Nostr notes by Martin Hoffmann

Time to go home. Due to engineering works there is only one ICE ...

2026-10-10T05:53:26Z

Time to go home. Due to engineering works there is only one ICE per hour north from Basel and they are all marked as rather busy. So I will have to get creative. (No, I didn’t learn.)

Before I head to the station formerly known as Basel SNCF, I have just enough time for the obligatory photo from the footbridge at the east side of Basel SBB.

I am, as ever, puzzled at how long reception staff at a hotel ...

2026-10-09T06:48:59Z

I am, as ever, puzzled at how long reception staff at a hotel have to type and click on their computer to do the most fundamental reception task, checking in a guest. Surely, this could be streamlined into a thirty-second process?

(One day I’ll be brave enough to ask if I could peek over their shoulder to see what they are actually doing. I can’t even imagine what all these checkboxes and fields could possibly be.)

Today’s winner at Headlines. ...

2026-09-25T20:17:04Z

Today’s winner at Headlines.

Is there a geo-data set for the European railway routes – ...

2026-09-20T06:44:49Z

Is there a geo-data set for the European railway routes – routes not tracks, I know how to get those?

Ideally tagged in such a way that you can easily select a specific segment.

Background: I want to make an Interrail map which, among other things, shows where you can go without mandatory reservations.

Is there a website where you type in a city and it tells you how ...

2026-08-19T08:38:32Z

Is there a website where you type in a city and it tells you how to pay for public transport?

If not, should we start one?

(Maybe provide the information in machine readable format so routing apps can include it?)

As I am yet again on a bus on a twelve lane motorway: What is the ...

2026-08-10T07:44:46Z

As I am yet again on a bus on a twelve lane motorway: What is the widest motorway in Europe?

And then, a bit further down, is the most famous railway motive ...

2026-07-31T13:18:51Z

In reply to nevent1q…khp2
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And then, a bit further down, is the most famous railway motive of them all: The train emerging from the Landwasser tunnel and immediately crossing the Landwasser viaduct.

And yes, this train has a Dining Car (npub1rdq…nrum).

The section of the Albula Line between Preda and Bergün is known ...

2026-07-31T12:57:53Z

In reply to nevent1q…89ps
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The section of the Albula Line between Preda and Bergün is known as the Albula Circus. The line has to drop 417 metres during 6.5 km of valley. It doubles the length with three helix tunnels, two 180 degree tunnels and four vallez crossing viaducts, so it can stick to a 3.5% gradient.

This Zurich tram has gotten lost a bit. (It’s such a great ...

2026-07-31T12:23:00Z

In reply to nevent1q…8tqe
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This Zurich tram has gotten lost a bit.

(It’s such a great idea. More railway companies should swap liveries.)

St. Moritz (28 minutes late) where they have cool pixel art in ...

2026-07-31T12:04:43Z

In reply to nevent1q…chpd
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St. Moritz (28 minutes late) where they have cool pixel art in the platform tunnels and I have to decide whether to take the quick train with the long tunnel or the slower train with the short tunnel and more crazy loops.

Yes, exactly.

Almost at Alp Grüm station. Just one more loop-di-loop to go. ...

2026-07-31T10:49:06Z

In reply to nevent1q…j5ff
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Almost at Alp Grüm station. Just one more loop-di-loop to go.

The southern side of the Bernina Railway is completely bonkers ...

2026-07-31T10:27:53Z

In reply to nevent1q…eykf
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The southern side of the Bernina Railway is completely bonkers – you have to travel it to believe it and come back every once in a while as a reminder. I think it is most impressive climbing up northbound as you get to see the places you’ve just been from way above.

Oh right, there is this thing. ...

2026-07-31T09:59:04Z

In reply to nevent1q…s5y0
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Oh right, there is this thing.

Down there, barely visible is a shed across the road, marking ...

2026-07-31T09:53:29Z

In reply to nevent1q…aqs0
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Down there, barely visible is a shed across the road, marking border number twelve (I think?) into country number nine.

Well, this was unnecessarily exciting. When departure time came ...

