Connection times on multi-leg journeys

Flo
Traveller
10724 comments

Hej Richard,

the online schedule planners only show connections which are feasible under normal circumstances. Usually each station has a minimum connection time which is accounted for by the schedule planner. If a station has a 7 minute minimum connection time, a 3-minute connection wont be shown (although you in reality might be able to make it under good circumstances and if you know which way to go in the station).
Also, special expectations to the standard minimum connection time (such as a cross-platform interchange or a change of station wings) are accounted for by the schedule planner.

However, not all connections which are shown by the schedule planners are guaranteed - this depends on the individual connection. In case your train is delayed and you have to get an onward connection, always try to talk to the conductor which is able to ask the dispatcher whether the next train can wait or not.


Flo 8)

ardeeay
Traveller
99 comments

Hej Flo

Thanks for the information - good advice as always. :D

I have rescheduled the earlier leg of the trip from Copenhagen so that I do not have to rely on the 7 minutes connection time at Göttingen which is needed in order to catch the City Night Line 479 (Hamburg to Zurich) and for which I will make a prior reservation. I cannot take the risk of missing the CNL sleeper so I will leave a bit earlier from Copenhagen, have a pleasant afternoon journey through the Denmark and German countrysides, and catch the CNL at its originating station of Hamburg, around about sunset. :)

This is all so that I can arrive at the Swiss capital of Bern reasonably early the next day. 8)

I am pretty well on target to visit 29 European Capital cities in 40 days. The side trips to London and Dublin are all working out well (subject to the summer timetable for Eurostar). It is only the uncertainties of the Balkans and the absence of summer timetables for the Paris-Madrid-Lisbon and v.v. trips that are still causing any concern. :|

Cheers

Flo
Traveller
10724 comments

Hej,

definitely better to change trains in Hamburg - a much more interesting station than Göttingen. ;)
And, since I assume you will be using the sleeper, you will have more time to enjoy the overnight trip. The sleeper on this route is a double deck car, the first class cabins being on the upper floor with panoramic windows (and a large cabin including a bathroom). I'm sure you'll enjoy that leg of your trip! :)

To get to Bern quickest, you should change trains in Basel already, however, since it is such a nice sleeper I'd stay on the train until Zürich...

What are your concerns regarding Paris - Madrid - Lisboa? The Elipsos to Madrid should run as normal this year, however at least during the winter season probably not daily. The Madrid - Lisboa Lusitania also should run as normal.

In the Balkans, what are the issues you are currently dealing with?


Flo 8)

ardeeay
Traveller
99 comments

Hej Flow

I have decided to go the whole distance from Hamburg to Zurich on CNL to get a little more time in bed (?), have a more leisurely breakfast and be a little less rushed in getting off the train and making the connection to Bern (12 mins transfer time). Even though it gives me about an hour less in Bern than if I changed at Basel that is not a worry - I will still have 10 and a half hours sightseeing time in Bern, all in daylight. :D

I have now found Summer timetables for Paris-Madrid and v.v. on the RENFE website (although not yet on OBB or DBahn). :) I cannot yet find confirmation of the Madrid-Lisboa (9 June) and v.v. (10 June) Lusitania night train times on RENFE. :(

Also there still does not appear to be any reference to the 10:41 Paris Lyon-Milan train on 18 June. It may be the French timetables that are missing! :o

In the Balkans, I cannot find any information about night trains from Zagreb-Sarajevo (5 June) or Sarajevo-Zagreb (6 June), or from Belgrade-Ljubljana (27-28 June). They may have all been cancelled in 2013! :( Are there any night trains left serving Sarajevo, Zagreb or Ljubljana (from anywhere)?

Also in the Balkans I am still not certain that the night train from Sofia will run right through to Istanbul (20-21 June) even though OBB and DBahn sites show that it will be by train without changing to a bus at Kapikule. They still show at least one change of train Sofia-Istanbul (20-21 June) and two changes Istanbul-Sofia (21-22 June). :|

I wish you and all the railccs a very happy and peaceful Christmas.

Cheers

Richard

ardeeay
Traveller
99 comments

Hej Flo

Another short question on connection times.

Do you think that 24 minutes would be enough time to transfer from Paris Nord International to Paris Lyons after the arrival of Eurostar from London? If so what would be the most appropriate way to transfer between stations?

Regards

Richard

nltrainer
Traveller
1405 comments

NO-you also have to buy a metroticket-can be done with cr-card, but eats time-1,70 or 1,80. Plus reckon on at least 10 mins to get out of eur** to metro-entry.There are direct RER suburban metrotrains between the 2-wait /search for right track, train-you can also change at the enormous Chatelet station-not recdd if you have never been there. There are 2 underground levels at paris-Nord and these are beside the metro-very confusing and not well signposted.
You simply have to bear with how timetables are set up in Balkan/Spain: even if they promise something now, it may very well be quite other then-or not run at all. In Poland they have cancelled trains (as the subsidy ran out) with just 2-3 days notice.

Flo
Traveller
10724 comments

Hej!

- I would not worry about the Lusitania/Surex timetables. RENFE often updates its schedules/opens booking quite late. There are also no rumors that would indicate a withdrawal of these trains.
- Similarly, SNCF also publishes timetables at short notice (usually due to construction works throughout the network which often result in minor alterations of schedules). Anyway, I would not travel this route since the TGV France - Italy currently require a whopping 75€ reservation fee in 1st class (55€ in 2nd class)!! :((
Instead, better travel via Switzerland (Lyria to Geneve, then to Milano via Brig with EC train); or go along the Cote d'Azur which will be a bit more time consuming.
- The Sarajevo - Zagreb night train has been withdrawn, as have the Sarajevo - Budapest and Sarajevo - Beograd day trains. :(
Also, most trains RS <> HR have been withdrawn with only one daily train remaining, the Beograd - Zagreb - Zürich overnight train. This includes the Beograd - Ljubljana - Villach night train which has been cut back to Villach - Ljubljana - Dobova, not reaching Zagreb and Beograd anymore.
Most of these changes can be credited to HZ, Croatian Railways, which are obviously trying to save costs to fit budget plans for the new EU membership.
You can find all remaining night trains in the night train section on railcc (including seasonal night trains to the coast).
- The Sofia - Istanbul train will run daily, although still with the bus replacement between Kapikule and Istanbul. Latest news even suggest through running for a short period in Januaray next year.
However, situation is likely to change at short notice.

Merry Christmas,


Flo 8)

ardeeay
Traveller
99 comments

Thanks Flo

With a bit of re-arranging around Zagreb, using the available day trains instead of the cancelled night trains, I think I can still reach all my intended cities.
Thanks for the advive about France-Italy TGV reservation fees. I will look for the alternatives you suggest.

We had a very pleasant Christmas with temperatures up tpo 24 degrees and sunshine!

Best Wishes

Richard