Jon Worth
Welcome to the #LongestTrainEU #CrossBorderRail record breaking thread!
This train journey starts in Kemijärvi 🇫🇮 and ends in Lagos 🇵🇹
18 trains, 100 hours 9 minutes, 4008km as the crow flies, 6281 route-km
The background to this project is here:
https://longestjourney.crossborderrail.eu/
And the live tracking throughout is here:
https://longestjourneylive.crossborderrail.eu/
Jon Worth
No
Train cancelled
It has all broken in Haparanda 😭
Jon Worth
And it looks like the most delicate train tomorrow is scheduled to get *to* Haparanda, and hence I can take it back to Boden
https://1409.se/position?tagNr=7182&datum=2026-09-08&lang=en&trainID=6124114
Jon Worth
This is the data discrepancy between the screen at Kemi (no train to Haparanda shown tomorrow) and Finntraffic's website where a train is shown (and it is on VR's site too)
Jon Worth
And why there is a 6 finger hand on the train door, thanks to @saruwine - 2006 article https://yle.fi/aihe/a/20-24799
Jon Worth
And finally a few photos from the day
Jon Worth
So that was Day 1 #LongestTrainEU #CrossBorderRail
Here's today's summary video from Kemi
Jon Worth
Can some Finn please explain this road sign seen in Kemijärvi earlier?
Is it "you will only hit elk on the roads in half of Finland"? Is there some elk wall across the middle of the country?
EDIT: OK, it's a reindeer herding area
But I have questions!
The antlers on that sign are wrong.
And given I was a LONG way into the area, why do I need the map?
Jon Worth
Hmmm 🤨
The live tracking thinks I have barely left Rovaniemi
But I most definitely have, and am two thirds of the way to Kemi
I simply cannot get any decent GPS signal here, even between carriages
Jon Worth
Here's the whole playlist
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQfeggpU3vqA
Jon Worth
Here's the #LongestTrainEU music track for Kemijärvi – Kemi
Found thanks to this post:
https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:h3nidwinjauzechkk5o5ldi5/post/3mtyl7liprc2d
Vicky Rosti - Menolippu
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji1uFe0ma5Y
Full playlist on Youtube
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQfeggpU3vqA
Jon Worth
Off on time from Kemijärvi, after having presented a small plaque to the city administration.
And I have a timer running the whole trip as well - from the moment the door closed at Kemijärvi to the moment it opens in Lagos!
Jon Worth
274
19:00 Kemijärvi - Kemi 22:27
Distance: 198km (11th of 18)
Avg speed: 57km/h (16th of 18)
3 stops:
Misi
Rovaniemi
Kemi
🚆 mapped: https://umap.openstreetmap.fr/en/map/eu-longest-train-journey_1427743#9/66.235202/25.965020
Jon Worth
#CrossBorderRail #LongestTrainEU Record Attempt Train 1 of 18
274
19:00 Kemijärvi - Kemi 22:27
VR
Train type: SLM, ABB Sr2 Lok 2000, 9 double deck sleeping cars, 2 double deck carriages, 1 single deck restaurant, 2 car wagons
⚡️ (25kV ac)
🚲: ✅
🦽: ✅ (ramp if station not step free)
🛜: ✅
🍽️: ✅
🧳: 🙂
🧽: 🙂 (spotless inside, windows a little grimy)
Interrail: 🙂 (accepted)
Peter Krefting
@jon @sebwilken @tml @Jonas_Bostrom @stefanlindbohm Those things take everything from a few hours to half a day to fix, down south where there are a lot of trains.
Up north off the main lines, who knows. Depends how long they have to travel to get to the troubled spot.
The rail replacement taxi will be in the Interrail system, so should be fine for the record attempt?
Anyway, the worst timing possible...
Jon Worth
So I just called Norrtåg
There is a power line down somewhere. If it is fixed in time, 7185 will be a train. If it is NOT fixed in time it will be a bus... 🤔
So how bad is this power line failure?
Jon Worth
Most important: can any people even better versed in the mess of Swedish rail that me tell me what the chances are that Norrtåg 7185 Haparanda - Boden - Luleå is going to ALSO be replaced by a bus?
