Jon Worth

Welcome to today's thread - #CrossBorderRail 2026 Tour Day 11 - 10 Mar - Drávakeresztúr - Barcs - Zalaszentivan - Ljubljana

New borders:
Virovitica 🇭🇷 - Barcs 🇭🇺

Borders already crossed:
Hodoš 🇸🇮 - Bajansenye 🇭🇺

Onwards towards Ljubljana, with one more Hungary-Croatia border to check before I get there, and hopefully some scenic routes as well, and maybe even a #FensterAuf international train.

Today's routes on the routes map:
https://umap.openstreetmap.fr/en/map/crossborderrail-2026-spring-tour_1361108#9/46.359250/16.127930

Mar 10 at 8:47amWeb
Show threadJon WorthMar 10

#CrossBorderRail 2026 Spring Tour Bike 8 of 14
Drávakeresztúr - Barcs

Distance: 43.1km
Est. duration: 2:45

This bike route, mapped: https://umap.openstreetmap.fr/en/map/crossborderrail-2026-spring-tour_1361108#13/45.891741/17.596321

(that's @mejs 's Brompton - I have been travelling with him as far as Barcs)

Show threadJon WorthMar 10

That's what remains of #CrossBorderRail

Virovitica 🇭🇷 - Barcs 🇭🇺

The sort of lump in the river is where one of the bridge foundations used to be (pic 1). Pic 2 is looking from Croatia to Hungary - you can see where the line used to go, just about

Show threadJon WorthMar 10

#CrossBorderRail 2026 Spring Tour Train 34 of 86
IR 8997
09:30 Barcs - Zalaszentiván 11:57
MÁV

Train type: Siemens Desiro DMU, 2 short carriages
⛽️
🚲: ✅
🦽: ✅ (lift on board for the many stations that are not step free)
🛜: ❓ (there is a sticker saying it is installed, but no network found)
🍽️: ⛔️
🧳: 🙂 (these Desiro DMUs have a clever and roomy design)️
🧽: 😐 (all a bit grimy)
Interrail: 🙂 (accepted)

Show threadJon WorthMar 10

IR 8997
09:30 Barcs - Zalaszentiván 11:57

Distance: 138.2km
Average speed: 56km/h

15 stops:
Peterhida-Komlosd
Babocsa
Vizvar
Belavar
Somogyudvarhely
Berzence
Gyekenyes
Örtilos
Murakeresztur
Nagykanizsa
Gelse
Pötrete
Zalaszentmihaly-Pac.
Bucsuszentlaszlo
Zalaszentivan

This train, mapped: https://umap.openstreetmap.fr/en/map/crossborderrail-2026-spring-tour_1361108#10/46.420503/17.169370

#CrossBorderRail

#CrossBorderRail 2026 Spring Tour

Tours in Spring 2026. 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.

uMap
Show threadJon WorthMar 10
Aaaannnd this isn’t looking good. Single track line, waiting for some passing train. Vizvar. And I’ve got tight connections ahead! #CrossBorderRail
Show threadJon WorthMar 10

Because I’m likely to miss my connection in Zalaszentiván (due to this delay) I need a backup

That will be Zalaszentiván - Öriszentpeter by train, bike across the border to Hodoš, then take further trains

I don’t strictly have tickets to allow it. I’m going to have to blag my way!

Show threadJon WorthMar 10

I can just imagine this on the Slovenian side at Hodoš

“But there’s no train from Hungary that connects to this one. And your ticket was valid on the previous one.”

“I know. But the train from Barcs was delayed so I cycled across the border, will you let me on?”

