Mastodawn

Jon Worth Jun 3, 2024

Welcome to today's thread - #CrossBorderRail South East Europe Day 05 03 Jun 2024 - Vilnius - Warszawa, onto night train

Crossing these borders:
Road border 🇱🇹 🇵🇱
Zebrzydowice 🇵🇱 - Bohumín 🇨🇿

These borders on the borders map:
https://umap.openstreetmap.fr/en/map/crossborderrail-all-the-borders_935041#10/54.2528/23.3199

Today's routes on the routes map:
https://umap.openstreetmap.fr/en/map/crossborderrail-all-the-borders_935041#10/54.2528/23.3199

#CrossBorderRail All The Borders

All of Europe's rail borders - categorised by type, and whether I (Jon Worth) have been to the location. KEY Black - #000000: visited in 2022 during #CrossBorderRail Project Dark grey - #222222: visited in since the 2022 project Mid grey - #555555: tramways and narrow gauge lines, visited Light grey - #999999: not yet visited Very light grey - #BBBBBB: used for tramways and narrow gauge lines ICONS Track with cross - track is missing or out of use Train with cross, and track - track is useable but no passenger trains Train and track - passenger trains run Map developed as part of my #CrossBorderRail project http://crossborderrail.trainsforeurope.eu/

uMap

Jon Worth Jun 3, 2024

Here’s today’s intro video https://peertube.netzbegruenung.de/w/iBHLZodEVTZm7p9k7yW9Jg

#CrossBorderRail South East Europe 2024 - 6/3/2024, 3:07:46 AM

PeerTube

Jon Worth Jun 3, 2024

No I’m not going to Minskas. But a bus did just depart for there… 🇧🇾

Jon Worth Jun 3, 2024

Nasty situation boarding Lux Express at Vilnius

Driver isn’t happy with a driving license to confirm my name when boarding. Demands my ID. “Border control to Poland!” he says

Sorry *but you’re a private company’s bus driver*, not the border control!

He gets quite arsey about it

Jon Worth Jun 3, 2024

Whichever way you look at this it’s wrong

EITHER the responsibility is put on a private firm to check ID, which is wrong

OR it isn’t, Lux Express takes it upon themselves to do this - but that’s them taking too much power

All Lux Express needs do is check my name matches my ticket - a driving license would be fine

Jon Worth Jun 3, 2024

Poland has NO temporary suspension of #Schengen. So any control at the border cannot be systematic. But - based on what the driver said here - every bus is controlled. Chipping away at the EU project, piece by piece… https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/policies/schengen-borders-and-visa/schengen-area/temporary-reintroduction-border-control_en

I bet Magda Kopczynska flying back to Brussels from Tallinn didn’t face this shit

Temporary Reintroduction of Border Control

Learn which Schengen countries are currently reintroducing temporary border control in accordance with the Schengen Borders Code.

Migration and Home Affairs

Jon Worth Jun 3, 2024

The problem is Poland has such a damned authoritarian ID law that even were the border controller to claim it’s just an ID check, not a border control, I’ve got no way other than an ID card to prove my identity. It’s not like Germany where there are multiple ways to prove it. #Schengen

Jon Worth Jun 3, 2024

Humans have created so many places hostile to humans

Jon Worth Jun 3, 2024

You’re finding money to build massive palaces of consumerism, but can’t find money for a handful of trains to allow people to travel without needing cars

Jon Worth Jun 3, 2024

#CrossBorderRail South East Europe 2024 Bus 4 of 20
Route: LuxExpress EL-20
07:10 Vilnius - Warszawa 14:45
Lux Express

Distance: 462.2km
Average speed: 54km/h

Bus type: Scania Irizar i6s 3 axels
⛽️
🚲: ❓(there’d be space in the hold but officially not allowed I think)
🦽: ⛔️ (I can see no way to get a wheelchair on here)
🛜: ✅
🍽️: ✅ (there’s coffee)
🧳: 🙂 (massive hold)
🧽: 🙂

Jon Worth Jun 3, 2024

Here via @xgebi is the Lux Express bike policy https://luxexpress.eu/en/travelling-with-bike/ Which doesn’t cover this route, and on some routes they can deny you taking a bike. So it’s far from sure. I think ❓ is hence right.

