Welcome to today's thread - 2025 #CrossBorderRail Finale Day 8 - 16 June - Bruxelles- Köln - Hamburg, onto night train
Today's new borders:
None - I've been to Aachen a few times before 😀
Borders map, inc. borders re-crossed:
https://umap.openstreetmap.fr/en/map/crossborderrail-all-the-borders_935041#18/50.71857/6.04204
Today's trains on the routes map:
https://umap.openstreetmap.fr/en/map/crossborderrail-2025-finale_1163738#6/55.198/11.206
Wave yourself up with this one this morning! Today's #CrossBorderRail music track
Nightrain
Guns N' Roses
I think I am going to need this to get myself to sleep on the SJ Night Train heading north later
Provided to YouTube by Universal Music GroupNightrain · Guns N' RosesAppetite For Destruction℗ 1987 Geffen RecordsReleased on: 1987-07-21Producer: Mike Clink...
#CrossBorderRail Finale Train 37 of 152
ICE 11
06:23 Bruxelles Midi - Köln Hbf 08:15
DB Fernverkehr
Train type: Siemens ICE3neo Velaro, 8 carriages
⚡️ (3kV dc, 25kV ac, 3kV dc, 25kV ac, 3kV dc, 15kV ac)
🚲: ✅ (needs reservation)
🦽: ✅ (lift on board or ramp on platform, but not step free)
🛜: ✅
🍽️: ✅
🧳: 🙂 (well designed)️
🧽: ☹️ (it wasn't cleaned overnight and is full of beer bottles, and I cleaned beer off my seat myself. Train manager was apologetic at least)
🎫 Interrail: 🙂 (accepted)
ICE 11
06:23 Bruxelles Midi - Köln Hbf 08:15
Distance: 222.9km
Average speed: 119km/h
4 stops:
Bruxelles-Nord
Liège-Guillemins
Aachen Hbf
Köln Hbf
This train, mapped: https://umap.openstreetmap.fr/en/map/crossborderrail-2025-finale_1163738#10/50.7783/5.6476
The final big #CrossBorderRail tour - to the eastern borders of the EU, and missing intra-EU borders. In June-July 2025. Each day of the project is a Layer in the map - these should be displayed by default, or if not click the three layered diamonds icon "Open browser" to the left side of the map. The icons are all for borders, roughly coloured to differentiate the borders. A cross through a track means NO TRAINS CAN RUN. A cross through trains but not track means TRAINS CAN RUN BUT NO PASSENGER TRAINS. And TRAIN AND TRACK (no crosses) means there is a passenger service.
Hey Bundespolizei in Aachen!
We have a person on board with known connections to the Chinese secret service, and a proven record of trying to bring down the German state in an anti democratic manner
If your border controls are any use, this person should not be let through, surely?
Here's today's intro video, filmed from Gare du Midi
But I was a bit sweaty from having cycled there!
Meanwhile in France...
SNCF can now fine you up to €1500 for forgetting a bag somewhere
*YOU DO NOT STOP PEOPLE BEING FORGETFUL BY FINING THEM*
*AND NOT EVERY ABANDONED BAG IS A BOMB*
FFS
Let's make taking the train as nasty an experience as possible
https://www.journaldunet.com/patrimoine/finances-personnelles/1542323-hf1-nouvelle-amende-sncf/
On the point earlier in the thread about France's new fines for forgotten luggage, I think we should describe France has having a "passenger hostile railway" - as a term to describe how decisions are not taken in the passenger interest, the assumption of guilt, the hefty fines, the patronising announcements...
Is there a way to adequately translate this adequately into French? Wdzt @remi @tomtom @raph_v ?
