The Swiss averaged 42 train journeys each in 2005

1901 Views 11 Replies 6 Participants Last post by 7113, Feb 20, 2007

dwb

Discussion Starter · Feb 16, 2007

Recently published figures show the Swiss are second only to Japan in the number of train journeys taken each year. You can read more here on the Swiss Info website. The UK doesn't make the European top 5.

David

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neil_s_wood

· #2 · Feb 17, 2007

The first thing that comes to mind is the quality of the journey and trains. I don't get on a train here inless I have to and I love train travel. The train service in the UK while I think it is good is very expensive for what it is and discourages me from using it when it would otherwise be my prefered mode of travel.

There are many factors why train would be popular in Switzerland and Japan rather than here or the UK. Lack of investment by the government would be one major reason.

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mthornton

· #3 · Feb 17, 2007

Having driven through the St Gotthard tunnel last year and also the road works on the motorway route through Basel I can see considerable attractions in using the train.

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John Webb

· #4 · Feb 17, 2007

Yesterday there were items in several papers saying that UK passenger journeys were now back to the levels of 60 years ago - on half the milage of track that existed then!
Regards,
John Webb

PS How do we get the media to revert to 'railway stations' rather than the phrase 'train stations'? I find the latter particularly ear-grating.

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dwb

Discussion Starter · #5 · Feb 17, 2007

>the road works on the motorway route through Basel
Now they _are_ a nightmare!

We took the train from Interlaken to Bern last summer. I think the cost was about the same as going into London off peak. We are about the same distance away. The attraction was to travel on a double decker one way and the ICE going the other. Unfortunately the ICE times didn't suit so it was a double decker both ways. Our return train was _late_!

Here's a picture of the trailer driving car. This one is nicknamed the "Dino" car because of the graphic on the side:-

This is a shot of the seating on the upper deck. The ceiling slopes in quite sharply and the whole interior is reminiscent of air travel.

David

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Dennis David

· #6 · Feb 17, 2007

Sometimes it's just nicer to have a decent seat at the diner.

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neil_s_wood

· #7 · Feb 18, 2007 (Edited by Moderator)

Thanks guys for showing me the opposite end of the rail travel market from the one I have to deal with.

Here are some more from that survey.

42 Switzerland
28 Denmark, Luxemburg
24 Austria
22 Germany

and km's travelled

1. 1900 Km Japan
2. 1739 Km Switzerland
3. 1418 Km Belarus
4. 1266 Km France
5. 1150 Km Ukraine
6. 1090 Km Denmark
7. 1046 Km Austria
8. 990 Km Russia
9. 936 Km Hungary
10. 914 Km Germany

I notice Russia, Ukraine and Belarus feature prominently. I guess thats more about the distances they have to travel?

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dwb

Discussion Starter · #8 · Feb 18, 2007

>I notice Russia,
That will be the trans-Siberian I expect. And St. Petersburg - Moscow isn't short either although I don't know the distance. For a "flavour" of what long distance train travel in Russia is like, read this recent piece on the BBC's "From our own correspondent".

David

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neil_s_wood

· #9 · Feb 18, 2007

QUOTE (dwb @ 18 Feb 2007, 21:51) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>>I notice Russia,
That will be the trans-Siberian I expect. And St. Petersburg - Moscow isn't short either although I don't know the distance. For a "flavour" of what long distance train travel in Russia is like, read this recent piece on the BBC's "From our own correspondent".

David
Very different from long distance travel in India. Every time the train stopped there a whole procession of people selling everything you can imagine would parade by. Although the service in no way compares with that of Switzerland, in terms of friendlyness and sheer enjoyment and entertainment, my best journeys were in India.

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neil_s_wood

· #10 · Feb 19, 2007

QUOTE Here's a picture of the trailer driving car. This one is nicknamed the "Dino" car because of the graphic on the side:-
Roco actually do a model of this coach

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dwb

Discussion Starter · #11 · Feb 19, 2007

>Roco actually do a model of this coach
_We_ know

so do Hag. Haven't quite got round to buying any yet, and I'm a little afraid they might go out of production. A full train is 8 coaches, and the Re 460 to go with it isn't cheap.

David

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7113

· #12 · Feb 20, 2007

I know why, it's all those visits to Zurich too make sure their money's safe. It's that or they all decided to visit the station in a railway tunnel.

Regards

John

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