Welcome to today's thread - #CrossBorderRail 2026 Tour Day 31 - 4 May - Rimini - Bologna - Milano - Lugano - Basel - Strasbourg
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Take your pick of high speed trains in Milano. And a Rock
@jon I pick the yellow one in the middle!
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@jon Hum the latest Trenitalia app (on Android) knows it's running, even until Locarno.
However, it's throwing 30-second spinners before reporting errors to the user. I don't remember it being that bad on the previous UX.
In any case, Trenitalia app doesn't let you purchase the end-to-end ticket. Maybe there's a Trenord app for that?
@cycling_on_rails I’m quite sure my iOS app is up to date. Hmmm.
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I must remind myself it’s better these annoying tourists take trains rather than something else
I must remind myself it’s better these annoying tourists take trains rather than something else
I must remind myself it’s better these annoying tourists take trains rather than something else
I must remind myself it’s better these annoying tourists take trains rather than something else
I must remind myself it’s better these annoying tourists take trains rather than something else
I must remi…
#CrossBorderRail 2026 Spring Tour Train 105 of 125
R 80 (25518) / RE 80 (25518)
12:43 Milano Centrale - Lugano 13:58
Trenord – SBB (Tilo)Train type: Stadler EMU, 2x 6 short carriages
️ (3kV dc, 15kV ac)
: 
🦽: (step free)
🛜:
️
️: ️
🧳:
(good Stadler design)
🧽:
Interrail: (accepted) -
@jon Hum the latest Trenitalia app (on Android) knows it's running, even until Locarno.
However, it's throwing 30-second spinners before reporting errors to the user. I don't remember it being that bad on the previous UX.
In any case, Trenitalia app doesn't let you purchase the end-to-end ticket. Maybe there's a Trenord app for that?
@cycling_on_rails @jon is it possible to buy TrenNord tickets with the TreinItalia app? I wasn't able to figure that out when I was in Milan last year
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I must remind myself it’s better these annoying tourists take trains rather than something else
I must remind myself it’s better these annoying tourists take trains rather than something else
I must remind myself it’s better these annoying tourists take trains rather than something else
I must remind myself it’s better these annoying tourists take trains rather than something else
I must remind myself it’s better these annoying tourists take trains rather than something else
I must remi…
@jon You could upgrade to first class
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@cycling_on_rails I’m quite sure my iOS app is up to date. Hmmm.
@jon Sounds like a very fresh update, this new version was released on May 2nd. So I expect they are doing a phased rollout between platforms. You're not missing much given all the bug reports in recent online reviews!
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Take your pick of high speed trains in Milano. And a Rock
@jon maybe we will see them soon here in germany
https://www.heise.de/news/Konkurrenz-fuer-Deutsche-Bahn-Italienischer-Anbieter-Italo-plant-Markteintritt-11280559.html -
I must remind myself it’s better these annoying tourists take trains rather than something else
I must remind myself it’s better these annoying tourists take trains rather than something else
I must remind myself it’s better these annoying tourists take trains rather than something else
I must remind myself it’s better these annoying tourists take trains rather than something else
I must remind myself it’s better these annoying tourists take trains rather than something else
I must remi…
@jon "Better a drunkard in my train rather than at the steering wheel of his car"
Even when the consequences are rarely pleasant for passengers and cleaning agents
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@jon maybe we will see them soon here in germany
https://www.heise.de/news/Konkurrenz-fuer-Deutsche-Bahn-Italienischer-Anbieter-Italo-plant-Markteintritt-11280559.html@Mindmaster some dude* wrote about this in his newsletter
* - me
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@jon You could upgrade to first class
@Gaius91 I am in first class
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However these data problems here are incomprehensible
DB and SBB think the 12:43 train is to Lugano
Trenitalia thinks it only goes to the border station Chiasso
/ 
(It will go to Lugano)
@jon yeah trenitalia (almost?) always only displays all trains as starting / ending at border station.
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@Mindmaster some dude* wrote about this in his newsletter
* - me
@jon Perhaps I should occasionally check the newsletter.
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#CrossBorderRail 2026 Spring Tour Train 105 of 125
R 80 (25518) / RE 80 (25518)
12:43 Milano Centrale - Lugano 13:58
Trenord – SBB (Tilo)Train type: Stadler EMU, 2x 6 short carriages
️ (3kV dc, 15kV ac):
🦽: (step free)
🛜:️️: ️
🧳: (good Stadler design)
🧽:
Interrail: (accepted)R 80 (25518) / RE 80 (25518)
12:43 Milano Centrale - Lugano 13:58Distance: 74.5km
Average speed: 60km/h8 stops:
Monza
Seregno
Como Nord Camerlata
Como S. Giovanni
Chiasso
Mendrisio
Paradiso
LuganoThis train, mapped: https://umap.openstreetmap.fr/en/map/crossborderrail-2026-spring-tour_1361108#10/45.746444/9.106293
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@cycling_on_rails @jon is it possible to buy TrenNord tickets with the TreinItalia app? I wasn't able to figure that out when I was in Milan last year
@gspeed0689 @cycling_on_rails @jon Yes. They even sell you FSE tickets.
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R 80 (25518) / RE 80 (25518)
12:43 Milano Centrale - Lugano 13:58Distance: 74.5km
Average speed: 60km/h8 stops:
Monza
Seregno
Como Nord Camerlata
Como S. Giovanni
Chiasso
Mendrisio
Paradiso
LuganoThis train, mapped: https://umap.openstreetmap.fr/en/map/crossborderrail-2026-spring-tour_1361108#10/45.746444/9.106293
Interrail is a bit odd these days. In neither Trenitalia Frecciarossa or IC, nor regional trains of Trenord or Trenitalia TPER has anyone wanted to scan the Interrail QR. Do their devices not scan it?
And a cursory look at a reservation isn’t very secure!
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@gspeed0689 @cycling_on_rails @jon Yes. They even sell you FSE tickets.
@partim @cycling_on_rails @jon they always say not purchasable for all the routes I want
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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…
@jon there's a press release now: https://www.grandest.fr/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/05-04-26-cpresse-circulation-strasbourg-offenbourg-regiolis-tfa.pdf
Maybe they wanted to see if it actually happens
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@partim @cycling_on_rails @jon they always say not purchasable for all the routes I want
@gspeed0689 @cycling_on_rails @jon They indeed do not sell tickets to Switzerland. But for, e.g., Milano C to Chiasso (which doubles as an Italian station) the do.
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@TimWardCam this is where online ticketing helps
Oh and the forthcoming EU ticketing data regulation will assist further (forcing data sharing).
@jon Speaking of: Is there a way to buy only seat reservations online with Trenitalia? I wasn't able to find it on their website, only full tickets. I had to use the Interrail seat reservation service, which make things a little more expensive. Also, for one of the trains they insisted on snail-mailing the seat reservation ticket to me, which wasn't possible due to booking only a week in advance – wtf?
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However these data problems here are incomprehensible
DB and SBB think the 12:43 train is to Lugano
Trenitalia thinks it only goes to the border station Chiasso
/ (It will go to Lugano)
@jon The problems with timetables for this specific connection are endless. I’ve reported broken schedules at the border multiple times personally but somehow new issues pop up frequently.
