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Philip of Staines @philipdp.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

My parents dropped me off at Cosham station, from where I travelled to Havant for the first off-peak service in UK. We love to complain about UK rail, but every route has half-hourly departures, and there is a cafe and free toilets on both platforms. It's not SNCF...

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Philip of Staines @philipdp.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Well, we tried the C-Club Lounge. It was basically a more expensive version of La Litoral, with a poorer choice of food. We won't be doing that again. And no, wine and beer was not complimentary.

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Philip of Staines @philipdp.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

We continued by road to St. Malo, and boarded the eponymous ferry for the overnight sailing to the UK. We had booked the C-Club Lounge, of which we had heard only good things.

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Philip of Staines @philipdp.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Next morning we drove the short distance to St. Fair du Mer, where another sea pool slowly emerged from beneath the waves.

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Philip of Staines @philipdp.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Oh Granville, have I just died and gone to heaven? A sea pool! And it's not even cold.

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Philip of Staines @philipdp.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

My journey today was short and took me to Granville. I never much liked those SNCF AGC EMUs, but compared to more recent rolling stock they are positively luxurious. Granville is nice too.

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Philip of Staines @philipdp.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

In the morning I was soon off the ferry, on a bus to Caen, and onto a train. Caen station left a lot to be desired, to be honest. Portsmouth & Southsea may feel desolate, but at least it has toilets.

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Philip of Staines @philipdp.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

The night would be short, so I passed up the temptation of the bar and headed to my cosy cabin with a very soft bed.

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Philip of Staines @philipdp.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Arguably it was a bit late for dinner, but who could resist a meal in a 'proper' ferry self-service?

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Philip of Staines @philipdp.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

I boarded the Mont St. Michel for the overnight crossing to Caen. It was my first time on this beautiful and clearly well looked-after ship.

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Philip of Staines @philipdp.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

A couple of days off has caused me to head to Portsmouth Continental Ferry Port. A word of advice - the tea in the downstairs shop is powdered white tea, but upstairs they have bags. Honestly, who drinks instant tea?

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Philip of Staines @philipdp.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

Back home to Staines - cargo intact!

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Philip of Staines @philipdp.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

I fought the rush hour hordes into Liverpool Street.

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Philip of Staines @philipdp.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

A cup of tea and a faster journey are the two birds with one stone at Manningtree. Then it's on what feels like the executive version of SWR's horrible Arterios. Carpets, double the loos, seat back tables. Lucky Essex passengers...

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Philip of Staines @philipdp.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

Good morning Britain! The passport officer gave me Algerian stamps a sideways glance, but seemed satisfied with my 'just a holiday explanation'. No one checked my Waitrose bags. So off we go.

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Philip of Staines @philipdp.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

I've sailed on these two ships so many times that boarding them feels like visiting a relative. Every now and then something small is changed. But those photos of people smiling and looking fulfilled reminds me of the ones in the gatehouse of our local prison.

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Philip of Staines @philipdp.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Soon it was time to go to the port. Embarkation formalities took no time and I was soon on board. You know the rest...

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Philip of Staines @philipdp.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

After enjoying a swim and relaxing for a while, I watched my ship come in. This certainly beats waiting at the airport - or at Brussels Midi for that matter.

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Philip of Staines @philipdp.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

I was early for the ship so I stayed on until the end of the line. Looking like a desert station on the Saudi high speed line, here is Hoek van Holland Strand.

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Philip of Staines @philipdp.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Engineering work at Schiedam meant going via Rotterdam Blaak. Here I took the metro to... well you can guess...

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Philip of Staines @philipdp.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Another change at Eindhoven, this time to the sort of train that, in an alternative world, should have taken me all the way from Köln. A carpet and a catering service would also be nice...

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Philip of Staines @philipdp.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

A lot of people make the connection in Venlo for the Eindhoven train. But is it a same platform connection? No. Does it wait? No. I was lucky this time, but those with luggage had no chance. A through train would make all the difference.

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Philip of Staines @philipdp.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

I was born here you know... Well, not right here, but nearby.

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Philip of Staines @philipdp.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Restless crowds waited on platform 9, but with my train only going as far as Neuss, there was plenty of space. In Neuss I ogled some fascinating vehicles, before hopping on the international Flirt to Venlo.

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Philip of Staines @philipdp.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

At the Carmelite convent 'Our Lady of Peace', I picked up 11,000 small communion hosts and 50 big ones. Then with my precious cargo in tow, I headed for the Hauptbahnhof. Things were not going well here either.

