UlrichNo delays on any of the trains I took in Germany recently..maybe they knew I was coming. On our way from Paris to Zurich, however, our train ran late, and the Swiss would not allow it to enter...thus we had to make alternative arrangements for the last leg to Zurich. The Swiss take punctuality very seriously..trains, trams and busses are punctual to within a minute. If you're late you lose. Late trains from other countries are not tolerated and are barred from entry.
Are other countries turning away late Swiss trains?
I thought the EU had all the member countries operating in some semblence of how the states operate in the US - allowing passage without specific border checks.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
Ulrich No delays on any of the trains I took in Germany recently..maybe they knew I was coming. On our way from Paris to Zurich, however, our train ran late, and the Swiss would not allow it to enter...thus we had to make alternative arrangements for the last leg to Zurich. The Swiss take punctuality very seriously..trains, trams and busses are punctual to within a minute. If you're late you lose. Late trains from other countries are not tolerated and are barred from entry.
No delays on any of the trains I took in Germany recently..maybe they knew I was coming. On our way from Paris to Zurich, however, our train ran late, and the Swiss would not allow it to enter...thus we had to make alternative arrangements for the last leg to Zurich. The Swiss take punctuality very seriously..trains, trams and busses are punctual to within a minute. If you're late you lose. Late trains from other countries are not tolerated and are barred from entry.
Did they at least allow your train to go to a transfer point within Switzerland so you could transfer to a SBB train?
Austria recently banned Hungarian trains from going through to Vienna because they were running consistently late due to rehabilitation of the main line between Budapest and Gyor.
MidlandMike Ulrich No delays on any of the trains I took in Germany recently..maybe they knew I was coming. On our way from Paris to Zurich, however, our train ran late, and the Swiss would not allow it to enter...thus we had to make alternative arrangements for the last leg to Zurich. The Swiss take punctuality very seriously..trains, trams and busses are punctual to within a minute. If you're late you lose. Late trains from other countries are not tolerated and are barred from entry. Did they at least allow your train to go to a transfer point within Switzerland so you could transfer to a SBB train?
We were dropped off at a small station in France just a few KM from the French/Swiss border. From there we were rebooked on a couple of local trains that eventually got us into Zurich. It was a bit of an ordeal but nothing too terrible. The local trains were overcrowded with standing room only.. I was a bit surprised that they could just cancel the last stop like that given that most passengers on board were headed for Zurich. Lots of grumbling among passengers, mostly among those who have a low tolerance for discomfort and uncertainty.
Switzerland is not in the EU.. they largely play by their own rules and maintain their own currency, the Swiss Franc. But in most respects travel to and from Switzerland is seamless.. there was no border stop or inspection.. it was as if we were travelling to an EU country. Swiss trains are also spotlessly clean.. I don't know how they do it.. but one could eat off the floors.. stations are also emaculate.
UlrichSwiss trains are also spotlessly clean.. I don't know how they do it.
The household cleaning chemicals used over there are much more potent than in the United States. Generally, the Europeans do not necessarily have all the safety and environmental stuff in place that we do in the United States. The whole "Mr Yuk" concept does not exist either. Before globalization hit, long ago there used to be safety issues with their cars which I suspect are fixed now. Such as lack of safety glass, no I beams in the doors for side collisions, etc. They would have to produce cars seperately for the United States market and still do in some respects to this day. The engines were different as well.
Specific memories of their household cleaners in Germany. Hot pink colored toilet bowl cleaner that would prevent air inhalation via fumes if used in a confined space, floor cleaner that would bubble around limestone or mud (I think it was some kind of acid in there). You really had to use rubber gloves over there, none of this bare handed cleaning approach.
These days in Germany, most people prefer to not use harsh chemicals, instead often using "Bio" and "ökologisch" products, i.e., green friendly.
I'm guessing they don't rely on contracted cleaning services that get 30 minutes to clean a station 3x a week.
It's been fun. But it isn't much fun anymore. Signing off for now.
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