Three short years ago when planning the first tour that was known as #CrossBorderRail, little did I know this would be the start of a project that would become a good part of my professional life in the years in between. That list of 95 rail borders investigated in 2022 has now grown to 289 at the time of writing, all of them mapped here. But that means there are not that many international railway lines in Europe that are still worth investigating.
But there are enough – over 80 more lines – for one final big tour, with the focus on the EU’s external borders (towards Ukraine and Moldova), and a bunch of central European lines that I am missing so far. The Hungary-Romania border, now Romania has joined Schengen, looks particularly interesting. And I am missing two Norway-Sweden borders, so I have added those as well. And having not been able to take it last year, I am even managing to ride on the the legendary Optima Express from Turkey to Austria.
The aim now, as in the 2022, 2023 and 2024 tours, is to identify shortcomings with international railway connections, and formulate proposals as to how to overcome those shortcomings. And do that by visiting the places, speaking to local people, and photographing what I discover in these places (also with the drone).
As ever I will take trains where I can, and use the folding bike and buses to reach the places the trains cannot take me.
How will this project be financed?
Like all the #CrossBorderRail projects before this one, the project will be crowd financed – so as to be independent of all governments and rail operators. Crowd funding will open in May.
Also offers of assistance in kind (a place for me to stay for example, or a venue for an event) are most welcome – please contact me.
What can you do to help with the project?
My detailed route plan including a complete timetable can be found here – PLANNED.xlsx, tab “CentralEuropeFinale”, and the detailed zoomable map of the route is here. Am I passing your town or city? If so could you host me (saves having to crowd-fund nights in hostels or hotels), or organise a small event? Even just gathering a few people over a coffee or a beer is great. Is there something with the route that you think I could improve? Bear in mind this is research – any nice places I see are simply a bonus! Or do you want to come along for a few days of the tour? Or do you have something you think I ought to know about a particular border or particular line? Whichever it is, I’d like to hear from you!
When and where will public meetings take place?
Details of all the events en route, including how to sign up, are on the separate events page.
Want to help organise one of these events? Or suggest an event somewhere else? Please get in touch!
How can you follow the project?
Every day there will be a thread on Mastodon (follow me there @jon@gruene.social) and some posts at Bluesky (@jonworth.eu). Each day there will be a Live Blog on this website, drawing in the content from other platforms, and featuring a live video at the start and at the end of each day.
This year – as one of the trains I am taking has a rather famous song about it – there will also be a “Song of the Day”. The full playlist is here, but you will have to wait for each day to get the connection between that day and its track!
Is there merchandise available?
You bet! There is a new #CrossBorderRail logo for this project, featuring a Bzmot / ČD 810 railbus – a type of train I will be using a lot this year! All the merchandise can be found in the Spreadshirt store. Every purchase results in a (very small!) donation to the project. It’s more for the fun of it this is available though.
