Apart from that, the bus is pretty nice and ok for working in, at least in the 'comfort seat' I've booked. I have an outlet for my laptop and great leg room. I'd still prefer rail, just to get rid of the uneven motion which is there, even on the freeway, but needs must. Not crowded here at all and great views.
Anyone else going to #ndn2024 ?
#CphBergenRail
Encouragement: One of the nice people involved in my booking told me that they were seeing a general increase in demand for rail travel. If you're planning to travel for work, definitely try to see if your agency can arrange rail/bus for you. It will likely mean extra work for both parties and it may not feel worth the effort for a single trip, but if this helps make rail travel a choice that's as simple as flying the knock-on effects could be enourmous.
#CphBergenRail
Second point: Planning and booking is too complicated. @jon does this in depth, here's another example: Only bahn.de could provide a full itinerary. But trying to book it hit the snag that Swedish rail was planning works on the line on those dates, which only showed up on their own page. Later on, it looked like the line was clear again(?), but by then it was no longer relevant.
#CphBergenRail
Here are two points and an encouragement about travelling #crossBorderRail for work:
First point: Travel agencies lack integration with rail companies. I could have booked a flight just by writing a mail and the bill would have 'vanished'. To book a train I had to use the company credit card, hang on the phone with the booker with a colleague standing by to authorize payment in the app. For corporate use, friction really needs to be minimised, and it totally isn't at the moment.
#CphBergenRail
Good news: I'm on my way. In the end I take the bus to Oslo: Vybuss could sell a combined bus/night train ticket. As for what can be learned from this attempt at avoiding flying on the job, see the following toots.
Anyone with tips on where to have dinner and chill out near #Oslo station?
My schedule: Copenhagen 12.10 - Oslo 20.20 (Bus, 5 stops)
Oslo 23.03 - Bergen 06.27 (sleeping cabin, train, 19 stops)
Return friday:
Bergen 23.00 - Oslo 06.27
Oslo 07.30 - Copenhagen 15.55
#CphBergenRail
Updates coming!
But first: Sorry, messed up the threading, missing toots here:
https://social.data.coop/@niels/112801291391150629
https://social.data.coop/@niels/112801296391306945
Luckily, there's an email address I can contact. I write and ask how to book a train. The reply is that I need to tell them when I want to travel, and they'll send an offer for confirmation. To book it, I have to call them with a credit card for online payment. I send them my suggested itinerary.
This looks ok, I can work in the train between Copenhagen and Oslo, and then sleep between Oslo and Bergen. Let me book it! My workplace uses myCWT.com as travel agency. The W is for Wagons-Lits, sounds promising.
Creating a new journey, I face the pic below. Not promising.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compagnie_Internationale_des_Wagons-Lits
For a start I'll just do some checking myself to see if this is even feasible by rail. The home pages of Danish/Norwegian/Swedish rail didn't work well for me, but https://bahn.de found a connection:
Copenhagen 13.30 - 17.20 Göteborg
Göteborg 18.08 - 22.02 Oslo
Oslo 23.03 - 06.27 Bergen
Bergen 23.00 - 06.27 Oslo
Oslo 07.58 - 11.45 Göteborg
Göteborg 12.40 - 16.29 Copenhagen
Is it possible to do #CrossBorderRail as a corporate traveller? I'm about to find out.
I'll be going to #NDN2024 in Bergen in September. As I've already done more than my fair share of planetburning I thought to take the train Copenhagen-Bergen and back.
Follow the tag #CphBergenRail or check this thread to get the updates.
