Thread by @jonworth

#CrossBorderRail welcome to day 6 twitter.com/i/broadcasts/1…

Ok. Umeå bus station is worse than something in the Balkans. Complete and total mess.

I’d already cottoned on to the fact that there were a lot of people waiting for the Luleå/Haparanda bus. It pulls into the bay 10 mins before departure, and everyone has luggage…

And as we don’t have allocated seats EVERYONE storms through the door out of the terminal

And as it’s a double decker, the luggage storage is at the back above the engine, really high

The bus driver leaves it to the passengers to get luggage in here! One friendly dude climbs up to help

I help the guy pictured to lift up his bike. But the bus driver was alone and checking tickets - couldn’t help here

And then if that wasn’t enough… there were then not enough space for all the passengers! 20 were left behind

The bus driver says another bus will follow for these people. But he did not specify when. The next scheduled one is much later - at 13:15

On weekdays there’s a train at this time, but not on Sundays. Based on this mess I reckon there’d be need for one!

The bus is theoretically disabled accessible, but given the Ryanair style scrum to get on… hell knows how that’d have worked out if there was a passenger in a wheelchair

I’m on my way now, and the bus itself is ok, but jeeez this is no way to organise long distance transport!

This poor dude has just come to a bus stop in the middle of nowhere in pouring rain… only to be told he has to wait an undetermined time for another bus

Also please note: this is a scheduled bus, not a rail replacement bus!

Bit post-apocalyptic here

Bus stops at the edge of… the fields

This is what the buses look like

Cheese slicer monument. Ånäset. You don’t see this one from the train

Royal

There’s probably no god, but there are the Bussgods. Now stop worrying and enjoy your trip to Luleå. Or not…

(And please note: I do speak basic Swedish. That’s also how I know what’s happening with the overcrowded buses. So I know what Bussgods means too. Before anyone bussplains me 🙂)

Dubbelost. Who could resist? Piteå

The Länstrafiken Norrbotten logo… pretty cool? Too dated? Too clever for its own good? I can’t decide…

Luleå C. With the night train carriages for Narvik I should have taken (but train was cancelled) parked up. Next: train to Haparanda after a short walk around town!

Ore train passing Luleå C

The Birdy - when folded - fell yesterday. And the luggage rack and mudguard are a bit damaged I discovered today. I’ve fixed it enough for now, and it’ll get me to Berlin. But it’s annoying…

#CrossBorderRail Train 29
RE 7196 Luleå C - Haparanda
Ave speed: 105 km/h
Operator: Norrtåg

Train type: X52 Regina
⚡️
🚲: ✅
🦽: ✅ (step free if platform allows, lift inside)
📶: ✅
🍽: ✅

This is the train that set the Swedish rail speed record - 303km/h

It has a max speed of 200km/h today though

Perfect picture (by @ronpatz) of me trying to work out something with Swedish trains!

Sunderbyns hospital station. It’s nicer than Luleå C. It has a funky bridge. 1 passenger got on. And we’re now there are 4 passengers on board here.

Speeding to Haparanda

“Is the train always this empty?” I asked the train manager. “Yes” she said. “Why would anyone go to Haparanda?” she continued. We’ll see shortly! Surely a twin town with 2 languages, 2 time zones, 2 currencies, and an IKEA ought to be seen?

Finland over there. The rail bridge

From the other side

Here standard gauge ends and 1520/1524 continues opposite. #breitspur #breitspurland

At this halt there should shortly be a train!

Allontanarsi dalla linea gialla

The night train to Helsinki arrives in Tornio Itäinen

This train is so incredibly good it feels almost indulgent.

The compartment - with toilet and shower

#CrossBorderRail Train 30
276 Tornio Itäinen - Helsinki
Ave speed: 68 km/h
Operator: @VRmatkalla

Train type: VR Dr 16, then later probably Vr Sr 2
⛽️ then ⚡️
🚲: ✅
🦽: ✅ (step free)
📶: ✅
🍽: ✅ (and it’s good!)

Both #CrossBorderRail and… errr… Lenin have gone through Tornio

This is where Swedish standard gauge tracks end

And this is the border bridge

And @ronpatz and I have worked out how we’d fix rail traffic through Haparanda - Tornio. I’ll present it tomorrow at the #CrossBorderRail event in Helsinki! crossborderrail.trainsforeurope.eu/helsinki-event…

This afternoon has been totally brilliant. Wonderful place. Fascinating border. So much learned. And opportunities for rail here too!

More tomorrow…