Resources for enthusiasts travelling internationally

[Muzer]

I was thinking of doing some travelling abroad in the future. I know journey planning can be done for most European countries from bahn.de, but where can I find things like:

* Real time/working timetable information (like RTT)
* Detailed ticketing information (what tickets are available for what prices, as well as things like rovers/rangers, travelcards, their validities, split ticketing rules etc. - so equivalents for things like this forum's ticketing guide, brfares and railrover.org)
* Rail atlases (Baker type maps) and track diagrams (Quail type maps)


...for European countries, and elsewhere? And how many of these are available in English?

 

[reb0118]

* Rail atlases (Baker type maps)......

Schweers + Wall produce excellent eisenbahnaltas for Germany, Austria, Italy/Slovenia, & Switzerland. I believe the BeNeLux and French (Nord/Sud) atlases are to follow shortly.

 

[Searle]

* Real time/working timetable information (like RTT)

If you have a smartphone, check out this rail planner app. It has RTT information on it if you're connected to the internet.

* Rail atlases (Baker type maps) and track diagrams (Quail type maps)

Using a map I found online, I've cut and pasted it all into paint, so it's large, high definition and you can easily draw on it. Just ask if you want a copy, I'll send it electronically.

(also nice signature )

 

[Muzer]

Using a map I found online, I've cut and pasted it all into paint, so it's large, high definition and you can easily draw on it. Just ask if you want a copy, I'll send it electronically.

Sounds interesting, please do.

(also nice signature )

Was this aimed at me? I've just updated the TOC list, I'd forgotten to do so... can't believe I haven't been on Southern yet this year.

 

[Searle]

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5474/12598829064_11057936bc_o.png (warning, it's extremely large!) Also please note about this that some of the smaller lines may not have any trains running on them any more (ie. all international greek services)

and the comment about the signature was just that it's very similar to mine

 

[Muzer]

I may well have stolen yours, I can't remember now

 

[Gordon]

http://www.seat61.com/ is the usual go to place for general info.

Nobody has mentioned the Ball atlasses yet:

http://www.europeanrailwayatlas.com/

For links to national timetable PDFs and lots of other gen, use the Europeanrail yahoo group.



.

 

[eastwestdivide]

Online network maps and info on cross-border operations at
http://www.bueker.net/trainspotting/
shows electrification systems, single/double track, freight-only lines.

 

[30907]

I was thinking of doing some travelling abroad in the future. I know journey planning can be done for most European countries from bahn.de, but where can I find things like:

* Detailed ticketing information (what tickets are available for what prices, as well as things like rovers/rangers, travelcards, their validities, split ticketing rules etc. - so equivalents for things like this forum's ticketing guide, brfares and railrover.org

Today's Railways Europe produces a railpasses and rovers booklet in print each year.
For single-journey tickets, in general I would go to the relevant national railway site.

As to split ticketing, I am not sure this is a big issue on longer journeys, because even those countries which use relational (non-mileage) pricing have fares set nationally. I have seen reports of anomalies on German IC/ICE fares, though, despite this. In Germany, regional train fares are often set locally and splitting near a boundary can occasionally help. Poland is just complicated!

I'm sure people here would be happy to help on specific questions.

 

[33056]

Have a look at EGTRE , the Enthusiast's Guide to Travelling the Railways of Europe. Plenty of information on there listed by country, including information on tickets and links to on-line timetables and maps.

 

[DownSouth]

Spotters in Australia can get easy access to the Master Train Plan and Train Alteration Advice notices for the ARTC (interstate mainline) network. This is as close to a "working timetable" as you can get without being an industry insider, and is not 100% reliable due to the flexible dynamics of a mixed-traffic rail network dominated by freight services rather than by passenger services.

http://www.artc.com.au/Content.aspx?p=43

 

[Techniquest]

The Eisenbahn EU atlas is pretty good, it's got to be said. Much better than the Thomas Cook map, and the Eisenbahn Germany atlas is huge, heavy but very detailed!