Jon Worth

Jon Worth

@jonworth.eu

European, originally a Brit, became German, moved to France. Runs #CrossBorderRail project, writes a newsletter about railways. Green, lives happily without a car. Normally stuck on a train, stuck in a village, or escaping either on a folding bicycle.

30.9K followers6K following16.4K posts

Jon Worth reposted

dacfrazer.bsky.social
@dacfrazer.bsky.social

Replying to @jonworth.eu

Magyar made a joke about the Belgrade-Budapest railway: “Surely I wasn’t the only one feeling nostalgic when I saw those pictures coming out of Serbia last night? It’s symbolic that the “Budapest Express” reached Belgrade in politics before it did on the tracks.” www.theguardian.com/world/live/2...

theguardian.comSerbia wakes up to new reality after student-led movement ousts Vučić – Europe liveHopes raised for a reset in relations with EU and other partners following the defeat of authoritarian president
Jon Worth
@jonworth.eu

I understand the “yes, but…” takes about Serbia. The country has been kleptocratic for years, has a lot of unprocessed anger and complexes. Reform, progress are hard. But look at Budapest 6 months on from Magyar’s victory. You can start to turn it around with determination and hard work!

Jon Worth
@jonworth.eu

And the attitudes are not uniform. There are more forward looking places, notably Novi Sad. It’s not all nationalist negative angst. And there are enough of the professional class (teachers, doctors, business owners) frustrated at Vučić to give Student List a basis with which to work.

Jon Worth
@jonworth.eu

So good 🎉 I’m so really looking forward to my next trip there (once the new railway line from Budapest opens)

The Associated Press@apnews.com

The long-serving strongman leader of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, has conceded defeat in an election that pitted him and his right-wing party against a diverse student-led opposition movement that spent two years protesting his government.

bit.lySerbia’s strongman leader Vucic concedes defeat to student-led movement in seismic political shiftThe long-serving strongman leader of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, has conceded defeat in an election that pitted him and his right-wing party against a diverse student-led opposition movement that spent two years protesting his government.
Jon Worth
@jonworth.eu

And I’m so happy for the people I know in European Movement Serbia. It was hard while the EU cosied up to Vučić, but they determinedly pushed back against Vučić.

Jon Worth
@jonworth.eu

I have been experimenting with the free Baldinger Map Animator mapanimator.baldinger.se to make videos about #CrossBorderRail routes 3 so far… Racławice Śląskie - Kędzierzyn-Koźle, Třemešná ve Slezsku - Osoblaha - Missing Link Explainer www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdjlXt…

mapanimator.baldinger.seMap Animator: animated map videos of your tripsMake an animated map video of your trip in your browser. Draw your route or use a GPX file, add signs, legs and camera moves, and download an MP4 up to 4K. Free, no account.
Jon Worth
@jonworth.eu

These are not even close to finished videos yet, but I want a neat way to show where I have been on #CrossBorderRail tours, and - like the first video - also do some explainers about what lines run and could be built or re-activated These videos are close to what I need now

Jon Worth reposted

Alexander Clarkson
@aphclarkson.bsky.social

Replying to @aphclarkson.bsky.social

If Brits want access to the Single Market or EU membership they need to accept a hierarchy of trade offs shaped by European pooling of sovereignty. If British voters accept this the UK gets back in. If British leaders cannot have opportunities and strength to convince voters, the UK stays out

Jon Worth
@jonworth.eu

I had not really thought of it this way until a friend prompted me earlier this week, but I am basically analysing railways with a Brexit diagram in my head Connecting my previous and current work in a quick blog post 👇 jonworth.eu/analysing-rail…

jonworth.euAnalysing railways with a Brexit diagram in my headWhy do I think Heuro Train's plans to run Amsterdam - Paris in 2030 are bullshit? Because I can see no way to think they can get any trains to run by then. An important building block for a route from today to running in 2030 is missing. Why do
Jon Worth
@jonworth.eu

Everything was rather late this week 😭 But my newsletter is finally out jonworth.eu/timetable-chan… This week: Analysis: Timetable Change 2027 Part 1: lines (re-)opening Bullshit Meter: Heuro to run Paris-Amsterdam trains in 2030 Good week: Other European railways step up to help Ukraine (a bit)

