Sign in

Simon

@simon514.bsky.social
645 followers 453 following 1.8K posts

helping to plan train timetables in south-west Germany | topics: trains, buses, maps, information/wayfinding design, languages, Wikipedia, 🏳️‍🌈 | he/him | 🗨️ de, en, fr, nl

PostsRepliesMedia
Simon @simon514.bsky.social · 8m
but of course the core section of this 1 narrow-gauge S-Bahn line is running every 7.5 minutes during peak time. It originates in a 4 track terminus with 10 more trains per hour and needs platform doors to control the crowds waiting for trains 😆
000
Simon @simon514.bsky.social · 5h
Two cancellations and "odour emissions may occur" 😱 Swiss transport isn't what it used to be
Departure board at Bern with two cancelled S7 trains and a message saying odour emissions may occur
2141
Simon @simon514.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
It's not easy, if you want to step-free access at Hbf, you also need to look at the tracks towards Albtalbf. If you do that, you'd probably need to consider step-free access there too. Albtalbf has 3-car trams, I don't know a 120m long platform can fit there between the junction and siding tracks 🥲
OpenRailwayMap screenshot from Karlsruhe Hbf and Albtalbahnhof
030
Simon @simon514.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
Because the whole revamp of the tram stop will likely still take at least a decade, temporary platform humps are being installed at Karlsruhe Hbf to finally provide step-free access to trams 🙌🏻
NET 2012 tram on route 3 to Rintheim on one of the central tram stops at Karlsruhe Hbf with a short hump in the platform covering the first two doorsview on the platform: first two doors are step-free, third door isn't
2240
Simon @simon514.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
I wanted to compare project counts between states (BY and BaWü have much more than NRW 🥲) then noticed this: why are they listing projects already done for a half a decade?
GVFG, Kategorie A - Endgültig in das Bundesprogramm aufgenommene DB-Vorhaben (3/3)

S-Bahn Breisgau Elektrifizierung Breisacher Bahn, finished 2020

S-Bahn Breisgau Elektrifizierung Elztalbahn, finished 2021Electrified Breisach station in 2024
080
Simon @simon514.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
also TIL double-tracking the #CrossBorderRail to Venlo is for real being studied, but still very much early days, not even planning phase 1 yet
ABS Grenze D/NL - Kaldenkirchen - Viersen - Rheydt - Odenkirchen

Double-tracking Kaldenkirchen - Dülken and Rheydt-Odenkirchen, double-tracking Vbk Viersen
190
Simon @simon514.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
TIL the remaining bits of the RRX project (PFAs 2.0, 2.1, 3.0, 3.0a, 3.1, 3.2, 3.2a, 3.3, 5a, 8, 9) will cost €4.875bn 😳 some of them are already under construction but still won't be finished until 2044??
Bedarfsplan, Teil A – Maßnahmen im Bau und/oder mit durchgängigem Baurecht
(abgeschlossene Leistungsphase 4 bis 9)

Requirements Plan, Part A – Projects under construction and/or with fully secured planning approval
(completed service phases 4 to 9)

 ABS Köln – Düsseldorf – Dortmund/Münster (RRX), PFA 3.0a: Düsseldorf-Unterrath – Düsseldorf-Kalkum (6gl. Ausbau)

Cologne – Düsseldorf – Dortmund/Münster (RRX) ABS, Planning Section 3.0a: Düsseldorf-Unterrath – Düsseldorf-Kalkum (6-track expansion)

