Shred`s February 2017, European Trip

[shredder1]

Budapest to Usti, Hungary to Czech Republic.

Europe East and West, (Day 1). Budapest to Usti. Hungary to Czech Republic. Friday 3rd February 2017.

My first holiday of the year and I had booked on another NFP Czech Rail tour, a two day run along a few new lines for me in Northern Czech, centred from Usti. I was combining this with an Interrail (Global), so it was a case of just going were we could and getting as much in as possibly, mainly around German, although we also got out to Italy, Switzerland and Denmark and even managed a day on the Harz Mountain Railway.

I left work late afternoon on Thursday 2nd February 2017, and flew directly to Budapest, I`d arranged to meet two friends out there, my regular travelling mate Rob, who had made his way overland from North Africa, and another mate Alan who I went through university with in Manchester. Alan had met an Hungarian girl and moved out to Pec`s, so he also had travelled by rail some 150 mile to Budapest for our meet. I arrived in the City just after midnight and met up with the guys in a bar opposite Keleti railway station, we had a fantastic night, it was great to catch up, especially with Alan who I hadn’t seen for 15 years.

We left the bar at around 05.00 and after seeing Alan to the bus stop, as he was staying in Budapest with friends, Rob and I made our way back to Keleti railway station, as we had booked a train to take us north, through Slovakia and onto Usti in the Czech Republic, where we had a two day rail tour ahead of us. The train ride was good and one I`d done before, but never tire of and we arrived in Usti nad Labem by late afternoon. After checking in at the hotel, we were off down to the depot, 111 locomotives on shed, I went round the outside and Rob went round the inside, an amazing place with very friendly staff who allowed us the visit. The last of the light was leaving the sky as we left the depot, a meal and a drink in Usti town and then back to the hotel, I`d been up about 40 hours by that time, and it didn’t take me long to fall asleep once my head hit the pillow. It had been a good first day.

https://www.facebook.com/nick.melli...86798512170.1073742633.100001125840218&type=3

 

[Techniquest]

Wow that looks like an awesome trip already, just had a quick look at the many photos from Day 1. I'm not at all familiar with those locos or even countries, but will be following with interest!

 

[shredder1]

Wow that looks like an awesome trip already, just had a quick look at the many photos from Day 1. I'm not at all familiar with those locos or even countries, but will be following with interest!

Thank you very much for your comments, I usually try to get into Europe about 3 or 4 times a year.

 

[shredder1]

Europe East and West, (Day 2). Czech Republic NFP Rail tour first day. Saturday 4th February 2017.

The first day of the tour covered the following routes and branch lines. Ústí nad Labem západ – Dĕčín hln – Dĕčín východ – Česká Lípa – Litomĕřice horní nádraží – Žalhostice – Lovosice – Čížkovice – Libochovice – Louny – Postoloprty – Žatec (reverse) – Krupá – Kolešovice (reverse) – Krupá – Žatec (reverse) – Postoloprty – Obrnice – Bílina – Oldřichov u Duchcova (reverse) – Duchcov freight sidings (reverse) – Oldřichov u Duchcova – Řetenice (reverse) – Úpořiny (reverse) – Ústí nad Labem západ.

I`d stayed at a Pensions private room hostel on Friday night and had it booked for Saturday and Sunday nights also, Rob was staying at an hotel around the corner and the rail tour had an early start from Ústí nad Labem západ station, a ten minute walk from my accommodation. It was great to meet up with the rest of the lads from previous rail tours over here and 7 of us got together in one compartment for the tour. The beers flowed well throughout, we had lots of photo stops and run rounds and generally a great time was had by all. A meal in an Italian restaurant back in Usti finished the day off nicely, a great tour for the first day.

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[shredder1]

Europe East and West (Day 3), Czech Republic NFP Rail tour second day. Sunday 5th February 2017.

The itinerary for the second day was as follows, Ústí nad Labem západ – Teplice v Čechach (stops to pick up) – Řetenice – Bílina – Chomutov – Kadaň (reverse) – Chomutov west curve – Březno u Chomutova – Žatec západ – Kaštice – Vilémov u Kadanĕ (reverse) – Kadaňský Rohozec (reverse) – Vilémov u Kadanĕ (reverse) – Kaštice (reverse)) – Blatno u Jesenice (reverse)) – Protivec – Bochov (reverse) – Protivec (reverse) – Bečov nad Teplou – Krásný Jez – Karlovy Vary (reverse) – Chomutov – Most – Bílina – Trmice – Ústí nad Labem západ. Total = 454 km and 9 reversals.

