From Munich To Karlsruhe
This was very much an uneventful leg on rather a full train.
As it was raining for the first part, I didn’t take many pictures worth publicising. This is perhaps the only one worth showing.
A Karlsruhe Tram-Train At Bruchsal Station
It shows an tram-train, probably on the run from Karlsruhe at Bruchsal station.
It is actually an S32, which has a route of.
Achern – Baden-Baden – Rastatt – Muggensturm – Hauptbahnhof – Durlach – Bruchsal – Menzingen
I reckon that’s a total distance of nearly a hundred kilometres, which goes right across Karlsruhe, although it goes via Duurlack and Hauptbahnhof, rather than along the main street.
Karlsruhe’s tram-trains certainly have strong invasion tendencies.
A Tram Map In Munich
When it comes to local transport and walking maps, it’s a case of the bigger the better.
A Large Munich Tram Map
This was in the tram information centre in Munich Hauptbahnhof.
Every main station should have a local transport information centre and the largest map possible.
At the station, I also took this picture.
Tram Sign In Munich
I was going for supper and I needed to get a tram 16 to St. Emmeram, which would drop me in the area of one of the best gluten-free pizzadromes in Europe; Pizzesco.
So what could go wrong?
There was a demonstration in the area and the trams stopped running, leaving me in a part of MunichI didn’t know!
Although, Pizzesco was very crowded and I had to wait, I eventually got my delicious pizza and a bottle of gluten-free beer.
Coming back to my hotel, I eventually found a tram outside the Deutsche Museum.
An Excursion To Augsburg
I wanted to see the new Tram Safety Lights In Augsburg, so I took a local train to the city.
A few observations.
- I wanted to travel out to one Augsburg station and possibly back from the other. But you can’t buy a general ticket to any stations in a city, like you can in the UK.
- The train I got to Augsburg was so crowded, I sat on the floor.
- Coming back, I had to buy another ticket and as there was only on of Deutsche Bahn’s verbose and slow ticket machines, several people missed the next train.
- The Germans also run freight trains through Metro station. But at least the locomotive ewas electric.
Don’t you just think that the station called Kissing and the train called the Fugger Express are made for each other?
From Villach To Munich
This section of route had the major stop at Salzburg.
It was still raining, but at least I was clean and dry in First Class.
It would have been a much better trip in the sun, as for a lot of the route, the train runs on the Tauern Railway
Even my wet pictures show how spectacular it could be.
From Ljubljana To Villach
I took these pictures on the section of the journey from Ljubljana to Villach.
Note.
- The line is the Tarvisio-Ljubljana railway until Jesenice station effectively marks the border between Slovenia and Austria.
- After Jesenice, the line enters the nearly five mile long; Karawanks tunnel.
- There would appear to be a new station at Faak Am See or Lake Faak. Could it be a place to go camping or stay overnight?
- Long trains of cars are more common in Europe than in the UK.
At least the weather seemed to be getting a little bit better.
Leaving Ljubljana
I took an early start as my train left at 09:23 for Munich. But at least the breakfast in the hotel was not bad at all.
The pictures show the station, where at least I was able to get some weak sun after the last couple of days in Croatia.
I must admit, I’ve never seen so many trains with added graffiti. I suppose, if it’s always raining, it passes the time.
Onward To Ljubljana
This was an uneventful journey in a comfortable train, but the weather seemed even worse, so there was no serious photo opportunities.
At Ljubljana, I changed a few notes into Euros and got a taxi in the rain.
It might have been a memorable journey through beautiful countryside, but with the rain and the dark, I couldn’t tell!
By Ljubljana, I was hungry and as my comfortable hotel had no choice of food I fancied, I walked a few hundred metres in the rain to the city centre and bought some chips and an orange juice from McDonalds.
I don’t think that the journey from Split to Ljubljana had been successful, but then it isn’t supposed to rain in the Balkans, when I’m on holiday!
Tram Safety At Augsburg
One of the problems with trams, is that pedestrians cross in front of trams, more intent on their mobile phone, than their safety.
At Augsburg Haunstetterstraße station, they are trialling a warning system.
Note how the lights turn red as the tram approsaches and clear, when it is safe to cross.
It was very simple. But it wasn’t always obeyed.
A Pit Stop In Zagreb
In my original plans, I had given myself four hours in Zagreb and I had intended to have a good lunch and explore the city using the trams.
But it was a bit of a disaster. probably due to the weather.
- I found an excellent cafe in the main square, where I had an excellent gluten-free cake.
- I couldn’t find anywhere for a proper meal.
- There wasn’t even a McDonalds, where I could get my emergency meal of chips and an orange juice.
As I didn’t want to walk round aimlessly in the rain, I went back to the station and caught the 18:38 to Ljubljana.
From Split To Zagreb
These pictures document the route between Split and Zagreb.
Note.
- It would certainly be a better line to travel on in better weather.
- Extensive work is progressing to improve the track.
- There were piles of discarded wooden sleepers everywhere, which were only good for firewood.
- In some ways the operation of the line was old-fashioned, as the station-master would greet each train as it passed through, even without stopping.
- The line was a mass of curves, as the train bent one way and then the other.
- The line is single-track most of the way.
- It was actually quite crowded, but I was the only passenger in First for all of the journey.
- There was no buffet open.
- The last picture shows the impressive Zagreb station.
Incidentally, I’ve just found out that there was a bad crash on this line at Rodine in 2009.
I would certainly travel on the line in the future. But next time, I’ll take some water and a snack.
The Anonymous Widower 