Having been up early again I’m now at the enormous Innotrans rail trade fair, waiting for the official opening. I’ll be blogging throughout the day and will attach pictures as soon as I can…
A late exhibit? A Db bi-mode class 249 approaches Messe Berlin…Dirk Hoffmann, the COO of Messe Berlin officially kicks off the event to the world’s media. A bit of an embarrassing event for the British as the UK’s Rail Industry Association (RIA) had sponsored a table, but no-one from RIA turned up!
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My plan to blog throughout this trip fell at the first hurdle. Whilst I’m in 1st Class on the Polish run ‘Berlin – Warsaw express’ there’s no wifi on board. Well, unless you use the buffet and on this train laptops are banned from there! Admittedly, it is a little more swanky than the last PKP catering vehicle I was in where they were allowed. This one has padded seats but no places to perch that aren’t sit down tables for dining. Ah, well. I’ll do what I can on my phone. As I’d not had chance to try Polish food and this was my last chance I treated myself to the Pierogi (stuffed dumplings) which were really rather good.
Lots of seats for eating, but nowhere to perch if you’re just having something to drink.
I’m not staying on the express all the way to Berlin. I’m not in that much of a rush so I’m going to change a couple of times, first at Rzepin, then at Kostrzyn. This will allow me to sample a few different trains en-route to Berlin-Mahlsdorf. Not that it’s the end of the journey as I’m actually staying just outside Potsdam. When Innotrans is on Berlin hotel prices go through the roof but if you’re prepared to be flexible and travel a little you can get some far better deals.
Right now I’m two hours into the first train journey, which is fine, apart from the lack of wifi – and tables. I’m seated in an old-fashioned compartment. Well, the coach itself is very modern, it’s merely the seating layout. The UK did away with compartment stock donkeys years ago. But they’re still popular in Europe.
The trip’s traversed gently undulating farmland via a couple of main railway junctions. I’m beginning to miss hills, I haven’t seen any on this trip at all so far. The most popular crop I see out of the train windows seems to be maize. It’s everywhere, but I’m unsure if its grown for human consumption or as animal feed although to be honest – I haven’t seen that many farm animals.
15:30.
I abandoned my swish 1st Class train at a small station called Rzepin. The station may be quiet but it’s an important railway junction with wide fans of freight sidings and a locomotive depot full of shunting engines – the sort of thing that’s unheard of in the UK nowadays. The depot still retains a turntable and small roundhouse. This trip on a regional EMU to Kostrzyn takes a little over 30 mins. Even though it’s a quiet rural train stopping at all stations I had my Interrail ticket and passport checked. The passport check was to confirm the validity of my ticket.
16:25.
Phew! Made it…
My inbound stopper was late and with a tight connection I didn’t even have time to grab any pictures. Kostryzn station’s on two levels and the Berlin train goes from ‘upstairs’ but you have to go up and down a footbridge first!
16:50.
We’re now heading along a single track branch line towards Berlin, passing through semi-derelict stations, some with enormous defunct buildings that have outlived their usefulness, like Munchenburg. Others have history boards which remind me of the work community rail volunteers do back in the UK.
21:30.
Our trip into Berlin was greeted by black skies and a torrential rainstorm that lasted just a few minutes before the skies cleared back to blue. I wasn’t sad to leave the train as the air cobditioning had been struggling for most of the trip, making it a sweaty one. Due to engineering work on DB’s central corrider through Berlin from East to West I had to make the entire journey to Charlottenburg from Lichtenburg by S-bahn. Only then could I catch a ‘proper’ train for the last 35 minute trip to Werder, where I’m staying. I have six nights in an extremely nice villa – but there’s no wifi, so you’ll have to wait for pictures until tomorrow. Well, apart from this one!
I think I’ll have coffee on my private balcony in the morning. It’s through those curtained doors.