A slightly later start for the second day of the tour, but again departing from Ústí nad Labem západ, sadly one of our gang missed the train, too much beer the day before maybe, but we had another fantastic day roving around many new lines and branches in Northern Czech. Returning after dark to Usti and saying our goodbyes to the guys on the tour, I made my way to the hostel for my last night in Usti, a lovely town which I`ve visited once or twice over the last few years. Tomorrow however we were to head into Germany.

https://www.facebook.com/nick.melli...23825065134.1073742636.100001125840218&type=3

 

[shredder1]

Europe East and West (Day 4), Czech Republic to Germany. Usti to Berlin. Monday 6th February 2017.

I was up early on the Monday and since my mate Rob was staying in an hotel in the next street, I decided to call in for breakfast, and what an excellent break they laid on, so after stuffing ourselves and grabbing a few bits for the next train journey, we made our way down to Usti railway station and caught a train, across the border into Germany. It was not too long before we arrived in Dresden which has a magnificent train shed, a split level station with trams running across the station entrance, an excellent transport hub and rail centre and it was busy. We spent a few house around Dresden before catching another train out to Chemniz, were we heard there was a railway dump, but it was a misty and damp day, we didn’t see any sign of the dump from the train as we arrived, and decided not to bother trying to find it as it appeared to be some way from the station and we wasn’t sure exactly where it was. But we still had a very pleasant hour or so around the station environs, photographing the railway and trams. I suppose we must stand out like sore thumbs in these places, trotting around with large camera`s around our necks, the German police approached us in Chemniz, they were very friendly and lovely and asked if we had taken some good photographs, we said yes and explained what we were doing and shook hands with them, they really made us feel welcome, why can`t all police officers be like this.

Our next destination was Leipzig Hbf, an amazing terminus station of palatial proportions, it also had a museum section attached to the station with some old electric locomotive exhibits, a steam loco and railcar displayed, occupying one of the platforms. Leipzig is a very impressive rail centre and transport interchange, with trams operating at the front of the station, a very busy city indeed. Our final destination was Berlin, Germany’s largest and of course amazing capital city. We had planned to take an all-nighter from here into Switzerland, but first had some tea on the station and spent a few hours taking photographs, plus a ride out to Berlin Zoo and back. Berlin Hbf was very busy, a large and modern split level station with an array of shopping outlets on three levels in between the railway platform levels, it has to be seen to be appreciated, and Berlin is a city that never sleeps, so the station was busy most of the night. We took a late supper in one of the restaurants and later headed back to the lower platforms to catch the sleeper to Zurich, a few beers later and we were both snoring as the train travelled through the night and took us into another country, a country of Lakes and Alps.

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[Techniquest]

I'm hoping to spend more time looking through the photos, especially those in Berlin. Not had a lot of time to read the forum lately, so will aim to dig out my atlas later and follow your journey more thoroughly!

What is clear is that you had a great time!

 

[shredder1]

I'm hoping to spend more time looking through the photos, especially those in Berlin. Not had a lot of time to read the forum lately, so will aim to dig out my atlas later and follow your journey more thoroughly!

What is clear is that you had a great time!

That you very Sir for your kind comments, yes Berlin is an amazing city, so big too, I`m just planning my next getaway in a few weeks time, but only France to the dump at Sotteville, Rouen for the weekend, 840 French locos in store at the moment and most can be seen from a public footbridge going over the year.

 

[shredder1]

Europe, East and West, (Day 5), Switzerland and Italy. Zurich, Milan and Venice. Tuesday 7th February 2017.

We both woke up as dawn was breaking over Basel, we`d arrived into Switzerland overnight from Berlin on the new Nightjet service. At Basel our Austrian Taurus was changed for a Swiss locomotive for the final run into Zurich. While the locos were changing at Basel, I jumped out of the train for a few quick photographs and waited for a while for the Swiss loco to hitch up, fortunately I then realised that it was hitching up to what was the back of the train and I just jumped back on in time, before departure, phew!

We arrived at a very busy Zurich railway station and spent much of the morning photographing the railway movements and exploring the underground platforms, indeed one part of the underground has the narrow gauge Sihltal railway line https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sihltal_railway_line.