🤔

Show threadJon WorthMar 10

One alternative *ought* to be a train Gyekenyes 🇭🇺 - Koprivnica 🇭🇷

But there’s only 1 train a day 🤦‍♂️

Show threadJon WorthMar 10
There are lots of men with high viz jackets staring at something at Gyekenyes, delaying my train further…
Show threadJon WorthMar 10
Somehow I’m in Hungary and am not taking a Bzmot today. I’m not sure how this happened. Anyway here’s a pic of one in Barcs earlier for @wrzlbrnft
Show threadJon WorthMar 10
And there would be my second alternative. Murakeresztur - Kotoriba. That one has no passenger trains at all, and no road bridge either 🤷‍♂️
Show threadJon WorthMar 10
Using translation apps with the train manager, she thinks the Ljubljana train will wait in Zalaszentiván. I’ll believe it when I see it 🙂
Show threadJon WorthMar 10
In the end I’m about as cool about all of this as anyone could be. I’ve got a bike to save me if I need it. I can re-route if I have to, and be confident enough to explain things to get my way. And it’s all useful learning for my #CrossBorderRail project.
Show threadJon WorthMar 10
According to MÁV live data it has gone 🤔 #CrossBorderRail
Show threadJon WorthMar 10
But the live data was wrong! It waited! #CrossBorderRail win 🎉
Show threadJon WorthMar 10
#FensterAuf leaving Zalaegerszeg 🇭🇺
Show threadJon WorthMar 10

#CrossBorderRail 2026 Spring Tour Train 35 of 86
IC 246
12:00 Zalaszentiván - Ljubljana 16:44
MÁV, SŽ

Train type: Ganz V43 locomotive first, Ansaldo ASGEN 342 later, 4 carriages
⚡️ (25kV ac, 3kV dc)
🚲: ✅
🦽: ✅ (lift on board into 1 carriage)
🛜: ⛔️ (maybe 1 carriage has it, mine doesn’t)
🍽️: ⛔️
🧳: ☹️ (ridiculous high steps and narrow corridors)
🧽: 🙂
Interrail: 🙂 / 😐 (it insisted when booking I had to book a seat, but does anyone care?)

Show threadJon WorthMar 10

IC 246
12:00 Zalaszentiván - Ljubljana 16:44

Distance: 295.2km
Average speed: 62km/h

20 stops:
Zalaegerszeg
Zalalövö
Öriszentpeter
Hodos
Maekovci
Murska Sobota
Lipovci
Ljutomer mesto
Ivanjkovci
Ormoz
Ptuj
Pragersko
Celje
Lasko
Rimske Toplice
Zidani Most
Trbovlje
Zagorje
Litija
Ljubljana

This train, mapped: https://umap.openstreetmap.fr/en/map/crossborderrail-2026-spring-tour_1361108#9/46.319430/15.644531

#CrossBorderRail

#CrossBorderRail 2026 Spring Tour

Tours in Spring 2026. 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.

uMap
Show threadJon WorthMar 10
Chances of a border control at Hodoš: quite high
Show threadJon WorthMar 10

Őriszentpéter, last station in Hungary

Not much happening here

#CrossBorderRail

Show threadCharlie StrossMar 10
@jon That track sounds like it's not continuously welded?
Show threadJon WorthMar 10
@cstross Correct. Bolted. This was just leaving the station though - it’s welded on the main line.
Show threadTor LillqvistMar 10

@jon I can imagine the train manager phoning their colleague "We have a VIP on board, please hold the train".

Do you ever get the feeling you are a well-known frequent customer on these tours of yours?

Show threadMárton SalomváryMar 10
@tml I can't imagine an average Hungarian train manager being @jon aware.
Show threadJon WorthMar 10
@tml Never. Really. I think only two times in more than 1000 trains did anyone in a rail company even notice.
Show threadMatthew VernonMar 10
@jon it waited for you to take a picture too :D
Show threadJon WorthMar 10
@demoographics It’s MÁV. They don’t rush 🙂
Show threadMárton SalomváryMar 10

@jon In my experience MÁV's live data on *international* trains is poor or plain non existent while domestic trains have near full and high precision coverage (even BZMots;).

I can't help but assume they are doing this to not further worsen the already horrible delay statistics with international trains where delays are often measured in hours (often but not always the "other side" to blame).