2026-07-31T09:41:23Z

In reply to nevent1q…tfwd
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Well, this was unnecessarily exciting. When departure time came around, they noticed a vehicle failure. First they wanted to drop all the extra carriages and only take the lead unit, saying that people who don’t fit have to take the next train – no idea what the plan was for the two group carriages in the back – but then they realised that the next train already had 200 reservations and that that wouldn’t work. So they swapped lead units with the incoming train and we are on our way twenty minutes late.

Me, I have a generous connection at Tirano to La Piccola Rossa. ...

2026-07-31T09:00:45Z

In reply to nevent1q…6mdm
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Me, I have a generous connection at Tirano to La Piccola Rossa. It is super busy today. There are two groups, but luckily, Swiss railways add extra carriages for those.

If you are hoping to catch the 10:19 train to Milano in Tresenda ...

2026-07-31T08:25:04Z

In reply to nevent1q…qv2e
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If you are hoping to catch the 10:19 train to Milano in Tresenda shown as a connection in the timetable: Don’t count in it.

Told you it would be exciting. ...

2026-07-31T08:13:31Z

In reply to nevent1q…cjzk
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Told you it would be exciting.

Turns out Aprica, up at the pass, is where it is all happening. ...

2026-07-31T07:58:35Z

In reply to nevent1q…28fs
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Turns out Aprica, up at the pass, is where it is all happening. Hundreds of hotels and holiday apartments. It looks quite busy now, but probably gets really mad during skiing season.

Good morning! There is a bus! Well, this thing. (I kind of ...

2026-07-31T07:23:44Z

In reply to nevent1q…cjj0
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Good morning!

There is a bus! Well, this thing. (I kind of figured from this line being outsourced to a separate company.)

Peacefully the train slumbers, dreaming of the big, buzzing city ...

2026-07-30T19:55:04Z

In reply to nevent1q…0j5a
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Peacefully the train slumbers, dreaming of the big, buzzing city station it will never see.

This is more like it. Everyone … else in this pizzeria is ...

2026-07-30T19:35:10Z

In reply to nevent1q…6gck
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This is more like it. Everyone … else in this pizzeria is local. The waiter smoothly switches back to Italian when he realises I try (and fail; it’s been too long – by now we are both amused by whatever it is I end up saying).

I asked for a room away from the street. Turns out the river ...

2026-07-30T17:18:28Z

In reply to nevent1q…v2st
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I asked for a room away from the street. Turns out the river behind the hotel is also rather loud. But unlike a street, you get used to it. I barely hear it any more.

Italian timetables! All the time we were running six minutes ...

2026-07-30T16:31:16Z

In reply to nevent1q…05nn
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Italian timetables! All the time we were running six minutes late, now suddenly we arrive in Edolo eight minutes early.

It’s quite a fun line, this. It starts by winding along the shores of a very pretty Alpine lake and then follows a valley that just doesn’t end to the really tall mountains.

Anyway: Edolo, stazione di fine giornata.

“Isn’t that a dead end again?” I hear you ask. Why, yes, ...

2026-07-30T14:29:37Z

In reply to nevent1q…59ur
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“Isn’t that a dead end again?” I hear you ask. Why, yes, but look how close Tirano is. And tomorrow morning we find out if there really is a bus covering that short but likely quite exciting gap.

Made it to Brescia (i.e., Breša) pretty much on time, only one ...

2026-07-30T14:02:47Z

In reply to nevent1q…u9dy
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Made it to Brescia (i.e., Breša) pretty much on time, only one short emergency stop just before crossing the river in Verona.

Good thing I didn’t take Italo (it’s not in Interrail anyway), because they cancelled their train. So much for the reliability of the German network being greatly improved by their arrival.

But I digress.

Here’s the GTW doppio (four carriages with two power packs) for the last segment of today: Two hours up into the mountains to Edolo.

At least I am finally able to give the ugly duckling a try. ...

2026-07-30T11:44:15Z

In reply to nevent1q…6yyt
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At least I am finally able to give the ugly duckling a try.

