Europe Summer 2024

[j2002]

Afternoon all,

I'm planning an Interrail trip next month, and would appreciate any suggestions that you may have. This forum has been a very valuable source of information in the past.

The first 4 days are planned and booked, I will be spending some time in Switzerland / Austria, and will arrive in Prague in the morning of Day 4. I have another 4 days to plan.

I am keen to discover new areas of Europe, especially any areas where there are loco-hauled services (bonus if diesel), and / or impressive scenery. I would like to head north / east vaguely towards the north of Germany / Denmark etc. or Poland. I have no experience in this part of the world , so I don't have that many ideas at the moment. (Also a bonus if using sleeper trains for accommodation is possible.)

(Are there any DB 218s still working regular passenger services?)

I would love to hear suggestions of areas / services that may be worth checking out (or avoiding)...

Many thanks

 

[The exile]

Afternoon all,

I'm planning an Interrail trip next month, and would appreciate any suggestions that you may have. This forum has been a very valuable source of information in the past.

The first 4 days are planned and booked, I will be spending some time in Switzerland / Austria, and will arrive in Prague in the morning of Day 4. I have another 4 days to plan.

I am keen to discover new areas of Europe, especially any areas where there are loco-hauled services (bonus if diesel), and / or impressive scenery. I would like to head north / east vaguely towards the north of Germany / Denmark etc. or Poland. I have no experience in this part of the world , so I don't have that many ideas at the moment. (Also a bonus if using sleeper trains for accommodation is possible.)

(Are there any DB 218s still working regular passenger services?)

I would love to hear suggestions of areas / services that may be worth checking out (or avoiding)...

Many thanks

If your day 4 is a Saturday there’ll be several heritage diesels working out of Prague on scheduled trains. Interrail probably not valid on some of them though.

 

[SeanG]

I'm not sure whether you have come across the vagonweb website - https://www.vagonweb.cz/razeni/ - essentially a site that shows train formations.
This page shows the 218 workings - https://www.vagonweb.cz/razeni/razeni.php?rok=2024&lok=DB+218*&najit=Hledat

 

[j2002]

I'm not sure whether you have come across the vagonweb website - https://www.vagonweb.cz/razeni/ - essentially a site that shows train formations.
This page shows the 218 workings - https://www.vagonweb.cz/razeni/razeni.php?rok=2024&lok=DB+218*&najit=Hledat

Thank you very much - have started using that site, but wasn't aware you could make such a specific search. That will be very helpful. Thank you!

 

[SeanG]

As above, Czechia is good for loco hauled passenger services, as are Poland, Slovakia & Hungary
Austria also sees a good number but traction is mainly limited to one of the three flavours of Taurus or an 1144.

Note that you mention sleepers, but nightjet is now dynamically priced so commands a hefty supplement. Having said that the CD operated ones are still reasonably priced. I can recommend the Zurich - (Salzburg) - Prague sleeper which is nicely timed after a day around Switzerland (you could also pick it up at Buchs if you are coming from the Chur direction)

 

[30907]

Which overnight service are you using to Prague? The line via Linz is apparently blocked, so check!

You could run the same check of Vagonweb for class 754 and 750.7 in CZ and similarly in SK - apart from the Prague-Cercany trains, the best for scenery is Klatovy-Zelezna Ruda. The KZC weekend excursions from Prague aren't covered by IR but are cheap enough, so don't rule them out!

 

[SandsofEss]

You could also head from Prague to Kosice on a Slovakian sleeper train. There are two departures a night - one via Zilina and the other via Bratislava, which are comfortable and very keenly priced.

Kosice is an interesting city in and of itself, and from there it's a short hop on loco hauled daytime services to Poprad and the Tatras mountains. Stunning landscape navigable by reliable electric railways.

And from there, a short hop on a bus over the border into Poland if you fancy it - you can pick up a train from Zakopane into Krakow.

 

[cactustwirly]

As a heads up the Marseille to Nice TER express is hauled Corail stock and has nice scenic views of the riveria

 

[The exile]

I'm not sure whether you have come across the vagonweb website - https://www.vagonweb.cz/razeni/ - essentially a site that shows train formations.
This page shows the 218 workings - https://www.vagonweb.cz/razeni/razeni.php?rok=2024&lok=DB+218*&najit=Hledat

How do you do that search? I’ve been using the site for years but had no idea you could do that!

