The Adventures of Globibahn

[Globibahn]

Hi all,

It's been a crazy month! My flat is nearly emptied out, tennants moving in next weekend.

It turned out I had to do a full bells and whistles business plan (for my self employed yoga business), which I will need to get my residency, that's taken a huge amount of time to prepare.

The fourth wave in Germany has also been a highly unwelcome addition to my plans!

Sadly trains have taken a real back set - for the time being.

Still aiming to go before Xmas. Hopefully can sell my vehicle soon too.

[mika]

Sounds like exciting times, Matt.

The fourth wave in Germany has also been a highly unwelcome addition to my plans!

True, not the best of times to come over here... Lots of things can't be done ATM. No Christmas markets, for example...

Hope, your plans work out!

All the best,
Michael

[Globibahn]

True, not the best of times to come over here... Lots of things can't be done ATM. No Christmas markets, for example...

Thanks Mika,

Let's hope our lives can return to normal as soon as possible!

[mika]

Let's hope our lives can return to normal as soon as possible!

So true...

[Gordon]

True, not the best of times to come over here... Lots of things can't be done ATM. No Christmas markets, for example...

Hope, your plans work out!

All the best,
Michael

Yes, ironic that I could get a Bratwurst and a beer at European wooden chalet in the Christmas market in Kingston upon Thames yesterday, and it was suitably chilly too!

[Globibahn]

This is going well so far! 

I've sold my vehicle, the new tennants are happily in the flat. I am all set to go! the only thing is that now I can't for the time being.  :'(

[Globibahn]

So far this continental rail travel thread is about the least interesting of its kind ever to exist!

I have now been living at mum's here in Blighty for 3 months, while I wait for the restrictions in Saxony to ease up.

It is not uncomfortable - however I have not had room to do any model making (it's just a small house and I only have my suitcase with me). The only creative outlet I have had is doing some watercolours of local scenes here in Bucks (see below). I may have a go at doing some train pictures in this style.

My yoga teacher business plan is completed and printed, that took me a long time!

It looks like beginning of March I may finally make my trip!!! 

[Globibahn]

I'm now looking at actually travelling next week or soon after.

As mentioned before, I am fully boosted. Travel via Belgium still seems like a faf with tests and whatnot.

Am I right in thinking travel via France has no restricitons?

https://www.interieur.gouv.fr/covid-19-international-travel#from4a

[Globibahn]

So some progress at last - I have booked my journey for this coming week.

Day 1 - local train to London. Overnight stay at hostel in St Pancras
Day 2 - morning Eurostar to Brussels. Change for ICE to Frankfurt. Overnight stay at hostel in Frankfurt.
Day 3 - ICE Frankfurt - Dresden - champagne bottles at the ready!!

It's about 660 miles in all. Plans to take a Thalys were rejected as the timetabling just didn't fit my plans. Oh well, next time!

[mika]

Good to hear that it's finally going to take shape.

We made the journey by train three years ago and I thoroughly enjoyed it. We went via St Pancras, Brussels, Cologne, and Berlin.

Have a good and safe journey!
Best,
Michael

[Globibahn]

Good to hear that it's finally going to take shape.

We made the journey by train three years ago and I thoroughly enjoyed it. We went via St Pancras, Brussels, Cologne, and Berlin.

Have a good and safe journey!
Best,
Michael

Thank you Michael, it has been a long time coming. Great that you also did a similar route!

I would have gone by night train, if there had been a logical East to West route that did not end up in Vienna. Pity such a thing does not exist (yet)! So high speed (-ish) it is! Although I expect the ICE from Frankfurt to Dresen probably travels along rack and pinion/ regional meter gauge lines or tramways  as there is no clear HS connection that way.

[mika]

The Frankfurt-Dresden ICE will probably be routed via the HS line between Erfurt and Leipzig. At up to 300km/h (depending on type of ICE) this is quite impressive.
Here is part of the route, only the other way round

[railsquid]

1991, to Berlin:

- early morning BR from Birmingham New Street to London Euston
- tube to London Victoria (or was it Waterloo?)
- electrically-powered rake of self-propelled Mk1-ish carriages to a station Dover, from which I could walk almost directly onto a ferry, or so it seemed (I think that station no longer exists?); on the way I was bemused to pass a station called "Bat and Ball", and it was not until the advent of the internet that I could finally persuade myself I wasn't imagining things)
- ferry to Ostende, where I was delighted to spy an actual proper tram
- train via Brussels and Aachen to Cologne, where I luckily realised I needed to change trains because I had failed to understand the timetable and had mistaken the presence of a Kurswagen going from Ostende through to Berlin with the whole train going there
- overnight DR D-Zug from Cologne to Berlin; I remember waking in the early morning with no idea where the train was, fortunately I had a Walkman knockoff with build-in radio and happened upon "Antenne Brandenburg" so deduced I was probably not on the way to Warsaw
- got off at Bhf Zoo and with the aid initially of information contained in a "Rough Guide" found accomodation and work

[Globibahn]

1991, to Berlin:

- early morning BR from Birmingham New Street to London Euston
- tube to London Victoria (or was it Waterloo?)
- electrically-powered rake of self-propelled Mk1-ish carriages to a station Dover, from which I could walk almost directly onto a ferry, or so it seemed (I think that station no longer exists?); on the way I was bemused to pass a station called "Bat and Ball", and it was not until the advent of the internet that I could finally persuade myself I wasn't imagining things)
- ferry to Ostende, where I was delighted to spy an actual proper tram
- train via Brussels and Aachen to Cologne, where I luckily realised I needed to change trains because I had failed to understand the timetable and had mistaken the presence of a Kurswagen going from Ostende through to Berlin with the whole train going there
- overnight DR D-Zug from Cologne to Berlin; I remember waking in the early morning with no idea where the train was, fortunately I had a Walkman knockoff with build-in radio and happened upon "Antenne Brandenburg" so deduced I was probably not on the way to Warsaw
- got off at Bhf Zoo and with the aid initially of information contained in a "Rough Guide" found accomodation and work

I'm going to be hard pushed to beat this as a journey experience . I will keep you posted of course!

[Jim Easterbrook]

I would have gone by night train

I like the idea of night trains, but I hate the thought of missing all the views from the window as you travel through the night.