Martin Breen (he/him)04:25 WexfordBus from Gorey to Dublin.
I love this time of year, it’s daylight so early.
Bus dropped me at George’s Quay and I headed straight to the taxi rank at Dublin Connolly. Three cabs waiting. Good chat with the taxi driver.
Ferry terminal very quiet with no queue for check-in. Friendly lady asked for my name and fished out my SailRail ticket from a bundle. Decided to check-in my wheelie case - they have a simple tag system.
All sorted and sitting with a coffee in the bright sunny cafe by 6am.
Boarded shortly after 06:45 and it’s time for a mish mash of “free” items for breakfast in the club class lounge.
Debudding/disbudding beef calves 😨
The first few sentences of an article in the Farming section of my complimentary Irish Independent have me very concerned for the poor little fellas.
Turns out they’re terms for horn removal. Could have been worse.
Captain announces that we will be alongside in Holyhead a few minutes late.
First time in the Club Lounge on Ulysses and it was a very relaxing crossing.
Complimentary food offering is limited but with free WiFi and relaxed surroundings it’s reasonably good value at €25.
On the terminal shuttle bus less than 10 mins after arrival and cleared the police check by 11:27.
Plenty of time to make the 12:02 Transport for Wales service to Chester with connection to Crewe and onward connection to London Euston.
But, I’m going to wait for the 12:48 Avanti West Coast direct service and take advantage of my First Class Interrail pass. Hopefully. they don’t cancel it!
All looking good with my train but I can’t say the same for Platform 1 of Holyhead Railway Station. (Platform 2 is much nicer)
The train, a British Rail Class 805 Evero, is a bi-mode multiple unit so the carbon footprint decreases once we leave the North Wales Main Line and join the electrified line to London.
Departure 10 seconds early according to my watch!
I’m grazing my way through the day. Interrail “free” food.
Cleaner energy!
#StayGrounded #SlowTravel #Interrail #GoreyToOrtigia #MastoDaoine
Running +7 at Stafford. It would be getting exciting now if I had stuck with the tight connection to the Eurostar
#StayGrounded #SlowTravel #Interrail #GoreyToOrtigia #MastoDaoine
+6 arrival at London Euston.
Took the quiet walking route to St Pancras and arrived at the check-in area in a shade under 15mins. So, 67 mins ahead of the 18:04 departure. If I had stuck with that tight connection it would have worked out fine today.
On balance though, I’m happy enough to have been able to relax on the train down from Holyhead.
#StayGrounded #SlowTravel #Interrail #GoreyToOrtigia #MastoDaoine
15 hours travelling and just waiting for the 19:35 Eurostar to Brussels to depart.
The train is one of the older e300 trains. It’s pretty shabby around the edges. I’m close to an automatic door which is nervously trying to close every 10 seconds.
#StayGrounded #SlowTravel #Interrail #GoreyToOrtigia #MastoDaoine
Departed on time but mobile signal very patchy until we entered the Channel Tunnel.
More “free” Interrail food.
#StayGrounded #SlowTravel #Interrail #GoreyToOrtigia #MastoDaoine
The food has been ok on both Eurostar and Avanti West Coast but the service on Avanti was lovely and warm whilst on Eurostar it’s been by numbers.
This bears out previous experience with both.
I think it’s a northern English thing.
#StayGrounded #SlowTravel #Interrail #GoreyToOrtigia #MastoDaoine
295km/h on the LGV Nord. Flat fields of corn. Dying rays of sunlight. Slow travel can be fast, beautiful and entertaining.
#StayGrounded #SlowTravel #Interrail #GoreyToOrtigia #MastoDaoine
A long day draws to a close with the final leg of the day going smoothly. A much shorter day coming up tomorrow.
#StayGrounded #SlowTravel #Interrail #GoreyToOrtigia #MastoDaoine
Day 2 starts with a walk with my local host to Boulangerie Pinpin in the Marolles area of Brussels. It’s a central working class district subject to gentrification.
The bakery has a cool vibe with young staff and what appears to be a recently converted building. A very light hand has been used in the renovations!