 

[30907]

How do you do that search? I’ve been using the site for years but had no idea you could do that!

The English version is: "Coach classification" where you type in the loco class
If you then also search by "Route or line number" you can narrow it down further - which I've only just discovered!
You probably need to concentrate on "Scheduled composition" rather than "real compositions".

The other useful site, which gives diagrams, is https://sledovani.55p.cz/- takes some getting used to, especially the autotranslate!

 

[SeanG]

You can also click on the magnifying glass icon next to each coach when you are on a train formation page. It will then bring up a list of all services booked for that loco/coach etc

 

[j2002]

You could also head from Prague to Kosice on a Slovakian sleeper train. There are two departures a night - one via Zilina and the other via Bratislava, which are comfortable and very keenly priced.

Kosice is an interesting city in and of itself, and from there it's a short hop on loco hauled daytime services to Poprad and the Tatras mountains. Stunning landscape navigable by reliable electric railways.

And from there, a short hop on a bus over the border into Poland if you fancy it - you can pick up a train from Zakopane into Krakow.

Just had a look at these suggestions, which sound great.

How safe and sensible would travelling to Kosice be? The fact that it's less than 100km from the border with Ukraine just makes me slightly nervous about doing it.

 

[j2002]

As a heads up the Marseille to Nice TER express is hauled Corail stock and has nice scenic views of the riveria

I've had the privilege of doing that twice now. Really a fantastic journey.

 

[SandsofEss]

Just had a look at these suggestions, which sound great.

How safe and sensible would travelling to Kosice be? The fact that it's less than 100km from the border with Ukraine just makes me slightly nervous about doing it.

I had the same concerns before I went (in April 2022 and December 2023, with children in tow) but other than a welcome centre for Ukrainian refugees at the railway station, it felt completely unaffected.

I drew comfort from the fact it’s 100km to the western border of Ukraine, not the east where the military action is. Slovakia is a NATO member, and there’s no out of the ordinary warnings from the FCO about travel there.

Obviously things can change. The Slovak PM recently survived an assassination attempt, which may be a sign of some unrest. But I wouldn’t hesitate to return there myself.

Edit to add: my trip in December was similar to yours, in that we also took the sleeper from Zurich to Prague. A tip - often the train has a long timetabled stop at Buchs. Worth strolling up and down the platform to view the full train - at that point I believe it consists of several different services, run by different operators, in different liveries. You may even have time for the ten minute stroll to Liechtenstein!

 

[SeanG]

I went to Kosice in 2023. Lovely city and don't let events in Ukraine put you off. It's a lot safer than being here in the UK!!

 

[cactustwirly]

I've had the privilege of doing that twice now. Really a fantastic journey.

Been doing it all week whilst staying in the area, although one this evening was a packed Bombardier EMU instead!

 

[youngiecj]

Been doing it all week whilst staying in the area, although one this evening was a packed Bombardier EMU instead!

Im heading down to Nice and Marseille in August, totally new area for me. Any idea of what services are hauled down there? Or any diagrams floating about?
Cheers.

 

[30907]

Im heading down to Nice and Marseille in August, totally new area for me. Any idea of what services are hauled down there? Or any diagrams floating about?
Cheers.

The Intercites to Toulouse and beyond are still hauled, plus (last year) most of the Nice TERs and IIRC all the Lyon ones; however, that is changing. @cactustwirlywill be more uptodate.

 

[cactustwirly]

Im heading down to Nice and Marseille in August, totally new area for me. Any idea of what services are hauled down there? Or any diagrams floating about?
Cheers.

It's the 2 hourly TER train to Nice.
Some are subbed by a Bombardier regional EMU.
The morning trains were reliably loco hauled, it was a 6pm train from Cannes that was not

 

[youngiecj]

Brilliant, thanks folks

 

[43 302]

Use the SNCF app to see the train formation on the day. The booked diagrams are on ERG too. (European Rail Gen).

 

[youngiecj]

Use the SNCF app to see the train formation on the day. The booked diagrams are on ERG too. (European Rail Gen).