Trouble. My plan was to take the 12:10 regional to Verona and ...

2026-07-30T10:29:13Z

In reply to nevent1q…a3cj
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Trouble. My plan was to take the 12:10 regional to Verona and connect there to Brescia. However, someone broke Verona Porta Nuova. The 12:10 has been cut short one station and is still here twenty minutes after scheduled departure. It is way too hot to try out Italian rail replacement busses, so I hightailed it to the ticket office and got myself onto the next best Frecciarossa. Sadly, the next one is already fully booked, so I have some bonus time in Venice I guess.

The man on the boat said this is the ugliest building in Venice. ...

2026-07-30T10:23:40Z

In reply to nevent1q…ppc8
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The man on the boat said this is the ugliest building in Venice. And he calls himself a tour guide!

I have a bit more than an hour until my train leaves. So I ...

2026-07-30T09:56:42Z

In reply to nevent1q…kgjf
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I have a bit more than an hour until my train leaves. So I can’t afford to play the popular game Find the Station Without a Map.

That said, where the hell am I?

And here is Il Redentore. That went by quicker than I feared. ...

2026-07-30T08:41:46Z

In reply to nevent1q…cmsw
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And here is Il Redentore. That went by quicker than I feared.

I don’t think this is the boat’s first job. ...

2026-07-30T08:30:08Z

In reply to nevent1q…zwqx
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I don’t think this is the boat’s first job.

Looks like most of these people are going for a day trip to ...

2026-07-30T04:54:10Z

In reply to nevent1q…xfcn
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Looks like most of these people are going for a day trip to Venice. That’s seven hours on a sold out boat with no outside space for six hours in Venice. At a whopping 105 euros per person.

If you looked at the map, you might have wondered why I have ...

2026-07-30T04:31:52Z

In reply to nevent1q…thq5
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If you looked at the map, you might have wondered why I have manoeuvred myself into a dead end. Well, I haven’t, because it is time for the boat portion of this trip. This is HSC Andela and she can take you across the Adriatic to Venice in a mere three-and-a-half hours. She’s leaving at seven, so, good morning from an endless boarding queue. I hope they have breakfast on board.

That’s the magic of travel, though: Nothing is ever what you ...

2026-07-29T20:35:43Z

In reply to nevent1q…jwdl
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That’s the magic of travel, though: Nothing is ever what you expect. A place you’ve been looking forward to turns out to be dreadful but then you find perfection somewhere random you never even planned to be.

And maybe that’s all how it should be. Beauty hiding along the way, never waiting in plain sight at the destination.

There are two ancient amphitheatres in the heart of the city. ...

2026-07-29T20:24:18Z

In reply to nevent1q…fm99
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There are two ancient amphitheatres in the heart of the city. Both of them are used for amplified entertainment. In one of them, Jimmy Fucking Carr is performing right now. Plus, there are a couple bonus stages for more loud music all over the city. And since this is the part of Europe that everyone drives to, the city is drowning in cars half ten at night.

This truly is hell on earth.

Oh, crap. They built some sort of makeshift stage right under my ...

2026-07-29T17:28:10Z

In reply to nevent1q…nuvz
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Oh, crap. They built some sort of makeshift stage right under my hotel window. Currently playing Italopop but there was a mic check earlier.

I was planning on going to bed early but I guess that ship has sailed.

And a quiet pub is unlikely to exist in this damn town either.

If all the names mentioned during this thread mean nothing to ...

2026-07-29T13:14:52Z

In reply to nevent1q…en8v
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If all the names mentioned during this thread mean nothing to you, here is a little map, courtesy of [@viaduct_world](https://mastodon.social/@viaduct_world ). Not that it is helping much what with the trip having gotten a bit convoluted.

It is a bit odd: you travel nearly 4000 kilometres from home and ...

2026-07-29T12:46:27Z

In reply to nevent1q…njx6
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It is a bit odd: you travel nearly 4000 kilometres from home and somehow still everyone speaks Dutch.

After a journey of 2570 kilometres, here it finally is: the ...