Jon Worth
@jonworth.eu

Good week, perhaps: Rīga Airport Line will get trains, but wrong gauge and destinations Also a good week: France gets more Swiss trams Better than nothing: Renfe starts to realise compulsory reservation on regional trains is a bad idea Photo of the week: Evening sun at Besançon Franche Comté TGV

Jon Worth reposted

Mac the squirrel :)
@macsquirelera.bsky.social

I am starting MacRail I will provide daily high speed services from Stuttgart to London starting next Thursday

Jon Worth@jonworth.eu

Company without any trains and no ability to get any by 2030 thinks they will run trains in 2030 #CrossBorderRail 🐂💩 www.treinreiziger.nl/heurotrain-ver…

treinreiziger.nlHeurotrain verzekert toegang tot Franse hogesnelheidslijn voor 10 jaarHeurotrain uit Nederland heeft voor tien jaar zekerheid om over het Franse hogesnelheidsspoor te kunnen rijden. De nieuwe opentoegangvervoerder heeft met d

Jon Worth reposted

Luke Horn
@lukebro92.bsky.social

Replying to @aidnography.de

1) Not all trains stop in Montabaur 2) It was necessary to have that station to get the Länder to agree 3) Now that it exists it gets decent enough ridership

Jon Worth
@jonworth.eu

I suppose I am weird All this #CrossChannelRail stuff: I am only intellectually interested in it. I have no stake in it. I make no money from it. It has no impact whatsoever on my life if Ashford, Ebbsfleet, Stratford or none of them get trains to continental Europe

Jon Worth
@jonworth.eu

The vast majority of the replies I get are from people who have some stake in it (they live near one station, see some benefit there), and cannot see that there are others in other places who likewise have stakes in it And definitely cannot possibly see why someone with no stake in it even cares

Jon Worth
@jonworth.eu

What do you need to (re-)open a UK station for #CrossChannelRail trains? 1️⃣ A terminal (£) 2️⃣ Staff for it (more £) 3️⃣ Enough passengers 4️⃣ An operator who’ll stop there 5️⃣ Relieve pressure on St Pancras That means 1 station, not 2 or 3. And that means Ashford Explained 👇 jonworth.eu/how-to-re-open…

Jon Worth
@jonworth.eu

I’ve known this for a long time, but wasn’t allowed to say it. It’s nice I now can 😀

Jon Worth
@jonworth.eu

If you’re going to (re-)open a station on HS1 in the UK for international trains, prioritise like this, in declining order of priority 1) Ashford 2) Stratford 3) Ebbsfleet I’m trying to see the whole picture here #CrossBorderRail

Jon Worth
@jonworth.eu

Ah. It’s going to cost £20 million to equip Stratford Int for #CrossChannelRail trains, says the Standard But who’s paying that? And who is going to pay the wages of the people who would run the terminal? Why does this have a higher chance than, say, Ashford? www.standard.co.uk/news/london/st…

standard.co.ukInternational trains set to run from second major London station within four yearsEXCLUSIVE: Services to and from France could stop at Stratford International Station under landmark £20 million plan
Jon Worth
@jonworth.eu

And when this Stratford idea was first mentioned, I wrote about it jonworth.eu/want-trains-to… The only thing new today is this supposed £20m cost, but what that does or does not cover is not clear yet

jonworth.euWant trains to continental Europe from Stratford? Here's howSo Sadiq Khan says getting international trains at Stratford International in East London is within "touching distance" in an article in City A.M. this morning (full article here). OK, so the Mayor of London wants it, and is saying so, which is important. But the article written in his
Jon Worth
@jonworth.eu

Why I don’t think Praha 🇨🇿 - München 🇩🇪 is going the same way as Padborg 🇩🇰 - Flensburg 🇩🇪 #CrossBorderRail - despite no contract being in place yet Explained 👇 jonworth.eu/avoiding-anoth…

jonworth.euAvoiding another cross border route collapse in December: why Praha - München should still workI admit it was not with great joy that I read this story from Zdopravy that states that no contract has yet been signed between Leo Express and Die Länderbahn for the operation of Praha - Plzeň - Domažlice - Furth im Wald - Schwandorf - Regensburg - München services that are to start just 8
Jon Worth
@jonworth.eu

Bernd Lange is a S&D group MEP trying to cling to relevance. I’d not assume what he says has widespread acceptance. If what he’s saying were even possible.

