Trip to Austria, Slovenia, Hungary and Croatia - March & April 2002
Operating Company Abbreviations:
- DB - Deutsche Bahn (German Railways)
- GKE - Graz Köflacher Eisenbahn (local railway west of Graz)
- HŽ - Hrvatske Željeznice (Croatian Railways)
- MÁV - Magyar Államvasutak (Hungarian Railways)
- ÖBB - Österreichische Bundesbahnen (Austrian Federal Ralways)
- SLB - Steiermärkische Landesbahnen (transport operator in Styria region of Austria)
- SM - Serco Metrolink
- SŽ - Slovenske Železnice (Slovenian Railways)
| Place | Arrive | Depart | Train | Traction details & notes |
Tuesday 19th March 2002
| Timperley | 17:09 | SM tram 1011 | ||
| Altrincham | 17:13 | 17:24 | Taxi | |
| Manchester Airport (MAN) | 17:40 | 19:15 | OS3478 | Lauda Air OE-LRE Canadair Regional Jet |
| Vienna Airport (VIE) | 22:40 | 22:50 | Airport Bus | |
| City Air Terminal | 23:10 | |||
| Wien Mitte | 23:13 | 'S1' | ÖBB EMU 4020 041 set | |
| Wien Nord | 23:16 | |||
| New passenger track today: none. | ||||
| Overnight at Hotel Ibis Wien Messe | ||||
Wednesday 20th March 2002
| Wien Nord | 07:21 | 'S1' | ÖBB EMU 4020 053 + 061 sets | |
| Wien Südbf | 07:31 | 07:58 | IC151 | ÖBB EL 1044 036-0 |
| via yard lines north of Bruck a d Mur, due to engineering works on main line | ||||
| Speilfeld-Straß | 11:09 | 11:14 | 4135 | ÖBB DR 5047 046-7 |
| Bad Radkersburg | 11:54 | 12:08 | 4136 | ÖBB DR 5047 046-7 |
| Speilfeld-Straß | 12:50 | 13:33 | 4166 | ÖBB EL 1142 679-8 |
| Graz Hbf | 14:17 | 14:22 | 8573 | GKE DMU VT70.11 + VT70.10 |
| Wies-Eibiswald | 15:40 | 16:00 | 8586 | GKE DMU VT70.11 + VT70.10 |
| * Deutschlandsberg | + GKE VT70.07 on front | |||
| Lieboch | 17:00 | 17:01 | 8423 | GKE DL 1500.5 P (2 double-deck coaches) |
| Köflach | 17:26 | 17:35 | 8432 | GKE DL 1500.5 (2 double-deck coaches) |
| Graz Hbf | 18:27 | |||
| Jakominiplatz | 20:01 | '7' | Graz tram 523 | |
| Roseggerhaus | 20:07 | |||
| New passenger track today: Graz Hbf - Speilfeld-Straß - Bad Radkersburg, Graz Hbf - Lieboch - Wies-Eibiswald, Lieboch - Köflach | ||||
| Overnight at Hotel Ibis Graz, outside station | ||||
Thursday 21st March 2002
| Graz Hbf | 08:39 | 4706 | ÖBB DL 2143 062-4 | |
| Feldbach | 09:35 | 09:40 | 8603 | SLB ER ET.1 |
| Bad Gleichenberg | 10:15 | 10:25 | 8602 | SLB ER ET.1 Photo |
| Feldbach | 11:00 | 11:11 | 4708 | ÖBB DL 2143 057-4 |
| Fehring | 11:21 | 12:14 | 4715 | ÖBB DL 2143 057-4 |
| Gleisdorf | 12:48 | 12:51 | 8651 | ÖBB DR 5047 037-6 |
| Weiz Stadt | 13:13 | |||
| Weiz | 13:30 | - | SLB DR 5047 401 + 402 + ÖBB DR 5047 037 | |
| Weiz Stadt | 13:31 | 13:35 | 8654 | ÖBB DR 5047 037 + SLB DR 5047 401 + 402 |
| Gleisdorf | 13:57 | 14:03 | 4717 | ÖBB DL 2143 026-9 + 2143 027-7 on rear |
| Graz Hbf | 14:36 | 14:48 | IC518 | ÖBB EMU 4010 018-2 set |
| via Bruck a d Mur avoiding line | ||||
| Leoben Hbf | 15:31 | 15:41 | 4219 | ÖBB EMU 4030 244-2 set |
| via Leoben Hinterberg old route - St Michael (reverse) | ||||