Zurich is a modern station, a very busy transport hub which see`s many international trains. After a morning in the City, we took a train directly to Milan in Italy, through the new Gottard Base Tunnel and along some beautify scenery, lakes, valleys and mountains, the snow in Switzerland was mainly on the mountain tops now, we seemed to have left it behind in Germany.

We arrived in Milan later afternoon and passed the large locomotive depot on the way in, but sadly didn’t have time to get out to it on this occasion. Milan station is amazing and again very busy and I had chance to spend a few hours exploring its platforms and environment. We later left for Venice, where we needed to catch an overnighter back into Germany. Taking a train from Milan with a change at Verona and a quick bite to eat on the station and a very overpriced slice of pizza, we alighted at Venice, Mestre and then another train over lagoon into Venice, Venezia Santa Lucia. Venice is an amazing city by night and I really must revisit in the daylight hours. We were treated to another Austrian Taurus for the overnight sleeper service back into Germany, Munich bound and a few cans of Venice finest ales soon had us fast asleep on the cushions.

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[Kite159]

Sounds like you are having a good time in Europe

 

[shredder1]

Sounds like you are having a good time in Europe

Thank you very much, yes love Europe, I try to get out about 4 times a year at present.

 

[Techniquest]

Sounds like Zurich is well worth visiting for the local transport network alone, I suspect the city is worth a look too.

Taurus locos sound amazing from my memory of limited experience with them in Vienna, so I'm jealous! I promise I will look at the photos soon!

 

[shredder1]

Sounds like Zurich is well worth visiting for the local transport network alone, I suspect the city is worth a look too.

Taurus locos sound amazing from my memory of limited experience with them in Vienna, so I'm jealous! I promise I will look at the photos soon!

Awe thank you very much, yes Zurich is worth a visit, a very busy Swiss hub, Switzerland really is just one big train set, lol.

 

[shredder1]

Europe, East and West, (Day 6), Germany to Denmark. Munich, Hamburg, Copenhagen. Wednesday 8th February 2017.

We arrived into Munich on an overnight train from Venice and made a quick change of train to take us North and up to the city of Hamburg. We next took a train to Copenhagen, Denmark, travelling as far as Puttgarden where the train then runs onto the Ferry across to Denmark. We had to leave the train once it was on the Ferry and go upstairs to the restaurant and shop area of the Ferry. Once the Ferry docked on the Danish side, we all went down to the train again, while the train ran off the Ferry, and we arrived in Copenhagen just after dark and in heavy snowfall. We had booked an hostel, which was located just across from the side of the railway station, the Copenhagen Backpackers, which at £23 a night was exceptionally cheap for this country. We took a meal in the town followed by a few pints in a Led Zeppelin pub, we then had a walk around the City in the snow, before retiring to the hostel and a few more pints. Denmark was a new country for me, it was different and interesting and many of the Danes speak good English, although generally I found Copenhagen to be expensive.

https://www.facebook.com/nick.melli...78144249702.1073742651.100001125840218&type=3

 

[AnthonyRail]

Europe, East and West, (Day 6), Germany to Denmark. Munich, Hamburg, Copenhagen. Wednesday 8th February 2017.

We arrived into Munich on an overnight train from Venice and made a quick change of train to take us North and up to the city of Hamburg. We next took a train to Copenhagen, Denmark, travelling as far as Puttgarden where the train then runs onto the Ferry across to Denmark. We had to leave the train once it was on the Ferry and go upstairs to the restaurant and shop area of the Ferry. Once the Ferry docked on the Danish side, we all went down to the train again, while the train ran off the Ferry, and we arrived in Copenhagen just after dark and in heavy snowfall. We had booked an hostel, which was located just across from the side of the railway station, the Copenhagen Backpackers, which at £23 a night was exceptionally cheap for this country. We took a meal in the town followed by a few pints in a Led Zeppelin pub, we then had a walk around the City in the snow, before retiring to the hostel and a few more pints. Denmark was a new country for me, it was different and interesting and many of the Danes speak good English, although generally I found Copenhagen to be expensive.

https://www.facebook.com/nick.melli...78144249702.1073742651.100001125840218&type=3

Unusual that the train itself goes on to the ferry. I'd like to see that one day.

