Schienenersatzverkehr

...or as some may know it, Rail replacement (bus) service and the horror of all commuters. Bad enough when it is a short term measure due to an emergency or breakdown situation. However in our part of the world an annual event which starts in Spring and lasts till Autumn. Our main line rail track are amongst the oldest (less modern) in Germany, still using diesel locomotives for the route from Munich to Lindau on Lake Constance and then on to Zürich in Switzerland.

Yesterday's Swiss earthquake was not responsible for Angie's adventures in getting to and from work, but the latest track improvements works further up the line closer to Munich, which means getting off the train (30 train minutes from Munich) and taking the one hour bus replacement service. The same game getting home. She left yesterday at 5:30am and got home at 8:00pm. I was putting the horses to bed as she came home and thought she would simply collapse in to her bed. But then suddenly she emerged in wet weather gear and wooly hat, announcing she had to go out for a good walk over the fields with the dogs to recover from 14 hours of sitting.

Some trains are allowed through, including the Bliped one - the Swiss Zürich to Munich service, pulled by two German diesel locomotives. While one welcomes the electrification of the track, there will not be a substantial improvement in service as the line will remain largely single track and thus not able to increase the number of services. Currently the 300km journey takes 4 hours, after electrification 3.5 hours.

Theoretically Angie's type of annual rail ticket would allow her to use the service but it doesn't stop at our station.So she has to try and find ways around the problems with her group of regulars on the train.

Our morning walk along the track this morning was rather less problematic and happened to meet one of the girls who works in our previous GPs practice, out walking her dog. So had a pleasant chat and update on all the latest news.