Eurail Pass: Before going on with my story I should mention how we traveled and with what. We traveled by train with a Eurail Global Pass 1st Class. This gave us 1 month of unlimited travel with the railways in Europe for only $1123.00 CAD each. The total cost of our rail fare, from Schiphol to Rinkerode would have amounted to a total of €92 or $138.00 CAD in 2nd Class more for 1st Class. We were on a total of 44 trains, many of the trips were longer than the one noted above.
The reason for a 1st Class Pass verses the cheaper 2nd Class Pass simply put, is space. In most cases there will be open seats in 1st Class. 2nd class coaches fill very quickly with students, young families and such. Here in Canada, I only ride VIA 1 as a treat or if there is a seat sale, so too in Europe.
DB Timetable Information:
This is a great site to plan your trip not only in Germany but all over Europe. It is a great tool. This website does not show some of the private railway lines.
European Rail Timetable and Map:
I still like to use maps and timetables to plan a trip. My binder is the "travel bible" and shows me where I am, where I'm going, if I'm on time or not, all without the aid of batteries or being connected to the Wi-Fi.
Soon it was time to say good-by to the canals, the windmills and...
...to these rather ungainly but colourful Dutch trains!
These rather ugly EMUs are called Intercity Materieels or ICMs. 144 sets were built by Talbot between 1977 and 1983-1994. The reason for the high cab is to accommodate the passage way when two sets are coupled together. This feature however was proved to be troublesome so the gangways were sealed during the ICM refurbishment in the mid-2000s.
On our train IC 147 we had a 1st class compartment all to ourselves. We were able to spread out, relax and enjoy the countryside.
Kathleen with the "travel bible" in our 1st class compartment on IC 147.
Our train passing its counterpart, IC 148 at Apeldoorn.
The end of the line for IC 147. Stopped because of some track work ahead we were told.
DS 1765 was built by GEC-Alsthom. 81 units were produced between 1990-94.
The one thing that I was going to learn on this trip that railways do not give out information freely. Our train came to a halt here in Bad Bentheim, one stop short of Rheine, where our connection with the train to Münster was to be made. Construction was the reason we were told. This gave everyone on the train to hop off to stretch their legs, have a smoke or like me take photos of the train. As I walked forward to take a picture of the engine I notice a EMU loading on Track 2. I wondered where the Westfalen train was heading so I asked. "its the local to Rheine." was the answer "and it leaves at 15:57."
A Westfalenbahn FLIRT (Fast-Light-Innovated-Regional-Train) built by Stadler ready to depart Bad Bentheim.
I rushed back to our train to get Kathleen and our bags, so we could switch trains. This switch would save us the three hour wait in Bad Bentheim. The local train Westfalen 90507 made 3 extra stops before arriving at Rheine where we connected to RB68 to Münster.
RB68 almost ready to depart for Münster. It is one of 292 Class 425/426 EMUs built by a consortium of Siemens, Bombardier and DWA from 1999 to 2008. Class 425 have 4 segments while the Class 426 only have 2.
There we switched to yet another carrier Eurobahn who dropped us off to our final destination for the day, Rinkerode.
Another FLIRT built for the Eurobahn. This set is one of 25 built in 2008 and has just dropped us off at Rinkerode.
The main reason for our trip to Münster, my Tante Marie.
That first class compartment looks very roomy. Lovely pic of you and your aunt.
ReplyDeleteGreat way to share what was an extraordinary trip of both rail and history.
ReplyDeleteThank-you for your kind comments, more to come.
ReplyDeleteGerry