| Zeltweg | 16:27 | 16:56 | E1973 | ÖBB EL 1142 569-1 |
| Villach Hbf | 19:30 | |||
| New passenger track today: Graz - Gleisdorf - Feldbach - Fehring, Feldbach - Bad Gleichenberg, Gleisdorf - Weiz Stadt, Bruck a d Mur avoiding line, Leoben Hbf - Leoben Hinterberg old route - curve to St Michael station - curve towards Kraubath | ||||
| Overnight at Hotel Goldenes Lamm, 5 minutes walk from station (3 nights) | ||||
Friday 22nd March 2002
| Villach Hbf | 07:09 | E1911 | ÖBB EL 1142 687-1 | |
| Klagenfurt Hbf | 07:33 | 08:03 | special | ÖBB DR 5047 041-8 |
| via Maria Saal - St Veit a d Glan - Launsdorf-Hochosterwitz - Brückl (09:04) - Wietersdorf km19.7 (rev 09:21/09:26) - Brückl (rev) - onto chemical works branch (rev) - Brückl (10:32/10:47) - Launsdorf-Hochosterwitz - St Veit a d Glan - into sidings north of Glandorf station (rev 11:13/11:17) - via curve - St Veit a d Glan Westbf - Feldkirchen im Kärnten - Villach Hbf Ost - goods line - Villach Westbf (rev 11:58/12:19) - via goods line - Gummern (rev 12:27/12:31) - via goods line - Villach Westbf - Fürnitz - Fürnitzer Schleife - Villach Süd Gvbf - Nordausfahrt - Villach Westbf (rev 13:01/13:06) - Faak am See (rev 13:22/13:32) - Gödersdorfer Schleife - Fürnitz - Fürnitzer Schleife - Villach Süd Gvbf - Südausfahrt - Fürnitz - Arnoldstein (rev 14:04/14:19) - Neuhauser Schleife - Villach Süd Gvbf - Ostausfahrt - Faak am See - Rosenbach (rev 14:55/15:02) to | ||||
| Weizelsdorf | 15:32 | ? | special | DR |
| to Ferlach and museum line, and return | ||||
| Weizelsdorf | ? | 17:07 | special | ÖBB DR 5047 041-8 |
| Klagenfurt Hbf | 17:20 | 17:26 | EC190 | ÖBB EL 1044 288-7 |
| Villach Hbf | 17:58 | |||
| New passenger track today: none. | ||||
| Overnight at Hotel Goldenes Lamm | ||||
Saturday 23rd March 2002
| Villach Hbf | 07:09 | E1911 | ÖBB EL 1142 576-6 P | |
| Klagenfurt Hbf | 07:33 | 08:20 | special | ÖBB DR 5047 041-8 |
| via Bleiburg (rev 09:12/09:26) - shunt to works (rev 09:36/09:37) - Bleiburg (09:46/10:09) - Wolfsberg (11:18/12:06) - Franstschach-St.Gertraud (12:11) - shunt with paperworks loco to paperworks branch - Franstschach-St.Gertraud (13:06) -Zeltweg (rev 14:01/14:10) - Pöls (14:31) - to paperworks sidings km7.6 (rev 14:38/14:43) - Pöls - Zeltweg (15:03) - shunt to VAE works gate (15:44/15:49) - shunt to Flugplatz gate (16:11/16:19) - Zeltweg (16:29) - Knittelfeld (16:35) - shunt to depot area for visit (16:44/17:15) - Knittelfeld (17:22/17:40) - Zeltweg - St Veit a d Glan (19:00) | ||||
| Klagenfurt Hbf | 19:17 | 19:28 | D1128 | DB EL 113 311-5 |
| Villach Hbf | 20:01 | |||
| New passenger track today: none. | ||||
| Overnight at Hotel Goldenes Lamm | ||||
Sunday 24th March 2002
| Villach Hbf | 08:11 | EC114 | ÖBB EL 1116 011-6 | |
| * Spital-Millstättersee | + ÖBB EL 1044 063-4 on rear as banker | |||
| Salzburg Hbf | 10:48 | 12:10 | IC643 | ÖBB EL 1044 026-1 |
| via Lambach avoiding line (also noting new alignment almost ready for use at Haag) | ||||