2026-07-29T12:38:57Z

In reply to nevent1q…edmy
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After a journey of 2570 kilometres, here it finally is: the reliable Mediterranean (my chosen drug tonight).

Crew change at the Croatian border station of Buzet. A car has ...

2026-07-29T07:25:24Z

In reply to nevent1q…mupr
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Crew change at the Croatian border station of Buzet. A car has come to pick up the Slovenian crew as they will only be needed here again in eleven hours.

Right after the Croatian border, the line goes full on “Holy ...

2026-07-29T07:21:32Z

In reply to nevent1q…h0e6
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Right after the Croatian border, the line goes full on “Holy crap!”, pardon my Istrian.

When Trieste remained Italian after World War II, access to this ...

2026-07-29T07:05:40Z

In reply to nevent1q…npnf
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When Trieste remained Italian after World War II, access to this important port got complicated for Yugoslavia. So they made their own port in Koper on their own side of the bay, complete with a railway line. This line was opened in 1967 and was quite the feat. On about fifteen crow-flown kilometres it had to descend 500 metres. With twists and turns they managed to squeeze out a bit over 30 kilometres. With Koper’s importance ever increasing, a new, less challenging line was built over the last years, set to open soon.

Here, the old line branches off the Istrian main line at Prešnica.

And here is our train. Instead of using a Croatian train for the ...

2026-07-29T06:06:16Z

In reply to nevent1q…s4z6
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And here is our train. Instead of using a Croatian train for the forty-five minutes stint across the border to Divača, a Slovenian unit is doing a single daily round trip all summer. Maybe the Croatian trains aren’t allowed into Slovenia?

“But why didn’t you use a train that gets you to Pula in the ...

2026-07-29T05:44:59Z

In reply to nevent1q…wyfv
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“But why didn’t you use a train that gets you to Pula in the evening?” I hear you ask.

Well, this morning train is the only train. And it only runs in summer. There also is a very late train on Fridays and Saturdays arriving after ten, which, even if the days would have worked I wouldn’t have wanted to take.

This thread is turning into an exhibit why we founded European Rail Passengers Union (npub1xkk…9lp2) to help improve these rail services. Why not join us over there and help, too?

Good morning from my successful pre-breakfast walk to the railway ...

2026-07-29T05:28:17Z

In reply to nevent1q…4td6
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Good morning from my successful pre-breakfast walk to the railway station in Divača: habemus tessera!

Today’s itinerary will only be three hours across border number ten into country number seven, namely down to Pula at the tip of the Istrian peninsula in Croatia. That’s not worth spending an Interrail day on!

The line up here is rather stunning. If the iPhone camera app ...

2026-07-28T18:42:42Z

In reply to nevent1q…6c9j
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The line up here is rather stunning. If the iPhone camera app wouldn’t insist on doing random things when you are in a hurry, I would have a great shot of the line down to Rijeka on the other side of the valley bathed in the evening sun. Instead, here is a fairly uninspired picture of the views you get.

Divača as the sun is about to set. Apparently there is a night ...

2026-07-28T18:07:49Z

In reply to nevent1q…p63t
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Divača as the sun is about to set. Apparently there is a night train from Koper to Budapest and Warsaw lead by a Slovenian Nez Cassé, which, as you can clearly see, I did not expect.

Hm. My train is from track 8. (Seriously, I get that major ...

2026-07-28T15:59:00Z

In reply to nevent1q…r6ll
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Hm. My train is from track 8.

(Seriously, I get that major construction is making everything difficult. But at least try to get the wayfinding right. Imagine I’d be late for my train and already in a state of panic.

And yes, tracks 5 to 8 are also this way.)

Ljubljana station is still a mess of construction on one side and ...

2026-07-28T15:48:40Z

In reply to nevent1q…dc46
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Ljubljana station is still a mess of construction on one side and a mess of busses on the other. At thirty degrees, it is a very hot mess, too. The ocean of asphalt doesn’t help.

It was suggested I walk into town and then take the train. I think the town is quite pretty and could be fun … on a colder day.

We’re now running a good half hour late. I naturally have ...

