Carlton ReidHeading to UITP Summit in Hamburg. UITP is the International Association of Public Transport. I’m not flying.
I’m leaving Tyneside on the DFDS ferry to Amsterdam and get a train tomorrow morning. I’m slumming it in a Commodore class room. Booze, WiFi and breakfast is included.
Exiting Port of Tyne and now heading, slowly, to Amsterdam on a mostly flat North Sea.
Fine dining in the North Sea bistro as the sun sets. I’m going to linger for a bit.
Don’t normally go for a walk after dinner but then I’m not normally on a North Sea ferry with a glorious sunset cooking.
And now the train from Amsterdam to Hannover and then on to Hamburg by early evening.
Made it to the Reichshof Hotel in Hamburg, an art deco property adjacent to the train station, and which is recommended by @seatsixtyone.bsky.social so has been on my radar for while but I'm usually just passing through Hamburg. UITP's public transit conference starts tomorrow.
First day at @uitp.bsky.social Summit in Hamburg. UITP is the International Association of Public Transport so the 10,000 visitors get free use of the city's buses and underground.
There are lots of 18 metre buses here – some driverless — so the expo is expansive.
Hamburg's modal share for transit is 24% with cycling not far behind on 22%, up from 9% fifteen years ago. Perhaps not coincidentally, Dr Anjes Tjarks, Hamburg's minister for transport and mobility transition since 2020, cycles to work.
Make Walking Safe And Comfortable, Pedestrian Advocate Urges Cities At Transit Summit www.forbes.com/sites/carlto...
Make Walking Safe And Comforta...
Make Walking Safe And Comforta...
Easyjet snafus mean quite a few Uk journalists have not made it here to the UITP public transport expo in Hamburg. [smug] Er, #stayontheground [/smug]
Although, technically, as the first part of the trip out here was by ferry I wasn’t on the ground the whole way. Going back fully by train, mind.
200 Years Of Passenger Rail Celebrated At Global Transit Expo www.forbes.com/sites/carlto...
200 Years Of Passenger Rail C...
200 Years Of Passenger Rail C...
Leaving Hamburg. If I hit all connections I’ll be back in Newcastle at a little after 11pm. Train to Hannover is delayed, though. By one minute.
Train from Hamburg to Hannover got in 8 minutes late on an already tight connection but, after legging it I made to train to Köln with a minute to spare. Paid €5.50 for a seat reservation so I can now work for 3+ hours. And breathe…
Train 10 minutes late into Köln but no sweat because I have a half hour buffer for the connection to Brussels. Meanwhile, quick walk around the Dom. The person in the panda suit must be sweating cobs!
All seats booked and it’s standing only in all carriages so I’ll buy a coffee and sit in the on-board cafe. Saves about €1.50 on last-minute seat reservation.
Now on board Eurostar to London. No notification of any delays so still on for an 11pm-ish arrival into Newcastle.
o.so
o.so
Left Hamburg at 8am. Arriving into London at 7pm. Still got another three hour train journey, but not until 8pm so everything so far has been worked to plan.
And in early, too. Left Hamburg at 8am and now pulling into Newcastle at ten to eleven. #stayontheground