Thread by @PaliparanDotCom

Day 2, back at Warsaw Airport. The friendly people at my hotel (Four Points Sheraton Mokotow) were kind enough to make a breakfast bag w tasty sandwiches and even freshly made waffles as I checked out before breakfast service started. Coffee time now in the LOT lounge!

I do like these beautiful @LOTPLAirlines retro posters a lot!

This flight marks my first time ever on board a Boeing 737 MAX 8.

The plane still looks & smells new and fresh! Legroom isn't bad but the seats on the 737 MAX are for sure more narrow than those on yesterday's Embraer! Tray table much smaller too. Lots of space in overhead bins though. Fortunately, just ~10% passenger load so got an empty row!

On to sunnier destinations!

A very pleasant flight on a very empty plane. Free snack and bottled water included in the economy class fare. The apple pastry is tasty!

The Alps in sight! What a lovely day to fly.

Zurich Airport. Time to check out the city for the day! As I'm on 'durchreise' (transit) to a third country later in the evening, no quarantine is required in Switzerland - just a PCR test only. Smooth entry process!

What an absolutely perfect day here in Zürich to walk along the lakefront. Gorgeous warm weather, fresh mountain air!

On a day like this you don't need more than a cold beer from Coop (the only place that doesn't cost you a kidney as payment) and a place to sit at the lake. Something which half of Zürich seems to do.

There is even some background music!

The views from Zurich's bridges do not disappoint either. Some brave sould were even swimming in the river and lake!

Climbing up on the hill to the Lindenhof for some fine city views. There aren't many blockbuster sights as such but Zürich is just such a pleasant city to walk through and explore. Too bad it's so ridiculously expensive for food and lodging!

One thing I always like about Switzerland: you can see the Swiss national and cantonal flags everywhere in city centres! They know how to take care of public spaces and streets and how to brighten them up in this country.

Zurich's large Hauptbahnhof. There are also dozens of tracks and an entire shopping centre underground. Outside facade is under renovation. The people with the Swiss flags on pic 3 were celebrating the last ride/retirement of the arriving train driver!

And my train! The 18.40 Railjet to Salzburg - although I will disembark a few stops before.

And we're off!

The first bit of the journey is along the Zürichsee (Lake Zurich).

Of course there is a @_DiningCar, but within Swiss territory its takeaway to your seat only as you are not allowed to sit down in this wagon. Macaroni with minced meat and a beer for dinner.

The view on thr stretch between the Zürichsee and Walensee.

Approaching Ziegelbrücke station.

The gorgeous Walensee. Bit tricky to photograph with the reflections of the lights inside the carriage and the setting sun.

And a video too of this beautiful stretch of rail.

On the way to Sargans. Let's try one of the desserts as well. This Austrian Railjet train is Switzerland's cheapest restaurant after all.

The last bit of verdant green Swiss landscapes between Sargans and Buchs.

At Buchs (Switzerland) the Railjet reverses and travels through a sliver of Liechtenstein to Feldkirch in Austria. There's where I get off the train. I'm quite surprised there are no border checks given all the corona entry regulations!

I still had time to climb up to the castle before sunset to admire the great view over Feldkirch.

The town is cute too, but why does everything wirh the exception of the station kebab shop has to close at 8pm on Saturday?

And back to the railway station for the next train departure.

The NightJet @sleeping_train from Feldkirch to Graz! Austria allows 'durchreise' (transit) without PCR test & home isolation, so that's exactly what I do as Graz is right on the way to the next country this trip. I cant stay in a hotel, but sleeping like this is legally possible!

It's actually my first time on a NightJet train. So far I'm impressed! Comfy compartment, washbasin, 2 power sockets, fast WiFi (newly rolled out according to the Austrian provodnik) & even prosecco as welcome drink! Only slight negative: flimsy pillow. Lucky I have 3 of them!

Sleeper car passengers get complimentary breakfast, for which you have to fill in the breakfast card. There is also an amenity bag, two free bottles of water, and a short menu for those who might have some late night cravings or thirst.

It was a long but fun day - and I have some sunburns after the warm Zurich weather. A true red lobster-style face much akin to a Brit visiting the Med. So off to sleep I am. Goodnight!

Goodmorning from Bruck an der Mur, Styria! Quality breakfast in bed it is this morning after a solid 5 hours of uninterrupted sleep.

We follow the course of the River Mur towards Graz.

