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My seat for the 7hr ride from Berlin is a modern torture device. The seat base slopes downwards, resulting in strain as you perch to support yourself. With loose fixtures, as well as broken and/or missing recline - it's the worst carriage I could have hoped for on this trip! 😭

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Time to head from Berlin to Kraków on the PKP Intercity EC train, a nice 7 hour trip through the country. Honestly after these intense two weeks, I think I will take a few days away from trains! 😂

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What better way to celebrate a great few days at Innotrans than riding a few locomotives around in the tunnels of Berlin Hbf? 😁

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And that's a wrap for #InnoTrans 2026, and what a great time it was! Though I do have to note the rather concerning trend of commuter trains on long-distance routes that was displayed... at least the future of night trains is looking good. 😊

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Also thought I'd check out the future of UK train seats too, given how bleak the past decade has been. And while the bolt-upright posture is still unpleasant, they finally relented on the padding! 😃

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Train creators on-scene, checking out the train seats of the future - lots of very interesting products on offer for those who are willing to invest in passenger comfort! 😍

These units featured a massive hydrogen power pack in the middle, which is pretty much the same size as a carriage, and features a looooong corridor down the middle. This local unit is basically halfway to being considered loco-hauled! 😂

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The future of narrow-gauge railways is these bright green hydrogen units from Stadler. I really liked the interior, it has a somewhat retro feel with the chequered green fabric. 😃

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The Frecciarossa 1000 was once again on show at Innotrans, this time an ETR.410. As I visited it two years ago, I didn't go inside, but check out the close-ups on some of the stylish details this high-speed train features! 😍

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Perhaps the most visually stand-out item on show at Innotrans was the CRRC Vellink driverless smart metro car, it's really unlike anything else on display here. Would you want these futuristic vehicles to win any orders for a European city near you? 👀

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Talgo also showed a mock-up of their new night train for Sweden, highlighting the compact single room. Night trains are meant to be quiet and smooth, allowing you to sleep as you cover a long route. I hope these new Talgo trains will be able to fulfill that critical requirement...

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The Luna Rail lab also featured the HotelPod, cleverly placing beds beneath a central corridor, some impressive tesselation work on show here! There's also a large screen, much like on a long-haul Business Class flight. 😃

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There's more to night trains at Innotrans, with the Luna Rail lab, showcasing some of their creative solutions for the future of sleeping on the rails! This is their SeatPod, a lie-flat seat with a closing door, planned to be double stacked for higher capacity and lower ticket costs.

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Now on to the ÖBB Stadler FLIRT Akku (Akkumulator/Battery), a standard regional unit for local lines in Austria. Believe it or not, this is probably the most comfortable Second Class seat on any of the three ÖBB trains on show here - some very strange design choices coming out of Austria lately! 🤔

Finally a good quality Second Class seat, here on the FLIRT NEX. These seats are a tried and tested design, with lots of padding, ergonomic design, wide winged headrests, recline, and more. What a great seat! 😃 And also a look at the children's play area, now customary for Norwegian trains.

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The @diningcar.at on Norway's brand-new FLIRT NEX, man I can't wait to enjoy a warm cup of tea here as the snowy landscapes pass by... 😋 (By the way, proper dining seats are just behind the camera in the first photo!)

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Next up, the Stadler FLIRT NEX for Norway's long-distance routes, and FINALLY something actually fit for long-distance travel! Would you do 7 hours in this ultra-comfy recliner seat? I know I would! 😍

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Second Class on the double-decker Railjet, very hard seats and vending machines, unlike the loco-hauled sets with a restaurant car these will replace. Seems weird to lower standards to match the open-access operator on Wien-Salzburg, is this what competition is meant to do? 🤔

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The other ÖBB Railjet on display is the Stadler KISS, intended for the Vienna-Salzburg semi-fast trains. Here's the First Class, which isn't too bad. I do quite like the pair of private suites at the end of the carriage, I'm sure they'll be very popular! 👀

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Second Class on the new IC Coradia is even worse, with leg-dangling seats with almost no window, and an impractical folding seatback table that basically sits on your lap. Who designed this thing? 😭

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And here's First Class on the new IC Coradia. This interior layout is so clumsy, and there are so many awkward seat positions (even the fart-smelling seats from the Romanian ones). They're also not very comfortable...

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And here's the Alstom Coradia for Trenitalia InterCity routes. They claim that this train is designed for distance, and defined by comfort. Hmmm.

