This morning I’m one of the first new regional trains Maubeuge 🇫🇷 - Charleroi Central 🇧🇪 #CrossBorderRail 
It was a bit of a #fail at the station. I needed a ticket to Erquelinnes, the first station in Belgium. But prior to today trains from Maubeuge didn’t stop there!
Ticket machine ⛔️
Ticket machine ⛔️
Ask at the ticket office. “Le train ne s’arrête pas à Erquelinnes!” I politely told the SNCF employee that yes, it did stop at Erquelinnes. I explained the situation to the SNCB train manager and he laughed, confirmed it did stop there, and I bought the ticket online!
The Maubeuge - Erquelinnes - Charleroi line is quite slow, but really nice. It follows the Sambre river.
Earlier this morning I went by bike to inspect the connecting curve shown on the map - a Mons 🇧🇪 - Maubeuge 🇫🇷 train would use this. It’s clear nothing has used this curve in a long time, but infra inc overhead wires and signals is intact.
The neighbourhood I cycled through in Maubeuge is one of the poorest, most run down places I’ve ever been to in Europe 😢
Advert for shops in Mons 🇧🇪 in Maubeuge 🇫🇷. Problem: there’s no train to Mons any more…
#CrossBorderRail Givet 🇫🇷 - Dinant 🇧🇪 just south of Anseremme. No trains here since the 1980s
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
