#TokeriiBergslagen
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dominicstucki.ch
Zürich HB 🇨🇭. Finally. After 5100km and 34 trains, this is the end of #TokeriiBergslagen and my first full travel thread here on Bsky. Thanks for reading, liking, commenting and sharing. 😊
Oh, and: 1 bulle every second train or every 300km sounds completely reasonable, doesn't it? DOESN'T IT? 😬😋
SBB logo on a red class Re 460 locomotive in Zurich's trainshed at night. Passengers leaving the platform.
April 6, 2025 at 8:50 PM
dominicstucki.ch
The next day is quickly told: RE7 to Neumünster, ICE to Zürich. After Frankfurt, the moment I feared: Time for the last of all the bullar on this trip. 😥
And of course, our train is terminated short at Basel, which means: Emergency Pizza! 😋
📟 Bullar counter (final): 17
#TokeriiBergslagen
RE7 service, worked by a Bombardier Twindexx in SH livery at the platform in Flensburg ICE 4 pulls into Neumünster station. (A person in the image was removed digitally) Kardemummabulle on a Gateau paper bag and a DB branded cup of coffee on a seatback table in the ICE Deliciously looking Pizza at the platform of Basel SBB
April 6, 2025 at 8:41 PM
dominicstucki.ch
There is a lovely old centre in Flensburg, but dare I say, the bulle situation is dreadful. 😬 Import bulle and tea it is for desert.
📟 Bullar counter: 16
#TokeriiBergslagen
Old, brightly illuminated building on top of a little hill in Flensburg's old town. Supermarket Kardemummabulle on a brown coop bag next to a cup of tea.
April 6, 2025 at 8:31 PM
dominicstucki.ch
You could change for a train to Germany in Tinglev. But that would be too easy, wouldn't it?
So we stay in the train until Gråsten on the cruelly underserved Sønderborg branch. Another of these neglected rural Danish stations, but there is a connecting bus to Flensburg 🇩🇪.
#TokeriiBergslagen
The red class ER rubber nose train at the small station of Gråsten during blue hour The lovely old station building during blue hour. There's absolutely nobody around. Sign "Rutebiler" at the station building, pointing to a bus stop in the distance, where a yellow bus waits. A dark green bus at Flensburg coach station at night.
April 6, 2025 at 8:22 PM
dominicstucki.ch
Semla & coffee, as recommended by @ayranundspeck.bsky.social a few days before, while we cross Denmark. 😋
Strangely, free coffee in DSB's 1st class is instant coffee, which you have to make yourself from a thermos flask with hot water and Nescafe powder. Was it always like this? 🤔
#TokeriiBergslagen
A semla and a DSB branded cup of coffee on a seatback table Sunset over the flat landscape of Jylland. A small creek in the foreground.
April 6, 2025 at 8:13 PM
dominicstucki.ch
No worries! We just change to the IC Lyntog, which starts from here. Actually there is a rather large depot outside the station, which I didn't know before. It's a DSB class IR electric "rubber nose", not as comfortable as the older diesel version, but still fantastic. 🥰
#TokeriiBergslagen
DSB class ER "rubber nose" train enters Copenhagen Airport station. Comfortable grey seats with a distinctive rectangular design in the IR4 train.
April 6, 2025 at 8:07 PM
dominicstucki.ch
Well, then... Goodbye, Sweden! 😥
Øresundståg takes us from Malmö's underground platforms across the Öresundsbron 🇸🇪/🇩🇰 to Copenhagen's ... Airport? 🤔
Wait, what?!
#TokeriiBergslagen
A red Snälltåget Vectron a a black SJ Rc6 locomotive side by side in the brightly sunlit trainshed of Malmö C. An Øresundståg EMU is pulling in the underground station of Malmö C. View from the Öresund bridge across the sea. Øresundståg at the platform at the rather grey Copenhagen Airport station.
April 6, 2025 at 7:57 PM
dominicstucki.ch
The train has a handy 20 minutes stop at Malmö, which is enough to get some Bullar at Gateau. Today, however, the Snälltåget service was even terminated short here due to the lack of drivers. Information in the train was only in Swedish, which confused many Tourists.
#TokeriiBergslagen
White Snälltåget carriage outside the trainshed of Malmö C. Another Snälltåget train with white coaches and a red Vectron waits for departure at an opposite platform. DMI at the platform: "14:29 Köpenhamn H: tåget är inställt."
April 6, 2025 at 7:51 PM
dominicstucki.ch
But unlike the SJ trains, the Snälltåget service features a real dining car, called "Krogen"! However, a reservation is recommended: Every seat was taken, when I popped by. Take-away coffee is self service, including the payment.
📟 Bullar counter: 15.
#TokeriiBergslagen
Buffet with pot's of coffee, hot water, milk, oatly and a few other things in the dining car. Southern Sweden's flat landscape outside the window. The red dining car with the word "Krogen" written on it, from the outside in a large trainshed. Snälltåget branded cup of coffee and a Kanelbulle from Gateau on the seatback table.
