Where are you on the transport network?

[teuchter]

A little while ago SNCF bifurcated their TGV services into two models both with stupid names. "Inoui" the regular and somewhat more expensive ones, and "Ouigo" a kind of easyjet on rails with baggage restrictions and often using out of town stations.

More recently Trenitalia (the italian state operator) started running services between Paris & Lyon under their "Frecciarossa" high-speed brand. This I think is the first time SNCF have had competition on an entirely domestic service (Trenitalia have run Paris <> Milan for some time).

Travelled on one this afternoon. Cheaper fares than SNCF Inoui and more comfortable than the SNCF Ouigo. And they have a "silenzio" section where you can be untroubled by people playing tiktok clips on their phones. Would recommend.




I was in standard class but you can also choose business or first where you get a giant leather chair and obsequious staff bring you coffee and wine; too vulgar for me obviously but I suspect it would appeal to the airport lounge crowd on here.

 

[Isambard]

Salut & Ciao! Really like Frecciarossa from TrenItalia. And quiet zones are a godsend, always try and use them on DB, ÖBB - and the GWR haycart when I go back to Cidercountry.

 

[teuchter]

I've yet to come across a quiet zone on a UK train that is actually enforced by staff or observed by all of its occupants. A while ago I gave up and bought some noise cancelling headphones.

 

[brogdale]

Freedom for the suburbs!

 

[danny la rouge]

Scotch Corner A66.

 

[hash tag]

New York it's not

 

[Isambard]

Aachen Hauptbahnhof and the start of the great west to east railway adventure, across Germany in 1 day using only regional trains.

 

[teuchter]

Aachen Hauptbahnhof and the start of the great west to east railway adventure, across Germany in 1 day using only regional trains.
View attachment 413530

I lived in Aachen for a short time in the late 1990s. Then there was the "Schones Wochenende" ticket - which let you travel anywhere in Germany for a fixed price for the weekend, as long as you only used local trains. And yes I did use it to get from Aachen to the Polish border and back, amongst various other expeditions. That was during the time that there were still some rather interesting obscure sevices operating in ex- East Germany.

 

[Isambard]

Then there was the "Schones Wochenende" ticket

Sadly the price and validity of such tickets got worse and worse from a passenger's point of view that they became almost worthless.

Now people are using the €49 Deutschland Ticket. All of Germany for 1 month, excluding InterCity trains.

 

[teuchter]

Now people are using the €49 Deutschland Ticket. All of Germany for 1 month, excluding InterCity trains.

I'm yet to have a go with this myself.

I think France is going to introduce something similar this year too?

 

[Sue]

Heathrow T5 by the Lizard line. (Piccadilly line is knackered and I'm not paying anyway so .)

 

[Isambard]

12 hours and 5 regional trains later reached the eastern edge of Germany and crossed over the River Oder into Poland.

The odd couple of minutes late and then regained here and there but generally on time. All the connections had plenty of time to change trains and buy drinks & snacks and although the trains were full, there was a seat for everyone, made it less stressful than some similar trips. Wifi & power sockets working, toilets acceptable to good.

And for the grumblers who moan about Europeans running rail franchises in the UK, 4 of today's 5 trains were Dutch, Italian or UK owned......

 

[T & P]

View attachment 413623

12 hours and 5 regional trains later reached the eastern edge of Germany and crossed over the River Oder into Poland.

The odd couple of minutes late and then regained here and there but generally on time. All the connections had plenty of time to change trains and buy drinks & snacks and although the trains were full, there was a seat for everyone, made it less stressful than some similar trips. Wifi & power sockets working, toilets acceptable to good.

And for the grumblers who moan about Europeans running rail franchises in the UK, 4 of today's 5 trains were Dutch, Italian or UK owned......

Re your last paragraph: are you talking about trainsets or rail franchises? If the latter, I wasn’t aware there were so many in Germany, or any for that matter.

But whereas my natural instinct is to favour State-run national networks over franchise lines, if rail fares in this country were similar to those in Germany, I don’t think many people would have a problem. The objection here is not about European companies operating franchises per se, but the fact that most of them are piss poor at running trains, there is poor fare integration between different lines, and train fares here are for the most part extortionate.

 

[Isambard]

Re your last paragraph: are you talking about trainsets or rail franchises? If the latter, I wasn’t aware there were so many in Germany, or any for that matter.