Tomorrow I’ll be at the Innotrans preview, but before I do I’ll flesh this blog out with a few more pictures. We’ll be finished early in the afternoon, so I’ll post pictures of what’s on show as soon as I can. The full show begins on Tuesday, which is when the madness starts…
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I’m staying in Warsaw until 11:00 tomorrow when I move on to Berlin, so I have a full day to explore the city. The weather’s gorgeous with clear blue skies. The temperature is due to hit 21 degrees, so I’m out exploring. My first destination was the old town which was half an hour’s walk away. That time wasn’t wasted as I got to see the more of the modern city. I have to say, I’m impressed with Warsaw. The quality of its transport infrastructure puts many UK cities to shame. Especially the provision for cycling. But then, that’s been true of all the major cities I’ve visited on this trip so far. They’ve all managed to wean themselves off the idea that the only way to get around it by car – and they’re all much nicer places for it. Unfortunately, there’s still a mindset in Britain that car’s should come first and any attempt to provide safe and attractive options for pedestrians and cyclists is an ‘attack on the motorist’.
i made it to to the old town early, so as to avoid the tourist hordes. Most bars and restaurants were still closed which gave me the opportunity to take pictures of nearly empty streets. The architecture and artwork of the old town is gorgeous, even more so when you realise that it’s been painstakingly recreated. During world war 2 the old town was razed to the ground by the Nazis in retaliation for the Warsaw Uprising. 85% of it was destroyed. There’s many plaques on buildings explaining their significance during those awful, brutal times. I’ve a whole selection of pictures to edit when I get the time, but here’s a few for now.
After experiencing the darker side of human history I encountered something completely different. I hadn’t realised, but Warsaw was hosting the annual international tram driving competition. Imagine ‘it’s a knockout’ with trams! Teams form 26 countries (including the UK, who sent a team from Croydon) compete on various challenges which show off their skills in driving trams. It’s wonderful. Warsaw had turned it into a big event with displays of old trams and buses and lots of family activities. Thousands of people turned up.
Tram skittles!
the event was so much fun that I changed my plans to hang around, watch and take pictures. Next year the event is in Luxembourg in July.
Right, that’s all for now. The flaky wifi here in the hotel won’t let me add more. I’ll (hopefully) blog from the train to Berlin tomorrow.
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Typical! The day the rain stops is the day I’m on the move again!
I was woken early this morning by the sound of military jets in the skies above Vilnius. It’s easy to forget that the Lithuanian capital is only a few miles away from Belarus, part of Russia. The Russians have been getting increasingly aggressive in their attitude towards NATO countries. Sending drones and sabotage teams over various countries borders. The idea that Putin is no threat is not one that’s held in the Baltic states. The Ukrainian flag is on display everywhere around town. Even the buses carry this message on their PIS screens.
As my train didn’t didn’t leave until 12:20 I had time to have another wander around the old town, only this time in the sunshine. Here’s a couple of pictures.
I do love a good market and this one in the old town is redolent with the smell of smoked meats, pickles and spices. Many buildings could do with some TLC. Plenty are receiving it – just not this one, yet.My train to Warsaw, which is of the same type that’s taken me all the way from the Estonian border, through Latvia to here. This particular services runs all the way to Krakow, via Warsaw with a change of train at Mockava.
14:05.
We’ve stopped twice on the trip so far. First at the busy junction and freight yards at Kaunas, where we picked up so many passengers that we’re almost full – then at the small town and junction of Kazlų Rūda. My table bay of four now has three occupants, of which I’m one. But, I have a window seat, a power socket and wifi, so I’m content. We’re gradually leaving the built up and more industrial areas behind to head out across open fields, which makes a change as the railways in this part of the world are often hemmed in by trees. I’ve just watched a pair of deer bound away from the tracks!
My fellow passengers seem to be mostly locals of all ages with a smattering of older travellers like me. The atmosphere is relaxed and the two young women stewards both helpful and efficient.
