Welcome to today's thread - #CrossBorderRail 2026 Tour Day 11 - 10 Mar - Drávakeresztúr - Barcs - Zalaszentivan - Ljubljana

[bahnkundenv@mastodon.social]

@jon Very atmospheric

[jon@gruene.social]

#CrossBorderRail 2026 Spring Tour Bike 8 of 14
Drávakeresztúr - Barcs

Distance: 43.1km
Est. duration: 2:45

This bike route, mapped: https://umap.openstreetmap.fr/en/map/crossborderrail-2026-spring-tour_1361108#13/45.891741/17.596321

(that's @mejs 's Brompton - I have been travelling with him as far as Barcs)

[jon@gruene.social]

That's what remains of #CrossBorderRail

Virovitica - Barcs

The sort of lump in the river is where one of the bridge foundations used to be (pic 1). Pic 2 is looking from Croatia to Hungary - you can see where the line used to go, just about

[jon@gruene.social]

#CrossBorderRail 2026 Spring Tour Train 34 of 86
IR 8997
09:30 Barcs - Zalaszentiván 11:57
MÁV

Train type: Siemens Desiro DMU, 2 short carriages
️
:
🦽: (lift on board for the many stations that are not step free)
🛜: (there is a sticker saying it is installed, but no network found)
️: ️
🧳: (these Desiro DMUs have a clever and roomy design)️
🧽: (all a bit grimy)
Interrail: (accepted)

[jon@gruene.social]

IR 8997
09:30 Barcs - Zalaszentiván 11:57

Distance: 138.2km
Average speed: 56km/h

15 stops:
Peterhida-Komlosd
Babocsa
Vizvar
Belavar
Somogyudvarhely
Berzence
Gyekenyes
Örtilos
Murakeresztur
Nagykanizsa
Gelse
Pötrete
Zalaszentmihaly-Pac.
Bucsuszentlaszlo
Zalaszentivan

This train, mapped: https://umap.openstreetmap.fr/en/map/crossborderrail-2026-spring-tour_1361108#10/46.420503/17.169370

#CrossBorderRail

[jon@gruene.social]

Aaaannnd this isn’t looking good. Single track line, waiting for some passing train. Vizvar. And I’ve got tight connections ahead! #CrossBorderRail

[jon@gruene.social]

Because I’m likely to miss my connection in Zalaszentiván (due to this delay) I need a backup

That will be Zalaszentiván - Öriszentpeter by train, bike across the border to Hodoš, then take further trains

I don’t strictly have tickets to allow it. I’m going to have to blag my way!

[jon@gruene.social]

I can just imagine this on the Slovenian side at Hodoš

“But there’s no train from Hungary that connects to this one. And your ticket was valid on the previous one.”

“I know. But the train from Barcs was delayed so I cycled across the border, will you let me on?”

[jon@gruene.social]

One alternative *ought* to be a train Gyekenyes - Koprivnica

But there’s only 1 train a day ‍️

[jon@gruene.social]

There are lots of men with high viz jackets staring at something at Gyekenyes, delaying my train further…

[vosje62@mastodon.nl]

@jon To many men and water bottle.

[urig@mastodon.online]

@jon looks like they've found some sort of box on the ground!

[astamccarthy@mastodon.pirateparty.be]

@jon Looks like fixing the railswitch?

[jon@gruene.social]

Somehow I’m in Hungary and am not taking a Bzmot today. I’m not sure how this happened. Anyway here’s a pic of one in Barcs earlier for @wrzlbrnft

[jon@gruene.social]

@AstaMcCarthy at least inspecting it, yes. There wasn’t much actual work happening!

[wrzlbrnft@troet.cafe]

@jon 🥰 🥰 🥰

[bovine3dom@masto.ai]

@jon presumably the men wearing hi-vis are there to make it easier to see the ones who aren't

[jon@gruene.social]

And there would be my second alternative. Murakeresztur - Kotoriba. That one has no passenger trains at all, and no road bridge either ‍️

[jon@gruene.social]

Using translation apps with the train manager, she thinks the Ljubljana train will wait in Zalaszentiván. I’ll believe it when I see it

[jon@gruene.social]

In the end I’m about as cool about all of this as anyone could be. I’ve got a bike to save me if I need it. I can re-route if I have to, and be confident enough to explain things to get my way. And it’s all useful learning for my #CrossBorderRail project.