The International Transport Game

Springs Branch · 8 Jun 2016

The Man in Seat 61 advises there are useful, interesting and comfortable long-distance rail options from Saigon station (we could even return to Hong Kong by train with a few changes along the way).
Our problem is getting from the airport to the railway station without using (a) taxis; (b)unfeasibly long walks; (c)multiple changes of local buses in the city - which might well stall the game. So we take the easy option ....

The 1325 departure of Air Asia flight AK527 to Kuala Lumpur (KUL) arriving at 1615 Wednesday afternoon.

Source: flightstats.com

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Bodie · 12 Jun 2016

We might still get some long distance rail travel in this part of this world.

Getting through to arrivals after the allocated thirty minutes we for arguments sake have just missed one of the quarter hourly Express departures to Kuala Lumpur.

Thus at 1700 we're off on Express Rail Link's KLIA Ekspres from the KLIA2 Terminal station, making just one stop along the way at the ERL Terminal and arriving at KL Sentral at 1733 on Wednesday afternoon.

Source: Google Maps
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Bumpty bump

Springs Branch · 13 Jun 2016

Let's see how we go with an overland train trip from KL towards Bangkok.......

At 1813 we departure from KL Sentral on ETS train #9204 to the Malaysia/Thailand border at Padang Besar, arriving at 2320 Wednesday evening.

Source: www.train36.com/ets-train-schedule.html

DasLunatic · 13 Jun 2016

That is all for tonight in Malaysia, so we open up our tent and sleep on the platform. Upon waking up, we board the 0951 KTM train to the first settlement in Thailand. That settlement is Hat Yai, and we arrive at exactly the same time we departed - 0951 on Thursday morning.

Google Maps

Springs Branch · 14 Jun 2016

Plenty of time for a leisurely lunch in Hat Yai before departing on State Railway of Thailand train no. 170 at 1445, travelling overnight* to Bangkok (Hua Lamphong station), arriving 0900 Friday morning.

* Fare is about £15 for a second-class airconditioned sleeper.
Source: train36.com/train-from-bangkok-to-hat-yai.html

Bodie · 22 Jun 2016

Heading down onto the MRT Blue line we depart at 0910 and travel to Phetchaburi arriving at 0924 on Friday morning.

Source: Google Maps
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DasLunatic · 22 Jun 2016

It's been that long...?

We now decide it's time to leave Thailand. So, we board the 1000 SRT-MAS and go non-stop to Suvarnabhumi Airport, arriving there at 1016 Friday morning.

IIRC, the trains used on this service are heavily based on the Class 360 'Desiro' back home, and I think our UK selves be on a 360 at this moment in time

Google Maps

Bodie · 23 Jun 2016

Yes its been a while.

Spooky, we must go and tell our UK self...

We leave the far East behind at 1140 aboard British Airways 10 to Heathrow where we arrive at 1825 on Friday evening.

Source: flightstats.com

DasLunatic · 23 Jun 2016

However, the rules stipulate that you cannot be in the UK for anything other than a transfer in the same station/airport. Therefore our only option is to leave the UK again. We do so onboard British Airways flight 516, departing from London at 1910 and landing at Madrid Barajas airport later. A quick glance at our timepiece reveals the time to be 2235 this Friday night.

Google Flights

Bodie · 24 Jun 2016

We've never really done much travelling in Spain.

Let's get started with a ride on the C1 line. It would seem that we can't go all the way to Atocha at this hour. Leaving Terminal 4 at 2328 we travel to Madrid Chamartín arriving at 2340 on Friday night.

Source: Google Maps

Springs Branch · 24 Jun 2016

Luckily the Madrid Metro seems to keep going until around 0130, so we transfer to Metro Line 1 at Chamartin, departing at 2350, arriving at Sol at 0016 early Saturday morning.

Source: metromadrid.es

Bodie · 24 Jun 2016

Now to line 2 departing at 0035 and travelling to Ventas arriving 0045 on Saturday morning.

Source: Google Maps

Springs Branch · 25 Jun 2016

We change to a Metro line 5 train, departing at 00.50 to Alonso Martinez, arriving 00.57 Saturday morning.

Why here? The Madrid Metro map indicates this station as being a Night bus terminal.

Source: Google Maps

Bodie · 27 Jun 2016

We can certainly get a night bus from here.

Let's get the N26 at 0125 from the nearby bus stop of Almagro - Pza. Alonso Martinez which is destined for Aluche but we alight at Gral. Ricardos - Gta. Mques. Vadillo at 0155 on Saturday morning.

Source: Google Maps

We can get a different night bus from nearby, the N15 I believe

Springs Branch · 28 Jun 2016

Surprisingly (or maybe not, given Madrid's reputation for vigorous late-night activity) we still have one more chance for a ride on the Metro.

We enter Marqués de Vadillo Metro station and take the last Line 5 train of the night at 0210 to Aluche alighting at 0220 Saturday morning.

Source: www.metromadrid.es

Bodie · 28 Jun 2016

These night buses are very helpful in keeping moving.

We sample the N18 now, by travelling from the stop at Intercambiador de Aluche. We set off at 0244 and alight at Cta. San Vicente - Principe Pio the time now being 0315 on Saturday morning.