We’ve just called at the wonderfully ornate station at Marijampole. The station building is a delight. The area also boasts extensive freight yards full of grain wagons (there’s some massive grain silos here) and tank wagons – although I haven’t got a clue what they carry. Lithuanian railways are fascinating as (unlike the UK) most industrial sites still have a rail connection. Some are disused, but they still exist.
15:25.
We arrived at Mockava Spot on time. A swift cross platform interchange saw us go from a crowded 3-car multiple unit to a far more expansive locomotive hauled train run by Polish railways (PKP).
14:45.
We’re currently stopped at Kierunek, where a posse of Polish Immigration officers and military have checked everyone’s passports. We’re in the territory of the Suwalki gap, which has gained greater significance since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
16:15.
Polish railways are like stepping back in time. We’ve not seen anything like this in the UK since the 1980s. Imagine a loco-hauled train of half a dozen coaches – one of which is a buffet car! Said buffet car serves freshly cooked meals from pans. None of this ‘prick and ping’ microwave stuff! At Suwalki we stopped for a good 20 minutes so the the engine could run round the train. Now we’re bowling through the countryside along a railway followed by telegraph poles.
The buffet car counter on my Polish train.Arrived. We had an engine change from diesel to electric at Bialystok where this modern EU160 was attached for the final leg.
It took me 25 minutes to walk to my hotel in central Warsaw, partly because the place was packed with people. It being Friday night a lot of young people were out on the town. The city certainly seems to have a vibrant nightlife, although as a solo traveller that’s not something I’m partaking of. Instead, it was a trip to the local Lidl to stock up on food for the kitchenette I share with another room at the hotel, have a video call with Dawn, then work at my desk sorting out pictures. Unfortunately, the hotel wifi’s a bit flaky, which is hindering these updates. Let’s see what tomorrow brings.
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Sadly, the weather’s let me down today. I’ve been really lucky everywhere I’ve been up to now, there was an evening shower in Tallinn, but the next day was fabulous. I was looking forward to exploring Vilnius this morning, but the weather’s been crap. It’s been raining since I woke up at 07:00 so I decided to make the most of the facilities where I’m staying (I have a great room with a desk and a kitchenette) to catch up on editing some of the pictures from the last 9 days travels.
I’ve now cleared my French collection, which can be found on my Zenfolio picture website. The railway ones are here and the travel ones here.
The weather’s slowly clearing. The forecast is that the rain will stop by mid afternoon, which is when I’ll head off into the old town. I did nip out to the station earlier to have a quick look at the adjacent railway museum and check out picture opportunities before I leave for Warsaw on the 12:20 tomorrow. Here’s a couple of pictures for now.
It’s fair to say that (being outdoors) some of the exhibits at the railway museum are looking a little the worse for wear. Like this ChME3 class heavy shunting locomotive! At the station I found this ER20 class “Eurorunner” from Siemens. Originally bought to work freight trains, they now find themselves on passenger services, like this one – the 12:35 to Klaipėda.
OK, the rain seems to have stopped, so I’m off exploring…
18th September update.
I was conned! the rain didn’t clear up until nearly 16:00! Still, I had chance to explore more of the railway station before heading off into the old town, brolly in hand. Vilnius is quite hilly, which makes walking more exerting than in Riga, but it’s rewarding because (like Tallinn) you never know what you’re going to find when you peek round corners and into doorways. There’s a lot of restoration work going on in the old town, parts of which can be quite rundown. Even so, it’s an attractive town with some great architecture. It didn’t really come to life until after 17:00 when – with the rain having stopped – all the restaurants and bars but their tables and chairs out in the streets. There was even a huge screen in one square that was showing opera in the evening.
Here’s a few pictures.
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I’m on the move between countries again, but part of me wishes I wasn’t. I’ve really enjoyed Riga. It’s the best new city I’ve seen on this set of travels as it has so much of interest. Today I did more of the tourist thing. First thing was to take the lift to within 2 floors of the Latvian Academy of Sciences Observation deck. The last couple of flights you have to walk. The views from the top are well worth the 8 Euro admission fee. Plus, it’s one hell of a building.
