Besançon
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Sod
I messed up
Because of the cancellation of my Frankfurt - Berlin ICE later, I actually have to take a different cross border ICE Strasbourg - Karlsruhe than I had planned, and I don’t have a reservation for that one…
It’s one stop. Maybe it works?
This is going to be… interesting in Strasbourg
“Why are you on this trains 20 mins earlier than you booked?”
“Because my connecting train German side is cancelled”
“But the later one would connect!”
“Not it won’t because of Dobrindt’s illegal border controls”
“And this train you are boarding is compulsory reservation!”
“Yes I know. And that rule is sort of because axle loads on high speed lines. We’re not on a high speed line with that restriction, so I can stay, right?”
🤔
The slightly more diplomatic approach of course is to go find the DB train manager (all France-Germany high speed trains have a joint DB-SNCF staff) and explain my predicament to them
That of course if there are no SNCF guarding access to the platform (towards Germany there normally are not)
I’ve got the perfect bag with me for Dobrindt’s illegal border controls
So I’m onto the train for which I don’t have a reservation 👍
German police on board ready to perform illegal non Schengen compliant controls 👎
Next stage of me pestering border control police. Conversation was in German, translated here.
Me: “Why do you control all passengers on all trains, and not all cars?”
Police: “The controls are random” (Stichprobenartig)
M: “No they’re not. You control every passenger on every train.”
…
P: “Every vehicle driver has to have ID”
M: I point at my bike “But you don’t control every vehicle. I cross by bike too and that’s not controlled”
P: “We can control every vehicle.”
M: “But you do not and you do control every train. Because every train is delayed. Look at DB Navigator!”
…
P: “The Bundesregierung demands we control every train. If you think this is wrong, complain to them!”
M: “So it’s not random then as you said, is it. You’re deliberately doing this to train passengers.”
Police officer realises I’ve got them, and walks off
Meanwhile we roll into Kehl
I’m sat on the right side of the train, where you can see the road
*Of course* they’re not controlling every car
A reminder of a few points for those who seem to be encountering my #Schengen rants for the first time 🙂
1) I cross a LOT of borders, very often. Mostly by train, sometimes by bike. In this #crossborderrail project alone I’ve been to 428 different border points
2) I’m German (as well as British)
3) I’m a tall, white, middle aged guy. This means I’m as unlikely to be controlled as anyone. I’m in a privileged position and I know it. So I will stand up for those less able to push back than I can!
4) I’ll argue this even at borders where I don’t speak the language
#CrossBorderRail to/from #LongestTrainEU Train 3 of 45
ICE 9573
12:44 Strasbourg - Karlsruhe Hbf 13:25
SNCF V, DB Fernverkehr
🚆: Siemens ICE 407, 8 carriages
⚡️ (25kV ac, 15kV ac)
🚲: ⛔️
🦽: ✅ (lift on platform)
🛜: ✅
🍽️: ✅
🧳: 😐 (by ICE standards poor)
🧽: 🙂
Interrail: 😐 (compulsory Passzuschlag, €19)
ICE 9573
12:44 Strasbourg - Karlsruhe Hbf 13:25
Distance: 82.5km
Avg speed: 121km/h
1 stop:
Karlsruhe Hbf
