anonymous
Traveller
2469 comments
Posted 12 years ago
Vilnius-Minsk-Kiev-Chisinau-Bucharest-Sofia-Skopje-Tirana-Pristina-Podgorica-Belgrade-Sarajevo-Vienna
This is the route I plan on undertaking next January/February! I'm aware Albania, Belarus, Kosovo, Moldova and Ukraine aren't under the rail pass scheme, but here are a few questions:
1) At this moment in time, it doesn't seem to be possible to get from Sofia, Bulgaria to just Nis, Serbia in less than 24 hours time...when it should only take about 3-4 hours, and I believe provide a connection to Skopje...am I doing something wrong?!
2) Has anyone ever seen a train from Belgrade directly to Sarajevo?!
3) Does anyone have any idea on how to get between Kiev and Chisinau without departing/arriving extremely early/late?! and preferably avoiding Tiraspol. Changing trains is fine with me!
nltrainer
Traveller
1404 comments
1.the wrong thing you did is thinking that the ''times'' (think more of wishful thinking) is online NOW-it is not. ALl Europe railways change their times by 12/12 or so-wait till a few weeks before to see what is on.
I (but grew up when there was no www) really cannot understand why people seem to overanxious if they cannot find a few times (which will be invalid anyway once there) on some vague www for nearly a year ahead.
2.|Yes I-did-and even used it-but then it still was Yugoslavija.
For now-there is No real train, but some wagons shunted from train 1 to 2-offering a direct no-change ride possible. IF they have enough cars and they are not under repair. Modern people also seem not able to conceive that this method is so common on trains.
Again: BUSes are far more frequent, quick and maybe even cheaper here. Google for BAS (beogradski Avto Bus Serwis) if you really cannot wait.
3.again a case of patiently waiting.
There are/were 2 trains: 1 via Transdnjestr and 1 outside. BOTH come from MOw, the capital in the minds of people lving there of the world, and pass by Kyiv-and then trundle on, via Vinnica, Zhmerinka (buy some fish from the grannies!) and Balci etc. Trains should not be taken for speed there. You have to take them as they run-at whatever time. Changing trains only-at the end-brings you into these same trrains-or maybe the (not daily) Peter-Vinnica-Chis, but it is a real drag in UKR to change trains.
Youd better prepare for the cold, Siberian winds and all that at that time of year.
Youa lso need a VISUM for Byelorus-and they often will not think this is normal transit-having you jump the hoops of the full visa. Can be done in VNS_but takes a lot of time or is extremely expensive. And there is not much more as white snow to see that time anyway.
Flo
Traveller
10724 comments
1) On Sofia - Nis currently only the night train is operating, the day train is suspended.
:arr: [u]https://rail.cc/en/train/sofia-to-belgrade[/u]
2) There is a direct train Beograd - Sarajevo and I even saw it... ;)
:arr: [u]https://rail.cc/en/train/belgrade-to-sarajevo[/u]
Flo 8)
anonymous
Traveller
2469 comments
@ nltrainer - erm, sorry for advance planning...?! Besides, buses don't go to where I want to go half the time...!!!
@ flow - that's good to know :) I've realised that getting to Skopje is going to be much easier by bus!