#CrossBorderRail Finale Train 38 of 154
RE 1 (26810)
10:20 Köln Ehrenfeld - Horrem 10:28
National Express
Train type: Siemens Desiro HC EMU, 2x 2 single deck and 2 double deck carriages
⚡️ (15kV ac)
🚲: ✅
🦽: ✅ (step free into single deck carriages)
🛜: ✅
🍽️: ⛔️
🧳: 🙂
🧽: 🙂
🎫 Interrail: 🙂 (accepted)
RE 1 (26810)
10:20 Köln Ehrenfeld - Horrem 10:28
Distance: 14.7km
Average speed: 110km/h
1 stops:
Horrem
This train, mapped: https://umap.openstreetmap.fr/en/map/crossborderrail-2025-finale_1163738#13/50.9345/6.8162
The final big #CrossBorderRail tour - to the eastern borders of the EU, and missing intra-EU borders. In June-July 2025. Each day of the project is a Layer in the map - these should be displayed by default, or if not click the three layered diamonds icon "Open browser" to the left side of the map. The icons are all for borders, roughly coloured to differentiate the borders. A cross through a track means NO TRAINS CAN RUN. A cross through trains but not track means TRAINS CAN RUN BUT NO PASSENGER TRAINS. And TRAIN AND TRACK (no crosses) means there is a passenger service.
#CrossBorderRail Finale Train 39 of 154
S 19
10:59 Horrem - Köln Hbf 11:20
DB Regio AG NRW
Train type: Adtranz, Alstom LHB, ABB, Bombardier 423 EMU, 2x 4 short carriages
⚡️ (15kV ac)
🚲: ✅
🦽: ✅ (step free, although not all trains on this line are)
🛜: ❓(forgot to check, but I think only renovated trains have wifi and this wasn’t renovated?)
🍽️: ⛔️
🧳: 😐 (not the best design, door vestibules are more cramped than they need be)
🧽: 🙂
🎫 Interrail: 🙂 (accepted)
S 19
10:59 Horrem - Köln Hbf 11:20
Distance: 18.4km
Average speed: 53km/h
7 stops:
Frechen-Königsdorf
Köln-Weiden West
Lövenich
Köln-Müngersdorf Technologiepark
Köln-Ehrenfeld
Köln Hansaring
Köln Hbf
This train, mapped: https://umap.openstreetmap.fr/en/map/crossborderrail-2025-finale_1163738#12/50.9360/6.8378
The final big #CrossBorderRail tour - to the eastern borders of the EU, and missing intra-EU borders. In June-July 2025. Each day of the project is a Layer in the map - these should be displayed by default, or if not click the three layered diamonds icon "Open browser" to the left side of the map. The icons are all for borders, roughly coloured to differentiate the borders. A cross through a track means NO TRAINS CAN RUN. A cross through trains but not track means TRAINS CAN RUN BUT NO PASSENGER TRAINS. And TRAIN AND TRACK (no crosses) means there is a passenger service.
#CrossBorderRail Finale Train 40 of 154
ICE 1020
12:11 Köln Hbf - Hamburg Hbf 15:51
DB Fernverkehr
Train type: AEG, ABB, Henschel, Krauss, Krupp, Siemens ICE 1, 2 power cars and 9 carriages
⚡️ (15kV ac)
🚲: ⛔️
🦽: ✅ (needs lift on platform)
🛜: ✅
🍽️: ✅
🧳: 🙂
🧽: 🙂
🎫 Interrail: 🙂 (accepted)
ICE 1020
12:11 Köln Hbf - Hamburg Hbf 15:51
Distance: 436.9km
Average speed: 119km/h
6 stops:
Düsseldorf Hbf
Duisburg Hbf
Essen Hbf
Münster(Westf)Hbf
Hamburg-Harburg
Hamburg Hbf
This train, mapped: https://umap.openstreetmap.fr/en/map/crossborderrail-2025-finale_1163738#7/52.266/8.399
The final big #CrossBorderRail tour - to the eastern borders of the EU, and missing intra-EU borders. In June-July 2025. Each day of the project is a Layer in the map - these should be displayed by default, or if not click the three layered diamonds icon "Open browser" to the left side of the map. The icons are all for borders, roughly coloured to differentiate the borders. A cross through a track means NO TRAINS CAN RUN. A cross through trains but not track means TRAINS CAN RUN BUT NO PASSENGER TRAINS. And TRAIN AND TRACK (no crosses) means there is a passenger service.