 

[Techniquest]

Ooh I've always wanted to do that train-ferry, must remember to get it done. Surprised Denmark is expensive, but then if you've been in Eastern Europe I suppose it would seem it!

 

[AnthonyRail]

Proper boat train

 

[AnthonyRail]

Proper boat train

https://youtu.be/3xl_zX9UE2w

 

[fowler9]

Ooh I've always wanted to do that train-ferry, must remember to get it done. Surprised Denmark is expensive, but then if you've been in Eastern Europe I suppose it would seem it!

Denmark doesn't seem expensive it is expensive, as is Finland. My brother assures me Norway and Sweden are to. Ha ha. I still want to go to Sweden and Norway aswell though.

Shred that looks like an amazing trip. looking at your photos took up the whole evening so far, ha ha. I've been lucky enough to visit some of these places but not all in one go and by train. Berlin Hbf, Milan Central and Keleti are amazing stations I have been lucky enough to take trains from. Wish I had taken as many photos as you did.

 

[shredder1]

Denmark doesn't seem expensive it is expensive, as is Finland. My brother assures me Norway and Sweden are to. Ha ha. I still want to go to Sweden and Norway aswell though.

Shred that looks like an amazing trip. looking at your photos took up the whole evening so far, ha ha. I've been lucky enough to visit some of these places but not all in one go and by train. Berlin Hbf, Milan Central and Keleti are amazing stations I have been lucky enough to take trains from. Wish I had taken as many photos as you did.

Thank you very much, yes it was a great holiday, in September last year we did Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia, Kosovo, Bosnia, Albania and Slovenia, all the former Yugoslavian states, a fascinating part of the world.

 

[shredder1]

Europe, East and West, (Day 7), Denmark to Germany. Copenhagen, Hamburg, Hannover, Kesel, and Frankfurt (Main) Hbf. Thursday 9th February 2017.

I was up before first light at the Copenhagen Backpackers hostel, to catch the rush hour at the railway station; it was still snowing, but I had a few good hours running around the station. I returned to the hostel for breakfast by around 08.30 and what an excellent breakfast it was too. Returning to the station with Rob, we caught a train just after 10.00 heading on a different route West from Copenhagen via Odense, Fredericia, (where we changed trains), and South to Tingley, crossing the Kiel Canal and over the Rendsburg Loop and High Bridge and back to Hamburg, spending a little more time in the City on this visit. The weather was bright sunshine at the time and the snow had been left behind in Denmark. At Padborg we saw a number of Nohabs, but didnt have time to alight.

When we boarded the train from Copenhagen, we showed our tickets to the guard and noticed an help yourself coffee machine in the corner of the coach, along with free bottles of fruit juice, great I though, so I helped myself, a little later the guard came along again and asked would we like breakfast, well yes a second breakfast didn’t go a miss and he gave us some warm bread and preserves, what a great train service, it was only has we left the train that we realised we were sat in first class, the guard must have been unfamiliar with the Interrail global tickets we were using.

We left Hamburg on an ICE service and travelled to Hannover, and arrived in the city by late afternoon, catching the back of the rush hour, and taking an evening meal in a local restaurant, it had turned very cold by the time we arrived, but we had an enjoyable few hours in the City. We next headed for Frankfurt with a change at Kesel, arriving at Frankfurt (Main) Hbf late in the evening and looking for a train to take us towards the Harz Mountains for the following day. We left Frankfurt (Main) Hbf and travelled to Frankfurt Sud, to catch an over-nighter as far as Betterburg; we managed 5 hours sleep and had another full day ahead of us.

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[37038]

Not as expensive as Denmark... Relative of mine told me she paid the equivalent of £30 in a bog standard pub for a pizza+pint...

 

[shredder1]

Europe, East and West, (Day 8), Harz Mountains Germany. Friday 10th February 2017.

We left Frankfurt (Main) Hbf just before Midnight and travelled across the city by a local rail service to Frankfurt Sud where we picked up a sleepers service as far as Bitterfeld. The train was very busy and we didn’t have a reservation, so we were packed in a full compartment for 5 hours through the night, but despite this I slept like a log, sat up. We alighted at some unearthly hour at Bitterfeld and it was bitter cold, and we changed there for Magdeburg and another change for Wernigerode, the main centre and depot for the Harz Mountain Railway, where we had planned the last full day of my trip.

