lars' transport worldWelcome 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.)
In #SJ 's Snabbtåg, you can preorder 🌱 vegansk frukost from the @diningcar. Of course I take advantage of it. 😋 In first class, it is even included in the ticket or interrail seat reservation before 9am. #Norrut
From Stockholm, a X2 Snabbtåg takes us further south towards Malmö. After more than a week, we pass agricultural fields again. #Norrut
This is the 438th toot on very bad seat and window placement in the fediverse. Yes, I hate #SJ 's X2 windowless window seats, too. 😐 At least you can easily choose your seat online, even with interrail. 😊 #Norrut
Edit: Apparently, there are different seating versions currently and the online maps do not always match. 😐 Thank you for pointing this out, @partim @transpontus
We leave the X2 at Hässleholm for an Erstbefahrung (= my first trip on this line). 😊 A #Pågatåg takes us via Åstorp to Helsingborg, where we spend the next two nights. The line is rather unspectacular though. #Norrut
As the weather is very rainy the following day, we don't do any outdoor activities. Instead, we take the #Øresundslinjen ferry to neighbouring 🇩🇰 Denmark. Helsingborg-Helsingør used to be an important train ferry before the opening of the Öresund bridge in 2000. Even today, the ferry ports are perfectly located near the railway stations on either side. The ferries run quite often, usually every 20 minutes. #Norrut
Pas på! There are #Lokaltog passing by in front of #Helsingør station!
I was well aware that #Lokaltog existed because of my 🇩🇰 Denmark rail network map (https://larstransportmaps.com/denmark-2024/).
However, I had never travelled with Lokaltog before. So, the programme is clear: my first trip with Lokaltog. 😁 I chose doing a round trip Helsingør-Gilleleje-Kagerup-Tisvildeleje-Hillerød-Helsingør. #Norrut
However, I had never travelled with Lokaltog before. So, the programme is clear: my first trip with Lokaltog. 😁 I chose doing a round trip Helsingør-Gilleleje-Kagerup-Tisvildeleje-Hillerød-Helsingør. #Norrut
Rainy northern Sjælland landscape passing by...
The journey resembles a bus ride: low speed (75 km/h most of the time), high stop density, long diagrams with very short turning times (3 to 4 minutes), passing by buildings and houses very close, Diesel sound. #Norrut
The journey resembles a bus ride: low speed (75 km/h most of the time), high stop density, long diagrams with very short turning times (3 to 4 minutes), passing by buildings and houses very close, Diesel sound. #Norrut
Much rail traffic at request stop Kagerup. It is the junction station of the lines from Hillerød to Gilleleje and Tisvildeleje. #Norrut
The next morning begins with the same procedure: Taking the ferry to 🇩🇰 Helsingør. This time without a return ticket. 😢 #Norrut
A #DSB Regionaltog is taking us to Copenhagen. This is also my first trip on the line Helsingør-Copenhagen (or Snekkersten-Nørreport to be precise). Luckily, we catch an ER / IR4 train, or as I call them, Living Room. The line provides a good view on the Sjælland coast (Unfortunately, I forgot to take a picture). #Norrut
Mandatory seat reservation confusion on the #Eurocity København-Hamburg: The train has arrived in the opposite coach order as displayed on the platform screens. On top of that, the digital screens at the coaches differ one number from the analogue signs on the doors. #Norrut
You know that you have left Scandinavia 🇩🇪 southwards when you see a slogan that claims to be the real north. 😃 #SchleswigHolstein #Norrut
Home Sweet Home... 😍
Come again? This is still Neumünster?! 🤔 #Norrut
Come again? This is still Neumünster?! 🤔 #Norrut
Unfortunately, we don't have priority entering the Hamburg Verbindungsbahn, one of the bottlenecks of northern Germany. We collect twelve more minutes of delay. #Norrut
After two weeks of (mostly northern) Sweden, I am overwhelmed by the crowded city of #Hamburg. And so many cars again! 😳
The end of this trip is the #NightJet to Zürich HB. Actually, I was looking forward to this trip. Because of the #Rheintalsperre, the #Nighttrain is rerouted via Ludwigshafen and Gäubahn. I'd love to tell you only positive things about this trip. However, I want to describe the entire experience. Unfortunately, almost no pictures. #ÖBB #Norrut (1/4)
First and minor problem: According to the displays and the announcements, the #ÖBB #Nightjet is delayed by 30, then 55, 6, 10, 15 and finally 20 minutes due to delayed preparation. Actually, it arrives 25 minutes late at Hamburg Hbf. The coach indication is missing and everyone has to find their coach when the train has entered the station. #Norrut (2/4)
Second and major problem: A shared couchette compartement instead of a double compartment in a sleeping coach. No information in advance. It's a first world problem, but an avoidable one! 🙄
#ÖBB, having a shared couchette or a private sleeper compartment is an important deciding factor for a booking. There are reasons, why people choose a sleeper compartment: Privacy, more comfortable bed, a sink, breakfast options (incl. vegan and gluten-free). These are different experiences! #Norrut (3/4)
#ÖBB, having a shared couchette or a private sleeper compartment is an important deciding factor for a booking. There are reasons, why people choose a sleeper compartment: Privacy, more comfortable bed, a sink, breakfast options (incl. vegan and gluten-free). These are different experiences! #Norrut (3/4)
Don't get me wrong: Travelling in couchette is a valid option! I've done that several times. Call me inflexible, but sometimes, I prefer staying at a hotel to a shared compartment. If you aren't able providing the right cars, let passengers know and decide, whether they want to get a downgrade or cancel! Any hotel does that, why don't you, #ÖBB ?!