ALL regional train services in Germany are subject to halfway competitive tendering for 10-20 year contracts and UK/Dutch/Italian operators are players in the market.

DB is still a dominant player and they have won back some contracts, but they only have (subjective guess) about 50% of routes maybe.....

Trainsets are increasingly standardised, Siemens, Alstom etc.

 

[teuchter]

Re your last paragraph: are you talking about trainsets or rail franchises? If the latter, I wasn’t aware there were so many in Germany, or any for that matter.

But whereas my natural instinct is to favour State-run national networks over franchise lines, if rail fares in this country were similar to those in Germany, I don’t think many people would have a problem. The objection here is not about European companies operating franchises per se, but the fact that most of them are piss poor at running trains, there is poor fare integration between different lines, and train fares here are for the most part extortionate.

When did you last travel on the German regional/long distance rail network?

 

[T & P]

When did you last travel on the German regional/long distance rail network?

About three years ago, but I didn't purchase any of the tickets.

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

About three years ago, but I didn't purchase any of the tickets.

Fare dodging ftw

 

[teuchter]

 

[T & P]

View attachment 414127View attachment 414128View attachment 414129

Is that one of the new/ newish rolling stock as compared with legacy sleeper coaches? It looks quite fresh and shiny. What are the cabins like?

 

[teuchter]

Is that one of the new/ newish rolling stock as compared with legacy sleeper coaches? It looks quite fresh and shiny. What are the cabins like?

Yes. Have been on these a couple of times in the seats and once before in a cabin but that was during Covid so the dining car wasn't open. So first time tonight having dinner in the new dining car, which doesn't quite have the charm of the old ones, but actually isn't bad at all.

The cabin looks like this.


These trains had rather a lot of teething problems at the beginning and seemingly not the greatest build quality and I wondered whether, a couple of years down the line they'd be starting to look a bit shabby but actually still look quite new, as you say. Save for a couple of things.

 

[T & P]

Yes. Have been on these a couple of times in the seats and once before in a cabin but that was during Covid so the dining car wasn't open. So first time tonight having dinner in the new dining car, which doesn't quite have the charm of the old ones, but actually isn't bad at all.

The cabin looks like this.
View attachment 414134

These trains had rather a lot of teething problems at the beginning and seemingly not the greatest build quality and I wondered whether, a couple of years down the line they'd be starting to look a bit shabby but actually still look quite new, as you say. Save for a couple of things.

Looks nice enough to me, certainly as far what you would expect from any overnight train cabin outside of a Pullman coach-like luxury experience.

 

[Elpenor]

Any report on the station lounge?

 

[teuchter]

Any report on the station lounge?

There's actually a first class lounge at Euston for sleeper passengers. Didn't have a first class ticket though so can't report, sorry.

 

[iona]

There's actually a first class lounge at Euston for sleeper passengers. Didn't have a first class ticket though so can't report, sorry.

I thought it was good when I was there last year but then I've never been in any other station/airport/etc lounges to compare it with. Usually I get the cheap seats but I was travelling with my mum and they only had "club" cabins left.

How was the dining car? We ate pretty much as soon as we got on the train but a few people had ordered before us and they'd already run out of half the things on the menu.

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

Looks nice enough to me, certainly as far what you would expect from any overnight train cabin outside of a Pullman coach-like luxury experience.

It’s shite.

We did it a couple of years ago, the dining car is nice enough, similar to a priority pass lounge, so no wonder toocher is impressed, but Frau Bahn who hates flying has vowed never again for that awful train, fly to Inverness, takes an hour from Heathrow rather than 13 hours on a noisy, cramped train.

 

[teuchter]

 

[teuchter]

How was the dining car? We ate pretty much as soon as we got on the train but a few people had ordered before us and they'd already run out of half the things on the menu.

Seemed quite busy but they hadn't run out of things (have had that experience in the past). We have a well practiced strategy to get in there asap before all the seats get taken, which was successful.
Train was pretty much full despite it being a thursday in February. Apparently it is booked up most nights now. A few years ago, if you travelled off season it would usually be rather quiet.

 

[brogdale]

Unless you're very quick, somewhere that you'll never be Yes, today is the last day of the dear old 455





That route!



Farewell 455.

 

[brogdale]

Looking at that second photo I've noticed that the poor old 455's number had already been removed from the bus-stop post.

 

[hash tag]

Guilty