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Philip of Staines @philipdp.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Düsseldorf Hbf was in some kind of meltdown, due to a big engineering block on the main line to Köln taking everyone by surprise. I jumped on a southbound ICE and hopped off at Köln Süd, instead of Hbf because of a diversion caused by the works.

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Philip of Staines @philipdp.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

After a restful night at Düsseldorf's Premier Inn, close to Wehrhahn S-Bahn station, it was time to do one final task.

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Philip of Staines @philipdp.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

So all is well. My alternative connection arrived on time, a seat by a window was free, it was the 'nice ICE' with good seats, and the bratwurst 'Bosna style', the wedges and the beer were all delicious. Is this some kind of dream?

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Philip of Staines @philipdp.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

DB makes the first strike - missing the 'probably' connection at Mannheim. LNER would let me book a new seat, but with DB we just have to see...

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Philip of Staines @philipdp.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

As we headed north up the Rhine valley, with the Vosges to the left and the Black Forest to the left, clouds appeared in an otherwise blue sky. DB shaped clouds...

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Philip of Staines @philipdp.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

Then I headed back to Basel and onto the ICE to Mannheim. The train was in, the buffet was open, the loos worked. All looking good...

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Philip of Staines @philipdp.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

After lunch at Zug's Coop restaurant (what a find), I headed back to Zurich for a swim at Strandbad Mythenquai, another lovely spot.

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Philip of Staines @philipdp.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

A pretty journey to a pretty town gave me the chance for a swim at the Strandbad Seeliken, a lovely spot with a cafe, changing rooms, and free lockers.

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Philip of Staines @philipdp.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

I am going to Düsseldorf, but a quick prayer at Zurich station's little chapel inspired me to take another train to Zug.

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Philip of Staines @philipdp.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

We are arrived in Zurich behind the Budapest portion, which ran two hours behind us at Wien, but catches up during the extended stop at Salzburg.

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Philip of Staines @philipdp.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

I slept well and enjoyed a good little breakfast, followed by a refreshingly cold shower.

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Philip of Staines @philipdp.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

A night in the Wiener Walzer - at the posh end. It's nice, but management would benefit from a fact-finding ride on GWR's Night Riviera. Despite the new cars, service feels a bit hot and cold.

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Philip of Staines @philipdp.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Waiting for the Wiener Walzer to Zurich, which oddly runs combined with the Venice service? The thing I don't like about this through station is that if the train is late, you have to wait. And early boarding, UK style, is not possible.

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Philip of Staines @philipdp.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

On arrival in Wien I headed to the lounge and enjoyed a broken biscuit assortment with a cup of tea.

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Philip of Staines @philipdp.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

The Porta Moravica featured a proper restaurant car, not just some kind of kitchen. I enjoyed some Czech favourites while the cook hammered a schnitzel in the kitchen. All in all, it was a very happy hour.

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Philip of Staines @philipdp.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

After exploring the area know as the 'Gate of Moravia', the 'Porta Moravica' herself rolled into the station. An excellent train, as you can see.

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Philip of Staines @philipdp.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Oh, Hranice station I love you! Not only does the ticket office store left luggage, and not only is there a restaurant/bar, but there is also this:

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Philip of Staines @philipdp.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Near the abyss is a station. I took the excellent Regio Panter back to Hranice's main station, which also stops at handy Hranice Mesto.

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Philip of Staines @philipdp.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Teplice nad Bečvou is a spa town, so we drank the horrible water and ate the tasty oplatky.

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Philip of Staines @philipdp.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Then we stared into the abyss at Hranická Propast. No one yet knows how deep it is, but 450 metres was the deepest so far detected. I was tempted to swim, but the 'deadly gas layer' above the water put me off.

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Philip of Staines @philipdp.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

We took a bus to nearby Teplice nad Bečvou and visited the terrifying caves.

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Philip of Staines @philipdp.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

After saying farewell to Poland and having some kind of shunting ceremony and silent prayer at Bohumin, the train deposited me at Hranice na Moravě.

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Philip of Staines @philipdp.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

After a restful night in Rybnik, the time has come to leave Poland. As the tourist board says, it's 'more than you expect'. A lovely place, kind people, tasty food, an excellent rail network. Now heading homewards, via Czech. But, oh no, what is missing from my train?

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Philip of Staines @philipdp.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

Back at Katowice station, I drooled over the cute German unit, but boarded the train with the Czech coaches to Rybnik. I was planning on having Svickova for dinner, but the railway said no, as the dining car was not attached.

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Philip of Staines @philipdp.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

This time the underground pub was open. Like the bar at the London Shard, it is at 320 metres. But the view is somewhat different.

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