2026-07-28T14:35:15Z

In reply to nevent1q…gc55
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We’re now running a good half hour late. I naturally have missed my connection in Ljubljana. Which provides for a conundrum: The next connection in half an hour is bus-replaced for the first of two hours. But there is an all-train connection forty minutes later. Overall travel time is identical.

So, take the first option or wait for the second?

The bit along the river from Zidani Most towards Ljubljana is ...

2026-07-28T14:01:27Z

In reply to nevent1q…c0cz
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The bit along the river from Zidani Most towards Ljubljana is very pretty but also painfully slow. We’ve been bumbling along at 30 for half an hour!

We’re finally in the lands of left-hand driving. ...

2026-07-28T13:41:01Z

In reply to nevent1q…ptrd
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We’re finally in the lands of left-hand driving.

Longest carriage ever! Quick race update: Eleven minutes late in ...

2026-07-28T10:27:24Z

In reply to nevent1q…vmz6
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Longest carriage ever!

Quick race update: Eleven minutes late in Graz, so all good. I could have continued to Villach over the new Koralmbahn, but since it is mostly tunnels and it would mean a long wait in Villach, I figured we’ll leave it for later.

Train to Maribor instead, crossing border number nine into country number six (I forgot to report numbers eight and five this morning).

Twenty minutes late in Wiener Neustadt. The good news: we were ...

2026-07-28T08:18:49Z

In reply to nevent1q…npqv
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Twenty minutes late in Wiener Neustadt. The good news: we were re-routed via Achau which is new territory for me. The potentially bad news: I have a 28 minute connection in Graz.

Ahahaha! Platform change number three, back to the original ...

2026-07-28T07:31:06Z

In reply to nevent1q…fhwx
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Ahahaha! Platform change number three, back to the original platform. We are also now projected to be ten minutes late.

I think Wien Hbf could do with about four more platform tracks and plenty more tracks to and from the station.

I could swear I’ve just been here. (Cue the Ultravox.) Not sure ...

2026-07-28T07:18:51Z

In reply to nevent1q…3la7
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I could swear I’ve just been here. (Cue the Ultravox.)

Not sure what the signallers are up to, but my train has been moved to a different platform twice in the last fifteen minutes and the one it is supposed to go from now is still occupied by the terminating Railjet from Prague five minutes before its departure.

Today is going to be a racing day. Because of the usual ...

2026-07-28T06:08:50Z

In reply to nevent1q…sznc
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Today is going to be a racing day. Because of the usual #CrossBorderRail shenanigans, I have to get to the Slovenian village of Divača, somewhere in the mountains near the Italian and – more interestingly – Croatian border, by tonight, about 500 kilometres and multiple mountain ranges away.

Good morning from Břeclav station where I am waiting for the ...

2026-07-28T06:00:18Z

In reply to nevent1q…cv39
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Good morning from Břeclav station where I am waiting for the slightly late early morning Railjet from Prague to Vienna.

I had considered taking the earlier regional train, but nearly half an hour after its scheduled departure, it is still here. The Eurocity from Vienna is forty-five minutes late. I have an hour in Vienna. Wish me luck.

For the end of the day, I picked Břeclav. You’d think it would ...

2026-07-27T17:16:16Z

In reply to nevent1q…vrmk
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For the end of the day, I picked Břeclav. You’d think it would be a large city, given how prominently it appears in the railway network. But, no, small town of 25,000. It has got a big old pile of stones, though.

Yes, the railways got a blåhaj, too. ...

2026-07-27T15:36:57Z

In reply to nevent1q…q9j4
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Yes, the railways got a blåhaj, too.

That said, if you amble around Czechia, don’t skip the railways ...

2026-07-27T13:35:09Z

In reply to nevent1q…ae45
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That said, if you amble around Czechia, don’t skip the railways east of the Ostrava – Břeclav main line. The landscape isn’t breathtaking but very gezellig.

Oh good: ČD’s terminals can’t read the new standard codes ...

