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.

 

[D6130]

Stated today on another forum that the Roma/Napoli-Palermo/Siracusa daytime InterCity services have reverted to class E464 + push-pull working for the time being as a result of numerous passenger and luggage capacity problems with the new Hitachi class HTR 412 hybrid units.

 

[LUYMun]

Class 101 electric locos from Cologne as far as Gotha, then they are exchanged for a diesel Class 246 loco onwards. Similar procedure vice-versa.

There are driving trailers on the classic Intercity routes like this one so it’s very likely it’ll be push-pulled (pulled away from Cologne, pushed towards) but if the driving trailer ends up the wrong way round (which sometimes happen) then conventional loco haulage may persist.

I’m not sure though if this route is going to convert to ICE or will be withdrawn without replacement at September?

Quick note for anyone wanting to do Class 101 locos on Intercity this month, due to short notice engineering work the 101s on the Gera turns finish on 14 September rather than 20 September although the diesel Class 246 section should (subject to availability of diesel traction) run during that final week as a stand alone service between Gotha and Gera.

 

[A S Leib]

26 September is the last day for PCC trams in Antwerp.

Antwerp will bid a final farewell to its iconic PCC trams on Saturday 26 September 2026, bringing 66 years of regular PCC operation in the city to an end.

The farewell event, organised by De Lijn, the Flemish Tram and Bus Museum (VlaTAM), META vzw and Antwerp’s tram enthusiasts, will give passengers one last opportunity to ride the historic vehicles through the city centre

 

[alistairlees]

Stated today on another forum that the Roma/Napoli-Palermo/Siracusa daytime InterCity services have reverted to class E464 + push-pull working for the time being as a result of numerous passenger and luggage capacity problems with the new Hitachi class HTR 412 hybrid units.

On Monday 31 August both directions were E464 push / pull.

 

[AY1975]

Quick note for anyone wanting to do Class 101 locos on Intercity this month, due to short notice engineering work the 101s on the Gera turns finish on 14 September rather than 20 September although the diesel Class 246 section should (subject to availability of diesel traction) run during that final week as a stand alone service between Gotha and Gera.

That means my plans to do them on their penultimate and last day (Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th September respectively) are (partly) scuppered, as I'm booked to travel from Stadtroda to Kassel on it on Sat 19th and from Kassel to Dortmund on Sun 20th.

At least I can still do it from Stadtroda to Erfurt on the Saturday, though, provided it runs. I've had an email from DB telling me about my change of schedule for that day but not yet for the Sunday, although when I looked up Kassel to Dortmund for the Sunday it had disappeared from their online journey planner.

The email does say that if your train is cancelled you may use any other train or any category (ICE, IC/EC or regional trains). Presumably this means that even if your original itinerary only involved Intercity/Eurocity trains, not ICEs, you may use an ICE.

BTW, if you have a Sparpreis or Super Sparpreis ticket and your original train is cancelled but there are other trains via the same route, do you still have to travel via the originally booked route or can you use any reasonable alternative route?

 

[rvdborgt]

BTW, if you have a Sparpreis or Super Sparpreis ticket and your original train is cancelled but there are other trains via the same route, do you still have to travel via the originally booked route or can you use any reasonable alternative route?

The latter. Basically anything the DB planner proposes. You can also travel earlier on the same day (you now have a flexible ticket), or on a future date of your choice up to a year in future.

 

[BRX]

It's happened to me more than once, that my super sparpreis ticket has magically transformed into a fully flexible one as a result of a schedule change that wouldn't have troubled me much at all, and I've been able to use a better connection at a more convenient time. One of the upsides of the currently unreliable state of German railways.

 

[LUYMun]

Anyone wanting further n-Wagen haulage in the next month will be pleased that, in connection to the rebuilding of Duisburg Hbf station and the wider area, a temporary non-stop service numbered RE100 has been set up between Essen and Dusseldorf, using TRI hired stock and usually leaving Essen at xx27 and Dusseldorf xx04 at every hour. Starting yesterday, this arrangement will run daily until Friday 30 October.

In more short term matters, LokPartner takes over another diagram on the RB31 route between Duisburg and Moers only during next week (w/c 7 September 2026) using GFF’s Class 111 and n-Wagen stock to cover for the continued shortage of trains.

 

[MaidaVale]

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

The carriages themselves are rarer on the Ostende to Eupen via Brussels/Liege but they do appear, usually just 1 or 2 per train, often sandwiched between the other single-deck I11 carriages or sometimes nearest the loco. These core Ostende to Eupen IC services do have some very interesting formations in general, often being a near-random varied mix of single and double deck carriages.

--

On another note, I'd recommend anyone heading to Sydney soon to keep your eyes on forums / reddit if you're looking to ride a K-set. Managed to ride a few in April but since June they're not actually running in regular service at the moment. There's currently rumours that they might not return at all apart from a farewell tour in the near future, but this may not end up being the case and they could pop back up, even if briefly. Worth going out of your way for.

 

[rvdborgt]

The carriages themselves are rarer on the Ostende to Eupen via Brussels/Liege but they do appear, usually just 1 or 2 per train, often sandwiched between the other single-deck I11 carriages or sometimes nearest the loco. These core Ostende to Eupen IC services do have some very interesting formations in general, often being a near-random varied mix of single and double deck carriages.

Recently I've only seen formations with 1 I10 carriage on one end of the train, no I11 anymore.

 

[Pakenhamtrain]

On another note, I'd recommend anyone heading to Sydney soon to keep your eyes on forums / reddit if you're looking to ride a K-set. Managed to ride a few in April but since June they're not actually running in regular service at the moment. There's currently rumours that they might not return at all apart from a farewell tour in the near future, but this may not end up being the case and they could pop back up, even if briefly. Worth going out of your way for.

I believe they're not coming back for revenue service at all. Only a farewell tour.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: Yesterday at 00:33 ==

In fact the farewell K set tour is 5/10

 

[MaidaVale]

K Set Farewell | Transport Heritage NSW

After decades on the Sydney network, the K sets are reaching the end of the line. On Monday 5 October, join one of two final tours from Central Station — a short morning run to Penrith, or a long afternoon journey via Epping, Blacktown and Gordon.

www.thnsw.com.au

Link for anyone interested.