April 6, 2025 at 7:44 PM
dominicstucki.ch
There is no 1st class and 2nd is far from the luxurious SJ X2. But given their age, the coaches have been well refurbished and are reasonably comfortable. Nearly every seat is occupied (photos taken at the terminus). Really curious why there is no SJ train, given that demand.
#TokeriiBergslagen
Interior of the ex German coach with modern seats with a black moquette, fake wood panels, wooden tables and modern luggage racks. Headrest of a seat with the Snälltåget logo on it Seatback table folded out. Not huge, but enough to place a snack on it. View from the train: A large lake just next to the rail tracks.
April 6, 2025 at 7:37 PM
dominicstucki.ch
But competition does what it should here: Snälltåget steps into the breach: The private operator runs a service between the X2, which - unlike SJ - also crosses the Öresund to Copenhagen. Interrail is accepted, so it's former German InterRegion coaches instead of X2 luxury for us.
#TokeriiBergslagen
A rec Vectron locomotive with a Snälltåget logo and a rake of white coaches arrives at platform 1 White coach, a former German one, with Swedish city names written on it in large stencil letters.
April 6, 2025 at 7:29 PM
dominicstucki.ch
Norrköping station the next morning. Time to go home. 😥
Absurdly enough, there is a 3 hrs gap in SJ's X2 services between Stockholm and Malmö, the country's 3rd biggest city and gateway to most of Europe. You want to travel in the morning? Well, don't.
#TokeriiBergslagen
A white historic building in the morning sunshine. A colourful EMU and behind it a Mälartåg double decker at the station's platforms. Screenshot from bahn.de. There is a 3hrs gap in the X2 departures from Stockholm: 06:25,07:24, ..., 10:23. However, there is an IC train at 09:13 inbetween...
April 6, 2025 at 7:21 PM
dominicstucki.ch
Arrival in Norrköping. Which not only features one of Sweden's rare tram networks, but seems to be a rather interesting and lovely town with a good vibe and a lot of water and industrial heritage. Too bad that we only see it at night.
#TokeriiBergslagen
Norrköping station at blue hour A yellow tramcar outside the station Old industrial buildings, now repurposed, along canals at night. Old buildings along a canal with a waterfall at night.
April 6, 2025 at 9:37 AM
dominicstucki.ch
Last train for the day: A really crammed SJ X40 double decker. These units are really too small for the demand on the Gävle-Linköping line. Maybe SJ should exchange them for some of the TiB ER1, which, to me, seem too big for their lines...?
#TokeriiBergslagen
SJ X40 double decker at the platform in Stockholm C. Sunset over a lake, seen from the train.
April 6, 2025 at 9:31 AM
dominicstucki.ch
Used to the quieter small-town Sweden, there are way too many people here for our liking. We retreat to a Gateau branch at a quieter part of Stockholm C.
📟 Bullar counter: 14
#TokeriiBergslagen
A Kardemummabulle on a Gateau paper bag and a Pressbyrån-branded cup of coffee on my legs. View from the waiting area down to the tracks an X2 Snabbtåg just leaves the station in the golden evening light.
April 6, 2025 at 9:25 AM
dominicstucki.ch
In case you don't know what I meant: These are two examples of newer Tunnelbana stations. A true piece of art! 😍
#TokeriiBergslagen
Metro station cut into the bare rock. The rock is covered by sprayed concrete and painted in a bright blue at the bottom and in white with plant-like blue patterns at the ceiling. Tunnelbana station cut into the bare rock. Red-white-green and black-and-white patterns on the floor and painted onto the rock. Strange, maybe roman-inspired columns to both sides of the tunnel. Platform with the same red-white-green pattern and bare rock walls. A tunnelbana train just arrived. Platform with the blue sprayed concrete walls.
April 6, 2025 at 9:20 AM
dominicstucki.ch
Quick visit to the Citybanan commuter train trunk line, which I've never visited before. Knowing the design of Stockholm's Tunelbana stations, I was rather underwhelmed. Also bad passenger flow management and poor signage. But the precision breaking aid displays are pretty cool.
#TokeriiBergslagen
New Citybanan underground station with brown tiles and a white roof, lit up by purple lights. It all looks rather crammed, despite the size of the platform. Narrow and already a bit grim looking long escalator down to Citybanan. The sides of the tunnel are covered in dark and light grey tiles. Display next to the track, showing the train driver the distance left until he has to stop in order to line up the train with the platform screen doors. Display next to the track, showing the train driver the distance left until he has to stop in order to line up the train with the platform screen doors.
April 6, 2025 at 9:12 AM
dominicstucki.ch
Way to soon, we arrive in the ugly parking garage that is Stockholms Central. The TÅGAB train reverses here and returns to Kristinehamn.