Many thanks.

 

[Tester]

Just had a look at these suggestions, which sound great.

How safe and sensible would travelling to Kosice be? The fact that it's less than 100km from the border with Ukraine just makes me slightly nervous about doing it.

Don't be put off - Košice is great.

If you have a chance, ride the interurban tram to the steelworks.

And Slovakian sleepers are ridiculously cheap - take full advantage!

 

[30907]

Don't be put off - Košice is great.

If you have a chance, ride the interurban tram to the steelworks.

And Slovakian sleepers are ridiculously cheap - take full advantage!

Agreed - though the one via Zvolen is cancelled all summer owing to engineering and the "lie-in" car that sat at Zilina for hours doesn’t run in summer anyway

The Children's Railway is fun, too.

 

[popeter45]

If your day 4 is a Saturday there’ll be several heritage diesels working out of Prague on scheduled trains. Interrail probably not valid on some of them though.

oh ill be in Prage on a saturday on a interrail thou only passing thru, got a list of these trains?

 

[30907]

oh ill be in Prage on a saturday on a interrail thou only passing thru, got a list of these trains?

They are operated by KZC (apart from a service to Breznice which is CD) and leave Hlavni between 8 and 9.
https://www.kzc.cz/ - doesn't work well on my tablet but autotranslates. The ones called "Rychlik" should be hauled, fares are cheap!
https://idos.idnes.cz/en/vlakyautobusymhdvse/odjezdy/?changeShield=true
will get you a departures list for Hlavni, the KZC trains are classed Sp.

 

[alex397]

Don't be put off - Košice is great.

If you have a chance, ride the interurban tram to the steelworks.

I’m visiting Košice in two weeks, and the ‘rapid tram’ to the steelworks intrigues me. Are ‘normies’ allowed to get off at the steelworks? And if they are allowed, does it raise suspicion? I’ve learnt that there’s nothing more anxiety-provoking that causing upset amongst people who may not speak English Such as when I upset a German tram driver who didn’t like me taking photos - I tried to reassure him in English but he didn’t understand me. I doubt I’ll take photos at the steelworks, I’m more interested in the ride.

 

[30907]

I’m visiting Košice in two weeks, and the ‘rapid tram’ to the steelworks intrigues me. Are ‘normies’ allowed to get off at the steelworks? And if they are allowed, does it raise suspicion? I’ve learnt that there’s nothing more anxiety-provoking that causing upset amongst people who may not speak English Such as when I upset a German tram driver who didn’t like me taking photos - I tried to reassure him in English but he didn’t understand me. I doubt I’ll take photos at the steelworks, I’m more interested in the ride.

I've never been but ISTR you will have to get off before the works.
Corrected!

 

[Tester]

I’m visiting Košice in two weeks, and the ‘rapid tram’ to the steelworks intrigues me. Are ‘normies’ allowed to get off at the steelworks? And if they are allowed, does it raise suspicion? I’ve learnt that there’s nothing more anxiety-provoking that causing upset amongst people who may not speak English Such as when I upset a German tram driver who didn’t like me taking photos - I tried to reassure him in English but he didn’t understand me. I doubt I’ll take photos at the steelworks, I’m more interested in the ride.

No problem to get off at the tram terminus, which is public access - and indeed you can change there for local buses. There isn't much else there, so pick your time to go as the trams aren't regular. All timetables are online.

There are several routes - the main service is from the station, but other routes (some only at shift change times) come from various points in the city and converge on to the interurban section.

The workers go off into controlled access areas from the terminus.

Definitely worth it for the ride.

 

[alex397]

.

No problem to get off at the tram terminus, which is public access - and indeed you can change there for local buses. There isn't much else there, so pick your time to go as the trams aren't regular. All timetables are online.

There are several routes - the main service is from the station, but other routes (some only at shift change times) come from various points in the city and converge on to the interurban section.

The workers go off into controlled access areas from the terminus.

Definitely worth it for the ride.

Many thanks for this info. It’s reassuring to know.

The imhd.sk website has been very useful for the ‘rapid tram’ timetables. Certainly have to plan it carefully but at least there’s lunchtime journeys which help. The interurban ride looks great.