Post Ab3o5o3eDXEYWd0Jma by pony@blovice.bahnhof.cz
(DIR) More posts by pony@blovice.bahnhof.cz
(DIR) Post #Ab3nX19PXvByzs6xnc by jon@gruene.social
2023-10-23T06:03:21Z
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Welcome to #CrossBorderRail Autumn 2023 Day 24, 23 Oct, Madrid - Sevilla - Huelva - Vila Real - Faro - LisboaToday I’m crossing these borders Vila Real de San António 🇵🇹 - Ayamonte 🇪🇸Map of today’s route https://umap.openstreetmap.fr/en/map/crossborderrail-political-tour-autumn-2023_933893#7/38.728/-6.417Today’s Live Blog https://crossborderrail.trainsforeurope.eu/live-blog-autumn-2023-day-24/
(DIR) Post #Ab3nX2Sag6813e5nKi by jon@gruene.social
2023-10-23T06:07:30Z
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#CrossBorderRail Autumn 2023 Train 97AVE 207007:00 Madrid Atocha - Sevilla Santa Justa 09:52RenfeDistance: 471kmAverage speed: 164km/hTrain type: Renfe Series 100 AVE (Alstom) 8 carriages⚡️🚲: ⛔️🦽: ✅ (lift on platform)🛜: ⛔️ (only Renfe ticket holders can use it - stupid)🍽️: ✅🧳: 🤔 (poor space for large bags)🧽: 🙂
(DIR) Post #Ab3nX3YIcMHyRdlrs0 by jon@gruene.social
2023-10-23T06:12:24Z
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Hell knows what I’m going to get in SevillaThe train to Huelva is an Interregio but is theoretically compulsory reservation. But I’ve not got time to go get a reservation while changing and the train doesn’t even show in Interrail’s appI think some blagging it is going to be necessaryBut what the hell is a compulsory reservation Interregio slow train anyway? 🤔
(DIR) Post #Ab3nX4MzZsq2yrULsu by jon@gruene.social
2023-10-23T06:16:58Z
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Renfe is weirdIn some ways impeccable - trains spotless, staff dressed impeccably, excellent attention to the on board experienceBut we’re 10 mins late. Any announcement? Anything on the screens about it? No. Because they’d sooner show a film on the screens insteadIt feels they’re trying so hard to be like an airline they’ve forgotten how to be a rail company
(DIR) Post #Ab3nX5AGcgFnRgXhgm by jon@gruene.social
2023-10-23T07:53:47Z
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Sevilla Santa Justa is weirdMassive station. The trains stop a long way from the main exits. There’s an employee *standing with a sign* to tell us where the Huelva train isHow about *designing your station with information and passenger flow in mind*? Just an idea…
(DIR) Post #Ab3nX7sIXwf9qp9tb6 by jon@gruene.social
2023-10-23T07:57:57Z
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And passengers for the Iryo train to Madrid don’t do a bag scan, but AVE passengers doSo this isn’t some kind of obligation?That AVE does this because they think queuing for security theatre is a positive thing for customers? Or is this some kind of exception at Sevilla just now?Edit: they later started it. But that’s then not very secure!
(DIR) Post #Ab3nX8gzVTDEO2sNc0 by jon@gruene.social
2023-10-23T08:11:02Z
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Renfe *****I have to pay €4 Interrail supplement for a seat on this crappy regional train. That will be replaced by a bus for half the trip, but it’s not announced when boardingDO NOT INTERRAIL IN SPAIN. IT’S SHIT
(DIR) Post #Ab3nX9RmhUdujAlkY4 by jon@gruene.social
2023-10-23T08:25:16Z
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France’s two class rail system - TGVs for the rich, TERs for the disadvantaged - annoys meSpain is like that, on steroids This regional train to Huelva is crap. Bumpy track. Poor timetable. Useless information. Ah that’s for the poor people, sod themMake a train system *that works for your whole society*
(DIR) Post #Ab3nXAHtZkKJKn9Mm0 by jon@gruene.social
2023-10-23T08:29:49Z
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And what’s happening in Spain is of course *loved* by politicians who can swoon over high speed trains between the big cities. While the rest goes to shit. (Huelva: 144k people, 4 trains a day)
(DIR) Post #Ab3nXBDK8EGQCu1EHo by jon@gruene.social
2023-10-23T08:44:57Z
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#CrossBorderRail Autumn 2023 Train 98IR 1303710:00 Sevilla Santa Justa - Huelva Termino 11:38RenfeDistance: 120kmAverage speed: 74km/hTrain type: CAF EMU, 5 carriages⚡️🚲: ✅ 🦽: ✅ 🛜: ⛔️🍽️: ⛔️🧳: 🙂🧽: 🤔 (windows grimy)
(DIR) Post #Ab3nXCBwUqklEuNdlw by jon@gruene.social
2023-10-23T08:56:12Z
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And I know the answer for the #CrossBorderRail section today already, even though I’m not there yetUnless Spain wants to build a high speed line Sevilla - Huelva - Ayamonte - Vila Real, nothing will happenSpain doesn’t care about regional rail on existing infra - national or international
(DIR) Post #Ab3nXDAYrTF6Guk3G4 by jon@gruene.social
2023-10-23T09:29:38Z
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We’re doing a very low speed on an incline. Everything is rattling. It smells of burning. The gears crunch every time the driver changes gear… It’s 36km to Huelva
(DIR) Post #Ab3nXDzFoznAo8SXGy by jon@gruene.social
2023-10-23T10:55:07Z
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Storm overnight destroyed a lot in Huelva.So I’m taking the bus whole way to Ayamonte instead. Then ferry across the river.
