Crowdfunding for my #CrossBorderRail 2023 the Germany borders project has now started
You can find out more about the project here π
https://crossborderrail.trainsforeurope.eu/2023-germany-project/
And the crowdfunding page is here π
https://www.betterplace.org/en/projects/120695-crossborderrail-2023-germany
But what am I trying to do with this project? Why do this in May 2023? Whatβs the purpose of this?
The 𧡠will explain!
This is where I am going
In 2022 I crossed every internal border of the EU you can cross by train (this map shows where I went), but notably I did not test every single cross border line.
So in 2023 I am filling in the gaps - going to the places I did NOT go in 2023.
Zoomable map from the 2022 project π
https://umap.openstreetmap.fr/en/map/crossborderrail_739022#6/50.336/12.465
Zoomable map for the 2023 route π
https://umap.openstreetmap.fr/en/map/crossborderrail-de-2023_835860#7/51.202/9.320
This is the map from last year
The basic issue is this: when you cross a border by train in Europe, everything gets more complicated. Trains are less regular, timetables are not coordinated, tickets are harder to get.
If we are to boost railβs market share then it needs to be as easy to take a train across a border as it is to take one within one country
I develop this more in the video summary of #CrossBorderRail 2022 π
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_l6bnvI7zQ
Between 2nd and 15th May I am going to explore 30 current, past and future cross border lines
π Aachen π©πͺ - Welkenraedt π§πͺ
π Cheb π¨πΏ - Schirnding π¦πΉ
π Furth im Wald π©πͺ - Domazlice π¨πΏ
π Gouvy π§πͺ - Troisvierges π±πΊ
π Gronau π©πͺ - Enschede π³π±
π Lauterbourg π«π· - Berg (Pfalz) π©πͺ
π SaarbrΓΌcken π©πͺ - Sarreguemines π«π·
π Sebnitz π©πͺ - DolnΓ Poustevna π¨πΏ
π Simbach (Inn) π©πͺ - Braunau am Inn π¦πΉ
π Wasserbillig π±πΊ - Konz π©πͺ
π Wernstein π¦πΉ - Passau π©πͺ
π· Rail border between Selb-PlΓΆΓberg π©πͺ and AΕ‘ π¨πΏ, #CrossBorderRail 2022
@mrmarkporter It's mostly linked to the voltage change in Aachen (from 15kV ac to 3kV dc - sometimes that fails, and they stop the train there as a result).
The problem then is that the fleet of trains for BE and NL - ICE 406 series - is too small. So sending a few for full overhaul to fix these issues, short term, means reducing the service.
Change will come next year, all being well, with the 408 series approved for Belgium.
Jon Worth
Mark Porter