Having filled my camera with views across the city I moved on to a nearby site that’s far less entertaining. The Riga ghetto and holocaust museum which is a very informative and sobering account of the fate of so many Jews (and others) in world war 2. We’ve learned so little in the past century. Then it was people demonising Jews. Now it’s people (some of whom should know better) demonising Muslims. Is it any wonder that some of us are cynical about religions?
Needing my spirits lifting to celebrate the best (not the worst) humanity can achieve I walked back into the old town to photograph more of the amazing buildings. You’ll have to wait for pictures I’m afraid.
Now I’m on the train from Riga to Vilnius en-route to the third of the Baltic states and yet another new country for me. I’m on another modern Class 730 that carried me from Varga, only this one is nowhere near as busy. I’ll describe the journey (with pictures) tomorrow.
For now, here’s a couple of shots from the top of Institute.
The old Zepplin hangers which now form part of a huge and fantastic market.Looking across to the old town.
My train to Vilnius left Riga at 16:55, which was great for giving me extra time in Riga but it meant that I didn’t get to Vilnius until 21:22, leaving me no time to explore the city. Fortunately, my hotel was less than 10 minutes walk away from the station, so I decided the best thing to do that night was take an evening off and hope to make the most of the next day.
The trip itself was fine. The train was one of the same class 730ML’s that carried me through Latvia from Estonia. it wasn’t too busy and the only minor interruption in the journey was when we crossed the border and immigration officers walked through the train checking passports. From what i could see, Lithuania is a lot less rugged than Latvia, but then nearly half the journey was in darkness. I’m looking forward to having time to explore tomorrow.
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For the first time on this trip I’ve not actually been travelling anywhere. Instead I’ve had a full day in Riga. I have to say I’ve been really impressed with the city. There’s so much to see and do here. It has fantastic architecture, a huge market (both indoor and outdoor) and a really interesting transport network which includes trams, trains and trollybuses. There’s far too much to mention in a blog, so today’s is going to be picture based.
There’s a huge outdoor market in central Riga where stallholders sell fruit and veg, clothing and bric-a-brac. Inside one of the Riga Central Market halls. There’s five of these large buildings (although a couple are now empty) which were constructed in 1930 from old Zepplin sheds. Integreted transport as a train passes the coach terminal. The new standard gauge Rail Baltica station takes shape next to the existing Riga railway station.Architecture in the old town.The Freedom Monument. A 42m tall statue dedicated to Latvians who lost their lives fighting for independence between 1918 & 1920.Soldiers on duty at the Freedom monument. 6 of them rotate the duty, doing one hour on and two hours off. The old town is a Baroque delight!
I’m back on the move again tomorrow, heading to Vilnius in Lithuania where I’ll be taking another break.
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Right now I’m on my way from Tallinn to Riga by train with one change at a place called Valga.
I was up early this morning to make the most of my last few hours in Tallinn. Breakfast was included at my hotel, so I was filling up on rice, eggs and a bean stew just after 07:00 in a cast but empty room.The weather had changed today. We had bright sunshine and cloudless skies which I was determined to make the most of – as you’ll see in pictures I’ll post later. Here’s a tip. If you want to experience Tallinn at its most peaceful and get pictures that do it justice -get out early. The tourist hordes start appearing by 8AM. Before that you almost have the streets to yourself.
I wandered for a couple of hours with no real plan where to go, other than on a whim. It was brilliant! I love exploring like thia as you’ve no idea what you’re going to find.
My train left at 10:18 but I made sure I was there in plenty of time to get a few pictures. The Valga service is worked by a modern Stadler built diesel unit which is more configured for local services with 3+2 seating and no plug sockets, although it does have wifi. It’s perfectly comfortable – just Spartan. Seat reservations are required but pointless as the cars aren’t numbered and nor are the seats.
I’ve saved a day on my Interrail pass by buying a local 2nd class ticket which works out cheaper. There’s not much difference between 1st and Standard Class on these trains anyway.