| Amstetten | 14:14 | 14:21 | 3520 | ÖBB EL 1141 010-7 |
| Kleinreifling | 15:24 | 16:18 | 3556 | ÖBB EL 1141 010-7 |
| Selzthal | 17:39 | 17:43 | IC611 | ÖBB EMU 4010 025 + 027 sets dep 8 late |
| via Leoben new tunnel and Bruck a d Mur avoiding line | ||||
| Graz Hbf | 19:13 | arr 6 late | ||
| New passenger track today: Waidhofen a d Ybbs - Kleinreifling, Selzthal - St Michael | ||||
| Overnight at Hotel Ibis, Graz | ||||
Monday 25th March 2002
| Graz Hbf | 07:58 | 4014 | ÖBB EL 1142 615-2 | |
| Peggau-Deutschfeistritz | 08:16 | 08:18 | 8755 | SLB EMU ES24 + ET14 |
| Übelbach | 08:38 | 08:44 | 8756 | SLB EMU ET14 + ES24 |
| Peggau-Deutschfeistritz | 09:04 | 09:07 | - | ÖBB EL 1142 552-7 |
| Graz Hbf | 09:24 | 09:46 | '3' | Graz tram 533 |
| Jakominiplatz | 09:57 | 09:59 | '3' | Graz tram 609 |
| Graz Hbf | 10:11 | 10:38 | IC151 | ÖBB EL 1044 046-9 |
| * Speilfeld-Straß | SŽ EL 362-026 | |||
| Maribor | 11:39 | 14:37 | 4004 | SŽ DMU 814-021 + 813-021 |
| Bleiburg | 16:45 | 17:12 | 4011 | SŽ DMU 813-021 + 814-021 |
| Maribor | 19:12 | |||
| New passenger track today: Speilfeld-Straß - Maribor, Maribor - Bleiburg | ||||
| Overnight at Hotel Piramida, Maribor (5 minutes walk from station) | ||||
Tuesday 26th March 2002
| Maribor | 09:10 | 2907 | SŽ EMU 315-004 + 311-002 + 315-003 | |
| Pragersko | 09:30 | 09:47 | IC247 | SŽ DL 664-106 |
| * Hodoš | MÁV DL M41 2210 delayed at Oriszentpéter crossing IC244 | |||
| Zalalövő | 11:49 | 12:25 | 39125 | MÁV DR Bzmot 295 arr 18 late / dep 12 late |
| Körmend | 13:00 | 13:21 | 9125 | MÁV DR Bzmot 184 + 2T |
| Szombathely | 13:58 | 14:33 | 9834 | MÁV DR Bzmot 390 + 4T + Bzmot 277 |
| * Vasvár | MÁV DR Bzmot 390 + 2T | |||
| Zalaszentiván | 15:41 | 16:08 | 9856 | MÁV DR Bzmot 274 + 1T |
| Nagykanizsa | 17:10 | |||
| New passenger track today: Maribor - Pragersko - Hodoš - Zalalövő - Körmend, Szombathely - Zalaszentiván - Nagykanizsa | ||||
| Overnight at Hotel Central, Nagykanizsa (15 minutes walk or bus ride from station) (two nights) | ||||
Wednesday 27th March 2002
| Nagykanizsa | 10:39 | 205 | MÁV EL V43 1150 | |
| * Balatonszentgyőrgy | MÁV EL V63 018 | |||
| Balatonfenyves | 11:38 | |||
| Balatonfenyves GV | 13:00 | 31844 | MÁV DL 5727 + 1C dep 11 late Photo | |
| Somogyszentpál | 13:52 | 13:55 | 31845 | MÁV DL 5727 + 1C arr 8 late / dep 7 late Photo Photo |
| Balatonfenyves GV | 14:47 | 16:00 | 31826 | MÁV DL 5727 + 1C Photo Photo |
| via Táska (loco run-round, reverse) Photo Photo Photo | ||||
| Csiszta gyógyfürdő | 17:36 | 17:40 | 31821 | MÁV DL 5727 + 1C Photo Photo |
| via triangle avoiding Táska Photo | ||||
| Balatonfenyves GV | 18:29 | |||
| Balatonfenyves | 19:36 | 8506 | MÁV EL V43 1060 | |
| Nagykanizsa | 20:45 | |||
| New passenger track today: Nagykanizsa - Balatonfenyves, Balatonfenyves GV - Somogyszentpál, Központi főmajor - Táska elágazás - Táska - Csiszta gyógyfürdő - Központi főmajor | ||||
