Hmmm
This train to Pécs isn’t great
Between Sárbogárd and Dombóvár it’s single track and quite slow and bumpy. The modern IC+ carriage has nice seats but lots of things rattle. I’d somehow sooner have a real branch line train than this quasi InterCity!
#CrossBorderRail South East Europe 2024 Train 13 of 68
R 7305
12:50 Pécs - Beli Manastir 13:53
MÁV
Train type: MÁV Bzmot railbuses (3 coupled)
⛽️
🚲: ❓(not officially but there’s space)
🦽: ⛔️
🛜: ⛔️
🍽️: ⛔️
🧳: 😐 (high narrow entrances, on board it’s ok)
🧽: 😐 (grimy)
R 7305
12:50 Pécs - Beli Manastir 13:53
Distance: 53.1km
Average speed: 51km/h
12 stops:
Pécs-Külváros
Pécsbánya-Rendező
Pécsudvard
Szőkéd
Áta
Kistótfalu
Vokány
Palkonya
Villánykövesd
Villány
Magyarbóly
Beli Manastir
This train, mapped: https://umap.openstreetmap.fr/en/map/crossborderrail-south-east-europe-v9-draft_1053482#11/45.9227/18.4103
6211
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
Pécsudvard
More bus shelter than train station. A couple get on. The Bzmot’s engine scares a cat
Szőkéd
Brutalist station has seen better days. A dude with funky sunglasses gets on
Magyarbóly
So yes the train did end here today. Then it’s a bus across the border… But it’s waiting.
#CrossBorderRail unexpected bus
Magyarbóly - Beli Manastir
This is border 211
Beli Manastir 🇭🇷 - Magyarbóly 🇭🇺
#CrossBorderRail South East Europe 2024 Train 14 of 68
6211
14:25 Beli Manastir - Osijek 14:56
HŽPP
Train type: Macosa 7121 DMU, 2 carriages
⛽️
🚲: ❓(no official space but you could make it work)
🦽: ❓(pretty sure there’s no ramp, although platform is ok)
🛜: ⛔️
🍽️: ⛔️
🧳: 😐 (narrow doors, no space for large luggage)
🧽: 🙂
6211
14:25 Beli Manastir - Osijek 14:56
Distance: 27.3km
Average speed: 53km/h
4 stops:
Čeminac
Darda
Osijek Dravski Most
Osijek
This train, mapped: https://umap.openstreetmap.fr/en/map/crossborderrail-south-east-europe-v9-draft_1053482#11/45.6594/18.6541
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
These Macosa DMUs in Croatia might look ok outside, but they’re *grim*
The motors are insanely loud
Some have air con - a little less loud, but the air is very bad. This one doesn’t - air is better, but noise is deafening
Pro tip: the very front is the quietest there is. Still not great, but passable!
Overall though the infra here is better than I’d expected - on the whole Pécs - Beli Manastir - Osijek route
Replace the Macosa DMU with something better and run some fewer stops InterRegio trains and this would be pretty good
The reason I had a bus was some engineering works - so totally legitimate
So that was an effing mess
Typical HŽPP
I went towards what I thought was my train (the only train there was) and asked. It wasn’t my train because my train was replaced by a bus between Osijek and Đurđenovac
And then the HŽPP guy got annoyed by my Interrail pass in a bus so cramped my knees are crushed in
Another passenger told me the reason: “emergency track maintenance” 🤷♂️
And really the zeal with which this HŽPP guy is checking tickets on this bus is quite something.
Generally when DB runs a Schienenersatzverkehr bus they don’t check tickets, a sort of “we know this is inconvenient, we’ll leave you in peace”. But not here.
#CrossBorderRail South East Europe 2024 Train 15 of 68
780
17:47 Đurđenovac - Zagreb Glavni kolodvor 22:10
HŽPP
Train type: Končar 7023 DMU, 3 carriages
⛽️
🚲: ✅
🦽: ✅ (if platform allows)
🛜: ✅
🍽️: ⛔️
🧳: 😍 (the most amazing overhead racks - a Birdy fits on there!)
🧽: 🙂
780
17:47 Đurđenovac - Zagreb Glavni kolodvor 22:10
Distance: roughly c. 210km
Average speed: c. 47km/h
18 stops:
Zdenci-Orahovica
Čačinci
Slatina
Cabuna
Suhopolje
Virovitica
Virovitica Grad
Špišić-Bukovica
Vukosavljevica
Pitomača
Kloštar
Đurđevac
Virje
Koprivnica
Križevci
Vrbovec
Dugo Selo
Zagreb Glavni Kol.
This train, mapped from Osijek the original route: https://umap.openstreetmap.fr/en/map/crossborderrail-south-east-europe-v9-draft_1053482#9/45.8259/17.3364
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
Zdenci-Orahovica
One passenger alights. An elderly gentleman sits on a bench and observes. And on we go
Čačinci
A more modern building. Next to a massive silo. This was once more important than today. 2 get on, 1 off
This Končar built DMU (built 2019) has two roof mounted diesel engines. But the part where all the seats are is below these engines. The middle car without engine is the PRM toilet and multi use area…
The noise level is ok, but I have been in better
https://www.railwaygazette.com/traction-and-rolling-stock/konar-kev-dmu-enters-service/42090.article
CROATIA: Passenger operator HŽ PP's first Končar KEV Class 7023 diesel multiple-unit entered revenue service on February 15, operating on the route between Zagreb, Varaždin and Kotoriba. The three-car articulated DMU is 58·5 m long. It has 151 fixed and nine folding seats, two wheelchair spaces, space for two ...
😢
Cabuna
No one gets on or off. It’s a charming little station with an impeccably dressed HŽPP employee there
This train is painfully slow
And peculiar
Normally when a train is doing barely 50km/h, the reason is obvious - the track is very bad
But we’re on smooth-ish welded track here. 80km/h ought to be doable!
Suhopolje
The station manager whistles and we’re on our way. With no new passengers on board. Neat station building too, and a manual level crossing at the exit of the village
Jon Worth
Sandeha Lynch