#MÁV

Show threadMárton SalomváryMar 10
@jon In the end we have second and meter precision tracking for airplanes, cars, trains, boats, bicycles, pedestrians, how come international trains within certain political boundaries manage to skip under the radar? ;)
Show threadJon WorthMar 10
@mrc but the data for the IR to Pécs was also wrong here!
Show threadMárton SalomváryMar 10
@jon I said "near" full ;)
Show threadMárton SalomváryMar 10

@jon I'd be curious btw how trains' real time data is collected.

Can imagine it is a mix of GPS data relayed via satellite or cellular or proprietary channels and station managers calling The Data Center on the phone or sending a telegram when they see the train arrive/depart ;)

Do you know any good sources to read up on this?

Show threadJon WorthMar 10
@mrc I don’t. But some comes from the signalling system that translates into UIC points.
Show threadTuukka RMar 10

@mrc @jon

In Finland every train driver has a tablet computer called "KUPLA". It also constantly transmits its GPS location and speed, viewable for example at http://juliadata.fi (funnily, the easiest way to see the location there is the "show the speed graph of the train" link because it shows the speeds on map)

Junaliikenteen havaintojärjestelmä

Julia - Junaliikenteen havaintojärjestelmä

Show threadApicultor 🐝Mar 11
@jon
So now you know their "live" data is just the schedule + announced delays. What a scam.
Show threadJon WorthMar 11
@apicultor I am not sure. Sometimes it was accurate (and there is also a "current reported speed of the train" which is also at least semi accurate), so I am not sure it's always as bad as you say.
Show threadApicultor 🐝Mar 11

@jon
At the minimum it is sourced from multiple conflicting sources of truth, making it untrustworthy at best.

If it can't be trusted, what good is "live data"?

Show threadJon WorthMar 11
@apicultor Sure, but 1) this type of issue happens all over Europe, but 2) they are trying, it's not that they're setting out to deceive at least.
Show threadKurswagenMar 10
or a (Very, very) fast bike ride from Búcsúszentlászló to Zalaegerszeg, where train 247 has a longer stop? 🫠
Show threadJon WorthMar 10
@kurswagen.bsky.social calculated that. I can’t make it fast enough! 🙂
Show threadJon WorthMar 10
@kurswagen.bsky.social it’s 50 mins cycle, with a nasty height profile
Show threadKurswagenMar 10
Uff!
Show threadJon WorthMar 10
@kurswagen.bsky.social I’m staying on the train
Show threadWrzlbrnftMar 10
@jon 🥰 🥰 🥰 🙏
Show thread🇪🇺 Paul Schoonhoven 🍋🍉Mar 10
@jon To many men and water bottle. 🙈🙈
Show threadurigMar 10
@jon looks like they've found some sort of box on the ground!
Show threadAsta McCarthyMar 10
@jon Looks like fixing the railswitch?
Show threadJon WorthMar 10
@AstaMcCarthy at least inspecting it, yes. There wasn’t much actual work happening!
Show threadOliver BlanthornMar 10
@jon presumably the men wearing hi-vis are there to make it easier to see the ones who aren't
Show threadTor LillqvistMar 10
@jon But not a single one keeping lookout to see if some train happens to approach them on that track...
Show threadJon WorthMar 10
@tml that was a siding, to be fair 🙂
Show threadWill DeakinMar 10
@jon with one exception this is, by other standards, seriously lo-viz. For example, https://www.smigroupuk.com/insights/a-guide-to-ris-3279-tom-railway-safety-standards-for-high-visibility-clothing
A Guide To RIS-3279-TOM: Railway Safety Standards | SMI

Keep your rail team compliant with the SMI guide to RIS-3279-TOM, how it compares to EN ISO 20471, and where to source compliant hi-vis workwear.

SMI
Show threadOliver SchönrockMar 10

@jon

Are you trying to test if it is possible to get "train lag"?

😀

Show threadDeutscher Bahnkunden-VerbandMar 10
@jon Very atmospheric