| Overnight at Hotel Central, Nagykanizsa | ||||
Thursday 28th March 2002
| Nagykanizsa | 10:58 | 8235 | MÁV EL V43 1073 | |
| Gyékenyés | 11:29 | 11:33 | 8914 | MÁV DMU Btx001+ 3C + MDmot 3023 |
| Barcs | 12:35 | 14:00 | 38114 | MÁV DR Bzmot 165 |
| Sellye | 15:25 | 15:50 | 38223 | MÁV DR Bzmot 164 |
| Szentlőrinc | 16:20 | 16:50 | 8066 | MÁV EL V43 1075 + 3C + DMU Btx018 + 3C + MDmot 3018 |
| Pécs | 17:13 | |||
| New passenger track today: Nagykanizsa - Gyékenyés - Barcs - Sellye - Szentlőrinc | ||||
| Overnight at Hotel Pátria, Pécs (10 minutes walk from station) (two nights) | ||||
Friday 29th March 2002
| Pécs | 07:25 | 8067 | MÁV EL V43 1058 | |
| Szentlőrinc | 07:49 | 07:52 | 38222 | MÁV DR Bzmot 166 |
| Sellye | 08:22 | 09:17 | 38112 | MÁV DR Bzmot 199 |
| Villány | 11:40 | 12:05 | 30814 | MÁV DR Bzmot 199 |
| Mohács | 12:35 | |||
| Mohács aut. | 13:40 | - | Pannon Volán Rt. bus GSG-352 | |
| Bátaszék village | 14:22 | |||
| Bátaszék | 15:56 | - | MÁV DR Bzmot 185 | |
| shunt via east end of station layout (reverse) | ||||
| Bátaszék | 15:59 | 16:00 | 38053 | MÁV DR Bzmot 185 |
| Palotabozsok | 16:50 | 16:55 | 38033 | bus EKG-875 |
| Pécsvárad | 17:50 | 18:00 | 38011 | MÁV DR Bzmot 187 |
| Pécs | 18:50 | |||
| New passenger track today: Sellye - Villány - Mohács, Bátaszék - Pécs-Külváros | ||||
| Overnight at Hotel Pátria | ||||
Saturday 30th March 2002
| Pécs | 10:50 | 8112 | HŽ DMU 7121-105 + 7121-106 | |
| Osijek | 12:58 | 13:30 | 6013 | HŽ DMU 7121-030 + 4121-030 |
| Erdut | 14:16 | 14:32 | 6014 | HŽ DMU 4121-030 + 7121-030 |
| Dalj | 14:41 | 14:48 | 2903 | HŽ DR 7221-009 |
| Vinkovci | 15:40 | 15:50 | 746 | HŽ EL 1142-011 |
| Strizivojna-Vrploje (photo) | 16:11 | 16:30 | 6406 | HŽ DMU 4121-019 + 7121-019 |
| Osijek | 17:24 | |||
| Kolodvor | 17:30 | '1' | Osijek tram 6806 | |
| Trg Ante Starčevica | 17:35 | 18:03 | '2' | Osijek tram 7217 |
| east end | 18:16 | 18:20 | '2' | Osijek tram 7217 |
| west end | 18:46 | 18:47 | '2' | Osijek tram 7217 |
| Trg Ante Starčevica | 19:00 | |||
| New passenger track today: Osijek - Dalj, Vinkovci - Strizivojna-Vrploje - Osijek | ||||
| Overnight at Hotel Central, Osijek (in main square Trg Ante Starčevica, tram ride from station) | ||||
Sunday 31st March 2002
| Trg Ante Starčevica | 09:17 | '1' | Osijek tram 6808 | |
| Kolodvor | 09:21 | |||
| Osijek | 10:02 | 6012 | HŽ DMU 7121-023 + 4121-023 | |
| Našice | 11:10 | 11:15 | 6652 | HŽ DMU 7121-019 + 4121-019 |
| via Pleternica (reverse) (photo) | ||||
| Velika | 13:41 | 13:50 | 6606 | HŽ DMU 7121-019 + 4121-019 (See ticket below) |
| Nova Kapela-Batrina | 14:56 | 15:46 | Ex414 | HŽ EL 1142-013 |
| Zagreb Gl. Kol. | 17:41 | |||
| New passenger track today: Osijek - Našice - Pleternica - Velika, Pleternica - Nova Kapela-Batrina - Zagreb Gl. Kol. | ||||
| Overnight at Hotel Central, Zagreb (outside station) | ||||
Monday 1st April 2002
| Glavni Kolodvor | 09:15 | '2' | Zagreb tram 326 | |
