Keighley to Bratislava - November 2014

[Tim R-T-C]

Hi folks, this is going to be a slightly live journal of my wife's surprise birthday trip to European Christmas markets across a long weekend.

Currently at Leeds awaiting the 1945 London train.

Plan then is early morning ES to Paris and TGV to Zurich.
OEBB sleeper to Vienna. Full day there. Next day a boat to Bratislava and train back. Sunday, train to Salzburg or Innsbruck in the morning and then on to Munich in the evening for the doomed CNL Paris servicrle and a Eurostar and EC set home.

The original plan was to take the Copenhagen sleeper but they pulled that too early. Good thing she was not born any later than Nov!

Will update with pics when I can.
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In London no probs 333003 to Leeds and 91113 into KX

https://twitter.com/TIM_RTC/status/535156606670237697?s=09

 

[Condor7]

I look forward to hearing more Tim.
I hope you both have a great time.

Steve

 

[Tim R-T-C]

5.40 Eurostar 3019 ran fine. Seems odd that they don't have a sleeper service since most folk on that train were asleep anyway.

Waiting at Gare du Lyon for my TGV to be announced. Serious military security here, three troops in camoflague carrying machine guns! Might not take any photos here...
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Oh go on, snuck a quick shot in

Check out @TIM_RTC's Tweet: https://twitter.com/TIM_RTC/status/535361548550959104?s=09

 

[gordonthemoron]

christmas market infront of rathaus in vienna is great, as is the medieval christmas market on wittelsbacherplatz in munich

 

[Tim R-T-C]

Thanks. Will certainly be doing the Vienna one.

So much freight traffic in Switzerland and some wonderful old locos. Seen my first Euro66 but no photo.

 

[168lover]

5.40 Eurostar 3019 ran fine. Seems odd that they don't have a sleeper service since most folk on that train were asleep anyway.

Waiting at Gare du Lyon for my TGV to be announced. Serious military security here, three troops in camoflague carrying machine guns! Might not take any photos here...
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Oh go on, snuck a quick shot in

Check out @TIM_RTC's Tweet: https://twitter.com/TIM_RTC/status/535361548550959104?s=09

I got the 5:40 last year. Felt a bit like a hotel!

 

[Tim R-T-C]

The OEBB sleeper was superb. Booked an upper cabin with shower, best I have been in. Arrived neatly to time in Vienna.

 

[30907]

The OEBB sleeper was superb. Booked an upper cabin with shower, best I have been in. Arrived neatly to time in Vienna.

Shame the DB version is being withdrawn from next month.

 

[Tim R-T-C]

Shame the DB version is being withdrawn from next month.

I know such a shame.

Currently on the Twin Cities Liner waiting to take a Danube trip to Bratislsva.
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Bratislava a lovely city had some mystery meats in the Christmas market (and a strange sort of smoked sugar topped pizza???).

Got the train back into the beautifully shiny new Vienna Hbf. Only partially open most platforms were closed off.

Check out @TIM_RTC's Tweet: https://twitter.com/TIM_RTC/status/536267779926933505?s=09
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Now on a smart Westbahn train to Salzburg. Clean, shiny, at seat food ordering in standard class which is so fancy it outdoes any British 1st class trains.

Pic on twitter - https://twitter.com/TIM_RTC/status/536414163636338688?s=09
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Now leaving Salzburg for München on an OBB Railjet ex Budapest. Very busy.

Interestingly the train splits here for Innsbruck - there is a complete 2nd train with locomotive in the middle of the set to make the split quick.

 

[30907]

AFAIK double RJs always have one loco with each set .

 

[Tim R-T-C]

Awoken to find ourselves some 50 minutes down on the Paris sleeper - sounded like problems at Strasbourg - we were sat there for a long time.

Did get to see 66064 in a yard south of Reims and got a quick mobile phone shot: https://twitter.com/TIM_RTC/status/536799080249565185?s=09
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So uneventful Channel crossing and now a 91 north to Leeds and hopefully a quick 333 home.

Been tremendous fun, I will post some train pics in the next few days.