It currently looks like it will be a train...
Jon Worth
Right then, this post outlines my options
1) Change my rules, take the rail replacement bus, and do major re-planning, and lower risk connections
2) Stick to my rules, and rely on tight connections later on in the journey
Input welcome! I lean towards 2)
https://crossborderrail.eu/messy-options-from-haparanda-to-hamburg/
Jon Worth
So I could...
Change my rules, take a rail replacement bus Haparanda - Boden, anyway miss my connection in Boden, and re-plan and be on schedule by Hamburg - with some buffer
Wait for the next train, and massively re-plan, and rely on a 11 minute connection Snälltåget to Nightjet in Hamburg... 😭
Peter Krefting
@jon @sebwilken @tml @Jonas_Bostrom @stefanlindbohm The inbound trip is listed as "await time", so the chances of it arriving Haparanda in time to turn around seem slim.
Peter Krefting
@tml @jon @sebwilken @Jonas_Bostrom @stefanlindbohm Maybe the trains they need to run there are stuck on the wrong branch line?
Interestingly, Haparanda is not listed as an impacted station on Trafikverket's page, so it didn't really make sense
Tor Lillqvist
@jon @nafmo @sebwilken @Jonas_Bostrom @stefanlindbohm Well, I guess if Trafikverket says they need the whole line Boden–Murjek for urgent maintenance, Norrtåg can not say "but we only need to use it for a couple of kilometres a couple of times per day pretty please!?" Ordnung muss sein! Safety First!
Jon Worth
@nafmo @sebwilken @tml @Jonas_Bostrom @stefanlindbohm but the problem is between Boden and Murjek: https://www.trafikverket.se/trafikinformation/meddelanden/?Counties=25&Filtertype=trainMessage The question then is WHERE, and if this impacts the small part of the track exiting Boden that the line to Haparanda takes?
Peter Krefting
@tml @jon @sebwilken @Jonas_Bostrom @stefanlindbohm If I look up Boden, the problem is listed there, with a prognosis of being fixed night to Wednesday...
Jon Worth
This video explains what is going on: https://peertube.netzbegruenung.de/w/492iv19KegdFh6hW4TNDj7
At about 1100 CEST I will likely know what will happen - if train 7184 leaves Luleå headed to Haparanda, as that turns around here and should be the 13:47 departure (train 7185) to Boden
Jon Worth
And if you look at the data for Boden the "Elfel" (electric fault) is only towards Kiruna
I reckon 7185 *could* run, if Norrtåg wants it to. Let's see if they want it to run!
https://www.trafikverket.se/trafikinformation/tag/?Station=Boden+C&ArrDep=departure
Jon Worth
Trains *are* running in Boden C: https://www.trafikverket.se/trafikinformation/tag/?Station=Boden+C&ArrDep=departure
Peter Krefting
@jon https://norrtag.se/trafiklaget/#/today lists Buddbyn as the location, which is indeed the other branch.
It also lists all today's trains from Haparanda as cancelled :-/
Jon Worth
So this is the likely new timetable
I think
I hope!
Red ones I did not reserve yet
Jon Worth
Looks like the 13:47 Haparanda - Boden is *also* cancelled So I *might* be able to leave Haparanda at 19:38, and then get the night train at 22:18 from Boden
So I *might* be able to leave Haparanda at 19:38, and then get the night train at 22:18 from Boden to Stockholm - have reserved a (cancellable) bed on that in case it does work 🙂
Peter Krefting
@jon Google Maps gives a route of 4 621 km, so not *that* far off. It might have been 4 811 at the time the sign was erected, though.
Jon Worth
I think their Lisbon number is off
I hope their Lisbon number is off! 😆
Haparanda mini golf course
Jon Worth
The kind people at the Tornio art gallery gave me a warm place to sit and work - super
This piece they have it entitled “Waiting for a Norrtåg train”
Jon Worth
And if this train does NOT go tonight from Haparanda to Boden, I would *then* be relying on a 3 minute connection in Badajoz on the final day 😭 😭 😭 😭
I SOOOO hope Norrtåg manages to run later today.