Graz Hbf, on the dot!

Graz is a ghost town on Sunday morning but certainly pretty.

Some more impressions of Graz, the state capital of Styria.

As I still have time and am feeling like doing some exercise, let's climb up the hill to the Medieval clock tower which is the symbol of Graz.

And back to Graz Hbf for my next train.

With the 'Transalpin' EC train with Swiss panorama wagon to Bischofshofen, Innsbruck and Zurich, and the 'Vindobona' Czech Railjet train to Vienna, Prague and Berlin.

I'm however on the EC151 'Emona' train to Ljubljana, Slovenia - which is arriving here on the platform.

Train aficionados and those who know me probably could see this post coming: the Emona train has a Slovenian @_DiningCar. So a delicious Wiener schnitzel and a beer it is for early lunch!

Spielfeld. The border station in Austria just before Slovenian territory. When I booked this trip, I could only transit Slovenia as hotel stays were banned (allowed now since a week w PCR test or vaccination cert). So just passing through again, heading deeper down the Balkans!

Some Slovenes & Croatians (esp Dalmatians) hate the 'Balkans' label but I instantly get a smile on my face when I enter ex-Yug. The joviality, fun-loving behaviour of the conductor alone puts me in Balkan mood. Time to cue in some Dutch-made Balkan music!

And some proper Balkan beats to spice up things.

To quote Sulzberger: "[The Balkans] is, or was, a gay peninsula filled with sprightly people who ate peppered foods, drank strong liquors, wore flamboyant clothes, loved and murdered easily and had a splendid talent for starting wars. (1)

Less imaginative westerners looked down on them with secret envy, sniffing at their royalty, scoffing at their pretensions, fearing their savage terrorists. Karl Marx called them “ethnic trash.” I, as a footloose youngster in my twenties, adored them.” (2/end). Love the quote!

Back to trains. Maribor station. Slovenia's second largest city and actually quite a fun place to visit.

On the way to Celje.

And a great view back over the tracks from the last train carriage!

Celje station, with a hilltop castle!

The stretch along the River Savinja between Celje and Laško.

What a lovely way to spend the day!

Arriving at Zidani Most station, right at the confluence of the rivers Sava and Savinja. An important junction station with dual bridges over the river - one track back to Graz in Austria, the other to Zagreb. These tracks join here and continue towards Ljubljana.

Zidani Most station. It's a short two metres walk from my train to the station café. Time to start reading my book about another 'most' ('bridge' in Slovenian/Croatian/Serbian) while waiting two hours for the connecting train.

The Emona EuroCity train on which I travelled continues onward to Ljubljana. What a fun ride!

This is such a beautifully located station that I could sit here all day drinking coffee or beer. But alas in 5 minutes my train to Zagreb will arrive!

On the right side the train from Budapest to Ljubljana has just arrived, on the left my Ljubljana to Zagreb train enters Zidani Most station.

It's "fenster auf!" as we depart Zidani Most and ride down along the River Sava. This stretch is as beautiful as I remember it was from years ago.

Some pictures from the ride between Zidani Most and Sevnica. Comfy compartment seating on a rather empty train.

On full speed towards Sevnica.

Sevnica station, and on to the next stop at Krško. On the fourth picture you can see hilltop Rajhenburg Castle!

(Another one especially for you @AndyBTravels since you mentioned them)

The 🇸🇮🇭🇷 border station at Dobova. After a complete absence of checks at the 🇨🇭🇦🇹 and 🇦🇹🇸🇮 borders, this one is more serious. Slovenian guards went through my entire rucksack piece of clothing by clothing!

The final - short - stretch from the border to Zagreb. Yet we still managed to rack up a 20 minute delay here (due to track works what it looked like).

Arriving at Zagreb Glavni Kolodvor.

Zagreb Glavni Kolodvor is located on perhaps the finest station square in the world, Trg Kralja Tomislava (King Tomislav Square). What a fine view upon leaving the station building! I always had a soft spot for this city.

And a short walk to the city centre and lovely pedestrianised Tkalčića street for dinner. Sure it may be an authentic Serbian dish but I never miss on the opportunity to eat some decent Pljeskavica.

Some more city centre impressions. An early night of sleep it is now, as tomorrow it's another early rise. This time for a flight which will delight any avgeek. Railway fans should hang on as after that flight it will be trains only w some great rides yet to come. Goodnight all!