Hello, all: Just a brief question.

After reading about all the new eastern European countries to join the
European Union last year, I thought that this would make a good vacation.
Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, etc. The photographs and stories all seems
wonderful. First of all, any horror stories about eastern Europe?

Since I love rail travel I was considering flying to Helsinki (from
Toronto), taking the ferry to Tallinn, Estonia and then taking trains
zigzagging south throughout eastern Europe. A Polish e-mail friend wrote
to me and said that Poland's rail system is terrible and that everyone
travels Poland by bus. Is rail service bad in eastern Europe? I don't
need my trains to run as pin-point efficiently as Japanese trains
(departing on time to the second), but I don't want to face ongoing
aggravations and disasters either.

Any comments would be very gratefully received.

David

WPB <[email protected]> wrote:

    > I was considering flying to Helsinki (from
    > Toronto), taking the ferry to Tallinn, Estonia and then taking trains
    > zigzagging south throughout eastern Europe.

There used to be a train from Tallinn to Warsaw but I believe it no
longer runs. That means that if you want to stick to trains only, you'll
have to go via St Petersburg or possibly Minsk. Be sure to double-triple
check the visa requirements.

cheers,

Henry

"Henry" <[email protected]> kirjoitti viestissä
news:1gu6924.262dsbn71w8bN%[email protected]...
    > WPB <[email protected]> wrote:
    > > I was considering flying to Helsinki (from
    > > Toronto), taking the ferry to Tallinn, Estonia and then taking trains
    > > zigzagging south throughout eastern Europe.
    > There used to be a train from Tallinn to Warsaw but I believe it no
    > longer runs. That means that if you want to stick to trains only, you'll

I guess there have been no departures from Tallinn to Riga and beyond since
1998 or so.

    > have to go via St Petersburg or possibly Minsk. Be sure to double-triple
    > check the visa requirements.
One might consider taking a bus to Riga and from there to about everywhere
in Eastern Europe by train.

"Markku Grönroos" schrieb:

    > > > I was considering flying to Helsinki (from
    > > > Toronto), taking the ferry to Tallinn, Estonia and then taking trains
    > > > zigzagging south throughout eastern Europe.
    > >
    > > There used to be a train from Tallinn to Warsaw but I believe it no
    > > longer runs. That means that if you want to stick to trains only, you'll
    >
    > I guess there have been no departures from Tallinn to Riga and beyond since
    > 1998 or so.

There must have been a Minsk - Tallinn service quite recently but only
in summer. Not sure about routing.

Regards, ULF

mtre adapted

Henry wrote:
    > WPB <[email protected]> wrote:
    >
    >
    >>I was considering flying to Helsinki (from
    >>Toronto), taking the ferry to Tallinn, Estonia and then taking trains
    >>zigzagging south throughout eastern Europe.
    >
    >
    > There used to be a train from Tallinn to Warsaw but I believe it no
    > longer runs. That means that if you want to stick to trains only, you'll
    > have to go via St Petersburg or possibly Minsk. Be sure to double-triple
    > check the visa requirements.

I believe you can use only trains if you go from Tallinn to Valga/Valka
(a small town on the border between Estonia and Latvia), and change to
the train to Riga from there. From Riga there is an overnight train to
Vilnius every second day.

The domestic trains may not be very comfortable and they are generally
slower than the bus, but if you're looking for the experience rather
than efficient transportation, it is not a bad choice.

Some timetables can be found here: http://www.ldz.lv/.

MÃ¥rten

MÃ¥rten Trolin schrieb:

    > the train to Riga from there. From Riga there is

used to be?

    > an overnight train to
    > Vilnius every second day.

Regards, ULF

Ulf Kutzner <[email protected]> writes:

    > MÃ¥rten Trolin schrieb:
    >
    > > the train to Riga from there. From Riga there is
    >
    > used to be?

That's my understanding too. Vair vair sad: it was at least an
experience.

    > > an overnight train to Vilnius every second day.

Des

Many thanks to one and all for such excellent information! I'm grateful
for your time and trouble.

Happy Travels!

David

    >>From Riga there is
    >
    >
    > used to be?
    >
    >
    >>an overnight train to
    >>Vilnius every second day.

According to http://www.ldz.lv/en/timetable/timetable.htm train 459 to
Simferopol stops in Vilnius. However, it seems it is in service only
during the summer.

MÃ¥rten

Hi,

And you will take the ferry to Tallin? I recommend to use not the Silja
line operated boats. The service is pretty lame since not all their
personal speaks English and sometimes they don't speak even Finnish!

Maarit


MÃ¥rten Trolin wrote:
    >>> From Riga there is
    >> used to be?
    >>> an overnight train to
    >>> Vilnius every second day.
    >
    >
    > According to http://www.ldz.lv/en/timetable/timetable.htm train 459 to
    > Simferopol stops in Vilnius. However, it seems it is in service only
    > during the summer.
    >
    > MÃ¥rten

"Business traveler" <[email protected]> kirjoitti viestissä
news:[email protected]...
    > Hi,
    > And you will take the ferry to Tallin? I recommend to use not the Silja
    > line operated boats. The service is pretty lame since not all their
    > personal speaks English and sometimes they don't speak even Finnish!
Huh! Even been to Ahvenenmaa ?

"Business traveler" <[email protected]> skrev i meddelandet
news:[email protected]...
    > Hi,
    > And you will take the ferry to Tallin? I recommend to use not the Silja
    > line operated boats. The service is pretty lame since not all their
    > personal speaks English and sometimes they don't speak even Finnish!
    > Maarit



Which language do they speak?
--
Luigi ( un italiano che vive in Svezia)

https://www.scaiecat-spa-gigi.com/sv...e-i-bionaz.php

"Luigi Donatello Asero" <[email protected]> kirjoitti viestissä
news:[email protected]...
    > "Business traveler" <[email protected]> skrev i meddelandet
    > news:[email protected]...
    > > Hi,
    > >
    > > And you will take the ferry to Tallin? I recommend to use not the Silja
    > > line operated boats. The service is pretty lame since not all their
    > > personal speaks English and sometimes they don't speak even Finnish!
    > >
    > > Maarit
    > Which language do they speak?

Depending on particular crew members: Finnish, Swedish, Estonian,
English......