The southbound EuroNight 345 from Stockholm to Berlin is still more than 2 hours away from Hamburg is currently +733, so over 12 hours late
They are NOT taking it to Berlin, it will be serviced in Hamburg
And this train ought to be departing north as EN 346 with me on it from Hamburg at 22:03
What is going to happen I wonder? 🤔
One of the most dangerous things you can carry in a railway station
This is S-Bahn so third rail, they might be ok. But one platform over it’s 15kV ⚡️
Departure of the Hamburg-Stockholm EuroNight announced 90 mins delayed just 25 mins before the departure, after having been informed earlier by SJ that "an unknown delay was possible"
There's nothing in the SJ app, and DB also knows no more than the minimal info SJ is giving them
It's lousy, but it's what you'd expect of this operationally shoddy EuroNight train
And now 10 mins later the delay is reduced by 20 mins.
Do they know what they're doing, or are they making this up?
Current contingency: see when the train departs, and then get off it prematurely tomorrow morning, in Malmö
X2000 Malmö-Stockholm takes between 4:20 and 4:35, the night train more than 6 hours (and if delayed anyway will just get delayed more)
I just need to work out which X2000 it would be sensible to reserve...
(Interrail means I can do this reasonably easily and for 75 SEK)
Ah
If the SJ-RDC mess wasn’t enough, DB has now managed to clog up all the platforms at Hamburg Hbf with delayed ICEs. So if the EuroNight is trying to get in here it can’t.
And we’ve had about a dozen automated announcements about the delay here on the platform, and the delay goes up 10 minutes every 10 minutes 🤷♂️
Thank goodness I’m doing this on Interrail
Buy a regular ticket for this and it’s a fortune
Every
single
time
I
go
to
Sweden
the
trains
go
wrong
Here’s today’s summary video
#CrossBorderRail Finale Train 41 of 154
EN 346
22:03 Hamburg Hbf - Malmö C 04:01 (arrived +150)
SJ, RDC
Train type: ADTranz 101, followed by a Siemens Vectron, 8 carriages (inc. couchettes & sleeping cars)
⚡️ (15kV ac, 25kV ac, 15kV ac)
🚲: ⛔️
🦽: ✅ (lift on platform)
🛜: ⛔️
🍽️: ✅ (at least there's breakfast)
🧳: 😐 (very narrow doors, corridors, OK once in)
🧽: 😐 (ok inside, but grimy outside, worn)
🎫 Interrail: 😐 (needs compulsory reservation, costs vary depending on class of accommodation)
EN 346
22:03 Hamburg Hbf - Malmö C 04:01
Distance: 544.9km
Average speed: 91km/h
3 stops:
Padborg st
Koebenhavns Lufthavn st
Malmö Central
This train, mapped: https://umap.openstreetmap.fr/en/map/crossborderrail-2025-finale_1163738#8/54.821/11.148
The final big #CrossBorderRail tour - to the eastern borders of the EU, and missing intra-EU borders. In June-July 2025. Each day of the project is a Layer in the map - these should be displayed by default, or if not click the three layered diamonds icon "Open browser" to the left side of the map. The icons are all for borders, roughly coloured to differentiate the borders. A cross through a track means NO TRAINS CAN RUN. A cross through trains but not track means TRAINS CAN RUN BUT NO PASSENGER TRAINS. And TRAIN AND TRACK (no crosses) means there is a passenger service.
Comedy now
The window latch is somehow broken so the window won’t close. And the window blind is stuck open
It’s 1am
I’m pretty good at fixing things. But this? 🤔
Ah
Luggage lock hooked onto my mobile phone charger stops the blind springing open.
Obviously! 😀
Hello old friend!
I’m not hanging around on the knackered night train to Stockholm but am changing instead in Malmö onto a X2000 to Stockholm
Despite my general annoyance at Swedish trains, X2000 is nevertheless super
Jon Worth
Andreas 🦊