slowly
and wait for a significant time at Marinella to cross with another train -
the whole line is basically single track with passing loops at the
stations. At Altamura there is no train to Bari. At around 1320 we are
told to wait at the front of the station for a replacement bus service.
It
comes at 1330 and people, many with luggage, pile on. It’s standing room
only for at least 3 of us. It’s an, erm, exciting ride and it deposits us
at the back of Bari Centrale at around 1435.

Looks like bustitution servive nr. 132,
https://ferrovieappulolucane.it/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/N-5_ORARIO-BUS-FESTIVI-E-DOMENICA_03-GIU-2024.pdf

Regards, ULF

[Ulf_Kutzner]

Post by Sam Wilson
Days 2/3, September 10-11, Interrail days 2+3, Paris-Matera,
train-train-train-[train]-train-train-train
TGV 9551, the 0905 from Paris GdE to Heidelberg, though we’re only going as
far as Mannheim.

That Haymarket question but for long time there were no
through services from Paris to Heidelberg or vice-versa.
And there aren't any more.

Heidelberg was chosen as final station as the Ried
mainline to Frankfurt was closed for reconstruction.

Post by Sam Wilson
This is the start of the longest continuous train trip
we’ve ever been on, from here to the south of Italy.
We’re on the top deck of the TGV Duplex facing backwards. We stopped
unexpectedly at Champagne-Ardenne

Without thaking passengers?

Post by Sam Wilson
and the PIS shows all the subsequent
stops as being +5 minutes, and our speed now as between 314 and 319 km/h,
198 mph. Forbach and Saarbruecken are each exactly 5 minutes late.
It’s
interesting how the OHLE changes as you cross the border; I-beam columns
and register arms on the French side, lattice columns and headspans - great
big headspans! - in Germany.
We arrive in Mannheim on time at 1218. We switch platform to catch the
1230 ICE4 to Munich. It’s a 12-coach version - coaches 1-7, 9-12 and 14.
We’re sitting in seats marked BahnBonus on the reservation panel and
according to Reddit it seems that if someone with a BahnBonus card comes
along we should move, but the comments say no one ever does. At Stuttgart
the train gets less busy, we switch to table seats facing the new direction
of travel and get some lunch from the Bordrestaurant. It has quite an
impressive menu, belied by the almost empty cabinet under the counter.
Between Stuttgart and Augsburg there’s some fabulous scenery, including a
wonderful horseshoe curve at Geislingen, much of which is now bypassed by a
new line which, of course, our ICE takes.

There is a longish single-track section, so not
all ICE can use the new line.

Post by Sam Wilson
There are still some good
views
of wooded hills and valleys, some filled with mist and rain.
We arrive at Munich Hbf, struggle with currency and toilets until we spot
the tiny contactless pad on the turnstile and then spend a pleasant few
hours wandering around and getting some dinner. Then back to the Hbf for
our bijou sleeperette.
This is where things begin to get weird. Our train is NJ295, the 20:10 to
Roma Tiburtina, arriving 11:05 tomorrow. We’re in one of ÖBB’s new sleeper
carriages,

See
Skutečné řazení vlaku dne: út 10.9. / st 11.9.2024 ve stanici: Salzburg
Hbf
München Hbf. 20:10, Salzburg Hbf. 21:52-22:02, Villach Hbf. 00:19-01:03,
Tarvisio Boscoverde 01:27-01:49, Bologna Centrale 05:36-05:41, Firenze
S.M.N. 06:42-07:00, Roma Tiburtina 11:05
https://www.vagonweb.cz/razeni/vlak.php?zeme=D-&kategorie=NJ&cislo=295&rok=2024

Your work?

Post by Sam Wilson
in a double ensuite room. The train has PIS screens at the
ends
of the corridor which say it’s going to arrive in Roma Termini, two miles
beyond Tiburtina, at 09:10.

That's often seen that train displays ignore (minor) route changes.

Post by Sam Wilson
The steward assures us that the train is
definitely not going to Termini. That’s OK, we’re expecting to make our
own way from Tiburtina to Termini.
The train formation is interesting. At the front as it arrives at the Hbf
terminal platform is an ÖBB Taurus loco with about 5 carriages which is
NJ2295 for La Spezia. Behind that is a driving carriage facing the same
direction and then NJ295 with another Taurus on what will shortly be the
front of the train.

See above.

Regards, ULF

[Sam Wilson]

Post by Ulf_Kutzner

Post by Sam Wilson
Days 2/3, September 10-11, Interrail days 2+3, Paris-Matera,
train-train-train-[train]-train-train-train
TGV 9551, the 0905 from Paris GdE to Heidelberg, though we’re only going as
far as Mannheim.

That Haymarket question but for long time there were no
through services from Paris to Heidelberg or vice-versa.
And there aren't any more.
Heidelberg was chosen as final station as the Ried
mainline to Frankfurt was closed for reconstruction.

Thank you. We took the same train a few years ago but I can’t remember
where it was going that time.

Post by Ulf_Kutzner

Post by Sam Wilson
This is the start of the longest continuous train trip
we’ve ever been on, from here to the south of Italy.
We’re on the top deck of the TGV Duplex facing backwards. We stopped
unexpectedly at Champagne-Ardenne

Without thaking passengers?

Apparently so. I didn’t see any and it wasn’t announced as a stop.

