lars' transport worldUsually, I prefer everyday trains over tourist trains. So, this train is rather touristy for my taste. But I am one myself, so I can't complain.
The group is not very diverse though. Most passengers in the 60's and 70's. I hear a lot of Swedish and English. The staff's explanations of the historical background are interesting. #Norrut
The wilderness (and forestry) rolling past #Inlandsbanan is stunning. Most of the times, there is no internet. So, I could even witness Swedes paying their fika from the bistro area with cash. 😳
#Norrut
#Norrut
Anslutande buss, anyone? #Norrut
(Seems to be a relict from the 1960's or older, otherwise the door on the left side wouldn't make sense)
At Arvidsjaur, we leave the train like most travellers for a little break. 24 hours later, we are back again. #Norrut
The trip further north to Gällivare is as beautiful as Östersund-Gällivare. I could toot so many pictures, here are four of them. 😍 There are less passengers in the train, but more younger people. Even some families. The staff is kind as on the day before. #Norrut
My personal highlight of day 2 was the crossing of the Piteälven on a combined train-road-bridge, i.e. the bridge is a level crossing at the same time. There is a break for getting off the train and walk over the bridge. #Norrut
Inlandsbanan, northern section: Done ✅ (for the 2nd time)
After a six hours ride from Arvidsjaur, we are reaching the northern terminus Gällivare at late evening. #Norrut
Gällivare seems to be creative in naming their parts of the city. "Andra sidan" is located... well, on the other side of the station and the river. #Norrut
Is the terminus of Inlandsbanan north enough? Nej, as there is a railway line going further north. Vy is taking us further #norrut to one of the most northern stations in Europe, where we are going to have something I'd call two-three days off. Bye for now 😊
Welcome back! I have spent the last days in a wonderful region. You can find images of overwhelming landscapes online yourself. 😉 Instead, I want to resume the past days with a portrait of some randomly picked stations along the #Malmbanan / #Ofotbanen. It is a very remote 🇸🇪🇳🇴 #CrossBorderRail line with two passenger trains daily, but a lot of freight trains. A 🧵 in a 🧵. (1/6) #Norrut
Abisko Östra - the functional station
The station has a long island platform that is accessed from the small station hall. It is both a staircase and a waiting room. There are a lift and toilets. The old station building is not open to the public. Two trains per day in each direction. (2/6) #Norrut
The station has a long island platform that is accessed from the small station hall. It is both a staircase and a waiting room. There are a lift and toilets. The old station building is not open to the public. Two trains per day in each direction. (2/6) #Norrut
Vassijaure - the northernmost station in 🇸🇪 Sweden
The railay infrastructure itself is rather simple. The area between the station building and the first track is covered with gravel. A tiny "platform edge" makes boarding the train easier. There is a waiting room in the building and even "toaletter". The plural is actually wrong, as there is only one "toalett". 🤓 There is "outstanding" passenger information. One train a day in each direction. (3/6) #Norrut
The railay infrastructure itself is rather simple. The area between the station building and the first track is covered with gravel. A tiny "platform edge" makes boarding the train easier. There is a waiting room in the building and even "toaletter". The plural is actually wrong, as there is only one "toalett". 🤓 There is "outstanding" passenger information. One train a day in each direction. (3/6) #Norrut
Katterjåkk - the tiny station
Katterjåkk's station building of today is a small hut. There is also a digital departure board outside on the gravel platform. Two trains per day and direction. (4/6) #Norrut
Katterjåkk's station building of today is a small hut. There is also a digital departure board outside on the gravel platform. Two trains per day and direction. (4/6) #Norrut
Riksgränsen - the simple station
Riksgränsen station is located 700 metres from the border 🇸🇪🇳🇴. Half of the station is located in the gallery, but there are no other waiting facilities, not even a bench. A digital departure board in the covered area informs passengers on the two trains per day and direction. (5/6) #Norrut
Riksgränsen station is located 700 metres from the border 🇸🇪🇳🇴. Half of the station is located in the gallery, but there are no other waiting facilities, not even a bench. A digital departure board in the covered area informs passengers on the two trains per day and direction. (5/6) #Norrut
Bjørnfjell - The museum station
Bjørnfjell is the 🇳🇴 border station of this #CrossBorderRail line. The station building has a large waiting room with magazines, books and even board games. There are plenty of toilets. The (former?) ticket office is separated by a glass partition. Tickets and cash are exchanged using small wooden drawers. Unfortunately, the passenger information consists only of a paper timetable from last year. Two trains per day and direction.
