I set off early from the hotel to allow for the ongoing work on the S Bahn. Which meant I arrived well ahead of time at the Hauptbahnhof. So purchased some bread based snacks for breakfast and the journey plus some fruit.
The train was an Austrian train, OBB, starting in Germany and ending in Hungary.
The Danube
The journey
The map taken from the Interrail app shows just how far the journey was, but misses the far north line and the detour to Oxfordshire.
From the Interrail app: 5784 km distance
15 trains on the Interrail ticket, 20 in total.
Seven countries.
Weather
Sunny almost throughout, but a big variation in temperature. Highest ,around 14 centigrade in Augsburg, lowest -10 in Bucharest.
Food
The food was good, but had to get creative in the meat centric countries. I had my first experience of a Lebanese restaurant in Bucharest, the very good Coin-Vert Libanez.
I had to fight through the snow and ice to get to it. A week later I had my second Lebanese restaurant experience in Paris.
Plenty of good food on this trip.
Hotels
I stayed in three Premier Inn plus rooms, three varieties of Ibis: budget, styles and no moniker, a Radisdon Individuals Schiller Park in Linz and Ramada by Wyndham in Bucharest.
Best bed:Premier Inn plus
Best shower: Premier Inn plus
Best view: Ramada by Wyndham
Best location: Hotel Schiller Park- in central location near the railway station.
Best breakfast: Ramada by Wyndham
Best rooms: Premier Inn plus
Most expensive: Premier Inn St Pancras
Best check out times: Ibis / check out by noon.
I like the simplicity of the Ibis Budget.
Locations
Both Augsburg and Linz were amazing places to visit. Smaller and not as busy as Vienna but interesting buildings and history. Bucharest lacked the beautiful buildings but the lake was beautiful.
Travelling by train emphasised the change in landscape and buildings. Farmhouses are tiny and ramshackled in Romanian but huge and well maintained in Austria and Germany.
People
As well as meeting the natives of each country that I visited I was surprised to meet people from so many other countries. I had conversations with Qataris, Russians, Albanians, Norwegians, New Zealanders, Moldovans, Canadians, Taiwanese and probably more. Talking to Austrians in German with their local accents was a joy, including a woman in her 90s from Vienna,
Cycling
Cycling was awful in Bucharest, but faster than cars. Driving in Bucharest also looks awful. Paris cycle way provision is good in Paris, but blocked by vehicles on the Sunday. Vienna was busy, Augsburg pleasant. I heard a tram hitting a car in Vienna and saw the massive crumpled side of the car, the tram just drove off. The closest I came to an accident was Inverness, where a car was being driven at 60 mph in a 30 zone, as I was turning right. The bike gave a good way to cross cities between stations and to get to hotels. It was also a great luggage trolley.
The temperature has climbed but it’s foggy in Bucharest
Cycling in Bucharest is awful, but faster than driving, bus or walking. Could the tram be faster?
I am told that I will be joined in the cabin at Timisoara, where we are due to arrive at 0716. I set the alarm for 0700.
The train is late at Timisoara, so could have had a longer lay in. I am joined by three Iranian students.
There’s a check before the border. The Iranians of course attract attention and my passport is checked.
Just over the border in Hungary there is a bit of a wait.
It seems that the rail operator has built in a big pause at the border, longer than our wait, so we are back on time.
Unfortunately no time to explore- on to the next leg.
There loads of wind turbines near the border on the Austrian side.
The train was 45 mins late to Linz. I managed to complete the journey within 24 hours, just. The total time on the train 23 hours.
One train, almost 19 hours..,,
I have a bed booked for the train. I have no idea of the quality of the accommodation.
Three of us sharing the cabin. So there followed a game of Jenga to fit everything in.
The train set off, crossing the border into Hungary just after half past nine, Austrian time. I slept through most of Hungary, but was woken up by shouting, possibly in Budapest.
We crossed in Romania at around 3:45.
It’s a long journey from the border to Bucharest, under bright blue almost cloudless skies.
Many of the houses are small but colourful.
It’s cold outside but looks dry with the grass parched.
I didn’t see any livestock, apart from close to houses. Presumably due to the grazing being poor at this time of year.
We start seeing snow.
The snow is getting thicker and the buildings have the look of a resort.
The journey flew past in a flash. I slept well, much to my surprise. I shared the cabin with an Austrian and a Romanian who works in Austria, but barely speaks German. They were good company.
Slightly uncomfortable ride across to the hotel, trying to use the smaller roads.
And time for a quick explore.
Arrived in Vienna in the dark.
It’s always unnerving cycling in a country for the first time. What is available in terms of cycle paths, how do the motorists behave. There are lots of good cycle ways in Vienna but I ended up on one road with no cycle path which was uncomfortable.
Looked for a restaurant close to the hotel and found..
Lovely food.
And next day..,
Then it’s back to the Hauptbahnhof.
Having never been to Augsburg previously but having heard a lot about Augsburg and particularly the Fuggerei I had high expectations. I set off on foot as check out time was noon.
Stopped for breakfast at the local market.
I
8 Euros to explore the Fuggerei. The place is fascinating.
The Fuggerei was flattened by British bombing towards the end of the Second World War. Augsburg was a major centre for manufacturing weapons including fighter planes, and therefore a prime target. The Fuggerei was rebuilt.
On the way back to the hotel I discovered that the river is channelled through the city next to roads and houses.
I also walked along a street with loads of school children playing in the road. I asked the policeman what was happening. The police had blocked the street in preparation for a demonstration. An enterprising sports teacher used the moment to get the children out for a bit of fun.
After checking out I went back to the Augsburg Altstadt
Augsburg exceeded expectations, beautiful city, but substantially rebuilt after the war.
Change at München
What is interesting is that the German regional train runs from München to Salzburg, requiring cross border cooperation. This happens quite frequently on this trip.
Insight 