Mastodawn

lars' transport world Sep 25

Welcome back to #BlankSpots ! Passing the Øresund Bridge always marks the end of my time in Sweden. Of course I have to take some 🌱 bullar with me. Before leaving Scandinavia, let's take a look back at the past few days with some pictures that I haven't posted yet.

lars' transport world Sep 25

Norrköping... #BlankSpots

lars' transport world Sep 25

...and its much smaller counterpart Söderköping. Suddenly, the names make sense. #BlankSpots

lars' transport world Sep 25

🔊 "The owner of the cars G 18456, G 22746 and K 10557, please repark your vehicles. They are still not parked in an official car park!" #BlankSpots

lars' transport world Sep 25

Evening time at Borås #BlankSpots

lars' transport world Sep 26

Farvel Skandinavien! A cosy DSB IC3 takes us from 🇩🇰 Copenhagen to 🇩🇪 Hamburg. It's much more comfortable than the IC1 coaches that operate on most Copenhagen-Hamburg trains. For personal reasons, I'm stopping off at 🇨🇭 home on the way. This means the usual journey home: An ICE4 should take us from Hamburg to Zurich. It terminates at Basel Bad Bf with a delay of about 100 minutes. #BlankSpots

lars' transport world Sep 26

Enjoying a beautiful autumn day at 'home'. #BlankSpots

lars' transport world Sep 26

Before I am getting used to the comfort of home, it is time to move on. #BlankSpots follows the southern foot of the Jura with the IC5. There are nice views of the lakes and vineyards. Due to the Léman 2025 concept, I have to change trains at Renens for the first time in order to get to Geneva.

lars' transport world Sep 26

Finally, #BlankSpots goes international again. 'The Region' takes me from 🇨🇭 Geneva to 🇫🇷 Lyon. Lately, I have only seen AGC EMUs on this line. I am glad there are two train sets today, but the train is still almost full. This is my first time travelling in a newly refurbished set. I am pleased as it looks much less worn-out than before. Unfortunately, I couldn't take many pictures due to where I was sitting.

lars' transport world Sep 26

Since I have plenty of time, I head to the starting point of my next train: Lyon-Perrache station. This time, it's an old, grimy AGC. It will take me to Clermont-Ferrand in the Massif Central in two hours. #BlankSpots

lars' transport world Sep 27

#Clermont-Ferrand things #BlankSpots

lars' transport world Sep 27

Who said that systematisation is important for providing consistent connections throughout the network and achieving high memorability? 😬 The interval times vary, too, so this timetable probably doesn't result in efficient diagrams. #BlankSpots

lars' transport world Sep 27

No one can claim that the pedestrians were forgotten! They even have the right of way. 👌#BlankSpots

lars' transport world Sep 27

#Bahnzeit in Clermont-Ferrand #BlankSpots

lars' transport world Sep 28

The only train I'm taking today is this TER. It runs once a day and connects Clermont-Ferrand and Toulouse in six hours. There are other TER on all sections, but there is only one additional daily connection (involving two changes). As always with such sparsely served lines, I'm surprised by the number of passengers who have adapted their schedules to the train's departure time. It's a peaceful journey straight through the ⛰️ Massif Central, with stunning views. #BlankSpots

lars' transport world Sep 28

I can't resist tooting these impressions of #Toulouse. #BlankSpots

lars' transport world Sep 30

#BlankSpots continues with two Régiolis Intercités sets taking me from Toulouse to Bayonne. I'm happy with my allocated first class seat, otherwise I am not a big fan of these trains. I can stretch my legs and have plenty of space to enjoy the view of the Pyrenees. Seat reservations cost 3.60 € if booked via #Interrail, but you don’t have to buy one here as there are some unreserved seats. The announcement system isn't working, but we still manage to arrive at the terminus orderly and safely. 😬

