Mastodawn

Nick Piggott 🇪🇺Dec 21, 2023

In today's 'the UK is a totally normal country', I got 12 pieces of cardboard for a journey from Bristol to York and back. #trains

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Tom Ritchford Dec 21, 2023

@nickpiggott

How frustrating.

Up until two weeks ago, I was British but now I'm Dutch.

I can travel anywhere in the Netherlands with this little plastic card and generate no paper. The trains aren't entirely cheap, but of course not as expensive as the UK. Before COVID they were shockingly, obsessively reliable. Now they're just pretty reliable, which is still very good.

Sorry, sorry, not trying to show off, I was trying to agree...

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hamato Dec 22, 2023

@TomSwirly @nickpiggott Fun fact: While German trains have regular problems being on time, they run like clockworks in the Netherlands. I asked a ticket inspector about it and he told me that the Dutch railroads would have to pay penalties if they make the German trains run late, so they make way for them, resulting in the Dutch trains running late. The things you learn working as an international consultant.

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Tom Ritchford Dec 22, 2023

@hamato @nickpiggott We have some train problems here since COVID.

Oh, don't get me wrong: the trains here are far, far more punctual (and cleaner, and better maintained) than DB! And we haven't really been inconvenienced.

Now almost every time I look at a train signboard, I see trains marked with something I'd never seen before, "Cancelled due to logistical reasons". I am told it's personnel shortages.

I'm sure it's just a coincidence that no one here takes COVID or masking seriously.

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hamato

@TomSwirly @nickpiggott

Yes, people seem to have forgotten about COVID. Just look at the christmas markets, everyone sneezing and coughing in every direction, people with cold symptoms going to work etc.

DB has serious trouble finding people though, and they've been running massive want ad campaigns for a while. They're understaffed in many areas, which makes them more vulnerable to people calling in sick or leaving for greener pastures.