2026-07-27T12:32:18Z

In reply to nevent1q…xy02
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Oh good: ČD’s terminals can’t read the new standard codes that Interrail is now using and the conductors are confused because they used to be able to. This is going to be fun.

(Maybe avoid Interrailing in Czechia for a bit.)

Fancy that: Made it before the blue train that isn’t even blue ...

2026-07-27T12:07:15Z

In reply to nevent1q…2l34
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Fancy that: Made it before the blue train that isn’t even blue arrived. It will take me across border number seven back into country number four.

Feel free to accuse me of taking the piss, but here is border ...

2026-07-27T11:54:30Z

In reply to nevent1q…jr24
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Feel free to accuse me of taking the piss, but here is border number six back into country number three.

I had a bit of a wait in Český Těšín, noticed that my train was coming from Cieszyn across the border in Poland and that there was just about enough time to walk there. So, here we are. Let’s hope the map isn’t wrong; this thing is only going every other hour.

The train might still be red but in a minute we are going to ...

2026-07-27T11:04:01Z

In reply to nevent1q…vte8
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The train might still be red but in a minute we are going to cross border number five into country number four, the country of the blue trains.

(Yes, I’m taking too many pictures of these Škoda locomotives. They won’t be around for long …)

For variety, the Interrail app knows about the Zwardoń – ...

2026-07-27T10:48:57Z

In reply to nevent1q…w6su
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For variety, the Interrail app
knows about the Zwardoń – Skalité train while DB Navigator does not. I will never understand how these things work. (Railfinder does, so somehow DB must have lost them somehow? Maybe they didn’t believe a daily two-hourly cross border service between Slovakia and Poland could be real?)

Border number four back into country number one is just down ...

2026-07-27T10:19:11Z

In reply to nevent1q…45x4
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Border number four back into country number one is just down there in the tree tunnel after the bridge.

It could all be worse. The train from Slovakia arrives 11:48, the ...

2026-07-27T09:48:20Z

In reply to nevent1q…4st3
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It could all be worse. The train from Slovakia arrives 11:48, the train to Katowice leaves 11:45. Maybe timetable planners need to be forced to use the trains they plan?

Okay, maybe Zwardoń is a bit bigger than I made it out to be. ...

2026-07-27T09:42:01Z

In reply to nevent1q…82fq
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Okay, maybe Zwardoń is a bit bigger than I made it out to be.

Anyway, down there is the train station.

These are the Żywiec Beskids. With the highest peak at 1725 ...

2026-07-27T09:35:39Z

In reply to nevent1q…n5e2
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These are the Żywiec Beskids. With the highest peak at 1725 metres, they are not to be pooh-poohed.

Oh no! I guess I have to walk up there. Doesn’t look that bad. ...

2026-07-27T09:29:43Z

In reply to nevent1q…k3vg
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Oh no! I guess I have to walk up there. Doesn’t look that bad.

(Narrator: It was that bad.)

Zwardoń, at the end of Poland. You see a fair portion of the ...

2026-07-27T09:23:13Z

In reply to nevent1q…9jfa
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Zwardoń, at the end of Poland. You see a fair portion of the village in this picture. Because #CrossBorderRail is what it is, I now have ninety minutes until the onwards train.

The cool thing about being on a two and three quarter hours local ...

2026-07-27T07:56:05Z

In reply to nevent1q…js5g
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The cool thing about being on a two and three quarter hours local train trip with 37 stops all announced by the machine three times is that you pick up a lot of pronunciation. Now I just need to remember it past the Slovak border (where the rules change completely).

Shouldn’t it be Звардонь, though?

2026-07-27T06:07:29Z

In reply to nevent1q…heu2
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Shouldn’t it be Звардонь, though?

Bit worried where the train thinks it is going. ...

2026-07-27T06:04:39Z

In reply to nevent1q…3e7t
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Bit worried where the train thinks it is going.

Good morning from Katowice station which looks like something ...

2026-07-27T05:59:17Z

In reply to nevent1q…ma7a
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Good morning from Katowice station which looks like something someone built in Satisfactory.

