Cross-Border LHCS

[43 302]

Long gone are the days of TEE or EC trains crossing multiple borders with multiple loco changes along the way being prevalent. But this has made me think what examples of this are there still in use across Europe? Here are my criteria: At least one loco swap from one loco to another, at least one border crossed, and I'm excluding night trains. I'll start with a few.

EC 8/9 CH to DE
SBB Re 460, BR 101
Loco change at Basel SBB

EC 163 CH to AT
SBB Re 420, ÖBB 1116
Loco change at Buchs AG

EC 100 AT to PL
ÖBB 1216, PKP EU07
Loco change at Bohumín

REX 322 AT to CZ
ÖBB 1116, ČD 754, ČD 362
Loco change at České Velenice, and Veselí nad Lužnicí

ALX 363 DE to CZ
DB 183, DB 223, DB 223, ČD 362
Loco change at Regensburg, Schwandorf, Plzeň

EC 151/134 AT to IT
ELL 193, SŽ 342, ÖBB 1216
Loco change at Ljubljana, Villa Opicina


I'd be interested if anyone has much to add to this list that I can add to my upcoming summer InterRail!

 

[zwk500]

Are the NS(NL)/DB(DE) trains still swapping at Bad Bentheim?

 

[DanielB]

Are the NS(NL)/DB(DE) trains still swapping at Bad Bentheim?

They are, but only this year. As of next year there will be Vectrons instead of NS 1700 / DB 101 over the entire length of the route.

Between Switzerland and Germany there are two more ECs with loco change in Basel SBB by the way.

 

[43 302]

They are, but only this year. As of next year there will be Vectrons instead of NS 1700 / DB 101 over the entire length of the route.

Between Switzerland and Germany there are two more ECs with loco change in Basel SBB by the way.

Indeed, in fact I have seen some of the NS Vectrons being used occasionally on that route vice NS 1700. Yes EC 6/7 too! The Stuttgart to Zürich route was also loco hauled until two weeks ago with a change from Re 420 to BR 101 or sometimes ÖBB 1116 at Singen. However this route is now units only with the occasional Re 460 push pull set only as far as Singen.

 

[30907]

You could add the Budapest-Terespol EC130/1 which are booked a ZSSK "Gorilla" rather than a 1216 on all Wien and Prague trains.

EC158/9 Wien-Zagreb change at Dobova only.

EC134/5 Trieste-Ljubljana(-Wien) are worked on the Italian section by an Austrian 1216 according to Vagonweb.cz - no idea how it gets there!

The Kosice-Budapest ECs are interesting - outward the ZSSK loco works through to Miskolc, then takes an internal service back to the border at Hidasnemeti and picks up the returning EC.

 

[SeanG]

EC107 Gdynia - Vienna is interesting. Polish stock throughout, and a Polish loco to Bohumin. But then a 1216 takes over - it is in CD livery but is actually an OBB loco https://www.vagonweb.cz/razeni/vlak.php?zeme=CD&kategorie=EC&cislo=107&nazev=Sobieski&rok=2023

EC130/EC115 is also interesting. EC130 is Budapest - Terespol with a ZSSK Gorilla and MAV stock. EC115 is Prague - Przemyśl with a CD Gorilla and CD stock. However each train carries a portion for the other with a big swap over at Bohumin and afterwards each has a mixed rake with EC130 having a PKP EP09 and EC115 having a PKP EU07. https://www.vagonweb.cz/razeni/vlak.php?zeme=CD&kategorie=EC&cislo=130&nazev=B%C3%A1thory&rok=2023 and https://www.vagonweb.cz/razeni/vlak...=IC&cislo=115/43000/1&nazev=Cracovia&rok=2023

However perhaps the most varied train so far is...
EC143 Vienna - Cluj Napoca has multiple changes. MAV 480 (TRAXX) Vienna - Budapest Keleti. MAV 431 Budapest - Püspökladány (which then takes the Debrecen portion forward). MAV 418 Püspökladány - Biharkeresztes. CFR 64 Biharkeresztes - Cluj Napoca. The train has a mixture of Romanian and Hungarian stock including a Hungarian restaurant car (at the lower priced menu rather than the trains heading north from Budapest to Poland and Germany)
https://www.vagonweb.cz/razeni/vlak...orie=EC&cislo=143&nazev=Transilvania&rok=2023

Moving to Switzerland there will be a number of loco changes at the border given that a different style of pantograph is required.

 

[YorkshireBear]

Long gone are the days of TEE or EC trains crossing multiple borders with multiple loco changes along the way being prevalent. But this has made me think what examples of this are there still in use across Europe? Here are my criteria: At least one loco swap from one loco to another, at least one border crossed, and I'm excluding night trains. I'll start with a few.

EC 8/9 CH to DE
SBB Re 460, BR 101
Loco change at Basel SBB

EC 163 CH to AT
SBB Re 420, ÖBB 1116
Loco change at Buchs AG

EC 100 AT to PL
ÖBB 1216, PKP EU07
Loco change at Bohumín

REX 322 AT to CZ
ÖBB 1116, ČD 754, ČD 362
Loco change at České Velenice, and Veselí nad Lužnicí

ALX 363 DE to CZ
DB 183, DB 223, DB 223, ČD 362
Loco change at Regensburg, Schwandorf, Plzeň

EC 151/134 AT to IT
ELL 193, SŽ 342, ÖBB 1216
Loco change at Ljubljana, Villa Opicina


I'd be interested if anyone has much to add to this list that I can add to my upcoming summer InterRail!

Am I reading this right that the Prague to Munich service changes loco 3 times? I am doing this route for the first time in November. I have just booked tickets (Prague to Frankfurt via Regensburg).

Very interesting thread, thanks all.

