I dropped a few comments at the Forum I was going to make this trip to Salzburg for a week of music.
Continued from Crowne Plaza Pitter Salzburg--
WiFi was spotty on the train, but works fine at the hotel.
I'm to zoned to do much of anything. But the train did hit 100 at several spots
Posts: 9976 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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I remember making several trips through Salzburg on the 1980's era Orient Express. My journeys were from Paris to Budapest and we would leave Paris close to midnight and travel through Strasbourg, Stuttgart, Munich, Vienna and arrive in Budapest the next night. I don't think the old OE ever came close to 100mph. I'm sure the railjets are much more efficient.
For me, the highlight of every OE trip was always the crossing between Hungary and Austria where the train would stop and be surrounded by machine gun-toting Hungarian soldiers for a lengthy border inspection. The Hungarian authorities were always extremely polite, but they were also very thorough. Every car was examined top to bottom, head to tail. The border guards always asked if I had cigarettes or pornography (no and no). One time I arrived at the border reading a Solzhenitsyn novel, which likely was banned reading material, but the guards didn't even look at my book.
Posts: 831 | From: Seattle | Registered: Jan 2011
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I can well remember going to Berlin during 1990 and getting like shakedown. Today a little different. At EDDM MUC only a glance at my Passport. Nothing whatever arriving Salzburg.
Posts: 9976 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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The glance at your passport in MUC was because they knew you were coming! All of your information was in the aircraft manifest which was in Germany about the time you were taking off. And in Salzburg, nothing because you were in the EU coming from another EU country.
This can sometimes backfire, especially if you arrive by ship. Twice we've entered the EU from a ship with no immigration formalities and then been questioned (Once at AMS and once at FRA) as to how we had arrived.
Enjoy your adventure. We leave Friday for five days of family fun and seeing cruise friends in Maine. Lots of "lobstah" in our immediate future!
Frank in sunny and warm SBA
Posts: 2160 | From: Santa Barbara, CA, USA | Registered: Oct 2003
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Frank- enjoy Maine. We just returned after stops in Freeport, Camden and Bar Harbor/ Acadia NP. Saw track workers on the Down East Scenic RR near Ellsworth (Bar Harbor). Best lobster: Harraseeket Lobster Pound in south Freeport.
GBN - Glad you made it and anxious to hear about Salzburg and DBB.
Posts: 2397 | From: Camden, SC | Registered: Mar 2006
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We're flying into Portland then driving to Brunswick for three nights and then two in South Bristol. One of the events involves a shuttle from the Brunswick Inn and Tavern (Formerly The Inn at Brunswick Station) and have been told to park in the Amtrak lot.
Frank in sunny and already warm SBA and in the air Friday at 6:00AM PDT!!
Posts: 2160 | From: Santa Barbara, CA, USA | Registered: Oct 2003
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My trip over here is to enjoy the music in the land from which it came. Classical music has so much more respect over here. At the concert last night, people, including myself, really dressed up. Had I been dressed as I was when you and Miss Mary dropped me off at Orchestra Hall, I would have been the biggest bumpkin in the Fespialhaus (well not quite as I noted some Chinese who could have learned a lesson).
But I have been back to the train station since arriving Tuesday. I was seated next to a good looking forty something college professor from Vienna who had taken the train to Salzburg just for the concert, and was returning that same evening. Anyway, I walked to the train station with her as I knew my way back to the hotel. We got there in plenty of time, so we had some wines together.
Well departing right on time on a Rail jet was not quite Bogey and Ingrid (windows no longer sash down) on the platform, but I knew I hugged a wonderful friend who shares my love of music and that I likely will never see again.
Posts: 9976 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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We booked a performance ("The King and I") at the Sydney Opera House for October. The only apparent dress code is that "shoes must be worn in all venues".
Frank in sunny and very warm SBA
Posts: 2160 | From: Santa Barbara, CA, USA | Registered: Oct 2003
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We had lunch at the Brunswick station. The building combines offices, a visitor center, station, and restaurant. It's a restaurant recommend by some of the locals: the Steel Begonia. Good for a nice lunch and maybe see the Downeaster arrive from Boston/Portland. Also the tourist railroad, Maine Eastern, shares the station.
The Portland airport isn't far from the station. If the schedule works, you could try the Downeaster for your transportation to Brunswick. While hardly necessary for the short trip, the business class has those nice leather 2/1 seating in the cafe car.
GBN, glad you had some good company. Hope you got her email. I hope your parting line was "Here's lookin' at you, kid".
Posts: 2397 | From: Camden, SC | Registered: Mar 2006
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I don't think there will be time for any train riding this time, but thanks for the suggestions, especially in Brunswick.
We had thought of flying to Boston and then taking the train but flights were just as full there as to Portland. We ended up biting the bullet and buying tickets instead of trying to non-rev. As it turns out that was a good decision. Even with 44 years seniority we would not get out of LA tomorrow much less to Portland!
Frank in sunny and a tad too warm SBA
Posts: 2160 | From: Santa Barbara, CA, USA | Registered: Oct 2003
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Yesterday, rode a Meridian Salzburg to Munich East. These are MU sets not exactly long in the comfort department (First Class over Second; a few more inches of pitch and a somewhat softer seat. Otherwise 2-2 throughout). But seated next to me across the table was a DB manager, who was willing to talk and in perfect English. He explained to me that how the tracks are owned by the government, but that concerns such as Meridian are private. I said to him that Amtrak is the exact opposite; a government agency operating to a large part over privately owned tracks.
I'm sure there are politics to the whole arrangement, as we certainly know there are to ours, that neither of us were about to discuss.