Jon Worth
The bridge!
Jon Worth
Here’s this morning’s intro video from Haparanda
There will be a train this morning, but the incoming one has a small delay…
Jon Worth
THERE IS A TRAIN DEPARTING LULEÅ FOR HAPARANDA 🥳🥳🥳
Jon Worth
Suspense! #LongestTrainEU #CrossBorderRail
The train to Haparanda is scheduled to leave Luleå in 30 minutes, to Haparanda.
Will it go? 🤔
https://1409.se/position?tagNr=7182&trainID=6129105&datum=2026-09-09&lang=en
Jon Worth
Here’s today’s #LongestTrainEU #CrossBorderRail summary
I managed only 29km and 1 train today
Lagos feels a long way away!
https://peertube.netzbegruenung.de/w/iJTfwcecEoKmMRsvdmp6xs
More tomorrow…
Jon Worth
We have a soundtrack for Haparanda too 🙂 #LongestTrainEU
The Animals - We Gotta Get Out Of This Place
Jon Worth
At the moment there is nothing to indicate Luleå - Haparanda tomorrow will not run: https://1409.se/position?tagNr=7182&trainID=6129105&datum=2026-09-09&lang=en
And that train then turns around and should convey me from Haparanda to Boden https://1409.se/position?tagNr=7183&trainID=6130801&datum=2026-09-09&lang=en
But I am only going to know at 5am if it is going to work or not...
Jon Worth
Before and after...
Before the evening train Haparanda - Boden was cancelled, and after
And the bridge my first visit to Haparanda - Tornio in 2022, and the bridge today
Jon Worth
And yes I AM ALLOWED to go through Switzerland, as its lines are in the Single European Rail Area - it is allowed by the rules 🙂 https://crossborderrail.eu/longestjourney/
Jon Worth
Aaaaaand with only two hours of re-timetabling, aaaaand hoping tomorrow's Haparanda - Boden actually departs and runs on time, THERE IS A NEW TIMETABLE!
Or two 😂
Screenshot 1: getting to Genève or Mulhouse
Screenshot 2: getting from those to Lagos
Jon Worth
Meanwhile in other amusing dysfunctions: the Interrail reservations on paper I would have needed in Portugal, had I been on time, have still not exited Portugal recorded post 😂
They were dispatched 26 August
Jon Worth
Aaand this evening’s train is cancelled too
I am going to have to try again tomorrow 😡
Peter Krefting
@jon I saw some shenanigans about the train arriving and departing on different platforms, and a mention of an "engine fault" that then suddenly disappeared.
So, continuing with just a minor 1440 minute delay compared to the original schedule?
Jon Worth
It worked! They switched sets in Boden, so I don’t even have to leave the train I was on. #LongestTrainEU continues towards Umeå! 🥳
Jon Worth
Also credit where it's due, 1409 is an amazing tool
Gives delay at interim points as well as stations
https://1409.se/position?tagNr=7183&trainID=6130801&datum=2026-09-09&lang=en
Jon Worth
And the Luleå - Boden - Umeå is LATE heading towards Boden
And it has to turn around there...
Might this still work?
My train is +4...
Jon Worth
OMG 😳
I cannot believe this
We get to Kalix, train doesn't go
Turns out two passengers don't have tickets, and the train manager is trying to kick them off
I'm stressed, go check what's happening, and one of the two starts swearing at me... in French!
And I then, as calm as I can as this might totally mess up my trip, reply back in French that we need the train to go.
And then after more swearing he leaves, and we're away +5.
Jon Worth
There is a train!
Peter Krefting
@Jonas_Bostrom @kristianaas @jon Well, they do. They don't just present it in a useful way, which is why 1409 exists.
All the data comes from Trafikverket.
Jonas Boström
@kristianaas @jon Although in a perfect world, Trafikverket would provide that information.
Kristian Skjellum Aas
@jon 1409 is brilliant - a life saver when we encountered severe power outages in Skåne earlier this summer. Made replanning a lot easier.
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