Bicycle rides for FREE on Lux Express buses

Travel stress-free with your bike on the Lux Express bus! With a bicycle ticket, there is always a guaranteed place for a passenger's bicycle.

Luxexpress

Jon Worth Jun 3, 2024

Also as @algowatching asked: why am I taking a bus here not a train?

It’s only for timetable reasons. I’d have missed the night train from Warszawa onwards to Budapest

(And while Vilnius-Warszawa shows as direct it’s not - you have to change in Mockava. But the connection is guaranteed)

Jon Worth Jun 3, 2024

Approaching the border

What fun and games are there going to be with the Polish police I wonder?

There’s a guy in the bus who looks central Asian. My bet is he’s the one they pick on

Jon Worth Jun 3, 2024

So the bus isn’t even flagged down. It stops at its own initiative. Lithuanians check. This is totally systematic. Clear breach of EU law.

Machanarchiste (elle) 🏳️‍⚧️⏚Jun 3, 2024

So when is a border control not a border control?

Lithuanian border police checks every passenger. I ask him why he doesn’t check trucks and cars. Dude ignores it and moves on

This is obviously systematic

A reminder: Lithuania and Poland are in #Schengen. Neither has a Schengen suspension. This is clearly and obviously illegal.

Jon Worth Jun 3, 2024

Oh here we go. There’s a dude with darker skin. Polish guard takes an extra look at him. #Schengen

Jon Worth Jun 3, 2024

I ask the Polish border guard “Is Poland in #Schengen ?” Yes he says. “So why do you control?” He ignores me and moves on.

Jon Worth Jun 3, 2024

Also both Lithuanian and Polish controls here were completely unprofessional. The guys were just looking at passports. No scanning of numbers. If you were an actual criminal you’d get through this no problem. What a lousy show of placebo security. #Schengen

Jon Worth Jun 3, 2024

These controls here at the Poland - Lithuania border are (like everywhere else these checks happen) just to show something is being done

Anyone half skillful would take a back road where there were no controls. Or have a decent fake ID which would pass these cursory checks here

These checks at best pick up some poor and vulnerable people, and some idiots. Neither of those groups is really a danger to anyone

Jon Worth Jun 3, 2024

Border controls within #Schengen - basically systematic racism and discrimination against poor people, in the name of “security”

Makes me furious

Jon Worth Jun 3, 2024

And sorry for my naivety. But I believe in the rule of law. Without it we’re sunk. #Schengen

Jon Worth Jun 3, 2024

Just a small reminder for those who might not have seen all my #CrossBorderRail work: pink pins are the 210 rail borders I’ve been to in the past 2 years

So what I’ve seen today at the Poland - Lithuania road border is no surprise. It happens all over the place. But I’m still angry about it

Zoomable map: https://umap.openstreetmap.fr/en/map/crossborderrail-all-the-borders_935041#4/51.78/5.45

#CrossBorderRail All The Borders

All of Europe's rail borders - categorised by type, and whether I (Jon Worth) have been to the location. KEY Black - #000000: visited in 2022 during #CrossBorderRail Project Dark grey - #222222: visited in since the 2022 project Mid grey - #555555: tramways and narrow gauge lines, visited Light grey - #999999: not yet visited Very light grey - #BBBBBB: used for tramways and narrow gauge lines ICONS Track with cross - track is missing or out of use Train with cross, and track - track is useable but no passenger trains Train and track - passenger trains run Map developed as part of my #CrossBorderRail project http://crossborderrail.trainsforeurope.eu/

uMap

Jon Worth Jun 3, 2024

Now within 50km of Warszawa. Long and tedious trip from Vilnius, almost all motorway and almost all flat. The 2 drivers system meant only a 2 minute stop for them to switch. If you ever need to make this trip, take the train if you can. Lux Express is orderly and better than Flix, but it’s still a bus. #CrossBorderRail

