Welcome to today's thread - #CrossBorderRail 2026 Tour Day 31 - 4 May - Rimini - Bologna - Milano - Lugano - Basel - Strasbourg

[jon@gruene.social]

Welcome to today's thread - #CrossBorderRail 2026 Tour Day 31 - 4 May - Rimini - Bologna - Milano - Lugano - Basel - Strasbourg

Borders already crossed:
Chiasso VG - Como S. Giovanni
Basel St Johann - St. Louis
Kehl - Krimmeri-Meinau

First to Bologna for a breakfast meeting, then north across the Gotthard pass for the second time in just over a month. Today’s destination: Strasbourg to test a Régiolis.

Today's routes on the routes map:
https://umap.openstreetmap.fr/en/map/crossborderrail-2026-spring-tour_1361108#7/46.369674/9.920654

[jon@gruene.social]

Here’s this morning’s #CrossBorderRail intro video https://peertube.netzbegruenung.de/w/iJnEA2Xj8XfLz4Qq5U3LnU

[jon@gruene.social]

#CrossBorderRail 2026 Spring Tour Train 103 of 125
FR 8802
06:10 Rimini - Bologna Centrale 07:15
Trenitalia

Train type: AnsaldoBreda ETR 700, 8 carriages
️ (3kV dc)
: ️
🦽: (lift on platform)
🛜: (requires registration - annoying)
️:
🧳: (lousy for large luggage)
🧽:
Interrail: (needs compulsory reservation, costs €13)

[jon@gruene.social]

FR 8802
06:10 Rimini - Bologna Centrale 07:15

Distance: 110.9km
Average speed: 102km/h

4 stops:
Cesena
Forli
Faenza
Bologna Centrale

This train, mapped: https://umap.openstreetmap.fr/en/map/crossborderrail-2026-spring-tour_1361108#11/44.285496/11.958625

#CrossBorderRail

[cdb_77@mastodon.online]

@jon hey! You pass by Giubiasco between Lugano and Bellinzona, just before the Alptransit tunnel. It is were I grew up and were I am in this moment for couple of days before I spend some time in Italy before going home in France.

[jon@gruene.social]

Also some panel in the interior of this ex-FYRA ETR700 is vibrating and rattling. Makes for a rather loud journey.

[jon@gruene.social]

@cdb_77 damn had I known I could have planned in time for a coffee at the station! But it’s too late to change my Frecciarossa earlier in the morning now!

[jon@gruene.social]

According to @hopla it looks like Régiolis is actually running France - Germany today, as planned https://zug.network/@hopla/116514407465211628

[jon@gruene.social]

About this Régiolis finally running, I’m not sure quite what to expect. I think today was determined most by operational logic, so I’m not sure there’ll be a big press thing about it.

But VP of Grand Est Philipps always makes a big song and dance about everything…

[cdb_77@mastodon.online]

@jon Next time, for a coffee or if you need a bed in Grenoble, you're very welcome!

[hopla@zug.network]

@jon Yes, and as usual the Polizei in Kehl made it 7 minutes late

[hopla@zug.network]

@jon As for the first train, nothing unusual, no press, only the regular passengers being confused/surprised to see a TFA doing the service, and a bunch of railway workers and a few well informed spotters taking pictures and chatting nerdy things
A quiet revolution

[knud@mastodon.social]

@hopla @jon

2 weeks ago I crossed the French-German border 4 times in a day (event near border). 1x check on Autobahn, 3x no check on other roads. It's just performative politics.

[jon@gruene.social]

@knud @hopla right. Exactly. But on trains through Kehl it’s damned annoying.

[jon@gruene.social]

@hopla it says a lot about the media too. When Philipps opens his mouth, it’s all over the media. When the train actually runs there’s no one there!

[hopla@zug.network]

@jon @knud so. Damn. Annoying. They don't care that drivers barely have the time to grab a Kaffee und Brötchen for breakfast in Offenburg between two trains, but with the caused delay it's usually impossible...

[jon@gruene.social]

Every time VP of Grand Est Philipps has uttered anything about these trains, the regional press has been all too happy to transcribe it

Today *when the train actually runs*: nothing (at least not yet)

Almost as if you need a press release to make news…

[sobex@social.sciences.re]

@hopla @jon @knud Speaking of which, a Law Professor of the UdS has recently won the first trial on suing Germany over those controls.

(Though appeal is pending).

[jon@gruene.social]

@Sobex @hopla @knud two indeed. There’s one in Bayern and one in Rheinland Pfalz.

[notsoloud@expressional.social]

@jon
You should send out one. Seriously, get the journos used to you being a news source.