My idea for today was to head further west in Poland and then cross into Czechia somewhere interesting. But between the busy trains and the line to Linz in Austria being closed, I decided to head south instead. Going straight to Bohumín is too boring, though, so I’ll do the other cross border line between Poland and Slovakia instead. (There is a third one far east, but it is currently closed for upgrades or something.)

Didn’t expect to spend the night here in Katowice, but at least ...

2026-07-26T15:04:38Z

In reply to nevent1q…qefd
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Didn’t expect to spend the night here in Katowice, but at least I have a room with a view.

This is my second time in this hotel. Last time my evening train to Wrocław was ninety minutes late (after I had missed a connection in Žilina earlier) and I just gave up.

Koleje Śląskie (who run regional trains in the Silesian ...

2026-07-26T13:55:29Z

In reply to nevent1q…4q5g
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Koleje Śląskie (who run regional trains in the Silesian Voivodeship around Katowice) was the first company that couldn’t scan the Interrail code. They made up for it with a very thorough manual check including passport check.

Conversely, their train was the first one today that the Interrail app knew about and I didn’t have to add manually.

This is the TLK (fast train) to Nysa? Kinda happy that they were ...

2026-07-26T12:56:57Z

In reply to nevent1q…qmux
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This is the TLK (fast train) to Nysa? Kinda happy that they were all sold out. It’s not the weather to spend four hours in a crowded second hand German 1970s train.

Someone lost bits of their train. ...

2026-07-26T08:50:20Z

In reply to nevent1q…3ltl
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Someone lost bits of their train.

It looks like trying to get somewhere in Poland on a Sunday ...

2026-07-26T07:40:41Z

In reply to nevent1q…ff2d
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It looks like trying to get somewhere in Poland on a Sunday afternoon on short notice is a fraught undertaking. All long-distance trains between Tarnów and Opole (let alone to Nysa) are booked solid and it is too far to make by local train.

I may have to downgrade Poland to Unplanned Trains D tier, if not worse.

The border river for border number three with the railway already ...

2026-07-26T07:28:21Z

In reply to nevent1q…2t2w
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The border river for border number three with the railway already on the Polish side on the right, so, country number three.

Yes, this line is electrified. Maybe a daily Košice – Krakow train would actually work?

Good morning from the futuristic station of Poprad-Tatry. This ...

2026-07-26T05:30:38Z

In reply to nevent1q…9j43
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Good morning from the futuristic station of Poprad-Tatry. This red GTW as the reason why I rushed here last night.

I think we already established that Slovakia’s #CrossBorderRail can be … challenging. This train goes north from here into Poland. There are two trains a day. On weekends. During the holidays.

So, yeah: I couldn’t have taken my time and be here tomorrow, because the train isn’t.

Anyway: we’re going to Poland, everyone!

Final transfer of the day is a three minute connection in ...

2026-07-25T17:40:32Z

In reply to nevent1q…lhqf
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Final transfer of the day is a three minute connection in Liptovský Mikuláš from a Panther back onto a real train. (Both trains are even labelled S3. Apparently, the Žilina people don’t trust the Poprad people with their shiny new train.)

I thought it was seven minutes, otherwise I wouldn’t have gone and taken a picture.

Oh, look, one of ŽSSK’s renovated Citynightline sleepers. (I ...

2026-07-25T15:54:55Z

In reply to nevent1q…3488
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Oh, look, one of ŽSSK’s renovated Citynightline sleepers. (I think that work is being done here in Vrútky?)

I have to be in Poprad tonight for reasons that will become ...

2026-07-25T15:15:04Z

In reply to nevent1q…5ncj
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I have to be in Poprad tonight for reasons that will become apparent tomorrow. This can be easily achieved via Košice. But then I noticed some wiggly railway lines to the west. The really wiggly route via Kremnica didn’t work out (I think there are busses?) but the one via Banská Bystrica isn’t shabby either.

Probably. I have a hard time staying awake …

Worth it! ...

2026-07-25T10:58:57Z

In reply to nevent1q…xhnm
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Worth it!

The walk could be over after twenty minutes, but the Slovak ...