status: under construction 
completion date: 2044
180
Simon @simon514.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Here's some more :)
150
Simon @simon514.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Example from Karlsruhe KVV. I'll check my photo library for more later 😁
station area map of Karlsruhe Entenfang
130
Simon @simon514.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Finally, yippie 🥳🥳
Interrail
Dein Deutsch-Polnischer Freundschaftspass ist da
041
Simon @simon514.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
complain to the local transit authority for configuring it like this, here in Karlsruhe it's a much easier system :D over here it's either "leave the bike where you want" or just at designated stations
Screenshot Nextbike in Karlsruhe
000
Simon @simon514.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
some other trains do have tables and stuff for this
030
Simon @simon514.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Karlsruhe-Neustadt is 1tph RE, 1tph RB (+ Winden-Neustadt another tph RB, but that'll be run with French-German hybrid trains not BEMUs), the others are all 1tph RB (orange line = electrified, orange box = planned catenary island, black line = where these trains will run)
map of the Pfalznetz battery train network
160
Simon @simon514.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Saw it two years ago at Innotrans, and today I travelled on the exact same train (6526 005) for real: the Stadler Flirt Akku BEMUs 🔋 entered service this week! :) 44 of these will run on various unelectrified lines in southern Palatinate replacing DMUs, starting with (Karlsruhe-) Landau - Neustadt
4512
Simon @simon514.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Are 15 footnotes and 3 route variants on one timetable really necessary? 🥹
Timetable for replacement buses RE6/RB51 at Kandel towards Neustadt (Weinstraße) HbfEntire timetable post for replacement buses at Kandel
2110
Simon @simon514.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
I'll post my sunset pictures more often then :)
sunset from a balcony in Hagen, Germanysunset seen from a train between Brno, Czech Republic and Vienna, AustriaSunset in Stuttgart, Germany
110
Simon @simon514.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Zürich HB has this system where both track options are communicated in advance, and only when it's actually decided by the signaller, the real track number is shown
S12 to Brugg AG 23:44 departs from "Gl. 41/42", but S9 to Schaffhausen 23:37 has a 'track change' to "Gl. 42"
050
Simon @simon514.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Happy to have been at Innotrans for one day ☺️ saw a lot of trains (but really just a small fraction of the actual exhibition), and met so many people! Now going back home on the ICE with very exhausted legs and social battery 😴
Panoramic image of the trains on site at Innotrans
2232
Simon @simon514.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
new Berlin Hbf backrooms ✅
Class 484 S-Bahn train in the new platform 22 at Berlin Hbf on line S15 to Gesundbrunnen Unused platform stub on the other sideStairs down to S15
1303
Simon @simon514.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
haha crazy, kinda seems too deliberate? Maybe like "this is for connecting between the outer lines, let's not oversaturate with people of the inner lines interchanging"?
Part of Beijing metro map with line 19 in the middle
010
Simon @simon514.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Some new signs for @macsquirelera.bsky.social to find typos on
Zum Ersatzverkehr nach
Heilbronn, Lauda, Tübingen und Reutlingen
Abfahrt am Pariser Platz

Your way to the replacement service to
Heilbronn, Lauda, Tübingen and Reutlingen
depature from Pariser Platz
160
Simon @simon514.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
people always dislike it and joke about it, but I like "my" station Hagen Hauptbahnhof, just feels like home. It is finally getting a refresh currently! yes, that's me, it's been a while also I got to tour some abandoned parts of the station a few years back, which was pretty cool :)
1131
Simon @simon514.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
let's gooo once you're here
Stuttgart Stadtbahn trains
010
Simon @simon514.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
on the other hand, there are nice quiet stations perfect to calm yourself down after almost getting a panic attack on the ICE 🙃
Low-floor station Reichenspergerplatz served by high-floor trams exclusively, with one of them leaving on line 18 for Buchheim
270
Simon @simon514.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
automated high-frequency driverless metro for Cologne when? annoyed at the inadequate trams 😓
Train at Dom/Hbf on line 16 to Niehl Sebastianstraße with a platform full of people who have just left itAnother train at Dom/Hauptbahnhof on line 18 to BuchheimTrain on a street crossing at Eifelstraße stop
3120
Simon @simon514.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
you can see the airfield from the Stadtbahn!
060
Simon @simon514.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
The new Stadtbahn station at Düsseldorf Airport that just opened :) currently a 20 min frequency to Hbf via city centre, supposed to be the first part of a tangential route from Ratingen to Neuss tho It's funny that a couple stops later you get off literally in the roadway since there's no platform
1314
Simon @simon514.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
changed trains today in Cologne Hbf, both trains arrived and departed punctually (!!), and it was a swift cross-platform interchange. we stopped shortly on the bridge because we were too EARLY (!!!)
ICE 104 (Chur - Hamburg-Altona) and IC 2041 (Heidelberg Hbf - Hannover Hbf) at Cologne Hbf
0120
Simon @simon514.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
Aaah, this is such a fever dream 😵‍💫
Große sollen zugunsten der Kleinen verzichten

Genau das veranlasste André Krause (CDU), stellvertretendes Ausschuss-Mitglied aus Schalksmühle, zu einem Vorschlag: ,Statt eventueller Streichungen in den kleineren Städten und Gemeinden könnte man doch in den gut bedienten größeren Kommunen kürzen und so den Spareffekt auch erzielen." Wie dazu die kreisangehörigen Städte und Gemeinden stehen, könnte sich in den von ihnen erbetenen Stellungnahmen zum neuen Nahverkehrsplan ergeben.Larger municipalities should make sacrifices for the benefit of smaller ones

