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

[stefanlindbohm@mastodon.social]

@jon Random thought, could some writing on what makes good cross border rail crossings work well be an addition to the map/database/articles/etc? Examples to be inspired by. There are different ways to make it work and maybe that could be an angle to add.

(Assuming this would have to happen as part of something that provides funding of course.)

[rrr@deds.social]

@jon panels coming off was one of the reasons for NS to return the Fyra to its maker I recall.

[notsoloud@expressional.social]

@jon
Send them one! Quote yourself. A great opportunity to draw attention to whichever part of the cause that's relevant here. This is the one chance of having a quote by you instead of some ass covering manager.
@mkoek

[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