The forbidden railway.

[thaitransit]

This is a story of two people who went for a ride on the worlds longest direct train service. A distance of 10272 km. Taking 211 hours complete. Its not the distance that makes the train journey rare but the people who rode it where the 1st non locals ever to be allowed to ride it end to end.

About 80% of the trip is on electrified double track built to a high standard. The remaining 20% of the line is electrified single track but of very low standard. It passes though an area that no western people have ever been allowed to visit since World War 2.

If your a real hard core railfan with a taste for adventure then this trip is for you.

Links:

http://vienna-pyongyang.blogspot.com/
http://vienna-pyongyang.blogspot.com/2008/09/irkutsk-skovorodino.html
http://vienna-pyongyang.blogspot.com/2008/09/khabarovsk-khasan-border-russiadprk.html
http://vienna-pyongyang.blogspot.com/2008/09/tumangan-north-korean-border-station.html
http://vienna-pyongyang.blogspot.com/2008/09/kilchu-pyongyang-12.html
http://vienna-pyongyang.blogspot.com/2008/09/kilchu-pyongyang-22.html
http://vienna-pyongyang.blogspot.com/2008/09/pyongyang-and-mt-myohyang.html

View the links to see a good range of never before seen rail pics and landscape shots of such an off limits area.

 

[Darandio]

Thank you so much for that, an absolutely brilliant read with some excellent photographs.

One of the funniest things is the whole "uniform" nature of the railway network within North Korea, from the similarity of the railway stations to the quite attractive white stone markings to show where the ballast ends.

 

[Dennis]

Very interesting; North Korea looks amazingly neat and tidy.

 

[spoony]

Excellent read, Ive just spent the last hour and a jalf reading that

 

[provodnik]

Hi,


thanks to 'thaitransit' for posting the links to my travelogue here!

Just two corrections:
- we were not the 1st non-locals who travelled this route, as it was officially open to tourist till the mid-90ies. It was not used often, but I know of at least 3 other travellers, who did this route in the early 90-ies.
- we were not really allowed to travel this route. Well, it wasn't totally illegal, as the border point ("Tumangan"), where we entered North Korea, is indeed listed on an usual NK visa. But we used this route without prior approval from KITC (the state tourist company)and also our travel agency said that it's not possible to go there. But we just didn't care about that... and hoped that the fact, that "Tumangan" was listed on our visa, would be enough...


Helmut

 

[coupwotcoup]

...what can I say. What a great read and a fantastic insight into places most of us only dream about visiting. Because of time limitations, I've mainly sped read it, but will soon re-read from A to Zee.
In comparison, it makes my thrice-yearly train trip from London to Barcelona seem like going three stops on the London Underground.

 

[Aussie_Rail]

I've actually read this same thread on another forum elsewhere. North Korea looks like an amazing place to visit, it's just a shame it looks so uninviting.

 

[gingerheid]

I've actually read this same thread on another forum elsewhere. North Korea looks like an amazing place to visit, it's just a shame it looks so uninviting.

And that the North Korean government... well... you aren't going to get mugged while on holiday there, but I'm sure the government would do absolutely anything it pleased to you if it suited their political purposes.

 

[Drsatan]

It would be nice to go there, but I don't think I could, since I'd be propping up Kim Jong-il's murderous regime.

 

[tripleseis]

Best blog on the internet IMO. Gripping read from start to finish.