 

[Segedunum]

Am I reading this right that the Prague to Munich service changes loco 3 times? I am doing this route for the first time in November. I have just booked tickets (Prague to Frankfurt via Regensburg).

Very interesting thread, thanks all.

Yes, it does it in Regensburg to switch from electric to diesel, first.

When it swaps direction in Schwandorf a new one goes on the back (which becomes the front).

Then in Plzen an electric goes on for the final run to Prague.

 

[HamworthyGoods]

They are, but only this year. As of next year there will be Vectrons instead of NS 1700 / DB 101 over the entire length of the route.

Between Switzerland and Germany there are two more ECs with loco change in Basel SBB by the way.

EC6/7/8/9 like the NS 1700 / DB 101 loco changes cease to exist beyond the timetable change although in the case of the ECs it’s because these trains cease to exist.

 

[43 302]

EC6/7/8/9 like the NS 1700 / DB 101 loco changes cease to exist beyond the timetable change although in the case of the ECs it’s because these trains cease to exist.

Oh that is a shame! I quite often use the former when staying in Freiburg. Will this mean there will be no loco hauled trains between Germany and Switzerland? (Discounting the odd Re 460 to Singen)

 

[DanielB]

Indeed, in fact I have seen some of the NS Vectrons being used occasionally on that route vice NS 1700.

Correct, there have been several trials already.
The replacement of NS 1700s is becoming more and more urgent due to their age. Actually just read that today several ICs will run with ICMm to Bad Bentheim due to shortage of available NS 1700s.

 

[HamworthyGoods]

Oh that is a shame! I quite often use the former when staying in Freiburg. Will this mean there will be no loco hauled trains between Germany and Switzerland? (Discounting the odd Re 460 to Singen)

Indeed a huge shame, I’m not sure if the Friday only loco hauled Frankfurt to Basel will remain for now.

 

[dutchflyer]

About any long-dist. train from HUngary to ROmania and HR=Croatia, and likely also the odd one to SI=Slovenija, will have a change at border, can be either side of. Plus most likely the remaining overnight Sofia-Halkali=ISTanbul. And the one from RO into MOLdova, at Nicolina (also gauge change).
Those running between BG=Bulgaria and RO are dieselsets, no loco.

 

[rvdborgt]

And the one from RO into MOLdova, at Nicolina (also gauge change).

Nothing much will happen during the 1-minute stop in Nicolina. The stop in Ungheni however, lasts almost an hour.

 

[43 302]

Indeed a huge shame, I’m not sure if the Friday only loco hauled Frankfurt to Basel will remain for now.

What service is that please?

 

[popeter45]

EC6/7/8/9 like the NS 1700 / DB 101 loco changes cease to exist beyond the timetable change although in the case of the ECs it’s because these trains cease to exist.

thats news to me

as in EC6/7/8/9 wont run anymore or is the stock getting replaced?

 

[HamworthyGoods]

thats news to me

as in EC6/7/8/9 wont run anymore or is the stock getting replaced?

EC6/7/8/9 are integrated as ICEs in with the other Germany to Switzerland services. Lovely trains to travel on those Swiss ECs.

 

[DanielB]

EC6/7/8/9 are integrated as ICEs in with the other Germany to Switzerland services. Lovely trains to travel on those Swiss ECs.

I'd heard about that, but not with confirmation it will actually happen in 2024 already. Has to do with the withdrawal of the DB 101s.

Preliminary timetables however did show a Railjet from Hannover to Innsbruck partially using the paths of EC 6/7, as is mentioned here on the Dutch forums. Though the links in the respective topic are no longer working.

 

[popeter45]

EC6/7/8/9 are integrated as ICEs in with the other Germany to Switzerland services. Lovely trains to travel on those Swiss ECs.

while i can see why DB would take over the service would have liked it to stay with SBB and maybe ende up with Giruno's instead

 

[43096]

while i can see why DB would take over the service would have liked it to stay with SBB and maybe ende up with Giruno's instead

It's a DB service in Germany, just it uses SBB stock, in the same way that an ICE from Interlaken to Basel is an SBB service.

 

[43 302]

So to clarify the EC 6 etc services will be going over to ICE. Do we have a date for this please?

 

[Class15]

Belgrade to Bar swaps at Bijelo Polje. And yes there is a day train.

 

[Austriantrain]

EC134/5 Trieste-Ljubljana(-Wien) are worked on the Italian section by an Austrian 1216 according to Vagonweb.cz - no idea how it gets there!

It’s from the loco pool that hauls Austria/Italy freight. Apparently still cheaper than having Trenitalia supply a loco.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 16 Jun 2023 ==

while i can see why DB would take over the service would have liked it to stay with SBB and maybe ende up with Giruno's instead

I think that SBB recently ordered a second series of Girunos specifically for services to Germany, so using ICE on all trains might only be an interim solution (it’s also expensive for SBB if they can’t balance it out).

 

[HamworthyGoods]

So to clarify the EC 6 etc services will be going over to ICE. Do we have a date for this please?

From the December TT change they ceased to be planned for 101s in DB.

 

[jamesontheroad]

Snälltåget night trains between Sweden and Germany (and Austria in the winter) change locomotives at Padborg (DK). According to the current schedule, the northbound and southbound trains normally meet there.

 

[duesselmartin]

From the December TT change they ceased to be planned for 101s in DB.

I read somewhere that it will be SBB units (Girunos)?

 

[Austriantrain]

I read somewhere that it will be SBB units (Girunos)?

7 additional sets were ordered for trains to Germany. But that was mid-2022 so I doubt they will be ready in December 2023 (but could not find a due delivery date). On another thread here it was mentioned that all LHCS on the routes via Basel would switch to ICE.