MarkWhy the heck is MÁV 
running a train from Debrecen to frigging Nagykereki IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT? 😂
running a train from Debrecen to frigging Nagykereki IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT? 😂
Not that much photos from yesterday. We hired a car and did some train photography on several railway lines around Debrecen. Those pictures will be shared later one via my Flickr.
But I would like to share the station of Tiszalök. The autumn colors and the flowers in front of the station really makes for a picturesque scene.
Today we are going from Debrecen to Kosice. That involves two trains: the IC Tokaj to Miskolc (652). At Miskolc-Tiszai we have a transfer on the IC 186 Hérnad.
As toothed earlier: this is a 2 minute transfer and I am really doubting if it is gonna work. Currently the 652 has already an 8 minute delay. The 186 still need to depart. Let’s see.
So. On the IC 652 Tokaj. We departed with +3 minutes delay. The IC 186 currently has 8 minutes delay. So far, so good?
We are heading to Tokaj, the name giver of this Intercity service. Near the village a rather solitary hilltop comes into view: the Kopasz-Hegy (512 m).
The transition from the flat agriculture landscape in south Hungary to the more mountainous landscape in the north is very well visible from this train.
So. We missed the 186 at Miskolc. When we pulled into the station, the 186 departed. #CrossBorderRail
Two hours to spend here 😀.
Of course the IC 188 has a delay of 20 minutes… 🤪 (unrelated pic of ticket hall) #CrossBorderRail
Departed with around 20 minutes delay. The IC 188 fulfills the purpose of a regional train north of Miskolc towards the border near Hidasnémeti. No reservation required but the train is rather full with regional passengers.
Locomotive change in Hidasnémeti. From a Vectron to a ZSSK 362 series locomotive. Which is a bit weird as the 
Vectron has SK in his package. #CrossBorderRail
Vectron has SK in his package. #CrossBorderRail
Very little number of passengers crossed the border. #CrossBorderRail
Currently in Kosice in a restaurant. A drawing of Lenin hangs casually on the wall. On the left Gottwald, the first president of Czechoslovakia. The one in the middle I do not recognize.
Meanwhile at the unused tram line in the city center of #Kosice: a tram suddenly appeared.
Currently travelling from Košice to Poprad-Tatry for a day visit to the Tatra’s. The views from this Express Train are rather nice (window is a bit dirty).
The EX trains Košice - Bratislava do not require reservations when on Interrail second class. But some carriages are reservation compulsory.
We are travelling in a modernized carriage. #ZSSK
Does someone know if the Pendolino SuperCity trains are still running to Košice? Couldn’t find it in the timetables but maybe I am overlooking it. #ZSSK
Poprad-Tatry. Not sure what to think of this design. Last photo is the part of the Tatra Railway.
The #ZSSK runs a relatively small narrow-gauge network in the Tatra mountains. It uses Stadler trains for it: built in 2000 but recently refurbished.
The Tatra Railway runs through relatively lot of forest, so there aren’t that much panoramic views. At the end near Štrbské Pleso there are some views in the direction of Poprad.
In Štrbské Pleso we find a rather famous building. Especially famous for the people who know Molchat Doma.
Also in Štrbské Pleso: the final part of the Tatra Railway to Štrba. A (new) Stadler cog wheel train brings the people down to the valley and the railway station on the main line between Bratislava and Košice.
Today starts the journey back to The Netherlands. With the EC (or IC? MÁV and ZSSK do not agree) 185 Hornád back to Budapest.
This #CrossBorderRail service does not attract that much passengers. After the border in Hungary it will probably become busier as the train runs as a kind of Interregio until Miskolc.
BTW: I am happy that this service runs. Slovakia feels already bit isolated from the rail European rail network. With the exception of Bratislava there are not that much cross border rail services with other countries. #CrossBorderRail
After a (landscape wise) not really spectular ride towards Budapest and spending an afternoon in the rainy city, we boarded the EuroNight (40)476 towards Berlin. According to the signs we are going to Berlin Hbf, but actually we go via Berlin Lichtenberg and Gesundbrunnen.
It is my first time using the night train service by the MÁV and so far it is a decent experience. The sleeping carriage is decent and relatively spacious for three people (I travel with two friends). The steward is also friendly (all regular MÁV people seem to be rather grumpy 😀).
The 476 departs from Budapest Nyugati with carriages for Praha and Warszawa. But we will recombine with the NightJet 456 from Graz to Berlin in Břeclav. The Polish carriages run under train 406.
The steward already warned us about possible German controls at the border, which we will cross around 5:00 😪.
No border checks! And after some rough shunting around midnight in Breclav I had a pretty decent sleep! And breakfast was also good. Good experience with the EuroNight service from this time. We arrived in Berlin Lichtenberg with around 30 minutes delay.
this time. We arrived in Berlin Lichtenberg with around 30 minutes delay.IC 146 is at this moment in time on of the few services left running with the 
IC1 carriages on the Amsterdam - Berlin service. At start of November every IC on this service should run with an ICE train.
IC1 carriages on the Amsterdam - Berlin service. At start of November every IC on this service should run with an ICE train.Defectes Stellwerk between Osnabrück and Rheine 🥲.
The IC 146 is gonna wait at Osnabrück. Emmerich-Arnhem is closed due to (never ending) engineering works, so that is also not an option.
But luckily SEV has been installed with two busses between Osnabrück and Rheine 😂.
Suddenly without any further announcement we departed from Osnabrück into the direction of Rheine.
Was a bit tired yesterday to finish up this thread: but eventually we arrived with around 62 minutes delay in Amersfoort and later on I could catch a regular 
intercity to Rotterdam.
intercity to Rotterdam.Some conclusions about this travel in Hungary and Slovakia. It always struck me that public spaces are relatively clean compared to Western cities. Yes, things are quite often old or run down, but vandalism or trash in public is something you don’t see that often.
I wonder why that is the case. Difference in discipline? It is not something for every country in the former Eastern Block as Romania has a lot of vandalism and public trash etc.
A bit of negative experience was in Hungary with the people. In the cities (Budapest, Debrecen) people are friendly, but in the rural villages in the northeast and east of Hungary, getting friendly contact proved to be difficult. Maybe because they are not used to foreigners. Couldn’t say the MÁV people were also very friendly on most of the trains. The big language barrier is probably also not helping.
Maybe things are better in the south like the popular Balaton area?
We also can’t deny the fact that the government in Hungary isn’t very nice. The Fidesz government has put up a lot of propaganda posters against the EU. And at the same time you can spot posters glorifying the (Fidesz-related) media or tax reductions for families. We can only hope things will get better in next year election.
fedops 💙💛