Thierry is good company for breakfast back at his place.
I now have 90mins to wander around central Brussels.
#StayGrounded #SlowTravel #Interrail #GoreyToOrtigia #MastoDaoine
I’ve only spent time in Brussels once before. I like its messiness.
#StayGrounded #SlowTravel #Interrail #GoreyToOrtigia #MastoDaoine
Only one train journey today. 12:25 Brussels-Cologne 14:15 on a Deutsche Bahn ICE3 Neo.
Not using my Interrail pass today as this wasn’t part of my original planning and I need to save it for longer legs of the journey.
2nd class seat cost €39.99 + €5.50 seat reservation when I bought it a month in advance following the announcement of a strike in France on the very day I planned to travel across the country.
#StayGrounded #SlowTravel #Interrail #GoreyToOrtigia #MastoDaoine
+23 at Liège-Guillemins due to a defective train ahead of us. Happy I’m not making a connection in Cologne.
The Calatrava station probably says something about Belgian dysfunction.
#StayGrounded #SlowTravel #Interrail #GoreyToOrtigia #MastoDaoine
I guess “Psst” doesn’t mean “stay quiet” in German…
At least the conversation is in German and I can’t get annoyed by its content as I only understand the very occasional word.
#StayGrounded #SlowTravel #Interrail #GoreyToOrtigia #MastoDaoine
First DB train of the journey and I’ve been Deutsche Bahned by 30 minutes. To be fair it was another train that caused the problem.
#StayGrounded #SlowTravel #Interrail #GoreyToOrtigia #MastoDaoine
If there’s a Dom tower you have to climb it. Sorry, I don’t make the rules.
#StayGrounded #SlowTravel #Interrail #GoreyToOrtigia #MastoDaoine
Day 3 06:54 Köln Hbf - Olten 13:58
Time for breakfast!
I was too busy getting to the right boarding zone of the platform for the Bord Restaurant to get a photo of my train - an ICE4 Lang. I did get one of this beauty though - ICE 1 LDV.
#StayGrounded #SlowTravel #Interrail #GoreyToOrtigia #MastoDaoine
Now in a cosy seat with a good window view.
The Italian train strike is partially suspended. Looking at the Trenitalia, Trenord and SBB websites though, it seems that most, if not all, trains are cancelled from Chiasso, on the Swiss border, to Milan.
#BahnBubble, is there a realtime train tracking site for Italy?
#StayGrounded #SlowTravel #Interrail #GoreyToOrtigia #MastoDaoine
Thanks to the magic of Mastodon, I have confirmation that my Plan B to take a bus from Lugano to Milan is likely to be invoked😬
Viaggia Treno (http only)
http://www.viaggiatreno.it/infomobilita/index.jsp
And also the Trenitalia App!
Thanks to:
@froderik
@meganL
@HaTetsu
@interrailinfosvenska
#BahnBubble #StayGrounded #SlowTravel #Interrail #GoreyToOrtigia #MastoDaoine
Luckily, I booked a FlixBus last weekend as insurance for today, as they’re now sold out for times that would allow me to catch my night train. ItaBus is also sold out.
It’s a 30min walk to the FlixBus stop in Lugano from the railway station. I have a 140min window to make it. Of course the FlixBus stop in Milan is also a 30min metro trip to Milano Centrale!
FlixBus, going, going, gone:
#StayGrounded #SlowTravel #Interrail #GoreyToOrtigia #MastoDaoine
Switzerland, but not quite.
Basel Badischer Bahnhof is German from a customs perspective.
#StayGrounded #SlowTravel #Interrail #GoreyToOrtigia #MastoDaoine
+1 on a 4.5 hour journey - thank you Deutsche Bahn!
However, I spotted the following notice for my SBB train to Lugano on leaving Basel:
“Changes to the composition of the train
This train is not operating its dining car.”
So much for a highly anticipated plan for lunch.