Peter Stefanovic@peterstefanovic.bsky.social

The UK could re-enter the EU in a “Switzerland plus” package that could be negotiated within months of any decision to deepen ties with the bloc, the head of a European parliament committee has said www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

theguardian.comUK could quickly re-enter EU with ‘Switzerland plus’ deal, senior MEP saysBernd Lange, who was involved in Brexit talks, says deal could be negotiated within months of any decision to deepen ties

Jon Worth reposted

Alexander Clarkson
@aphclarkson.bsky.social

Increasingly convinced that much of the more unhinged commentary on Linke government in Berlin is from people who seem to have genuinely forgotten that they already governed there in the SPD-led Wowereit coalitions for TEN YEARS from 2001 to 2011

Jon Worth
@jonworth.eu

Please don’t go “Merz is an idiot” - I know. I want to understand in whose interests, really, he is being pushed here. And why he cannot see that rescuing something of the German economic model of the state (through R&D, vocational training etc.) to help the car industry would be a better approach.

Jon Worth
@jonworth.eu

This week I have mostly looked at the 🇩🇰🇩🇪 #CrossBorderRail, there is a problem 🇩🇰🇸🇪 as well - SJ’s rebuilt X2000 trains are still not allowed into København See: jarnvagar.nu/fler-tag-pa-... But I still don’t know WHY this is. Typical Danish rail bureaucracy headaches, or something more serious?

Jon Worth reposted

Alex
@heard-a.bsky.social

Of Cross-border rail relevance, I yesterday crossed the Ponte Internacional Tuy-Valença on foot as there are no trains crossing it this year! As part of a journey from León to Porto, I walked from Guillarei 🇪🇸 to Valença 🇵🇹, 7km. Was quite pleasant but would have been nicer by train.

Jon Worth
@jonworth.eu

And today we have an *extra* bullshit meter, although this is more like gaslighting than bullshit Talgo claims its trains for DSB are reliable, while in reality they are the least reliable trains in the company’s entire fleet jonworth.eu/bullshit-meter…

Jon Worth
@jonworth.eu

Today's newsletter is prepared, ready to go at 14:00 CEST Signup at jonworth.eu This week: Analysis: Wunderline turns to farce, and accountability collapses Bullshit Meter: Croatia - Greece trains on an EU funded coast line Good week: Battery trains for Niedersachsen, new tracks for Brandenburg

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Jon Worth
@jonworth.eu

Mitigations against a bad week: RegioJet has backup plans in case its new Pesa EMUs are not ready in December Photo of the week: Frecciarossa at Gallese Teverina Calendar: TGV-M launch 6 November

Jon Worth
@jonworth.eu

And *of course* 🇵🇹 building a broad gauge high speed line got all the whingeing going Here’s why re-gauging lines probably makes no sense: jonworth.eu/why-you-probab… And *were* Portugal to build a 1435mm HSL, then they’re going to need gauge changing trains, and look at Talgo’s mess currently

jonworth.euWhy you probably should not re-gauge railways in EuropeOnce in a while the debate pops up that some country should re-gauge its railways - Finland being the most recent example. In this blog post I am going to delve into this issue, and explain why - in most cases - it does not make sense. But first let's make
Jon Worth
@jonworth.eu

Today's newsletter is prepared, ready to go at 14:00 CEST Signup at jonworth.eu This week: Analysis: Wunderline turns to farce, and accountability collapses Bullshit Meter: Croatia - Greece trains on an EU funded coast line Good week: Battery trains for Niedersachsen, new tracks for Brandenburg

Jon Worth
@jonworth.eu

Also a good week: Portugal starts building a broad gauge high speed line Unexpectedly good week: New high speed line opens in European Türkiye Bad week: More than a Renfe AVE 100 power car in danger of going up in flames

Jon Worth
@jonworth.eu

With timetable change on the horizon 13 December, I am starting to systematically analyse what will change with #CrossBorderRail This first 🧵 is about lines that will change their status - places that had no service and will now get some passenger service Any I am missing, do tell me!

