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

[jon@gruene.social]

@stefanlindbohm Yes. When I have time

[jsl@hachyderm.io]

@jon This is not an attractive train. It looks like it was designed by committee decisions.

[cycling_on_rails@mastodon.social]

@jon Curious what you meant with the yes/no logo for bicycles? I don't remember any official bicycle spots on the ETR 700 but maybe I didn't check well or they changed the layout since then?

As usual, luggage space is rather cramped on Italian high-speed trains... It's ok when the service isn't busy: https://cycling-on-rails.com/train-bicycle-guide/italy/#etr-700-frecciarossa

[jon@gruene.social]

@cycling_on_rails it’s an error. It’s a no. I forgot to delete.

[q@glauca.space]

@jon @hopla at last! I wonder when they'll run to SB

[jon@gruene.social]

@q @hopla not for a long time. At the start it’s all from the Mulhouse depot. Not Metz.

[hopla@zug.network]

@jon @q which trains?

[jon@gruene.social]

@hopla @q the cross border Régiolis. The reason Grand Est gave sometime last year for starting with Strasbourg - Offenburg and Mulhouse - Müllheim was that these would be from the Mulhouse depot. Is that not correct?

[simonschre@zug.network]

@q @jon @hopla I mean I guess now that they use Régiolis to Offenburg and maybe soon Müllheim, they'll have some X73900 over for a more stable Saarbrücken service? Or even more than two cars per train?

[jon@gruene.social]

@simonschre @q @hopla using Régiolis on electrified lines is obvious. But then why not Saarbrücken - Forbach too?

[smveerman@zug.network]

@jon @simonschre @q @hopla I am under the impression that the depot in Metz does not have any experience with the Régiolis as of now.

[jon@gruene.social]

@smveerman @simonschre @q @hopla it has some Régiolis there, but not the ones foreseen for cross border operations (I think). But Hopla can likely confirm.

[hopla@zug.network]

@jon @q the Strasbourg Offenburg are all dependent from Strasbourg workshops and agents.

The Mulhouse-Müllheim-Freiburg are engines "lended" to Mulhouse workshop, and currently operated by Strasbourg agents. I deem it unlikely that Mulhouse agents get to drive them in the near future, too few Germany-able agents in Alsace-Moselle.
What's also not helping is that the security certificate for these trains is held by DB Regio BW, who don't employ France -able drivers. Unlike, say, DB Regio Mitte...

[hopla@zug.network]

@jon @smveerman @simonschre @q it was a plan for the Metz-Trier trains yes, dunno how far along they are on the Metz side. Not sure if they even have Germany -able drivers in Metz, and instead those trains get done by Sarreguemines drivers just like the Forbach-Saarbrücken?

[sobex@social.sciences.re]

@jon @simonschre @q @hopla I think the intent is that Saarbrücken - Forbach + Forbach - Metz be turned into a single train, operated with Regiolis TFA, one day, eventually, but apparently, they hadn't even broken ground on the workshop for these trains in Metz until recently (according to a Wurstzug (the red whale) I talked to a few month back on SB-Forbach).

In any case, it sounds like there are a lot of obstacles delaying that train, to the exasperation of all of us.

[jon@gruene.social]

#CrossBorderRail 2026 Spring Tour Train 104 of 125
FR 9618
10:56 Bologna Centrale - Milano Centrale 11:58
Trenitalia

Train type: Hitachi Frecciarossa 1000 EMU, 8 carriages
️ (3kV dc, 25kV ac, 3kV dc)
: ️
🦽: (lift on platform and on board)
🛜: (needs registration)
️:
🧳: (this carriage is ok - does it vary by carriage?)
🧽:
Interrail: (needs compulsory reservation, costs €13)

[jon@gruene.social]

FR 9618
10:56 Bologna Centrale - Milano Centrale 11:58

Distance: 214.4km
Average speed: 207km/h

1 stops:
Milano Centrale

This train, mapped: https://umap.openstreetmap.fr/en/map/crossborderrail-2026-spring-tour_1361108#10/45.003718/10.273965

#CrossBorderRail

[jon@gruene.social]

It’s so nice travelling by train in Italy. Pity #CrossBorderRail hasn’t brought me here very much! (Not many borders)

[hatetsu@mastodon.com.pl]

@jon I'll call you if I find a reality where the Risorgimento never happened XD

[meganl@mas.to]

@jon Interesting. What do you like in particular about trains in Italy?