#TokeriiBergslagen
The TÅGAB train with the grey-red carriages at Stockholm Central. Zoom Photo across the Mälaren to the main station, which the TÅGAB train is about to leave. City buildings in the background. The TÅGAB train crosses the bridge across Söderström. Stockholm's old town in the background. Typical tourist photo of Riddarholmen with the yellow-wish painted old houses and Riddarholmskyrkan.
April 6, 2025 at 9:02 AM
dominicstucki.ch
All in all, a very enjoyable ride with TÅGAB. The trains run once or twice a day, very irregularly and only in the 2nd half of the week (what is this business model?!). Interrail is accepted, but you need a free reservation which you obtain the same way as for SJ trains on sj.se.
#TokeriiBergslagen
Poster advertising the Kiosk (SEK 30 for coffee and bulle) next to the emergency brake lever and the heating control. Old sign reading that you're not allowed to throw things outside, which can cause a fire to other damage (but other things I'm apparently allowed to throw out the window?) A classic first class compartmemt The highly irregular and unsystematic timetable for the (Goteborg-) Karlstad-Stockholm TÅGAB services.
April 6, 2025 at 8:53 AM
dominicstucki.ch
Of course, the train's Kiosk in a converted compartment of a 2nd class carriage has to be visited. Coffee is free for 1st class customers and I was lucky enough to get a free, warm bulle with it from the nice lady, even if that's not included in the ticket. 😊
📟 Bullar counter: 13
#TokeriiBergslagen
View along the aisle: Two customers lean in the Kiosk compartment's open door. The Kiosk is marked with a sign at the ceiling. Cup of coffee and a Kanelbulle on the table back at my seat.
April 6, 2025 at 8:41 AM
dominicstucki.ch
Off we go! And #FensterAuf in an empty compartment. 😊
Given their age, the coaches are really quiet-running. First class is nearly empty and heavenly quiet, but there are way more people in second class than I thought there would be. I guess about 20% of the seats are occupied.
#TokeriiBergslagen
View along the train through a half-opened window. View from the train: A lake in a forest. View along the train from a half-open window. The rake is well visible going through a curve in a forest The locomotive seen from the front end door of our carriage
April 6, 2025 at 8:33 AM
dominicstucki.ch
Why, apart from being complete nerds, would anyone take this old train instead of SJ's Snabbtåg, you might ask?
Well, a) because it's cheaper. And b): Which modern train gives you this level of comfort?! That's not a seat, that's a goddamn couch! 🥰
#TokeriiBergslagen
View of a compartment in the open plan first class carriage. Old, grey, well padded and huge seats looking extremely comfy. Wooden panels at the walls, a lake outside the window. Overview of the first class compartment. The seats recline far back, but you can also set them upright. Old glass lampshades at the ceiling. Wood everywhere. Detail of the grey moquette and the winged headrest with a white pillow. View of a vis-à-vis group of four seats with a large wooden table.
April 6, 2025 at 8:25 AM
dominicstucki.ch
One highlight follows another on this trip. We're back at Karlstad C the next day and this is our next train! 👇😍
We're booked on TÅGAB's quirky Thu to Sun only Karlstad- Stockholm service. Yes, this is a regular service, not a heritage railtour!
#TokeriiBergslagen
A rake of old passenger carriages in silver livery with a red band and slam doors on the platform. The destination board in the door window reads "Stockholm" Sliver-red retro carriages at the brand new platform in Karlstad C View along the train at the platform A black ex SJ Rc6 with the TÅGAB logo pulls the train into Karlstad C.
April 6, 2025 at 8:04 AM
dominicstucki.ch
Bus-train connection in Kil, where we spot an interesting train (any idea what it is for?), before a Regina brings us back to Karlstad. The successful photo day is celebrated with another bulle, which I scandalously forgot to take a picture of.
📟 Bullar counter: 12
#TokeriiBergslagen
Kil station. A narrow platform for passenger trains and a lot of sidings with freight waggons on it. A black and orange old class Rc? Locomotive with a single old silver-red passenger carriage attached. A Värmlandstrafik Regina arriving at the platform. Another Regina, a blue and white SJ version, arrives on a track further to the left. Blue hour in Karlstad's city centre with a range of colours from orange to dark blue in the sky.
April 6, 2025 at 7:38 AM
dominicstucki.ch
Oh, and can we please take a minute to admire Värmlandstrafik's absolutely ace new corporate design? 😍
Timetables, information screens, bus livery: All very clean but bright with a beautiful logo in a warm yellow colour and great typography. This is how you do it! 🥰
#TokeriiBergslagen
Värmlandstrafik's logo. A stylised black flower long dark yellow background with a Grotesk font. Very cleanly layouted timetable at a bus stop. Clean no-nonsense passenger information screen in the bus. A yellow band with the line number, destination and time at the top, then the next three stops below. All in the company's corporate font and colours. A yellow bus with the Värmlandstrafik's logo and name at the side. At the back, a large logo is applied in the form of a transparent but matte vinyl sticker - you can only clearly see it in the right lighting conditions.
April 6, 2025 at 7:28 AM