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However the Railjet Mireo does feature an on-board children's area - and your favourite rail creators are on-scene to take it for a drive! 😉😅

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Next up is the Railjet Mireo, and... I can't say I'm impressed. The First Class is terrible, with very poor seats, and Second Class is only a little more comfortable. I said this before, and I'll say it again: I don't understand why they decided to ruin such a powerful brand...

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A few close-ups of the intricate details on the New Tube for London, it's nice to see so many small things that help make a train feel so polished. 😊

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Hands on with the New Tube for London at Innotrans, a very cool and smart design from Siemens. And that aircon is going to be highly appreciated in summer I think! 😂

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One of the Polish 'SuperPeter' locomotives on show at Innotrans, with well over 100 of these currently being delivered to PKP Intercity for domestic and international routes.

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Inside the Talgo Flixtrain, would you travel in a carriage like this to save money on long-distance train trips? 👀

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A first look at the new Talgo Flixtrain sets here at Innotrans - a train you could hardly ignore with that bright green livery and the unique Talgo wheel design. 🤔

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And here's the new CAF Civity unit for the NRW region in Germany, a fairly ordinary commuter train, if not for featuring battery operation. I'm sure that will be a welcome change from the unreliable LINT DMUs that currently serve many of its future routes... 😃

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More of Končar's new long-distance unit, including Second Class and the catering area. My favourite feature has to be that every seat has a HUGE window, with very narrow pillars, so everyone gets a view. Yet I can't help but feel that the train still seems like a local/regional unit... 🤔

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A look at Končar's new long-distance unit, including their extremely luxurious First Class with massive reclining seats. These trains have just entered service on the LONG route from Zagreb to Split (8 hours), so it'll be interesting to see how well they're received on this trip! 👀

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Stadler unveiled their new DuFour bi-mode locomotive, and it looks slick in SBB Cargo's bold red livery. I'd love to see these on passenger services somewhere in Europe one day. 😉

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Superalbs @superalbs.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

One of the emerging players in high-speed rail is South Korea, who showcased the Hyundai-Rotem KTX Cheongryong in Europe for the first time - certainly a surprise seeing this thing here. Loving the new cobalt blue livery and upgraded internal design, now featuring a spacious First Class. 😁

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FIRST LOOK at the 'Nox Suite', launching on the Hamburg-Munich route from March 2027! 👀

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And arrival into Berlin, one minute early, ready for a welcome reception ahead of Innotrans 2026! Stay tuned for some interesting coverage! 👀

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Just some of the wonderful views of Belgium and Germany, on the fun high-speed trip from Brussels to Berlin! It makes me wish this route was a permanent one, would be really useful... 👀

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A closer look at the ICE 3 Neo taking us to Berlin today, on ICE 13411. Should be a comfortable 7 hours with lots of fun on the way! I've certainly been on a lot of these premium high-speed units in the past week. 😅

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All aboard the ICE from Brussels to Berlin, a special charter train for Innotrans 2026, and a rare opportunity to travel on a direct high-speed train between these two capitals. 😁

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A few double-deck loco-hauled trains around Brussels this morning, before today's exciting main event! 😁

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And with just two minutes to spare, I managed to make my ICE train to Brussels - another one of the ICE 3 Neo with the beautiful new interior. Now that was a tight connection! 😂

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A 30 minute change between trains, what better way* to kill time than take another train within the city. It's this double-decker with a funky interior for me! 😁 *this was a very bad idea

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It sometimes really feels like these ICE 4 units are taking over! It's another one of these from Hamburg down to Köln today, 4 hours of travel, as long as we're not too late.

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The incredibly busy Hamburg Hbf, as usual with many delayed trains and confused passengers. 😪

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The most surprising thing about the DB Talgo is that it actually rides much smoother than all other @TalgoGroup trains. Generally, I'm used to Talgo trains being pretty awful, but this one was actually surprisingly okay. So good job to them!

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The @_DiningCar on the DB Talgo: a heavily criticised aspect of the train, with only 12 seats for the entire 17-car train and an extremely limited menu. However, it does look and feel extremely stylish. Just a small breakfast for me today, with a croissant and hot chocolate!

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First Class on the DB Talgo! While it's clearly less polished and refined compared to the ICE 3 Neo, it's definitely not a bad interior with plenty of stylistic flair of its own...

So it's finally time to ride the DB @TalgoGroup train, for a short 2hr trip from Berlin Gesundbrunnen to Hamburg Hbf! Like many people, I've had a lot of bad experiences on Talgo trains in the past, thanks to their unconventional wheel design, so let's see what this is like...