lars' transport world Sep 30

I have to wait about 45 minutes for my next TER in Bayonne. It takes me to Hendaye. I can tell that I have reached the Basque Country from some of the signs. For the first time in weeks, I can see the Atlantic again. #BlankSpots

lars' transport world

Leaving Hendaye station and entering Hendaia station. Yes, that's right — it's time for the #Euskotren! These metro-style trains tend to get crowded around Donostia. If you're a traveller with a backpack or even a large suitcase, you might feel out of place. As there are no passenger trains on the parallel Adif tracks, Euskotren, which runs every 30 minutes, is the better 'option'. #BlankSpots

lars' transport world Sep 30

The #Euskotren line gets more rural and picturesque west of Donostia / San Sebastián. #BlankSpots

lars' transport world Sep 30

There is disruption to the train journey at Aia-Orio due to maintenance work. Although the replacement buses are slower than the #Euskotren, the schedule remains unchanged. To avoid waiting times when travelling further, a creative solution has been found: Three westbound buses run further than the disrupted 5 km section with destinations Zarautz, Zumaia or Eibar (40 km). Eastbound buses terminate at Aia-Orio. Additional trains, running 15 mins later than usual, collect passengers. #BlankSpots

lars' transport world Sep 30

Egun on Zarautzetik #BlankSpots

lars' transport world Oct 2

Another #Euskotren train takes me further towards west from Zarautz to Bilbao. It's a beautiful train journey on this Sunday morning. #BlankSpots

lars' transport world Oct 2

Hurrengo Geltokia: Zazpikaleak-Bilbao. Euskotren trains travelling from Donostia/San Sebastián are fully integrated into the metro system. Along with other trains in the Bilbao area, they provide a frequent service. I need to get off at Bilbao's old town. #BlankSpots

lars' transport world Oct 2

#Bilbao has many different rail systems, including this tiny tram line. It runs on a single track near the old town. I travelled the entire line two years ago, so now it's time to move on and discover some #BlankSpots!

lars' transport world Oct 3

I am heading to Bilbao-La Concordia station. This is a terminus station of the Renfe FEVE metre-gauge railway lines. After showing my #Interrail Pass at the ticket office, the gate magically opens when I approach it. #BlankSpots

lars' transport world Oct 3

After five years of considering the possibility of exploring the metre-gauge system in northern Spain, I am finally on my first Renfe FEVE train — probably the most mind-blowing one! The quirky Bilbao–León train (Ferrocaril de la Robla) is classified as Media Distancia and only runs once a day, connecting the Bilbao and León Cercanías systems! I am the only passenger travelling the entire route today. For a long time, there are no more than three passengers on the train. (1/7) #BlankSpots

lars' transport world Oct 3

The Bilbao-León line leaves Bilbao to the west and follows a valley. At Balmaseda, it ascends the southern mountain flank, providing stunning views of the valley below. (2/7) #BlankSpots

lars' transport world Oct 3

After the train from Bilbao to León reaches a high plateau, the beautiful Embalse del Ebro lake comes into view. The line then passes through more open valleys. (3/7) #BlankSpots

lars' transport world Oct 3

As the Bilbao-León train reaches the southern foot of the Cantabrian Mountains at sunset, the landscape is bathed in golden light. The green landscape has given way to a drier one. The line offers beautiful views, but the windows offer less beautiful ones. (4/7) #BlankSpots

lars' transport world Oct 3

Although the train journey from Bilbao to León takes eight hours, don't get too comfortable. Be prepared: the direct Media Distancia connection is just a disguise. I had to change trains at Balmaseda (the end of the electrified section), Cistierna (where I changed from a diesel MD to a diesel Cercanías) and León Universidad (where I changed to a replacement bus to León city centre). The conductors made an effort to inform me, the only tourist, about the changes in person. (5/7) #BlankSpots

lars' transport world Oct 3

FEVE Patschifig? 🤭 (6/7) #BlankSpots

lars' transport world Oct 3

Arriving at León FEVE by replacement bus at 22:22. ¡Buenas noches! (7/7) #BlankSpots

lars' transport world Oct 4

#BlankSpots continues blow by blow. I didn't get enough sleep, but a short walk to León's main station woke me up. This will be my first time boarding an Iberian gauge train on this trip.