This prompted André Krause (CDU), deputy committee member from Schalksmühle, to make a suggestion: "Instead of potential cuts in the smaller towns and municipalities, why not reduce services in the well-served larger municipalities and thus achieve the desired savings?" The positions of the district's towns and municipalities on this could be revealed in their requested statements regarding the new local transport plan
022
Simon @simon514.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
Saw a big lion recently. Heard the artist also made a certain flame-holding statue before
Lion de Belfort by Auguste Bartholdi with the title "Aux défenseurs de Belfort 1870-71"
271
Simon @simon514.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
I really hate how everything's suddenly becoming classified 😠 Costs of rail renovations? Business secret. Detailed diagrams of any railway plannings? Security-critical, so a secret.
The Federal Government is not disclosing the total costs of the comprehensive renovation. The requested information constitutes trade and business secrets of Deutsche Bahn AG (DB AG) and the private companies involved, the justification states. Disclosing this information could result in economic and financial disadvantages for both DB AG and the aforementioned companies. With regard to DB AG, the Federal Government's fiscal interests could be affected. The information is therefore classified as "VS-VERTRAULICH" (Confidential) and deposited in the Bundestag's classified information office, insofar as it is available to the Federal Government.Due to the recently increased requirements for sabotage protection pursuant to Section 30 of the Administrative Procedure Act (VwVfG), no security-critical planning documents will be published from here in accordance with the recently enacted legal situation. This serves to protect confidential data concerning parts of an infrastructure that are particularly sensitive for maintaining public safety and the functionality of the infrastructure.

In the present proceedings, this includes

site plans,

the register of structures,

building plans,

cable and pipeline layout plans,

route alignment plans, and

the fire and disaster protection documentation.

Therefore, since July 29, 2026, only planning documents that do not contain security-critical information will be made available to the public in planning approval procedures during the hearing process, but also generally after the decision has been issued.

Only public authorities and, where applicable, directly affected private individuals will now have access to the overall plan, including security-critical planning documents

If you wish to assert personal concerns and thus the right to inspect documents classified as security-critical, please provide justification.
3170
Simon @simon514.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
Quotes from the press release about rather scandalous bus cuts in Märkischer Kreis effective tomorrow 2 September: these cuts are being done without democratic vote, transparent decision making, public participation or coordination with the district's neighbours www.mvg-online.de/unternehmen/...
"At the heart of this approach is the guiding principle of ‘mobility tailored to needs.’ It is based on the conviction that the quality of public transport services cannot be measured solely by the number of buses on the road."
District Administrator Ralf Schwarzkopf: "Many bus routes were established years ago. Today, we can use new data to determine which routes are actually still in demand. After all, it is neither cost-effective nor environmentally responsible to run empty buses from A to B! We can save that money. That is why we are looking at where demand actually exists—and that is where, and only where, buses will operate in the future."
160
Simon @simon514.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
peak SNCF experience yesterday. already sat on the train and then "attention voyageurs...!"
TER 96234 from Basel to Strasbourg terminated at Mulhouse5 information about this journey

Cancelled

Train TER 96234. Unattended luggage

Train services are currently disrupted to allow law enforcement to respond to the discovery of unattended luggage.TER 96234 emptying at Mulhouse station
0140
Simon @simon514.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
lol
Southwest constituency - first results

Here are the first results from the Southwest constituency.

Yes 9.900 (50,0%)
No 9.900 (50,0%)

That is an exact tie in the first results in the seat.
New results from Suðvesturkjördæmi

Results from August 29, 2026 at 23:58. Votes counted: 19.800
YES9.900 votes
NO9.900 votes
50%
50,0%
50,0%