| Črnomerec | 09:26 | 09:39 | '11' | Zagreb tram 169 + 617 |
| Draškovičera | 09:53 | 09:59 | '14' | Zagreb tram 477 + 884 |
| Mihaljevac | 10:09 | 10:12 | '15' | Zagreb tram 472 |
| Dolje | 10:18 | 10:22 | '15' | Zagreb tram 472 |
| Mihaljevac | 10:28 | 10:35 | '14' | Zagreb tram 401 + 846 |
| Zapruđe | 11:12 | 11:28 | '6' | Zagreb tram 404 + 816 |
| Glavni Kolodvor | 11:44 | |||
| Zagreb Gl. Kol. | 13:05 | IC290 | HŽ EL 1142-013 | |
| * Dobova | SŽ EL 342-022 | |||
| via Ljubljana then via Škofja Loka station | ||||
| * Jesenice | ÖBB EL 1110 505-3 | |||
| Villach Hbf | 17:58 | |||
| New passenger track today: Zagreb Gl. Kol. - Dobova - Ljubljana - Kranj | ||||
| Overnight at Hotel City, Villach (outside station) | ||||
Tuesday 2nd April 2002
| Wien Südbf | 13:01 | 13:37 | 'S7' | ÖBB EMU 4020 024 set |
| via main line to north of Kledering station, then west side line of Zvbf to Zvbf Ost | ||||
| Groß Schwechat | 13:54 | 14:12 | 'S7' | ÖBB EMU 4020 080 set |
| via Zvbf Ost then via west side lne of Zvbf all the way to Simmering Ostbahn station | ||||
| Wien Südbf | 14:31 | 14:37 | 'S7' | ÖBB EMU 4020 080 set |
| via main line to south of Kledering station, then west side line of Zvbf to Zvbf Ost | ||||
| Wien Schwechat Flughafen | 15:02 | |||
| Vienna Airport (VIE) | 17:20 | OS3477 | Lauda Air OE-LRH Canadair Regional Jet | |
| Manchester Airport (MAN) | 18:50 | 18:55 | Taxi | |
| Timperley | 19:04 | |||
| New passenger track today: none | ||||
Tickets used: 4-day Euro Domino for Austria, otherwise single journey tickets throughout.
Notes about tickets
Some of the tickets purchased in Hungary and Croatia were of the "Edmondson" type, that is pieces of card with the ticket details pre-printed on them. These are getting very rare now with the installation of computer-based ticket issuing machines all over Europe. Probably the most interesting ticket purchased was this one bought for the journey from Velika to Nova Kapela: note the old price of 605 Croatian Dinars, overwritten by hand with the new price (about HRK19, I'm not sure).
It is worth noting that whilst travelling within these countries can be quite cheap (on several days I only spent the equivalent of about GBP4 in train fares), cross-border travel can be expensive due to the fixed per-km rate of CIV fares. The worst example of this was when I wanted to buy a return ticket from Maribor to Bleiburg: the fare quoted was over SIT5500 - about GBP15. I saved a lot of money by buying single tickets between Maribor and Holmec (the border station in Slovenia) and back, and just buying the cross-border ticket locally.
However many pairs of countries have "cheap deals" where the cost is very much reduced. For example, Pécs to Osijek was HUF1350 - about GBP2.50 - for a return ticket over a similar distance to Maribor - Bleiburg. This is advertised as a 65% reduction; details can be found in both the Hungarian and Croatian timetables.