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Jon Worth
@jonworth.eu

5️⃣ Donja Borina 🇷🇸 - Karakaj 🇧🇦 umap.openstreetmap.fr/en/map/crossbo… News: noviglas.info/2026/09/18/nov… A political sop from Vučić towards Republika Srpska, but technically this one will give Republika Srpska an international train connection. /ends

umap.openstreetmap.fr#CrossBorderRail All The BordersAll of Europe's rail borders - categorised by type, and whether I (Jon Worth) have been to the location. KEY Black - #000000: visited in 2022 during #CrossBorderRail Project Dark grey - #222222: visited in since the 2022 project Mid grey - #555555: tramways and narrow gauge lines, visited Light gr…
Jon Worth
@jonworth.eu

With timetable change on the horizon 13 December, I am starting to systematically analyse what will change with #CrossBorderRail This first 🧵 is about lines that will change their status - places that had no service and will now get some passenger service Any I am missing, do tell me!

View full thread
Jon Worth
@jonworth.eu

3️⃣ Kurcums 🇱🇻 - Turmantas 🇱🇹 umap.openstreetmap.fr/en/map/crossbo… I have lost track of all of the is it, is it not happening with this one. But extending Vilnius - Turmantas trains to Daugavpils has a solid chance of happening in 2027 as Pesa 730M DMUs will be deployed to this line

umap.openstreetmap.fr#CrossBorderRail All The BordersAll of Europe's rail borders - categorised by type, and whether I (Jon Worth) have been to the location. KEY Black - #000000: visited in 2022 during #CrossBorderRail Project Dark grey - #222222: visited in since the 2022 project Mid grey - #555555: tramways and narrow gauge lines, visited Light gr…
Jon Worth
@jonworth.eu

With timetable change on the horizon 13 December, I am starting to systematically analyse what will change with #CrossBorderRail This first 🧵 is about lines that will change their status - places that had no service and will now get some passenger service Any I am missing, do tell me!

Jon Worth
@jonworth.eu

1️⃣ Laarwald 🇩🇪 - Coevorden-Heege 🇳🇱 umap.openstreetmap.fr/en/map/crossbo… News story: www.stk.niedersachsen.de/startseite/pre… Bad Bentheim - Neuenhaus regional trains to be extended as far as Coevorden in the Netherlands. This is a branch line, but it is a very welcome addition!

umap.openstreetmap.fr#CrossBorderRail All The BordersAll of Europe's rail borders - categorised by type, and whether I (Jon Worth) have been to the location. KEY Black - #000000: visited in 2022 during #CrossBorderRail Project Dark grey - #222222: visited in since the 2022 project Mid grey - #555555: tramways and narrow gauge lines, visited Light gr…
Jon Worth
@jonworth.eu

Given 🇩🇰 & 🇩🇪 double decker push pull trains look *very similar*, and locomotives hauling them can (e.g. Siemens Vectron) can handle multiple voltages, I was asked: Can a DSB double deck train run Kolding 🇩🇰 - Padborg 🇩🇰 - Flensburg 🇩🇪? #CrossBorderRail ‼️ NO ‼️ Explained: jonworth.eu/how-alstoms-in…

Jon Worth
@jonworth.eu

So here’s the solution - and even a timetable! - to fix Flensburg 🇩🇪 - Padborg 🇩🇰 (- Tinglev 🇩🇰) Aim high! The Vectron Sandwich solution! jonworth.eu/how-alstoms-in… (How you can make a connection every hour, using one train, with a locomotive on either end) #CrossBorderRail

jonworth.euHow Alstom's inability to deliver trains on schedule, and Danish incompetence, will break an important regional train connection (and how to fix it)As if Denmark - Germany long distance international connections were not already bad enough thanks to the Talgo saga, now the regional train connections between the two countries are getting worse as well. What follows in this post is a diagnosis only of the regional trains - long distance Hamburg…