2026-07-25T10:46:53Z

In reply to nevent1q…chv5
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The walk could be over after twenty minutes, but the Slovak trains don’t stop at their border station. Admittedly, it is out nowhere.

Here we go. Border number two back into country number one. ...

2026-07-25T10:05:05Z

In reply to nevent1q…eaah
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Here we go. Border number two back into country number one.

Incidentally, this is the third time I walked across the Hungarian border. I once walked from Szentgotthárd to Mogersdorf in Austria. While there was a train, the connection was so terrible and so little happening in Szentgotthárd that I got bored and walked one stop.

Bánréve. Another border town, same game: there is a railway ...

2026-07-25T09:41:17Z

In reply to nevent1q…shmu
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Bánréve. Another border town, same game: there is a railway across the border, but the Hungarian passenger trains refuse to cross it. This time the walk is a bit longer – ninety minutes – and it is high noon in late July, but what cha’ gonna do …

The next stop is Kazincbarcika. The one after that is ...

2026-07-25T09:16:03Z

In reply to nevent1q…l2gk
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The next stop is Kazincbarcika. The one after that is Kazincbarcika alsó.

#SorryNotSorry

If you guessed I’d go to Romania next, I thought about it. But ...

2026-07-25T08:43:24Z

In reply to nevent1q…actt
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If you guessed I’d go to Romania next, I thought about it. But there are replacement busses that way. So, a merry band of Hungarian tiddlers (called Bzmot here after their original designation) it is instead.

Slovenské Nové Mesto (“Slovak New Town”) was created from ...

2026-07-25T07:03:50Z

In reply to nevent1q…8v34
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Slovenské Nové Mesto (“Slovak New Town”) was created from the parts of the Hungarian town of Sátoraljaújhely (which may also be New Town?) that had spilled over the river when that river became the border in 1920.

It also has the railway station on the important main line. The line from Hungary runs to it, but that last bit isn’t electrified, so the passenger trains end in Sátoraljaújhely which is a half hour walk away.

So, border number one into country number two crossed on foot.

I left my cozy sleeper compartment in Trebišov for this. We ...

2026-07-25T05:27:35Z

In reply to nevent1q…pqzp
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I left my cozy sleeper compartment in Trebišov for this.

We should probably talk about the plan. I have nine Interrail days to get home. Let’s see how many countries I can travel through. But as always, we’re not going to race around in fast express trains. Rather, keep it interesting. Hence this little tiddler.

Good morning from Kostoľany nad Hornádom, where the train stops ...

2026-07-25T03:28:50Z

In reply to nevent1q…7nqd
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Good morning from Kostoľany nad Hornádom, where the train stops for half an hour to wait for the sun to rise.

Quick room tour while we wait for departure time to roll around. ...

2026-07-24T20:36:47Z

In reply to nevent1q…p9lq
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Quick room tour while we wait for departure time to roll around. Very classic sleeper compartment, this.

And here is my chariot for tonight. Boringly bland locomotive, ...

2026-07-24T20:31:37Z

In reply to nevent1q…y3ug
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And here is my chariot for tonight. Boringly bland locomotive, six sleepers (three old, three new), one couchette, and three seating cars.

We’re heading to the east of Slovakia. The train is going to Humenné, but I’ll jump off a couple stops early for timetabling reasons.

The train terminates at Bratislava-Petržalka but I need to be at ...

2026-07-24T20:07:39Z

In reply to nevent1q…484x
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The train terminates at Bratislava-Petržalka but I need to be at central station. My plan was to walk – it’s about an hour straight trough the old town –, but ÖBB managed to push the delay to twenty-five minutes which ate up my safety margin.

Luckily, there are busses every ten minutes despite the late hour. And you get at least a glimpse of the city.

The journey begins with the same train that got us here last ...

2026-07-24T18:54:47Z

In reply to nevent1q…azdu
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The journey begins with the same train that got us here last Friday. It even has about the same delay. And no, it wasn’t DB. They dropped it off on the dot in Salzburg both seven days ago and today.