The trips been interesting as I’ve been able to see Rural Estonia. It’s heavily wooded and the variety of trees would keep a tree spotter very happy as it’s not just fir plantations, there’s plenty of deciduous trees like silver birch too. Housing is quite scattered with traditional wooden bungalows contrasting with small villages where the homes are more substantial. It’s quiet everywhere.
The railway’s seeing a lot of changes. ‘Rail Baltica’ construction work is obvious near Tallin, whilst the existing line’s seeing rural stations having platforms extended. Other locations are getting stations for the first tine.
One stop was Tapa, ehich vontained a preserved Soviet era steam loco and decaying station buildings. Akso, acres of empty freight sidings which presumably would have been full of freight traffic to/from Russia before Putin’s ‘3 day war’ in Ukraine which has now lasted longer than the ‘great patriotic war’ against Nazi Germany. Tapa still boasts a wagon repair shops and train stabling, which mark its importance.
12:15.
Since we called at Tamsalu we’ve been crawling along. Some times no faster than walking pace. This single-track section of line’s being electrified and having new signalling installed, which is affecting performance. I only hope this has been factored in to the journey time!
13:00.
We’ve made it as far as Tartu, which is as far as the new Southwards electrification will reach. A lot of passengers detrained here, which led to a pleasent discovery. This train does have plug sockets! They’re under the small tables in seating bays of four on the raised floor areas of each vehicle. That’s a relief as my phone battery was down to 50%.
15;05.
Despite the engineering work along the line we arrived in Valga spot on time. Our connecting train had arrived in the platform a few seconds before! The cross-platform interchange was easy. My new conveyance is rather more upmarket than the last as it has at seat catering services and is altogether more plush, with more tables (including backseat ones). I took advantage of the menus offered to me by one of the two young lady hostesses to order a black coffee (not bad) and a cinnamon bun. It set me back a grand total of three Euros fifty!
From this Estonian unit to…– this Lithuanian one, which works the international service from Varga through Riga to Vilnius.
Whilst this train’s more upmarket, I’m not sure about the ride quality. I’m sat in the same position I was on the earlier train and this one’s ‘hunting’ a lot. The 730m type are built by PESA of Poland whilst my earlier train was built by Stadler of Switzerland. Of course, the problem could just be the track. I can’t judge if Latvian railways have had the same level of investment that Estonia is seeing.
Another difference is that this train seems to be an ‘all stops’ service, which isn’t a problem. In some ways it makes it more interesting – as does the weather, which has turned into a mix of sunshine and showers! The countryside’s becoming more diverse too. It’s still heavily forested, but far more undulating, causing the railway to twist and turn.
23:00.
It’s time to close this blog. I’m now in Riga which is a world away from Tallinn, but fascinating in another way. I’ll explain more in tomorrow’s blog. I’ve two nights here, which is a luxury. Admittedly, the place I’m staying in isn’t luxurious – but it has a washing machine! I’ve now got a weeks worth of dirty clothes clean – even if my room resembles a Chinese laundry. I’m really looking forward to having time to explore tomorrow, knowing that I’m prepped for the next leg of the trip. In the meantime here’s the first few pictures from Riga.
These Soviet era diesel trains are still in use on some services. The DR1 design dates back to 1963 although this unit wasn’t built until after the collapse of the soviet union. The sides of the DR1A catch the evening sunlight.The eastern bloc feel continues on the streets where these Tatra T3 trams (a design dating back to 1960) are still in operation.
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The ferry from Stockholm to Tallinn was a great way to travel and a fascinating experience in people-watching. This wasn’t just a ferry, it’s more a cruise. There were live shows aboard, multiple restaurants, a piano bar and a massive duty-free shop which was doing a roaring trade as Swedes stocked up on cheap booze. Mind you, it wasn’t just Swedes or Estonians aboard. I was surprised to find groups of Chinese, Japanese and even Indian tourists travelling.