Is this the end for #CrossBorderRail?
No. But it will be the last big tour for this project, simply because there are not very many borders in Europe to visit any more! But the #CrossBorderRail work will not stop. I am already working on a series of events for autumn 2025, drawing the conclusions from what I have learned. I will give a speech on the Berlin-Wrocław Kulturzug on 4th October, and there will be conclusions events in Bruxelles and Berlin as well. And – if I can bring myself to believe I can do it – I might write a book about international railways in Europe. And I would like to work more deeply on solving the problems at individual lines, getting involved in the nitty gritty of making a project really come to fruition.
So this will be the last big tour, but it is by no means the end of the work!
Approximate list of c. 80 further borders that will be investigated
Deutschkreutz 🇦🇹 – Harka 🇭🇺
Hodoš 🇸🇮 – Bajansenye 🇭🇺
Loipersbach-Schattendorf 🇦🇹 – Sopron 🇭🇺
Lutzmannsburg 🇦🇹 – Répcevis 🇭🇺
Mogersdorf 🇦🇹 – Szentgotthárd 🇭🇺
Pamhagen 🇦🇹 – Fertőszéplak 🇭🇺
Rattersdorf 🇦🇹 – Köszeg 🇭🇺
Schachendorf 🇦🇹 – Torony 🇭🇺
Spielfeld-Straß 🇦🇹 – Šentilj 🇸🇮
Carei 🇷🇴 – Tiborszállás 🇭🇺
Episcopia Bihor 🇷🇴 – Biharkeresztes 🇭🇺
Episcopia Bihor 🇷🇴 – Nagykereki 🇭🇺
Oar 🇷🇴 – Csenger 🇭🇺
Peles 🇷🇴 – Zajta 🇭🇺
Sacuieni Bihor 🇷🇴 – Létavértes 🇭🇺
Salonta 🇷🇴 – Kötegyán 🇭🇺
Valea lui Mihai 🇷🇴 – Nyírábrány 🇭🇺
Borša 🇸🇰 – Sátoraljaújhely 🇭🇺
Bušince 🇸🇰 – Nógrádszakál 🇭🇺
Cieszyn 🇵🇱 – Ceský Tešín 🇨🇿
Fratres 🇦🇹 – Slavonice 🇨🇿
Glucholazy 🇵🇱 – Jindrichov ve Slezsku 🇨🇿
Glucholazy 🇵🇱 – Mikulovice u Jeseníku 🇨🇿
Hodonín zastávka 🇨🇿 – Holíc nad Moravou 🇸🇰
Javorník nad Velickou zastávka 🇨🇿 – Vrbovce 🇸🇰
Komárno 🇸🇰 – Komárom 🇭🇺
Krzanowice Poludniowe 🇵🇱 – Chuchelná 🇨🇿
Laa an der Thaya 🇦🇹 – Hevlín 🇨🇿
Lenartovce 🇸🇰 – Bánréve 🇭🇺
Lucenec 🇸🇰 – Ipolytarnóc 🇭🇺
Lupków 🇵🇱 – Medzilaborce mesto 🇸🇰
Miedzylesie 🇵🇱 – Lichkov 🇨🇿
Mosty u Jablunkova zastávka 🇨🇿 – Svrcinovec zastávka 🇸🇰
Pietrowice Glubczyckie 🇵🇱 – Krnov 🇨🇿
Podczerwone 🇵🇱 – Suchá Hora 🇸🇰
Šahy 🇸🇰 – Drégelypalánk 🇭🇺
Šiatorská Bukovinka 🇸🇰 – Somoskoújfalu 🇭🇺
Slovenské Nové Mesto 🇸🇰 – Sátoraljaújhely 🇭🇺
Sudomerice nad Moravou 🇨🇿 – Skalica na Slovensku 🇸🇰
Summerau 🇦🇹 – Horní Dvorište 🇨🇿
Turna nad Bodvou 🇸🇰 – Tornanádaska 🇭🇺
Unterretzbach 🇦🇹 – Šatov 🇨🇿
Zwardon 🇵🇱 – Skalité-Serafínov 🇸🇰
Kapitan Andreevo 🇧🇬 – Kapikule 🇹🇷
Marasia 🇬🇷 – Karaagaç 🇹🇷
Nea Vyssa 🇬🇷 – Karaagaç 🇹🇷
Negru Voda 🇷🇴 – Kardam 🇧🇬
Pythio 🇬🇷 – Uzunköprü 🇹🇷
Bakosh 🇺🇦 – Eperjeske Rendező 🇭🇺
Basarabeasca 🇲🇩 – 121 km 🇺🇦
Basarabeasca 🇲🇩 – Serpneve 🇺🇦
Câmpulung la Tisa 🇷🇴 – Teresva 🇺🇦
Chop 🇺🇦 – Čierna nad Tisou 🇸🇰
Chop 🇺🇦 – Záhony 🇭🇺
Dilove 🇺🇦 – Valea Viseului 🇷🇴
Dorohusk 🇵🇱 – Yahodyn 🇺🇦
Falciu 🇷🇴 – Prut-2 🇲🇩
Galati 🇷🇴 – Giurgiulesti 🇲🇩
Giugiulesti 🇲🇩 – Remi Main 🇺🇦
Halmeu 🇷🇴 – Nevetlenfolu 🇺🇦
Hrebenne 🇵🇱 – Piddubne 🇺🇦
Hrebenne 🇵🇱 – Rava Ruska 🇺🇦
Hrubieszów 🇵🇱 – Izov 🇺🇦
Krościenko 🇵🇱 – Smolnica 🇺🇦
Malhowice 🇵🇱 – Nyzhankovychi 🇺🇦
Mamalyha 🇺🇦 – Criva 🇲🇩 – Lipcani 🇲🇩 – Iwaniwzi 🇺🇦 – Ocnița 🇲🇩
Medyka 🇵🇱 – Shehyni 🇺🇦
Otaci 🇲🇩 – Mohyliv-Podilskyi 🇺🇦
Rybnitsa 🇲🇩 – Klymentove 🇺🇦
Tiraspol 🇲🇩 – Kuchurgan 🇺🇦
Ungheni Prut 🇷🇴 – Ungheni 🇲🇩
Uzhhorod 🇺🇦 – Maťovské Vojkovce 🇸🇰
Vadul Siret 🇺🇦 – Vicsani 🇷🇴
Werchrata 🇵🇱 – Rava-Rus’ka 🇺🇦
Gries 🇦🇹 – Brennero 🇮🇹
Griesen 🇩🇪 – Ehrwald Zugspitzbahn 🇦🇹
Mittenwald 🇩🇪 – Scharnitz 🇦🇹
Pfronten-Steinach 🇩🇪 – Vils in Tirol Stadt 🇦🇹
Charlottenberg 🇸🇪 – Magnor 🇳🇴
Riksgränsen 🇸🇪 – Bjørnfell 🇳🇴
Future Line – Nauders 🇦🇹 – Reschen 🇮🇹
Future Line – Nauders 🇦🇹 – Scuol-Tarasp 🇨🇭