Jussi Mäkinen 🇫🇮🇪🇺
Another #nofly trip from #Helsinki to more central Europe heads this time south on the new #Baltic express – instead of west to Turku and Stockholm. The day starts quite early with a #tram ride to the western harbour for a ferry to #Tallinn (visible on the left).
Jun 15 at 8:28amWeb
Show threadJussi Mäkinen 🇫🇮🇪🇺5d ago
In #Tallinn one has to of course test the newish #tram line from the harbour. Taking number 2 towards Kopli to get to the Balti station.
Show threadJussi Mäkinen 🇫🇮🇪🇺5d ago
#Elron's diesel #FLIRT #DMU leaves #Tallinn Balti jaam via Tapa and Tartu to Valga. The train is modern and quite comfortable, but on a long trip like this, I'd appreciate reclining seats and a restaurant car.
Show threadJussi Mäkinen 🇫🇮🇪🇺5d ago
The construction of the #RailBaltica station in Ülemiste is in full swing. Unfortunately the line itself we still have to wait for. It will cut this journey significantly both in km and time.
But what's crucial now is that #Elron, #Vivi and #LTG finally organised the trip sensibly so that in can be done in one day from #Tallinn to #Vilnius. Comparing to 2018, no more multi-hour waits in Valga and Daugavpils (nor that detour), Soviet-era stock nor an intermediary night (or two if coming from 🇫🇮).
Show threadJussi Mäkinen 🇫🇮🇪🇺5d ago
Now the one interchange on the route is in #Valga 🇪🇪, from an #Elron train (left) to an #LTG 🇱🇹 one – #Vivi 🇱🇻 has some sort of sharing arrangements for the latter.
#CrossBorderRail #nofly
Show threadJussi Mäkinen 🇫🇮🇪🇺5d ago
So no need to exit in Riga, except to stretch one's legs and get a bit of fresh air.
Of course good that no interchange is needed, especially since all Vivi's DMU's are Soviet design from #RVR. The procurement of the EMU's has finally resulted in some actual trains, but what I've heard, a lot of problems with these Škoda 16Ev's.
A #RailBaltica station is been built here too.
Show threadJussi Mäkinen 🇫🇮🇪🇺4d ago
Finally in #Vilnius, some 6 min late (it was 13 at some point). +40 min added already in the schedule for track works or something.
Easily 16 hours from central Helsinki. Possible, but perhaps not recommended, at least often.
Elron does have a later direct connection to Riga, letting you have a night+work day's length there, but now it's Riga–Vilnius that has only one train.
From here on to Poland there are three, though the latest one doesn't get you very far into the country.
Show threadTuukka R3d ago

@JiMakinen

My understanding is that the problem has more to do with the RVR factory in Riga where the trains are made, not so much with Škoda itself. No other Škoda trains are assembled in Riga.