Source: Google Maps

Springs Branch · 30 Jun 2016

As well as the network criss-crossing the central metropolitan area, Madrid also has all-night buses to the outskirts following the routes of rail / Metro lines during their night-time shut-down. Unfortunately these bus routes do not show up on Google Maps.

We walk three minutes to the bus stop at Glorieta de San Vicente and board the 0345 route N501 bus to Móstoles. We alight on Avienda de Portugal*, near Móstoles Central station** arriving just before 0415 Saturday morning.

Source: en.redtransporte.com/madrid/autobuses-nocturnos/n-501-madrid-alcorcon-mostoles.html

* Looks like if you follow this road and get onto the motorway, you will indeed end up in Portugal, eventually in Lisbon.
** Móstoles Central is served by both the C-5 suburban rail line and the circular Metro Sur Line 12 metro.

Bodie · 1 Jul 2016

We decide to wait for our return to Madrid, so we can travel by train.

We grab the first train of the day the 0547 and go to Madrid Atocha arriving at 0614 on Saturday morning.

Source: Google Maps

Springs Branch · 2 Jul 2016

We've now sampled the buses, Metro and suburban trains in Madrid, so let's try one of the Spanish high-speed lines.

From Madrid Atocha we take the 0730 departure of train AVE 3073 to Barcelona Sants arriving at 1040 Saturday morning.

Source: reiseauskunft.bahn.de

Bodie · 2 Jul 2016

We fancy a trip down the coast so we board Renfe Talgo 1111 at 1100 and go all the way to Alacant-Terminal arriving 1658 on Saturday afternoon.

Source: reiseauskunft.bahn.de

Springs Branch · 3 Jul 2016

Just because we're in the International Transport Game doesn't mean we can't enjoy fish & chips, warm beer and a convivial English pub on a Saturday evening....

We walk 12 minutes (1 km) to the Alicante Estación de Autobuses and board the 1730 ALSA coach to Benidorm, Estación de Autobuses (at Carrer Francisco Llorca Antón), arriving at 1815 Saturday evening.

Source: Google Maps

Bodie · 4 Jul 2016

Perhaps there is just time to grab a taste of that old country life before we depart.

We must walk 950m, just within our range to the tram stop of Disco Benidorm (Does it actually serve a disco?!)

Here at 1900 we catch FGV's tram - train, on what I believe is known as line 9, but is also still referred to as the Limón Express. Actual loco and carriages then, a mere tram today.
Oh well, we still enjoy the journey and at the terminus of Dénia we alight, the time is now 2032 on Saturday evening.

Source: Google Maps

Springs Branch · 6 Jul 2016

Leaving the station, the first building we encounter (according to Google Street View) is "The Railway Tavern". Blackboards advertise availability of English Breakfasts, Bacon Sandwich with cup of tea for 3 and Live UK Sports on TV. It's a bit late in the day for a fry-up so we continue .....

We take the 850m 10-minute walk to the Dénia bus terminal at Plaza Archiduque Carlos I. We catch the 2110 ALSA coach to Valencia, Estación de Autobuses (on Carrer Menéndez Pidal) arriving 2310 Saturday evening.

Source: Google Maps

Bodie · 7 Jul 2016

From the stop adjacent to the estacion de autobuses, also on Carrer Menendez Pidal. Probably the same one.
We leave aboard EMT 47 at 2323 and travel the short distance, alighting at the first stop which is Torres dels Serrans - Comte de Trénor at 2327 on Saturday night.

Source: Google Maps

Reason: I really would like to see the Cathedral and this is as close as I can get in one move.

Springs Branch · 9 Jul 2016

We walk 450m (6 mins) to the Pont de Fusta tram stop. We take the 2342 Line 4 Metrovalencia tram to the beach at Eugenia Viñes arriving at 2359 Saturday night.

Source: Google Maps

Bodie · 9 Jul 2016

At the bus stop of Dr. Lluch - Vicent Guillot we once again take to the night buses to pass the wee small hours.

At 0038 it's the N1 service to Correus - Pascual i Genís the time of arrival being 0104 on what is now Sunday.

Source: Google Maps

DasLunatic · 9 Jul 2016

We then walk around the corner to Pl. de l'Ajuntament - Barques and board the 0130 N8 bus to Manuel Soto Enginyer - Comandància Marina, arriving 350m from the ferry terminal at 0143 Sunday morning.

Google Maps

Springs Branch · 12 Jul 2016

The only option at this time of the morning seems to be the N8 night bus (there is no all-night ferry to Ibiza, unfortunately!).

We board the 0228 N8 bus to Valencia city centre, arriving at Correus - Pascual i Genís at 0249 Sunday morning.

Source: Google Maps

Bodie · 13 Jul 2016

Walking to the stop at Pl. de l'Ajuntament - Font where there are an array of night buses.

Here we elect to do something a little cheeky, though permissable I believe in the rules.

That is boarding a N4 service at 0300 and alighting at the same stop some one and a half hours later at 0430 on Sunday morning.

Source: Google Maps

One way to keep on the move, get some kip and give the next poster a selection of possible night bus options.

Springs Branch · 13 Jul 2016

Looks like even the Night Buses have run out of steam at this early hour, so we take the 5-minute (450m) walk to Xàtiva Metro station.

We wait for the station to open and take the first train on Line 3 at 0633 to Aeroport Metro station, arriving at 0658 Sunday morning.

Source: Google Maps

The International Transport Game

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