Blank and invalid ballots: 0 (0,0%)
040
Simon @simon514.bsky.social · 29/08/2026
He took the midnight train going to Wörth am Rhein
Interior of an empty DB Class 643 trainInterior of an empty DB Class 643 train
080
Simon @simon514.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
there are divided opinions in our group if this is quite cool or quite bad architecture-wise
Strasbourg old station building within a glasshouse
1101
Simon @simon514.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
Thanks to the US Air Force, my train is terminating a station short of where it's supposed to go 🙄
16:32 RE1 train from Stuttgart Hbf to Karlsruhe Hbf, today terminating at Karlsruhe-Durlach
160
Simon @simon514.bsky.social · 22/08/2026
Which streetscape would you prefer? (I'm standing in the same spot)
Tall turn-of-the-century houses on both sides of a street (Rue du 22 novembre [Nejstross] in central Strasbourg between Rue Gustave Doré [Gustave-Doré-Gass] and Rue Hannong [Hannonggass]/Rue Fossé-des-Tanneurs [Gerwergrawe]), with sidewalks, a parking lane and a one-way street with a bike lane. The other sidewalk is blocked due to a house renovation. There's a few treesTall turn-of-the-century houses on both sides of a street (Rue du 22 novembre [Nejstross] in central Strasbourg between Rue Gustave Doré [Gustave-Doré-Gass] and Rue des Aveugles [Blindegässel]/Alt-Winmärik. The street is closed to cars, a uniform 'floor design', cafe or other gastro spaces with outdoor seating and loads more trees
260
Simon @simon514.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
what a bleak layout
Display inside a bus. The screen has a bright purple background and displays the upcoming stops for route 70
060
Simon @simon514.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
Here's a few (hope this is not spamming)
120
Simon @simon514.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
This was right next to Acla da Fontauna station, on a short walk to La Pendeta hanging bridge over the Rhine
On the La Pendeta hanging bridge over the Rhine gorge
030
Simon @simon514.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
watch out, the train's coming!
1131
Simon @simon514.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
Guess the before and after
Current (2025) aerial image of Frankfurt (Oder)-Neuberesinchen with lots of greenspace (5,700 inhabitants in 2018)2005 aerial image of Frankfurt (Oder)-Neuberesinchen with less green space and more housing blocks. About 9,000-10,000 inhabitants, already half of what it was in 1989
4141
Simon @simon514.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
let's kiss on the railway company logo benches
Benches at Bern Brünnen Westside station that look like the BLS railway company logo (Bern-Lötschberg-Simplon railway), i.e. the three benches are the three letters in the BLS colour scheme
1243
Simon @simon514.bsky.social · 15/08/2026
Imagine big driverless iron ore trains going from like Leeuwarden to Heerlen 😵‍💫😯
True size of website with the Netherlands overlaid on the Western Australia area that has the automated trains between Karratha and Tom Price
140
Simon @simon514.bsky.social · 15/08/2026
In a couple months, the current era will be over, when this line will be automated to unattended operation (GoA4). I believe that will result in the first regular automated railway with a fairly major level crossing (at Ruderbach station across national road 7)?
Poster showcasing the automation project and its timeline:
2022 - contracting signing between Appenzeller Bahnen (the operator) and Stadler about the rolling stock
2024 - testing the collision warning system
2025 - construction application 
2027 - last journey of old train in early 2027 and starting construction Description of the new vehicle and changes to the infrastructure Two posters about the line's 125 year historyDeparture screen at Walzenhausen station showing the 224 bus to Heiden and the half-hourly S26 to Rheineck
1170
Simon @simon514.bsky.social · 15/08/2026
What a wacky train, I love it 🤪 Former funicular plus world's shortest tram line turned mixed rack and flat railway with a gauge of 1,200 mm, shuttling back and forth every 30 minutes on a 6 minute journey as S-Bahn route S26
Rheineck station. On the right, a fairly standard Stadler GTW EMU is departing as the S2 service to Nesslau-St. Johann, while on the left the fairly non-standard, unique BDeh 1/2 railcar is waiting on the platform to depart as the S26 to WalzenhausenInside the railcar, it has wooden seatsThe train leaving the terminus station at Walzenhausen, with the rack plainly visible Station building at Walzenhausen. With an MW logo at the top I wonder if it's secretly the Walzenhausen Metro 🤪
1251
Simon @simon514.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
Helpful wayfinding display to decide which platform to head to (southbound trains may depart from either platform)
Digital screen showing train departures with a hint to walk left or right

Next one is S4 to Langnau-Gattikon in 2 min from the left platform 1Showing the overall situation of the display with the ramp to platform 1 on the left and the underpass to platform 2 on the right
190
Simon @simon514.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
Passed by one of the new long-distance EMUs for Norway's Norske Tog, FLIRT Nordic Express, made by Stadler at their nearby plant in St. Margarethen SG www.norsketog.no/en/projects/...
A long, mostly black EMU "Stadler FLIRT Nordic Express" or Norske Tog class 79 N13 001, type D "electric set with luggage and bike storage" being viewed from the Appenzeller Bahnen's open-air carriageA long, mostly black EMU "Stadler FLIRT Nordic Express" or Norske Tog class 79, type D "electric set with luggage and bike storage" being viewed from the Appenzeller Bahnen's open-air carriage
0110
Simon @simon514.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
Oh and it's also a rack railway going up a steep hill with views of Lake Constance
190