Wernigerode is an amazing place and it was great to see no less than 5 locomotives in steam on shed. It was a freezing cold morning and we arrived just before the railway opened. We booked our tickets and took the first train out, a long journey with a break at the junction at Drei-Annen-Hohne, before the train took us to the top of the Mountain at Brocken.

At Brocken it was blizzard conditions with very poor visibility, it really was cold and blowy. A charter train arrived as we were leaving the summit and I took a few last images as the train was departing. I jumped on the last coach onto the veranda, only to realise I`d jumped on the guards van and was locked out and with an hours trip down the mountain in those conditions, I probably wouldn’t have survived. Fortunately the guard saw me and opened the carriage door to let me in, phew!.

We changed trains at Schierke and then took another train back to the junction at Drei-Annen-Hohne, we later changed for another steam train down to Eisfelder Talmuhle where we again changed, but for a rail-car this time which took back down the far side of the mountains down to Nordhausen Nord and back to a railhead.

We then took a main line train from there to Halle (Saale) Hbf, a large railway junction station, I would have liked more time to look around Halle, but we wanted to return to Leipzig for the second time in the week and later we returned to Berlin for the night.

We had booked a hostel near Checkpoint Charlie, the “CheckInHostel” at Markgrafenstr, so had to take the U Bahn from Berlin Hbf. Tea was taken at a Mc Donald’s, which was actually at the checkpoint and I also visited the museum opposite which was still open. After checking in at the hostel, we found a local bar to finish the evening off with a few pints of local ale; it had been a great day, but sadly my last night of the trip.

httpsen.wikipedia.orgwikiHarz_Narrow_Gauge_Railways

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[30907]

Thanks for the report, brings back memories.

But Hannover to Wernigerode via Frankfurt and Bitterfeld to save on a hotel? I'm too old for that now!

 

[shredder1]

Thanks for the report, brings back memories.

But Hannover to Wernigerode via Frankfurt and Bitterfeld to save on a hotel? I'm too old for that now!

Thank you, but at 65 I`m probably too old too, :cry:, no it wasnt to save on an hotel, we just enjoy riding and photography, we don`t usually hotel every night, we are both good catnappers

 

[shredder1]

Europe, East and West, (Day 9), Berlin to the Airport. Saturday 11th February 2017.

We were both up early on Saturday morning at the hostel, Rob came with me to the airport, but he needed to get back to Spain to collect his case before flying back to the UK, while I was flying back from Berlin Schonefeld after 10.00. From the hostel we returned to the U Bahn at Kochstabe, Checkpoint Charlie and boarded a train to Templehof (Sudring) and then walked above ground for the S Bahn at Templehof and took a train to Berlin Schonefeld airport. I was flying Ryanair again, (£16), and I was back in Manchester in less than two hours, and that was it for another European trip, the end, hope you`ve enjoyed the blog and images.

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[Techniquest]

What a beast of a trip that was! Huge amount of variety, and it sounds like a lot of beer was consumed

 

[fowler9]

Shred that was a brilliant read. Would love to visit that steam railway in the Hertz Mountains. I'm feeling inspired. My big trip this year is Croatia but am planning a few smaller ones so will hope to incorporate some of what you did. Maybe next year I will have a big railway blowout. It is difficult because I would like to get back to South America, China and New Zealand, also to Japan for the first time. A massive world and just one life. Ha ha.

 

[shredder1]

What a beast of a trip that was! Huge amount of variety, and it sounds like a lot of beer was consumed

Haha cheers mate, yes we did have a few beers or various sorts, I`ll probably avoid the Hungarian Schnapps next trip though. lol

 

[shredder1]

Shred that was a brilliant read. Would love to visit that steam railway in the Hertz Mountains. I'm feeling inspired. My big trip this year is Croatia but am planning a few smaller ones so will hope to incorporate some of what you did. Maybe next year I will have a big railway blowout. It is difficult because I would like to get back to South America, China and New Zealand, also to Japan for the first time. A massive world and just one life. Ha ha.

Thank you very much, we did Croatia in September along with all the other former Yugoslavian countries, Zegreb is quite busy with a rail museum and dept facing the station. We did find working steam in Bosnia however. The other places you mention I`ve not been too, although I have done Canada and the USA. My mate Rob had recently returned from 6 weeks in China, they are not too keep on allowing you to stand on platform ends though, New Zealands fine but lots of security making it difficult to visit depots.