I didn’t join in the partying. Instead I retreated to my cabin for a good night’s sleep. The ferry was large enough that there was no pitching and rolling or feeling of being out at sea so a good night’s sleep was easy.
The Baltic Queen in Tallinn.
We arrived at Tallinn at 11:00. Sadly, the sunshine that’s followed me most of the trip decided to abandon me today. Tallinn had seen a downpour and residual but intermittent rain remained. For some that was no bad thing because when I walked into town I encountered the runners of the Tallinn marathon!
Marathon running. Not something you want to be doing in blazing heat.Encouragement. I’m not sure of the relevance of the dinosaur tho’..
As I had a couple of hours to kill before I could check into my hotel I watched the runners, many of whom had clearly come from all across Europe to take part. Next, I popped over to the railway station to check out the place before catching my train tomorrow. Sadly, Estonian railways has modernised their fleet in recent years. All that was around were modern diesel and electric multiple units. Good for passengers, but not so interesting from an enthusiasts perspective.
Passenger operator Elron uses modern Stadler ‘Flirt’ trains in Estonia.
Finally, it was time to get to my hotel in the old town, and it didn’t disappoint. The St Olav hotel’s a refurbished neoclassical building dating from 1437 with a quirky interior but comfortable rooms. It’s a great base from which to explore the old town, which is delightful.
You can’t beat a quirky vintage hotel.My room
I’ve enjoyed exploring Tallin, a medieval town with amazing buildings and streets which are full of nooks and crannies. Unsurprisingly, it can get very busy during the day with tourists – especially when cruise ships are visiting, but in the evening it’s much quieter which makes it a great time to explore. Here’s a few shots from my wanderings.
Not a menu for veggies. I don’t think I’ve ever seen somewhere with Elk on the menu before.A backstreet Italian restaurant. The rain returned this evening. Which always makes for good reflective pictures, especially now the streets are quiet. The remains of the old city walls.
I’ve enjoyed my day in Tallinn, it’s a gorgeous place rich in history. I’d certainly come back, but tomorrow I’m on the move again. This time to Riga in Latvia.
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There’s not trains for me today, apart from a metro to the port. Instead, it’s all about boats, from the one I’ve slept on last night to the ferry I’ll be sleeping in tonight as it carries me from Stockholm to Tallin in Estonia, where I’ll arrive tomorrow morning. After the hectic pace of the past few days I’m taking time to kick back a little. I don’t have to check out of my ‘floatel’ until 11:00, so I’m making the most of it. It’s a cloudy day here in Stockholm, so I’m happy to relax and catch up on emails and suchlike before exploring later. My ship doesn’t sail until17:30 this afternoon, so that gives me time to wander. In the meantime, here’s a picture from yesterday. Here’s Stockholm’s artificial beach, which I walked past on the way to my floatel!
16:30.
After a day clocking up some serious miles walking around Stockholm I’m now on board the ‘Baltic Queen’ ferry, exploring the ship before she sails at 17:30. I’ve a simple cabin with no outside view but that really doesn’t matter.
Stockholm proved to be an interesting city to wander around. Some of the buildings are best described as monolithic. They’re huge! The Swedes obviously wanted to project wealth and power. The layout of the city is interesting too as it’s spread over several islands and at different elevations. Flat it isn’t! Despite that, cycling is a popular form of transport so there’s lots of cycle lanes. Public transport is plentiful, with buses a metro system as well as suburban rail.
Whilst Sweden is pricy, it’s not as bad as I thought it might be, although I resisted any temptation to visit bars or restaurants. Instead I contented myself with food from the Co-op on the station. Stockholm station has a lovely concourse and waiting area (pictures later) as well as plenty of shops.
Whilst I’ve enjoyed my brief visit I have to say that I prefer Copenhagen. It has a much more freewheeling and funky atmosphere. But, I would come back to Sweden to explore some more. Maybe as day trips from Copenhagen!
Watching ferries to-ing and fro-ing through the multitude of small islands that line the route out of Sweden.
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Paul Bigland 