Please go easy, this is my first trip report! We arrived in Pristina on 11th of May, and after checking into the City Rooms, went for beers on the first day (not related, but stay there, you are treated like royalty) But to carry on! The next day, taxi booked to Pristina station, the first hurdle was the driver, he kept saying bus bus! I had to show him a picture of the train before he realised where we wanted to go (with good reason, anyone under 40 does not use the one remaining train service, as they were more than likely marched to the station and sent to the border during the war)
We arrived at the station, building derelict, but train arrived on time, covered in graffiti and with most windows smashed, but I didn’t care! It was a loco-hauled train with old DB coaches, and I got to film the rare sight of a run-round! So common 30 years ago, but non-existent now! We settled into our coach for the next 2 hours, the drop down window was brilliant, most of the ‘stations’ were a shell of a building, the train stopped at the side of a level crossing, no barriers, on more than one occasion, if there was a car encroaching, it just knocked it it of the way!
Arrival into Peja, you pass the Peje brewery? Then turn right and stop, you get off, and have just over 2 hours to explore, across the road there a steak house place, and shops to buy beer for the return journey, that’s if you can’t be bothered to do the 20 min walk into the city (I will do it November when I go back) there were 3 out of the 8 that did the trip, because of the stupidly early departure time of 0750 if you want to do the return, but I’m so glad I did it!
We arrived at the station, building derelict, but train arrived on time, covered in graffiti and with most windows smashed, but I didn’t care! It was a loco-hauled train with old DB coaches, and I got to film the rare sight of a run-round! So common 30 years ago, but non-existent now! We settled into our coach for the next 2 hours, the drop down window was brilliant, most of the ‘stations’ were a shell of a building, the train stopped at the side of a level crossing, no barriers, on more than one occasion, if there was a car encroaching, it just knocked it it of the way!
Arrival into Peja, you pass the Peje brewery? Then turn right and stop, you get off, and have just over 2 hours to explore, across the road there a steak house place, and shops to buy beer for the return journey, that’s if you can’t be bothered to do the 20 min walk into the city (I will do it November when I go back) there were 3 out of the 8 that did the trip, because of the stupidly early departure time of 0750 if you want to do the return, but I’m so glad I did it!