lars' transport world Oct 4

There it is: the only train, if I am not mistaken, that goes over the Pajares Pass. All the other trains, except for the Valladolid-Gijón Regional, use the base tunnel, which opened in 2023. Why am I taking the slower train to Oviedo instead of the faster ones? Well, just look at the pictures! #BlankSpots

lars' transport world Oct 4

There is confusion at Oviedo FEVE station: According to the display on platform 1, the next train is the 14:44 to Santander. However, the 14:18 train to Ferrol is also scheduled to arrive on platform 1. However, it arrives seven minutes late with an incorrect destination indicator. There are almost too many passengers for the railcar and I don't have time for a picture. #BlankSpots

lars' transport world Oct 4

It's time for the FEVE again. Although my tiredness curbs my excitement, the FEVE line between Oviedo and Ferrol is beautiful and quirky. You see less of the sea than you might expect in the Asturias section, but Galicia makes up for this with stunning scenery. There are about eight passengers sitting in the railcar. #BlankSpots

lars' transport world Oct 4

Surprisingly, I have to change trains at Ribadeo. I don't know why, but at least I have the opportunity to take a mediocre photo of the train. Unfortunately, the windows on the new train are very dirty. #BlankSpots

lars' transport world Oct 4

Renfe FEVE class 529 railcar on stage 😊 #BlankSpots

Aaron Brick — אהרן בריק Oct 4

@larstransportworld Is it a gauge change at the community boundary? I know there is a complicated device outside of Ourense to account for one.

@larstransportworld

There are times when I wish I had a damp sponge with me.

@larstransportworld
Thank you for sharing! We took a FEVE two years ago from El Ferrol to Avilés, and I enjoyed every bit of it. It was a very special trip, but hard to research all the details in advance. Talked a while with the conductor, it was very interesting to hear about the differences between FEVE and RENFE

@larstransportworld

You are not far away 👀

@larstransportworld
Welcome to (S)pain

Tor Lillqvist Oct 4

@larstransportworld Oh! So when somebody posted here some time ago that they took a train on the line just in time before all trains would move to the base tunnel that was incorrect!? Yay. That is then one reason to visit Spain despite the pain in using Interrail there.

Is it this train?

lars' transport world Oct 4

@tml Yes, that's right — this is the regional train. I am not very deep in the Renfe game, but according to the German Wikipedia article, the Pajares line was supposed to close, but it won't at the moment. As the base tunnel has a different voltage, some trains could not run between Asturias and the rest of the Iberian-gauge network. I do not know, however, if the article is up to date.
👉 https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bahnstrecke_Le%C3%B3n%E2%80%93Gij%C3%B3n

Bahnstrecke León–Gijón – Wikipedia

Tor Lillqvist Oct 4

@larstransportworld Now I just need to check what accommodations exist in towns with stations on that line.

abovearth Oct 4

@larstransportworld
*Blinks*
Lars is now at the other side of europe.

It feels like only yesterday you were discovering the sights of Finland!

lars' transport world Oct 4

@abovearth Yes, it almost went too fast for myself 😅

Gleb Ebert Oct 3

@larstransportworld Thanks for your travel logs! Do you have any particular way of keeping track (pun intended) of the lines you have and haven’t travelled on so far? There are all of these websites and apps for flights but I’ve never come across one for rail travel

Siège avec vue Oct 19

@larstransportworld One day I'll go further than San Sebastián; looks lovely.

lars' transport world Oct 20

@siegeavecvue It's worth it. 😊

rail 🦊Sep 30

@larstransportworld hey I've been there!