If you could organise an extra #SBB Eurocity coach as an additional "compensation", then it should be possible informing the passengers. #Norrut (4/4)
If you could organise an extra #SBB Eurocity coach as an additional "compensation", then it should be possible informing the passengers. #Norrut (4/4)
It could have been worse though. We had pleasant passengers in our compartement and we are on time. We are arriving at Singen (Hohentwiel) even 10 minutes ahead of time. I don't know why, but unlike in Schaffhausen, boarding in Singen in the IC part of the train is possible. We leave Singen 7 minutes before the scheduled departure time, even boarding was possible (but not useful)! 🤯 #Norrut
Due to the #Rheintalsperre, we can see the Rhine Falls after the breakfast in the #Nightjet. 😊 #Norrut
We arrive at Zürich HB 38 minutes ahead of time. 😊 All in all, the #Nightjet ride itself was okay. But not communicating the downgrades in advance is *not* okay. I imagine that new night train passengers might decide to not come again, which is very bad! 😕 #Norrut
Zürich HB. Terminus. #Norrut has come to an end. This trip wasn't designed as a rail-focussed trip only, but there was a lot transport content. Even the end was disappointing, I would do it again. 🇨🇭 Zürich - 🇸🇪 Riksgränsen, 2'400 km straight line distance, all by 🚂🚌🛳. It was a wonderful trip with many impressions and new experiences, although most of the lines and trains weren't new to me. However, it was the first trip I have tooted about in detail! Tusen tack for reading and interacting. 😍
Eine letzte Frage an meine 🇩🇪 Followerschaft: Weiß jemand, welchen Laufweg der NJ 471 derzeit zwischen Göttingen und Ludwigsburg hat? Bebra-Gemünden-Würzburg-Heilbronn?
Martin Hoffmann@larstransportworld Die Kartenansicht im DB-Navigator meint für letzte Nacht Schnellfahrstrecke via Kassel und Fulda bis Burgsinn, dann klassisch über Gemünden, Würzburg und Heilbronn.
@partim Ich habe leider Vertrauensprobleme mit dem Navigator. In Stuttgart wird folgender Fahrweg angegeben: 🤭
@larstransportworld Schick. (Ich wollte noch „was auch immer das wert ist“ dazuschreiben …)
Тим 🇺🇦🇪🇺@larstransportworld Eschwege West, Bebra, Fulda, Elm, Gemünden, Würzburg, Osterburken, Heilbronn
@_traveltim Und danach über die Panoramabahn nach Vaihingen? Momentan enden die Gäubahn-IC ja dort... 🤔
@larstransportworld da steht was von "über Renningen"
@_traveltim Na dann wird es wohl so sein... 😃 So viele Erstbefahrungen über Nacht. 🤩
Lenard@larstransportworld Ja das ist der aktuelle Laufweg.
Jonathan Noack@larstransportworld Awesome following you all the way, thanks for all the nice pictures.
I did a similar trip with a friend in May and also wrote about it here: https://www.schwedenreis.li/reisebericht
I did a similar trip with a friend in May and also wrote about it here: https://www.schwedenreis.li/reisebericht
@Jonock Was für ein schöner Bericht 😊
acb@larstransportworld I had that problem in Australia last year. Booked a sleeper cabin from Sydney to Melbourne, was informed the morning of departure that there was no sleeper car and I had been moved to a seat. Cancelled and, with a heavy heart, flew instead.
Markus 👨💻@larstransportworld This is currently a well-known problem and really embarrassing for the railway 😵💫. SRF report from 11.06.2024: https://www.srf.ch/sendungen/kassensturz-espresso/kassensturz/nachtzug-frust-schlaflos-im-nachtzug-frustrierte-kundschaft-auf-schienen And on June 24, 2024, figures were provided: https://www.srf.ch/sendungen/kassensturz-espresso/espresso/frust-in-nightjets-nachtzuege-von-sbb-und-oebb-pro-nacht-fehlen-bis-zu-20-betten
@markusr Thanks for the link. I know, many passengers are affected. I've been lucky before. It was a matter of time until this happened to me. 🙄
Roy@larstransportworld I don't want to respond with "I'm not surprised". But yet I still do. I have lost count of how many people I know who have experienced this.
@roye7777777 I know, I've been very lucky before. It was a matter of time until this happened to me. 🙄
Androcat@larstransportworld The only place with no north is back up at the pole.
Wittenborner ✅@larstransportworld isn‘t it? 😳
I always believed in this and thought that beyond the „real north“ there is only polar lights and ice bears.
I always believed in this and thought that beyond the „real north“ there is only polar lights and ice bears.
Leif SamuelssonWhen I went to Hamburg about six years ago, I found the DSB train to be rather slow. Is the EC faster? I know, I could look it up. :)
@leffe Well, I don't think that they are faster today, but I haven't checked.
Der Entgegner (Aka Ratatöskr)@larstransportworld there's nothing the Deutsche Bahn couldn't fuckulate up!
@dr_jo_mue Well, technically speaking, this time it is DSB in cooperation with DB, isn't it?
@larstransportworld you're probably right, but ... the DB has touched it
groessenordnung@larstransportworld What an coincidence. I'm currently in this train in this coach and read this. Ha
DasTausW@larstransportworld Peak, Deutsche Bahn ¯\_(ツ)_/¯