Sounds like fun......... but I need another 12 months of putting a little money away each month before putting my passport to use.
Posted by Geoff Mayo (Member # 153) on :
Sadly the Thomas Cook Overseas Timetable is no more, probably at least in part due to sites like the one above.
Posted by palmland (Member # 4344) on :
Geoff, I did not know Cook's Overseas timetable is gone. Is the European one still around?
The challenge would be great fun. But why not make it around the world? For the ocean part, the rule would be no cruise ships allowed. Must be a regularly scheduled point to point ship either passenger (like Cunard transatlantic), or passenger carrying freighter.
This does make me want to scratch the wanderlust itch.
Posted by notelvis (Member # 3071) on :
I received a copy of the December 2012 Thomas Cook European Timetable for Christmas. Something to jumpstart the mental gyrations as we plan a family trip to visit an Air Force Brother-in-Law in Germany in 2014.
I hate to admit it BUT I need a magnifying glass to read the timetable and I am really struggling to comprehend European frequencies.
I think the solution is merely use the railpass, get on a train, and ride until I see someplace appealing to stop off at!
Posted by Geoff Mayo (Member # 153) on :
quote:Originally posted by palmland: Geoff, I did not know Cook's Overseas timetable is gone. Is the European one still around?
I think it is, yes. The Overseas one has only just stopped. As I understand it, it was so difficult to get information, especially when the various rail operators were unwilling to provide it - even in Australia apparently, not just third world countries with questionable rail services.
quote:Originally posted by notelvis: I hate to admit it BUT I need a magnifying glass to read the timetable and I am really struggling to comprehend European frequencies.
I think the solution is merely use the railpass, get on a train, and ride until I see someplace appealing to stop off at!
Yes, it is tiny print. And I don't think every train is listed between major city pairs, let alone secondary lines.
Planning ad hoc is so easy these days: a smart phone pointing to http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en and you've got most of Europe on your phone.
Posted by TBlack (Member # 181) on :
GBN, Good catch! But I'm a little confused. I thought the original challenge was to find the longest train journey, but it seems like that's evolved into getting from Lisbon to Saigon in 30 days.That doesn't sound too difficult.
Once, I tried to find the longest journey by rail and discovered that you can actually go from Lisbon, or London, all the way to Singapore. It used to be a bit dicey through Cambodia to Bangkok, but that's more civilized these days, or so I'm told by reliable folks.
Tom
Posted by Geoff Mayo (Member # 153) on :
quote:Originally posted by TBlack: GBN, Good catch! But I'm a little confused. I thought the original challenge was to find the longest train journey, but it seems like that's evolved into getting from Lisbon to Saigon in 30 days.That doesn't sound too difficult.
Looks like it's possible in little more than 15 days if everything ran like clockwork and the non-daily departures aligned well.
quote:Originally posted by TBlack: Once, I tried to find the longest journey by rail and discovered that you can actually go from Lisbon, or London, all the way to Singapore. It used to be a bit dicey through Cambodia to Bangkok, but that's more civilized these days, or so I'm told by reliable folks.
Tom
I'm pretty sure that's not strictly true - Cambodia being the problem. There are a mixture of gauges in SE Asia which in itself is not a problem, but Cambodia's railways are... have you ever heard of the Bamboo railway? Suffice to say rail is not - as yet - a viable link between Vietnam and Thailand! There are improvements on hand though: if I remember correctly, Mitt Romney's chums in China want a direct route to Thailand and beyond, so are financing rail in the region.
Posted by KacyB (Member # 52680) on :
I reckon it's possible - quite easily - in two weeks. I was rather taken with the idea... But think we have enough on with our USA adventure this year... UTC '14 is a distinct possibility!!
Posted by TBlack (Member # 181) on :
Geoff,
It's not the Chinese as much as it is the Australians who are behind the reconstruction of Cambodian rail. My understanding is that the Tai connection is not far off.
TB
Posted by Geoff Mayo (Member # 153) on :
TBlack, the Australian investment of a few hundred million is eclipsed by the Chinese investment of $9.6 BILLion.