(6/6) #Norrut
Bjørnfjell is the 🇳🇴 border station of this #CrossBorderRail line. The station building has a large waiting room with magazines, books and even board games. There are plenty of toilets. The (former?) ticket office is separated by a glass partition. Tickets and cash are exchanged using small wooden drawers. Unfortunately, the passenger information consists only of a paper timetable from last year. Two trains per day and direction.
(6/6) #Norrut
Bonus, my favourite impression: It seems that the station staff at 🇳🇴 Bjørnfjell preferred alcohol from the 🇸🇪 neighbouring country. 😃 #Norrut
We are leaving Abisko region behind us and heading söderut towards Kiruna with one of two daily trains. Unfortunately, seat reservations are needed north of Kiruna for #Interrail, even for shorter trips. #Norrut
#Kiruna is a moving city! Due to mining, major parts of the city including the old center are being dismantled. As a consequence thereof, new city districts are built.
kiruna.se/stadsomvandling
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiruna
I will post some of my impressions. #Norrut
Parts of #Kiruna 's old city center have already been dismantled. The shops in the still existing buildings, have moved to the newer parts of the city. #Norrut
#Kiruna is building new residential areas of varying densities next to existing residential areas. I have to get used to seeing the entire courtyard of a new development covered with car parking. #Norrut
#Kiruna 's new centre is located on the eastern edge of the settlement. Shops have already been built here since 2022, while the residential areas in between have not yet been fully built. To the south is a large commercial and industrial area. I am curious to see what the spatial and transport connections will look like when the centre is no longer isolated. What surprised me: Above the Arctic Circle, heat islands are hardly an issue, but I would have liked to see some greenery. #Norrut
Well, #Kiruna, we need to talk about 🚌 bus transport. As someone who lives in very dense Switzerland and can enjoy mild weather, I am aware that transport needs are somewhat different here. The distances are also very long within the city, and in winter it is dark for long periods and generally cold. As a transport planner, however, I have serious questions precisely for this reason: (1/3) #Norrut
There is a city bus system. The buses run every 70 minutes from Mon-Fri. But why is there not a single city bus on weekends during summer in a city with a population of 17k? The city is large-scaled. How is the population expected to use the city bus if they can't even go shopping once at the weekend? I counted eight taxis on my tour and there are scooters everywhere. What's more, why does only one of three lines run to the regional bus station? So, the services cannot be linked. (2/3) #Norrut
A "transferbus" connects the station with the town, whose centre of population is increasingly far away. The bus is free and coordinated with the trains. A great thing! But why isn't there a stop between station and bus station (3 km)? Of course, this is anecdotal evidence: during our journey, someone asked the driver if he could make an unscheduled stop halfway between the railway and bus station. Independently of each other, about 15 of the 20 passengers suddenly got off! (3/3) #Norrut
We leave Kiruna behind us and head towards Norrbotten's biggest city: Luleå. Of course, it is a Regina service. It is very quiet on this Sunday. We have some minutes delay, but the connecting Norrtåg to Umeå is waiting for our passengers in Boden. #Norrut
Time is running. Because I have to return to the office at some time, #Norrut has turned into "Söderut". Two Reginas are taking us to Sundsvall. The ride is quiet. The trains are getting fuller while travelling southwards. I make use of the two hours waiting time in Umeå and buy a 🌱 kanelbulle. Regina and kanelbulle, my day could be worse... 😊
#Sundsvall 's architecture differs from that of other Swedish cities of this size. Its city center is also known as "Stenstaden", because of the stone buildings from the late eighteen hundreds. #Norrut
Unfortunately, we have to continue southwards. Another Regina Snabbtåg (this time with some free seats) takes us to Stockholm. 😍 #Norrut
(Picture taken from behind the buffer stop.)
(Picture taken from behind the buffer stop.)
acb@larstransportworld Are you catching the sleeper train to Hamburg/Berlin?
@acb No, we are taking the EuroCity.
@larstransportworld Tonight or tomorrow?