This gentleman got off at Munich East, and worked the slot machine for me to get my S Bahn ticket to the airport.
Frank (and Maureen) your airline certainly makes the tab for Business Class (I paid for it) worth it, a foray through "the back of the bus" showed me that I don't think I could have survived.
Oh and finally, after Andrea from Vienna, there was even more great company. This time a 75 year old "native" gal, who while having married an American, was born in Salzburg, lived in Boston for a while, then returned home and is now widowed. She was there for the bombings during WWII, and to this day she is claustrophobic because the children were put into tunnels to ride out the bombings. She said we were told "it is time for fireworks, but they are so bright you can't look at them".
On Sunday, she took me out, in her stick shift VW Golf, to a 15th century castle that is now a 5 Star hotel managed by Starwood - the Schloss Fuschl and at which rates during the 2015 Festival presently START at EU450/ni - more if you want a lakeview. She said it was where she was married and she had returned there with her husband for anniversaries. She hadn't been back since widowed, but was grateful to have gone with me - and I of course with her.
All told, this was the best overseas trip I have had.
Posts: 9976 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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GBN, sounds like a good trip got better. Perhaps you should consider a return next year. And, maybe a Queen Mary voyage might be a way to enjoy meeting others for a more extended time.
I guess, like Germany, the NEC tracks are essentially government owned. It sure would make questions of access for passenger train a lot easier if that was the case for all Amtrak routes. However I suspect stockholders of the Big 4 would not be amused. As for privately operated trains, I think we are headed in that direction, at least to the level of state rather than federal control.
Related to that, I see some of the funding for the Hoosier has been pulled by the city of Indianapolis, so that whole arrangement is in question. Getting funding from states is one thing, but then when you also need funding from the various cities along the line, it gets a whole lot more complicated.
Posts: 2397 | From: Camden, SC | Registered: Mar 2006
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Looking around on the internet, it looks like Meridian is a Veolia owned company using Stadler equipment. It's unclear whether the trains are EMU or DMU.
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Indeed it does, Mr. Vincent; the equipment is EMU and apparently was only placed in service just months ago on the Munich Hbf-Salzburg Hbf route.
Posts: 9976 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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Here is the Seat 61 page regarding the OBB Rail Jet. Somewhere I learned (like the DB official I met) the equipment was built in the UK.
Of interest to anyone who has Microsoft Train Simulator should be the video taken between Zurich and Innsbruck, for the "Innsbruck-St Anton route" with a steam locomotive and the Orient Express on the game is included within that video.
Posts: 9976 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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The Man in Seat 61 site was one of several resources that I used in putting together our June trip...... and it's remarkable what a great resource that site was rereading parts in hindsight.
Our travels between Munich and Salzburg were accomplished using traditional intercity trains (with compartments even) as opposed to the attractive Meridian and Railjet consists coming and going as well.
I did photograph trains from each operator in both Munich and Salzburg and was amazed that I was allowed to wander up and down the platforms taking pictures unchallenged...... I guess that Munich ain't Chicago.
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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Same as Salzburg where I did take about four rail photos during my week there.
Post 9/11 and with Vladimir rattling sabres along with selling gas, I expected much greater security.
Posts: 9976 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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Europe is generally not as panic stricken as the US. That said, if you're planning on lots of photos at the bigger stations, it may be wise to pay a visit to the main office / security just to let them know. They appreciate the heads-up and rarely say no.
-------------------- Geoff M. Posts: 2426 | From: Apple Valley, CA | Registered: Sep 2000
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Of special interest; @6:55 a Siemens electric locomotive plays "Do Re Mi" conveniently in Salzburg.
Posts: 9976 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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As Mr. Pullman noted over at another topic regarding the definition of Hauptbahnhof (Hbf), all I know that for whatever reasons (like attributable to all the "free", i.e. prepaid, wine that Linda (FA who knows my friend Maureen)), served up to her Business Class passengers, as well as the metabolic changes affecting even those going overseas on an AMC/MAC/MATS flight (no booze; unless things have changed since I was "in"),I was a bit too zoned to think about what is an Hbf? My first thought of such occurred, when boarding the S-Bahn at MUC/EDDM, was go to Munich Hbf where I'd get a train to Salzburg. Even after the Munich DB ticket clerk said in English "your train leaves in 12 minutes", I had time to note that Munich Hbf was stub end (under construction; English signage "not noticed"). Also, if there ever was a time that I wished a station had Gatemen, like you see anywhere on Amtrak, was then as I started to board a Meridian Local-Express, and I had paid for a First Class Rail Jet. A Baggage handler knew enough English to get me where I needed in time.
Of possible related interest, for anyone considering going to Salzburg from EDDM, the station at the S-Bahn you want is Munich East. The Rail Jets do not stop there (RJ is like Acela; not all that faster than Regional, but they are as good as the Austrian Railways (OBB) are going to come up with to play Eurostar, TGV, ICE, AVE, etc.), but Meridians do - and they will do just fine. No point "wasting $$$ on First; seats are still 2-2 and with precious little more legroom and padding. First on a Meridian is about like having ridden First on a Paris Metro - which I've done just to say "I did it".
Also, don't be a "PT Barnum sucker" and fall for DB's "insurance". Like so many of these "plus sell" insurances out there (think auto rentals, extended warranties, UNAMIT), this one is simply a rip off and provides coverage you already have, or best have, elsewhere. I guess there is some coverage, if your luggage gets heisted, but beyond that, WHONOSWAT.
When I noted the Salzburg Hbf was run through, I realized there was error in my thought.
Posts: 9976 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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