Catch them before they're gone

[alex397]

Enjoyed my rides on several Tatras and Konstals in Szczecin. Bydgoszcz seems to be entirely low floor now.

I’d really like to tie in Szczecin with a trip to Berlin, but the train travel there still seems overly complicated for the distance. Perhaps I will try and stay in Szczecin, as I’m not sure a day trip from Berlin will be feasible.
It really doesn’t seem that far away from Berlin, but it seems the quickest way is by Flixbus in around 2hr30. The rail option looks unreliable

I’m trying to find out what the Tatra situation is like in Frankfurt (Oder), Görlitz and Cottbus, but I can’t seem to find any definitive information. Does anywhere here know if Tatras are still in regular use in those cities? And if they appear at weekends at all?

 

[NCT]

I’d really like to tie in Szczecin with a trip to Berlin, but the train travel there still seems overly complicated for the distance. Perhaps I will try and stay in Szczecin, as I’m not sure a day trip from Berlin will be feasible.
It really doesn’t seem that far away from Berlin, but it seems the quickest way is by Flixbus in around 2hr30. The rail option looks unreliable

I’m trying to find out what the Tatra situation is like in Frankfurt (Oder), Görlitz and Cottbus, but I can’t seem to find any definitive information. Does anywhere here know if Tatras are still in regular use in those cities? And if they appear at weekends at all?

No, Szczecin isn’t day trip territory from Berlin.

I’d do it as a leisurely Interrail trip changing at Rzepin. Pasewalk is another possibility if the line to Szczecin is open.

This time last year there were still KT4Ds in Frankfurt Oder.

 

[Class15]

Nearly all over for the Srbija Voz series 441 and 461 I believe, as there is talk of SV hiring in Srbija Kargo Vectron locomotives to take over the Belgrade - Bijelo Polje night train.

 

[NCT]

I’d really like to tie in Szczecin with a trip to Berlin, but the train travel there still seems overly complicated for the distance. Perhaps I will try and stay in Szczecin, as I’m not sure a day trip from Berlin will be feasible.
It really doesn’t seem that far away from Berlin, but it seems the quickest way is by Flixbus in around 2hr30. The rail option looks unreliable

I’m trying to find out what the Tatra situation is like in Frankfurt (Oder), Görlitz and Cottbus, but I can’t seem to find any definitive information. Does anywhere here know if Tatras are still in regular use in those cities? And if they appear at weekends at all?

I was Konstals still running in Wroclaw while my train went through.

Poznan has a good number of Moderus Betas - this century's product albeit based on the Konstal 105Na, so not in any danger of disappearing and not exactly historic. Despite being a 'modern' product the Beta doesn't ride well at all.

TBH the best Tatra environment I find is still Prague. The rolling stock and trackwork are maintained / modernised to a higher standard than any other former Eastern Block networks still operating Tatras I've sampled. 2.5m wide bodies of the T3 are just that much more pleasant to travel in than the 2.2m KT4s, and KT4s vibrate once they get to speed. Riga still has a lot of unmodernised track with vehicles going very slowly over curves. I found rides in Szczecin and Poznan a bit bouncy. A ride on a T3 in Prague is so smooth and pleasant, and (only done one evening and morning mind you) not a single wheel flat (had them in just about every other city).

 

[alex397]

No, Szczecin isn’t day trip territory from Berlin.

I’d do it as a leisurely Interrail trip changing at Rzepin. Pasewalk is another possibility if the line to Szczecin is open.

This time last year there were still KT4Ds in Frankfurt Oder.

I’ve decided to tag two nights in Szczecin on to my Berlin trip. A day trip there would be pointless.
It seems the best ways to Szczecin by train will be either via Pasewalk or Kostrzyn. I’ll probably do both as I’ll be going there and back from Berlin.

I was Konstals still running in Wroclaw while my train went through.

Poznan has a good number of Moderus Betas - this century's product albeit based on the Konstal 105Na, so not in any danger of disappearing and not exactly historic. Despite being a 'modern' product the Beta doesn't ride well at all.

TBH the best Tatra environment I find is still Prague. The rolling stock and trackwork are maintained / modernised to a higher standard than any other former Eastern Block networks still operating Tatras I've sampled. 2.5m wide bodies of the T3 are just that much more pleasant to travel in than the 2.2m KT4s, and KT4s vibrate once they get to speed. Riga still has a lot of unmodernised track with vehicles going very slowly over curves. I found rides in Szczecin and Poznan a bit bouncy. A ride on a T3 in Prague is so smooth and pleasant, and (only done one evening and morning mind you) not a single wheel flat (had them in just about every other city).

Indeed Prague is Tatra Heaven. Sadly I have no plans to revisit anytime soon, but hopefully I will next year if I get the chance.
With the better track condition, trams get up to decent speeds, which can’t always be said for other cities.

To update my post, Görlitz is guaranteed Tatras at the moment, as that’s the only tram type they have! There must be very few tram systems left where the trams are guaranteed to be old non-low floor stock - I wasn’t expecting it to be a system in Germany. Though this will change relatively soon as new trams are on order.
Sadly I won’t get a chance to visit Görlitz on my next trip, as like Szczecin it’s too far for a day trip from Berlin. I’m slightly kicking myself as Görlitz is really beautiful, and has the quirk of being right in the border of Poland like Frankfurt (Oder). Szczecin doesn’t look as interesting, though it does have ex-Berlin Tatras operating and a transport museum.

 

[Gag Halfrunt]

IIRC 2027 is the deadline for all trams in Germany to be accessible.