(DIR) Post #Ab3nXEvkJWa1jXpFRY by jon@gruene.social
2023-10-23T11:28:03Z
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I’ve been getting repeated critique that I’m anti high speed rail, esp re the post above about a two class railway system, and TGVs for the richI’ve got no problem at all with high speed rail. But if you’re going to do it, do it so *everyone* benefits, not only those in big cities. Don’t design it so you also need a car to use it (no stations middle of nowhere). Don’t divert funds from regional rail to build high speed lines - you need BOTH
(DIR) Post #Ab3nXGEvRhW3nJo4ye by jon@gruene.social
2023-10-23T09:16:44Z
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Now the clueless Renfe dude is negotiating with bus drivers about which rail replacement bus will go whereYou could you know have worked this out before we got here 🤦♂️
(DIR) Post #Ab3nXH3yNuLiLdgqXo by pony@blovice.bahnhof.cz
2023-10-23T11:29:14.187163Z
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@jon jon, have you ever lived out of a major regional center for some longer period?
(DIR) Post #Ab3nXH4KMadIMjr864 by jon@gruene.social
2023-10-23T10:57:35Z
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This is why I hate busesQueue at Huelva to be told at Damas office that ticket purchase is on board the bus, not at the officeBus arrives. It’s Damas. Driver disappears. We leave late… because everyone has to buy from driver
(DIR) Post #Ab3nXImfzBhZgZc3rU by jon@gruene.social
2023-10-23T09:22:21Z
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So it’s a bus La Palma del Contado - HuelvaAnd then sod the cycling. I’m going to take a bus all the way to AyamonteIt’s all such a mess here no one is going to re-activate the line to Ayamonte. They can’t get the basic shit together on lines they do have
(DIR) Post #Ab3nuXbr20GKKIdGYS by jon@gruene.social
2023-10-23T11:30:43Z
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@pony yep. I spend half my time in rural Bourgogne. I’m from a medium size town in Wales. What’s your point?
(DIR) Post #Ab3nuYe1BRaTXIeVZA by pony@blovice.bahnhof.cz
2023-10-23T11:33:43.394535Z
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@jon no, i mean being actually stuck there... when i lived with my parents, i have never for one moment wished for the better transit, i have only wanted to get fuck out of there forever
(DIR) Post #Ab3o5nBlRs8FpVnHnM by jon@gruene.social
2023-10-23T11:34:39Z
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@pony oh of course. I left Newport the fastest I could.
(DIR) Post #Ab3o5o3eDXEYWd0Jma by pony@blovice.bahnhof.cz
2023-10-23T11:35:44.857551Z
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@jon so you probably understand people wanting to live in such places don't really want better transit? spending the money in better opportunities, transit and housing in the major centers is how you deliver better life for [semi-]rurals
(DIR) Post #Ab3slnBQG7GBn9utVo by DiegoBeghin@mastodon.social
2023-10-23T11:40:45Z
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@jon I still think "TGV for the rich" isn't quite the right critique, the fares aren't higher than in Germany.The problem is rather "TERs only for the poor" because the service sucks so much it's hard to imagine anyone with other options using it.
(DIR) Post #Ab3sloIY76YTFYG6G8 by jon@gruene.social
2023-10-23T11:42:16Z
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@DiegoBeghin it’s also TGVs in the regions mostly for people who also own cars. That’s handled better in Germany.
(DIR) Post #Ab3sloKK0VyNL35W1Q by DiegoBeghin@mastodon.social
2023-10-23T11:45:31Z
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@jon I mean if you're a broke student you can still make a TER-TGV connection with a 1h30 layover. It will probably cost the same as in Germany and the end-to-end speed will be roughly the same too.The difference is that it's convenient to take regional German trains to work or for any short trip, while that's much dicier with TERs.
(DIR) Post #Ab3slpRRrVGenRQilk by Alon@mastodon.social
2023-10-23T11:44:37Z
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@jon @DiegoBeghin People who own cars or who live in big cities is nearly the entire population.
(DIR) Post #Ab3slqeFNP6EXQQSMC by jon@gruene.social
2023-10-23T11:47:18Z
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@Alon @DiegoBeghin because they’ve got no other option. And if you make your TGV station a car park in the middle of nowhere they won’t have another option in the future either. You need to at least plan your public transport to make it useable ALSO for those without cars.