So I bought a second cheesy croissant on DB. This time it was in Swiss Francs and I’m lucky enough to be able to see the funny side: CHF13:10 v €11:70
#StayGrounded #SlowTravel #Interrail #GoreyToOrtigia #MastoDaoine
11:30 Olten - Lugano 13:58
The SBB Giruno train running this service arrived on time and the 11min connection was easily made. Long sloped passageways from the platforms at Olten would help many with accessibility requirements and these trains also have level boarding.
I have an unreserved three bay set of seats at the moment.
#StayGrounded #SlowTravel #Interrail #GoreyToOrtigia #MastoDaoine
There’s a very long timetabled stop in Luzern (13min). I guess it’s due to Swiss optimisation of the network as a whole rather than point to point connections.
#StayGrounded #SlowTravel #Interrail #GoreyToOrtigia #MastoDaoine
Confirmed, no lunch while in the longest rail tunnel in the world.
#StayGrounded #SlowTravel #Interrail #GoreyToOrtigia #MastoDaoine
Also confirmed in the ticket office in Lugano, no trains south of the Swiss border until 18:00. That’s leaving it too tight for my connection. FlixBus it is!
I guess there’s worse places to be stuck.
#StayGrounded #SlowTravel #Interrail #GoreyToOrtigia #MastoDaoine
And on I go
#StayGrounded #SlowTravel #Interrail #GoreyToOrtigia #MastoDaoine
Milano Centrale with just under 2 hours to spare. Treating myself to a sit down pizza and wine and bracing for how much the coperto is.
The metro trip was hot and stuffy and two pickpocketing women seemed to take an especial shine to me. I stared them straight down, they brazenly stared right back and
continued to manoeuvre close to me.
#StayGrounded #SlowTravel #Interrail #GoreyToOrtigia #MastoDaoine
If you’ve never been to Milano Centrale it’s quite a sight. Similar scale to St Peter’s Basilica in Rome. The fascists learned a thing or two from the church.
Laughably, toilet access is still as lamentable as it was when I was here just over 12 months ago. People trying mobile payment, coins and cards and it seemed to be lottery as to when the magic gates would open. Exactly the same - absolutely no improvement.
#StayGrounded #SlowTravel #Interrail #GoreyToOrtigia #MastoDaoine
+3 departure for a 20 hour train journey. This Interrail Day started at 06:54 and should end at 15:54 tomorrow.
The train is swelteringly warm and the air conditioning currently having no affect!
#StayGrounded #SlowTravel #Interrail #GoreyToOrtigia #MastoDaoine
Good morning Vesuvius!
Slept really well. The more I travel by sleeper train the better I sleep on them. The rocking motion only helps and being quite deaf is a distinct advantage.
An espresso would be lovely now.
#StayGrounded #SlowTravel #Interrail #GoreyToOrtigia #MastoDaoine
Got my double espresso but I’m used to a long black coffee first thing in the morning. Nevertheless, the espresso was good.
The supplied breakfast is Italian style - sweet and limited.
As there is no dining car on this train, I stocked up on bread and other supplies in the supermarket in Milano Centrale last evening. It’s well hidden at one end of Centrale’s Metro retail mall. Good selection of everything, including wine!
#StayGrounded #SlowTravel #Interrail #GoreyToOrtigia #MastoDaoine
Arrived in Villa S.Giovanni and after a long wait the train was shunted onto the ferry.
Arancino and beer purchased in the lounge and currently crossing the Strait of Messina.
#StayGrounded #SlowTravel #Interrail #GoreyToOrtigia #MastoDaoine
Trains at sea
#StayGrounded #SlowTravel #Interrail #GoreyToOrtigia #MastoDaoine
-1 arrival in Siracusa and just a 25min walk to the island of Ortigia - essentially the old town of Siracusa.
I left home 84 hours ago and the journey has been great fun.
Brussels, Cologne, and even pricey Lugano are all calling me back.
I’m now truly ready to relax for seven days.
Then, the low of the return to the everyday is tempered with short stops in Bologna and Turin, and overnights in Paris and London
#StayGrounded #SlowTravel #Interrail #GoreyToOrtigia #MastoDaoine