 

[LUYMun]

In addition to the S5 Hannover S-Bahn line having loco-hauled replacement trains until the end of September, the S7 line will have additional locos covering stock shortages from 31 August: https://www.sbahn-hannover.de/de/ne...t-zusaetzliche-ersatzfahrzeuge-auf-der-s7-ein

Hanover S-Bahn will use additional replacement vehicles on the S7 from 31 August​

Published: 25 August 2026
The Hanover S-Bahn is expanding its vehicle replacement concept and will be using additional trains from Wedler-Franz-Logistik GmbH & Co. KG (WFL) on the S7 line from Monday, August 31, 2026. With the use of the replacement vehicles, operations for passengers will be further stabilised.
The WFL takes over about half of the train services on the S7 every day. Double-decker coaches are used, which have a lower, barrier-free entrance, a wheelchair ramp and a barrier-free toilet.
Passengers with limited mobility are advised to register their need for assistance via Deutsche Bahn's mobility service before starting their journey.
The Hanover S-Bahn continues to work with high priority to sustainably improve vehicle availability and to offer passengers reliable and predictable operation.

 

[BRX]

Yes. AM75 - 44 originally built, 41 modernized, 2 lost because of fire, one preserved, but not operational. All modernized units have received ETCS.

@MarcVD Any tips on where in Belgium to find these running at the moment? Are they fairly widespread?

Also - last year I travelled from Aachen to Liege in the carriage just behind the loco here:


Is that a bit of an anomaly or am I likely to find these elsewhere in the country?

 

[Richard Scott]

Also - last year I travelled from Aachen to Liege in the carriage just behind the loco here:
View attachment 210449

Is that a bit of an anomaly or am I likely to find these elsewhere in the country?

They run top and tailed on Eupen to Ostende services, believe they're hourly.
They certainly have other turns but think Belgian allocations can be a little random on some routes, Brussels Airport trains seem to have quite a mixture and some appear to be loco hauled.

 

[eastwestdivide]

Is that a bit of an anomaly or am I likely to find these elsewhere in the country?

Belux trains gives you planned compositions, searchable by class etc

Accueil - Onthaal - Homepage

composition des trains en Belgique et au Luxembourg, treinsamenstellingen in België en Luxemburg, train compositions in Belgium and Luxemburg, Zugzummanstellungen Belgien und Luxemburg

www.beluxtrains.net

 

[MarcVD]

@MarcVD Any tips on where in Belgium to find these running at the moment? Are they fairly widespread?

They are mostly used around Antwerp, notably on the S service between Rosendaal and Puurs. And also most of the Turnhout - Brussels - Binche IC workings.

Also - last year I travelled from Aachen to Liege in the carriage just behind the loco here:
View attachment 210449

Is that a bit of an anomaly or am I likely to find these elsewhere in the country?

That first car is an non air conditioned second class I10. There are 45 of them, along with 15 first class ones. I believe they are now all retired. GoVolta purchased some of them and uses them for their Amsterdam - Berlin service.

The second class is an I11. There are 163 of them, still all in service. You find them notably on the Ouigo train classique to Paris and the IC train to Rotterdam. They are less and less used in domestic service because of their low capacity and narrow doors.

 

[BRX]

They run top and tailed on Eupen to Ostende services, believe they're hourly.
They certainly have other turns but think Belgian allocations can be a little random on some routes, Brussels Airport trains seem to have quite a mixture and some appear to be loco hauled.

Thanks - it was actually the carriage rather than the loco I was most interested in.

Belux trains gives you planned compositions, searchable by class etc

Accueil - Onthaal - Homepage

composition des trains en Belgique et au Luxembourg, treinsamenstellingen in België en Luxemburg, train compositions in Belgium and Luxemburg, Zugzummanstellungen Belgien und Luxemburg

www.beluxtrains.net

Thank you - this is really useful.

They are mostly used around Antwerp, notably on the S service between Rosendaal and Puurs. And also most of the Turnhout - Brussels - Binche IC workings.

Thanks. The beluxtrains website mentioned above lets me find out exactly where these are. Looks like these, and the AM80 & AM86 are the only stock left with what I think of as the traditional Belgian sliding upper-portion window?

That first car is an non air conditioned second class I10. There are 45 of them, along with 15 first class ones. I believe they are now all retired. GoVolta purchased some of them and uses them for their Amsterdam - Berlin service.

The second class is an I11. There are 163 of them, still all in service. You find them notably on the Ouigo train classique to Paris and the IC train to Rotterdam. They are less and less used in domestic service because of their low capacity and narrow doors.

The beluxtrains site lists a few services still using the I10 carriages - but I assume these are all the air-conditioned variant now?

 

[Richard Scott]

Thanks - it was actually the carriage rather than the loco I was most interested in.

Ok, sorry, misunderstood.

 

[MarcVD]

Thanks. The beluxtrains website mentioned above lets me find out exactly where these are. Looks like these, and the AM80 & AM86 are the only stock left with what I think of as the traditional Belgian sliding upper-portion window?

Yes. All more recent stock is air conditioned so fixed windows.

The beluxtrains site lists a few services still using the I10 carriages - but I assume these are all the air-conditioned variant now?

Might be a few non air-conditioning ones still on rush hour trains, still running until they are mile-expired. But I doubt it, and if it's still there, it won't last long. As far as I know those included in clockface services, like Ostende - Eupen, all all of the air-conditioning variant. And they will also go as soon as there are enough M7 cars to replace them.

tip : look for first class cars. Air-conditioning variant are second class only.