Jon Worth Jun 3, 2024

I’ve meanwhile teleported myself to Croatia #CrossBorderRail

Jon Worth Jun 3, 2024

As the Rail Baltica part of this #CrossBorderRail project has now reached its end, I have written up some preliminary conclusions

Rail Baltica: better informed but none the wiser
https://crossborderrail.trainsforeurope.eu/rail-baltica-better-informed-but-none-the-wiser/

Jon Worth Jun 3, 2024

Using the time in Warszawa for a 20km cycle north along the river. Joyous, especially the north east side! #CrossBorderRail

Jon Worth Jun 3, 2024

PKP IC has really stated to change. Ok, the IC to Poznan here (not my train) is vMax 160km/h, but it’s *impeccably clean*. #CrossBorderRail

Jon Worth Jun 3, 2024

Oh yes! I was supposed to have a modern carriage but instead I have a #FensterAuf old one all the way to Budapest 😍 PERFECT! #CrossBorderRail

Jon Worth Jun 3, 2024

Ok this is the best Kvas in a bottle. Valmiermuiža from 🇱🇻 Thanks @ojars

Jon Worth Jun 3, 2024

#CrossBorderRail South East Europe 2024 Train 11 of 68
EN 407
19:34 Warszawa Centralna - Budapest Nyugati 08:29
PKP & MÁV

Train type: Siemens EU44 locomotive (Warszawa-Bohumín), Škoda 362 (Bohumín - Břeclav), Škoda 380 (Břeclav - Budapest), 3 carriages (1 sleeping car, 1 couchette, 1 seating car) Warszawa-Budapest, more carriages to other destinations
⚡️
🚲: ❓(maybe in other carriages? Not in this one)
🦽: ⛔️ (no disabled access carriage - poor)
🛜: ⛔️
🍽️: ✅ (basic snacks)
🧳: 🙂 (good enough)
🧽: 🙂

Jon Worth Jun 3, 2024

EN 407
19:34 Warszawa Centralna - Budapest Nyugati 08:29

Distance: 945.7km
Average speed: 73km/h

17 stops:
Warszawa Zachodnia
Opoczno Południe
Włoszczowa Północ
Miechów
Kraków Główny
Oświęcim
Czechowice-Dziedzice
Zebrzydowice
Bohumín
Ostrava Hl.N.
Břeclav
Kúty
Bratislava Hl.St.
Nové Zámky
Štúrovo
Vác
Budapest-Nyugati

This train, mapped: https://umap.openstreetmap.fr/en/map/crossborderrail-south-east-europe-v9-draft_1053482#7/49.927/18.945

#CrossBorderRail South East Europe v9 Draft

The routes for #CrossBorderRail South East Europe May-June 2024 - see http://crossborderrail.trainsforeurope.eu/ HOW TO USE THIS MAP Lines on the map show train, bus and bike routes - each plotted as accurately as possible. PURPLE and ORANGE lines are train routes. These alternate - one day purples, one day oranges. A different shade indicates a different train. GREEN lines are bus routes. GREY lines are bike routes - more details about these can be found on Komoot here: https://www.komoot.de/user/1897747552710 The full timetable for these routes is here: https://nextcloud.techpolitics.eu/index.php/s/ZjdP5YGH6ZS6ZHK Details of all of Europe's rail border crossings can be found in this map: https://umap.openstreetmap.fr/en/map/crossborderrail-all-the-borders_838780

uMap

Jon Worth Jun 3, 2024

Just got a cell broadcast warning me of storms

But *where*?

I’m on a train… 🙂

A link would be handy!

Jon Worth Jun 3, 2024

Here’s this evening’s summary from the night train to Budapest https://peertube.netzbegruenung.de/w/mp7rgz6FgK4baKvDjf65oN

#CrossBorderRail South East Europe 2024 - 6/3/2024, 7:18:35 PM

PeerTube

Marc Hedlund Jun 3, 2024

@jon I once got an earthquake alert for the Bay Area while taxiing on a plane in Northern Sweden. 😂 Better too many alerts than too few, maybe? But detail helps!