(DIR) Post #Ab3slrdDihs9aWx9Oa by DiegoBeghin@mastodon.social
2023-10-23T11:51:43Z
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@jon @Alon That's what I was addressing here. You can make a poor TER or bus connection to a TGV station and still be even speed-wise with the slower German rail system.https://mastodon.social/@DiegoBeghin/111284160545515580
(DIR) Post #Ab3slsVST3G2IkKSw4 by jon@gruene.social
2023-10-23T11:53:41Z
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@DiegoBeghin @Alon if such a connection exists, yes. And if journey time is your prime criterion. Neither of those are true in all cases.
(DIR) Post #Ab3sltMzG24kylNDN2 by Alon@mastodon.social
2023-10-23T12:02:11Z
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@jon @DiegoBeghin In a developed country, practically everyone outside the cities owns a car. Modal shift can succeed in cities: Vancouver is having a steady increase in the modal split thanks to SkyTrain and TOD (13% in 1996, 20% in 2016 with a large increase in ridership from the 2016 census to 2019). Such increases don't really happen in rural areas.(Relatedly, if I understand it right, Spain's modal split during corona was even with France and Germany's pre-corona, 16% for work trips.)
(DIR) Post #Ab3sluP9PTOuBlOSNk by jon@gruene.social
2023-10-23T12:04:17Z
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@Alon @DiegoBeghin I’d like to point out that Belfort, Montbeliard, Aix en Provence, Besançon are hardly rural areas
(DIR) Post #Ab3slvO7kmApErv9Q8 by patrick@mendeddrum.org
2023-10-23T12:09:04Z
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@jon @Alon @DiegoBeghin This with regards to the cities Jon mentioned. Plus, in a *really* developed country, nobody needs [edit to clarify: to own] a car (which in itself is a resource hog being unused 95% of the time at least) as their needs are catered for by public transport options.
(DIR) Post #Ab3slwk8iPNVRREFNI by Alon@mastodon.social
2023-10-23T12:16:27Z
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@patrick @jon @DiegoBeghin What do you mean by "really developed country" and "nobody"? You can get pretty good modal splits, yeah, but that's through high levels of urbanization. South Korea has a good modal split, I think the highest in the non-city-state developed world, because half the country is metropolitan Seoul. Japan is similar with Tokyo and Osaka.
(DIR) Post #Ab3slxerJWkSHLlXma by DiegoBeghin@mastodon.social
2023-10-23T12:26:08Z
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@Alon @patrick @jon And cities need to be really big before the inconveniences of car travel start piling up. Below 1 million population, most travel can happen by car without any significant congestion, even in compact Spanish towns.
(DIR) Post #Ab3slyc3lQ6TExSp3g by pony@blovice.bahnhof.cz
2023-10-23T12:28:05.276872Z
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@DiegoBeghin @Alon @patrick @jon oh i can show you some utter misery in a town of 90k people because of bad decisions
(DIR) Post #Ab3t8DJzl41zEGcMr2 by DiegoBeghin@mastodon.social
2023-10-23T12:30:01Z
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@pony Damn, is it a narrow valley with all the jobs on one side and all the residents on the other? :(
(DIR) Post #Ab3t8EAoagHXs5KYBU by pony@blovice.bahnhof.cz
2023-10-23T12:32:10.396365Z
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@DiegoBeghin no, it's a tiny regional "center" of a very sprawled out region that has also became a bastion of car drivers by religion (the rich suburban core voters of the czech sort-of-tories), well, not itself, but it's wider surroundings(you can look up ceske budejovice)
(DIR) Post #Ab3tdK1wrem10u0h2O by DiegoBeghin@mastodon.social
2023-10-23T12:35:11Z
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@pony Ah ok, remember in Spain you can have 1M people in a city and then pretty much no one else in a 100 km radius.
(DIR) Post #Ab3tdOfnbR1jPegZhw by pony@blovice.bahnhof.cz
2023-10-23T12:37:43.326734Z
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@DiegoBeghin ah yes, there are really few people in the end, but the region is so car dependent it still ends up creating a lot of congestion in the one tiny center they have(there is transit, arguably even decent one, but these people will never, by religion)
(DIR) Post #Ab4074zjvkUynHY9Ka by djasa@cztwitter.cz
2023-10-23T12:59:18Z
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@DiegoBeghin @Alon @patrick @jon Maybe that's it, if the towns are compact enough that locals don't use car by default and the surroundings are sparse enough that they don't generate that much traffic in comparison with the city, then you can get large % of car travel without much issues...However if ‘everybody’ uses a car, because the city isn't compact enough you can get traffic jams in towns of 30k people...
(DIR) Post #Ab4076QiavfnFFBD1M by DiegoBeghin@mastodon.social
2023-10-23T13:47:16Z
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@djasa Are we talking real traffic jams or "it takes 5 min longer compared to free-flow traffic"?
(DIR) Post #Ab4077NZ48kEBkiCkC by pony@blovice.bahnhof.cz
2023-10-23T13:50:26.468761Z
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@DiegoBeghin @djasa at that rate it wouldn't work, such a compact place wouldn't have parking, so it would need to be a mostly extraneous traffic with neither origin or destination in the place (which is why all small towns always yell for stupid bypasses)