Post by Ulf_Kutzner

Post by Sam Wilson
and the PIS shows all the subsequent
stops as being +5 minutes, and our speed now as between 314 and 319 km/h,
198 mph. Forbach and Saarbruecken are each exactly 5 minutes late.
It’s
interesting how the OHLE changes as you cross the border; I-beam columns
and register arms on the French side, lattice columns and headspans - great
big headspans! - in Germany.
We arrive in Mannheim on time at 1218. We switch platform to catch the
1230 ICE4 to Munich. It’s a 12-coach version - coaches 1-7, 9-12 and 14.
We’re sitting in seats marked BahnBonus on the reservation panel and
according to Reddit it seems that if someone with a BahnBonus card comes
along we should move, but the comments say no one ever does. At Stuttgart
the train gets less busy, we switch to table seats facing the new direction
of travel and get some lunch from the Bordrestaurant. It has quite an
impressive menu, belied by the almost empty cabinet under the counter.
Between Stuttgart and Augsburg there’s some fabulous scenery, including a
wonderful horseshoe curve at Geislingen, much of which is now bypassed by a
new line which, of course, our ICE takes.

There is a longish single-track section, so not
all ICE can use the new line.

Ah, right. Next time I’ll try to get a train that uses the old line.

Post by Ulf_Kutzner

Post by Sam Wilson
There are still some good
views
of wooded hills and valleys, some filled with mist and rain.
We arrive at Munich Hbf, struggle with currency and toilets until we spot
the tiny contactless pad on the turnstile and then spend a pleasant few
hours wandering around and getting some dinner. Then back to the Hbf for
our bijou sleeperette.
This is where things begin to get weird. Our train is NJ295, the 20:10 to
Roma Tiburtina, arriving 11:05 tomorrow. We’re in one of ÖBB’s new sleeper
carriages,

See
Skutečné řazení vlaku dne: út 10.9. / st 11.9.2024 ve stanici: Salzburg
Hbf
München Hbf. 20:10, Salzburg Hbf. 21:52-22:02, Villach Hbf. 00:19-01:03,
Tarvisio Boscoverde 01:27-01:49, Bologna Centrale 05:36-05:41, Firenze
S.M.N. 06:42-07:00, Roma Tiburtina 11:05
https://www.vagonweb.cz/razeni/vlak.php?zeme=D-&kategorie=NJ&cislo=295&rok=2024
Your work?

That looks like the schedule we were supposed to take.

Post by Ulf_Kutzner

Post by Sam Wilson
in a double ensuite room. The train has PIS screens at the
ends
of the corridor which say it’s going to arrive in Roma Termini, two miles
beyond Tiburtina, at 09:10.

That's often seen that train displays ignore (minor) route changes.

Thanks.

Post by Ulf_Kutzner

Post by Sam Wilson
The steward assures us that the train is
definitely not going to Termini. That’s OK, we’re expecting to make our
own way from Tiburtina to Termini.
The train formation is interesting. At the front as it arrives at the Hbf
terminal platform is an ÖBB Taurus loco with about 5 carriages which is
NJ2295 for La Spezia. Behind that is a driving carriage facing the same
direction and then NJ295 with another Taurus on what will shortly be the
front of the train.

See above.

Thank you again,

Sam

[Ulf_Kutzner]

Post by Sam Wilson

Post by Ulf_Kutzner

Post by Sam Wilson
We arrive at Munich Hbf, struggle with currency and toilets until we spot
the tiny contactless pad on the turnstile and then spend a pleasant few
hours wandering around and getting some dinner. Then back to the Hbf for
our bijou sleeperette.
This is where things begin to get weird. Our train is NJ295, the 20:10 to
Roma Tiburtina, arriving 11:05 tomorrow. We’re in one of ÖBB’s new sleeper
carriages,

See
Skutečné řazení vlaku dne: út 10.9. / st 11.9.2024 ve stanici: Salzburg
Hbf
München Hbf. 20:10, Salzburg Hbf. 21:52-22:02, Villach Hbf. 00:19-01:03,
Tarvisio Boscoverde 01:27-01:49, Bologna Centrale 05:36-05:41, Firenze
S.M.N. 06:42-07:00, Roma Tiburtina 11:05
https://www.vagonweb.cz/razeni/vlak.php?zeme=D-&kategorie=NJ&cislo=295&rok=2024
Your work?

That looks like the schedule we were supposed to take.

Have a look again. It shows even the cab carriage
ion the middle of the train as an exception.

Regards, ULF

[Rolf Mantel]

Post by Sam Wilson

Post by Ulf_Kutzner

Post by Sam Wilson
Days 2/3, September 10-11, Interrail days 2+3, Paris-Matera,
train-train-train-[train]-train-train-train
Between Stuttgart and Augsburg there’s some fabulous scenery, including a
wonderful horseshoe curve at Geislingen, much of which is now bypassed by a
new line which, of course, our ICE takes.

There is a longish single-track section, so not
all ICE can use the new line.

Ah, right. Next time I’ll try to get a train that uses the old line.

The current situation is temporary (hopefully until Decemnber 2026):
the new high-speed line is designed to reach the new underground station
"Stuttgart 21"

<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stuttgart_21>

but was opened a few years earlier.

<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wendlingen%E2%80%93Ulm_high-speed_railway>

Currently, trains use the single track "freight connection" at km 30.5
to join the high-speed line from the old Neckar valley line, followed by
8km "wrong-way" running to the next crossover point at the end of the
tunnel.

Kind regards,

Rolf

[Rolf Mantel]

Post by Sam Wilson
Days 2/3, September 10-11, Interrail days 2+3, Paris-Matera,
train-train-train-[train]-train-train-train
TGV 9551, the 0905 from Paris GdE to Heidelberg, though we’re only going as
far as Mannheim. This is the start of the longest continuous train trip
we’ve ever been on, from here to the south of Italy.

Normally continues to Frankfurt. Due to the Riedbahn overhaul from June
to December, there was a lack of paths to Frankfurt, so the TGV
continued to Heidelberg instead.

[Ulf_Kutzner]

Post by Rolf Mantel
Due to the Riedbahn overhaul from June
to December

Not allowing any commercial trains.
And we were promised much more of the
kind.