Loukas (They/Them) 🏳️‍⚧️Jun 3, 2024

@jon oh no, it's like trying to catch a Pokémon on a train

tops Jun 3, 2024

@jon also got those when I was in Poland last month. 3 warnings, 0 storms.

Jon Worth Jun 3, 2024

@tops to be fair there were clouds mounting in Warszawa. It could have rained… 🙂

Vlad 🇺🇦Jun 3, 2024

@jon @tops forget rain - those would have been “adverse weather conditions” ;)

Wrzlbrnft Jun 3, 2024

@jon We need much more Kvas in this world. Especially in Western Europe. 🥺 @ojars

Jon Worth Jun 3, 2024

@wrzlbrnft @ojars we can ship it from Latvia on Rail Baltica! 🙂

Wrzlbrnft Jun 3, 2024

@jon "Kvas Europa Express" 👍 @ojars

DasTausW Jun 3, 2024

@jon @ojars How does Kvas taste like?

Jon Worth Jun 3, 2024

@DasTausW @ojars like rye-malt with a slight acid edge but sweetness too

Martha Jun 3, 2024

@jon
The Night Train to Budapest is a something so filled with the promise of adventure, to me at least, and how wonderful that you have a traditional type compartment.

Jon Worth Jun 3, 2024

@Island_Martha if it were 35°c this would be grim. It’s 25°c so it’s perfect 🤩

Philipp Jun 3, 2024

@jon Will you be sleeping with the window open or would that be too noisy?

Jon Worth Jun 3, 2024

@pb let’s see. It’ll depend on how hot it is. Maybe by 2300 it’ll be cool enough to close it

Niklas Jun 3, 2024

@jon any ID checks at the teleport station?

Tor Lillqvist Jun 3, 2024

@jon I once took Lux Express from Warszawa to Tallinn, with a two hour change in Vilnius. Some 20 hours. Not pleasant. Not really sure whether the possibility to watch some stupid films or videos on a small screen on the seat back in front of me, or free coffee/tea, is enough to qualify the “Lux” name.

Jon Worth Jun 3, 2024

@tml Right. It’s better than other buses. But it’s still a bus!

Martha Jun 3, 2024

@jon @tml
I've been fortunate enough to take a train to Warsawa - the night train from Tallinn before it was discontinued and I agree - train is better. But if bus is your only option - LUX Express is the better option.

Jon Worth Jun 3, 2024

@Island_Martha @tml simple solution, short term: a daily Tallinn-Riga-Kaunas would connect with a Kaunas-Berlin night train there 🙂

Martha Jun 3, 2024

@jon @tml
That's so logical and has so many of the pieces in place or en-train, that I almost believe it might happen. I'd love to take a train to Berlin one time again.

ThomasToSpace Jun 3, 2024

@jon Funny you've been to a railborder 8 km away from me, and I haven't been myself.

Jon Worth Jun 3, 2024

@thomastospace active or inactive line though? If it’s inactive I get why no one would go!

ThomasToSpace Jun 3, 2024

@jon Inactive! Dalheim 🇩🇪 - Vlodrop 🇳🇱 .

A line which will also stay closed forever. Connection to Mönchengladbach can be better done from Venlo, and nobody wants new trains through the forest.

Still an interesting history.

Jon Worth Jun 3, 2024

@thomastospace Agree 💯. It’s a nice forest - do go 🙂

However that poses a problem for Hamont - Weert (that ought to open to passenger traffic, and the line is there). Netherlands doesn’t want it, because they fear Germany will want to re open through Dalheim.

IMHO you can want Hamont-Weert without wanting Dalheim-Vlodrop, but the Dutch government doesn’t see it that way.

ThomasToSpace Jun 3, 2024

@jon Interesting. I thought there was work on the Weert connection being made, but without the German connection. Roadpasses have also been removed, which made me a little sad because I always envisioned a little cyclerail tourist attraction there.

The forest I've been to, and parts of the railline as well. Just not to the border crossing.

I've heard of some stories of people wanting a tunnel below the forest though. But there's no way that's worth the cost.

Jon Worth Jun 3, 2024

@thomastospace Forget any tunnel there. Never economic because Venlo is quite close.

