Welcome to today's thread - #CrossBorderRail 2026 Tour Day 14 - 3 Apr - Ravières - Paris - Saarbrücken - Saarlouis - Bouzonville - Saarbrücken

[jon@gruene.social]

LOL

Ticket check in the #CrossBorderRail TGV to Saarbrücken, friendly SNCF train manager.

"How" - he asks me in French - "did you even get this Interrail reservation? Many passengers on this train have the wrong reservation"

For some reason today I have a SNCF one I booked with Rail Europe, and I explained that, and DB Passzuschlag to him, making it clear that this is *not easy* and SNCF not selling this for its own trains is ridiculous

But now he at least knows how to advise others!

[jon@gruene.social]

Also it is pretty funny this train manager happened to ask me about all of this, given he - by luck - found about the most experienced and knowledgeable passenger he could have found, and one fluent in the three most useful languages for this train (French, English, German)

[jon@gruene.social]

#CrossBorderRail 2026 Spring Tour Train 44 of 110
TGV 9551
09:06 Paris Est - Saarbrücken Hbf 10:56
SNCF Voyageurs, DB Fernverkehr

Train type: Alstom TGV Euroduplex, 8 short double deck carriages, 2 power cars
️ (25kV ac, 15kV ac)
: ️
🦽: (step free, then lift down inside)
🛜: (it just about works, slowly)
️:
🧳: ️ (train is full, so it’s total chaos)
🧽: (windows covered in grime, OK inside)
Interrail: (needs compulsory reservation, costs at least €19)

[jon@gruene.social]

TGV 9551
09:06 Paris Est - Saarbrücken Hbf 10:56

Distance: 379km
Average speed: 207km/h

2 stops:
Forbach
Saarbrücken Hbf

This train, mapped: https://umap.openstreetmap.fr/en/map/crossborderrail-2026-spring-tour_1361108#9/49.057670/4.674683

#CrossBorderRail

[interrailinfosvenska@mastodonsweden.se]

@jon Not surprising that many people have the wrong reservations since the first advice any newcomer who asks where to buy seat reservations gets is "DEUTSCHE BAHN! SEAT ONLY!".

And it works in this case even if it doesn't work on the train.

[jon@gruene.social]

@interrailinfosvenska Sure, that people have the wrong reservation here is pretty standard. But that the train manager did not know literally how to get the right one was a bit weird. He was friendly though, and now he knows!

[gratianriter@bildung.social]

@jon that might be a crossBorderNail

[jon@gruene.social]

As there are all sorts of issues here this morning (train left Paris Est +15, speed restrictions around Champagne Ardennes TGV) I wondered "could I take a bus from Forbach to Bouzonville?"

I could either wait until 15:33 and do it with two changes, *or* it proposes me a bus from Creutzwald, which is 22km by bike from Forbach ‍️

So no. I have to hope I get to Saarbrücken fast enough, and to Saarlouis by 13:08 as planned!

[sorenhave@mastodon.nu]

@jon Credit to him for showing a genuine interest

[tho99@mendeddrum.org]

@jon well done, that cyclist

[jon@gruene.social]

So I am now finally approaching the France-Germany border at Forbach

One obvious ethnic minority passenger in my carriage

Let's see who the Bundespolizei controls

And given I am going to be in Germany about 2 hours before exiting again, and I'd bet there'll be no control Bouzonville-Niedaltdorf... this is all going to be especially ridiculous today!

[q@glauca.space]

@jon there were no controls indeed, but a large number of gendarmes at Bouzonville

[jon@gruene.social]

@q WHY? Germans rioting at the Easter market?

[rakulle@radiosocial.de]

@jon oh no. that happened to me too these days. but lucky, there was a nice dry place to fix it

[jon@gruene.social]

@rakulle Let's see what I can manage in Saarbrücken shortly it happens. It just didn't happen in a while!

[ignaloidas@not.acu.lt]

@jon@gruene.social hey, if somebody manages to get the right reservation for a train where nobody can get it, they must be knowledgeable

[jon@gruene.social]

Oh here we go. Bundespolizei getting on at Forbach, carriage next to mine

[q@glauca.space]

@jon genuinely no idea

meanwhile the interior minister turned up with but one BPol

[technicalotter@glammr.us]

@jon reminds me of the time I had to explain to London Overground ticket offices how to sell me a Platform ticket because the button was hidden 3 menus deep.

[jon@gruene.social]

The ethnic minority person got a long stare. But no control. No one controlled.