Re Weert - there are vague ideas, but nothing concrete. Prorail would have to build a new platform in Weert and aren’t keen, not least as it’d be mostly Belgians using the line to commute but the costly investments are Dutch side. Not insurmountable but not simple either.

Jon Worth Jun 3, 2024

@thomastospace also for the record here: of course I’m pro railways, but some lines make no sense to re-open and Roermond - Dalheim is one of those. I aim to find places where re-opening makes sense.

ThomasToSpace Jun 3, 2024

@jon Yeah. I wonder about your opinion though, what do you think makes sense around Maastricht and going west from there? I feel like connections to Genk & Hasselt would make sense, but maybe I'm missing something.

Jon Worth Jun 3, 2024

@thomastospace abandon the tram plan for good, and make a Hasselt - Maastricht railway on the old alignment. It’d really work, for regional and intercity trains. But no one is advocating it currently.

Martin Hoffmann Jun 3, 2024

@jon Ironically, the ministers responsible for upholding the law apparently don’t.

Daniel Jun 3, 2024

@jon Same experience when taking the train crossing the Germany / Denmark border.

I've taken the Hamburg -> Copenhagen train a lot in the last couple of years and it's the same Spiel every time.

Jon Worth Jun 3, 2024

@djh at least Denmark has requested a Schengen suspension.

Daniel Jun 3, 2024

@jon Wowza I did not know that 😮 looks like it's going back to 2016 and they're extending it every six months 🤔

Found a page with all declared current exceptions:

https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/policies/schengen-borders-and-visa/schengen-area/temporary-reintroduction-border-control_en

Temporary Reintroduction of Border Control

Learn which Schengen countries are currently reintroducing temporary border control in accordance with the Schengen Borders Code.

Migration and Home Affairs

Jon Worth Jun 3, 2024

@djh Yep. That’s the page I use. It’s depressing.

Rémi Cardona Jun 3, 2024

@jon Never apologize for defending one of the cornerstones of democracy. A massive +1 from me.

Luke Philipps Jun 3, 2024

@jon
Jup.
https://swiss.social/@LukePhilipps/111767797865920239

Luke Philipps (@[email protected])

Ich bin mir ja meiner Privilegien im.Grunde schon bewusst. Aber manchmal verdränge ich die Auswirkungen halt. Heute beim Grenzübertritt per Bahn von Ungarn nach Österreich, nahm der Beamte meine schweizer ID nicht mal in die Hand, die Kontrolle dauerte keine drei Sekunden. Während die Kontrolle nahezu aller anderen Passagiere ein bis fünf Minuten in Anspruch nahm. Und wenn man es schon auf ein Plastikkärtchen runterbricht: Ich bin ja nichtmal EU-Bürger.

swiss.social

BarryP Jun 3, 2024

@jon UK Border Control is now more active than it used to be. Last year at Newhaven and this May in Poole. Car inspected (inc. under bonnet in Poole), and contents of back (camping equipment) poked for stowaways.
Nothing done arriving in France - customs booths shut in Cherbourg.

And talking of cross-Channel travel - FT Edit article on Eurostar competitors today: https://apple.news/A6HKLBbL8Ssuw-IP-P4GYUw

Making tracks: is Eurostar’s monopoly under threat? — FT Edit

Companies are exploring rival operations to run trains through the Channel Tunnel

cyplo Jun 3, 2024

@jon yeah who tends to apply for border guard positions are people that wanna see "Poland be Polish again" and other nonsense - source is me being Polish and seeing those folks frequently

Elias Probst Jun 3, 2024

@jon "This magic sentence to defeat border guards will surprise you! Click here to find out more about the cross-border rail superpowers!"

leah is looking for work

@jon Bavarian border police does the same thing on cross-border trains from Austria, straight up racial profiling.

Carlos Burges Jun 3, 2024

@mae @jon Can confirm this. Everytime.

Jon Worth Jun 3, 2024

@carlos_burges @mae I have crossed more than 200 internal EU borders on this project. Racist profiling is everywhere. Sadly.