New NJB Video: Passenger Trains Suck in Canada, Part 1
Added 2020-07-11 18:00:03 +0000 UTCMy latest video is up! It's a little different this time, as it doesn't really talk about the Netherlands much.
I want to make some future videos about train travel in the Netherlands, but rather than try to compare them to Canada in each video (which is futile), I felt like I needed to get one video out that summarizes what it's like to take the train where I'm from (Ontario, Canada).
This is "Part 1" of this topic, because I want to say more, but I think I'll wait quite a while before I make "Part 2": there's only so much complaining about crappy trains that I need on the channel at one time. :) This at least lets my Dutch viewers understand where I'm coming from.
Comments
Hopefully in the summer!
Jason
2021-02-03 19:53:36 +0000 UTCAny hopes for Part 2 happening soon?
Bytor
2021-02-03 19:52:24 +0000 UTCHah! True! But part of that is because Flevoland was only built in the 1970s. Still, I suppose in most other countries, Flevoland would only be accessible by car or bus.
Jason
2020-12-04 15:21:02 +0000 UTCWe travelled a few years ago on the Lelystad–Zwolle railway from Amsterdam to Dronten to collect new bikes and were stunned to read afterwards about how the rail line was built from scratch in this century! to a schedule that would be completely impossible in the other countries I’ve lived in over the years (UK, Germany and even Switzerland). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lelystad–Zwolle_railway
Andrew Hale
2020-12-04 15:13:22 +0000 UTC17 hours on a train! That sounds awesome! But then I like trains. 😁 It's really crazy to me that trains can take longer than driving the same route (station to station anyway). It's a train! It should be fast and efficient!
Jason
2020-07-22 20:01:17 +0000 UTCThis blogpost has a nice overview (in dutch) of all things happening in the Rotterdam urban environment after the virus struck. https://www.bartroorda.nl/upgrade-rotterdam
Marne von Z
2020-07-21 15:24:09 +0000 UTCOh, the Canadian trains! The pain of my existence. My partner and I visit his parents for Christmas every year and the trip from Vancouver to the Interior of BC (near Mount Robson Provincial Park) is a 17-hour ordeal, while driving takes about 8 hours. As you say, only train fanatics and committed environmentalists like myself would endure such a journey! Or those with no option to drive like students...
Ana
2020-07-18 20:41:36 +0000 UTCYes, I've taken the train quite often in Germany. I find the quality and speed of the trains changes quite a bit depending on where you're going. I suppose if you're going to have provlems with the train, it's better to be because they're too popular, than the problem of nobody taking them, but it's still quite frustrating. I do hope that European countries put more resources into their train networks, especially making travel between countries easier.
Jason
2020-07-12 15:44:07 +0000 UTCI'm not familiar enough yet with the train system in the Netherlands, but I believe that most of the delays are related to the lines being overcrowded. So that even small changes to one train can quickly lead to delays to others. But maybe someone here more knowledgeable can comment. 😉
Jason
2020-07-12 15:30:49 +0000 UTCWe asked them why they weigh the bags, and apparently it's because if they're over 22kg (50 lbs) then they don't allow you to carry them on yourself due to "safety reasons". They don't trust people to carry them up the stairs. One of the things I really like about the trains in the Netherlands is the OV Chipkaart. Many countries have contactless cards for trains and transit, but the difference with the OV Chipkaart is that it works everywhere in the country, instead of having different card systems for different cities. Also, I did not live in Groningen, but I did visit for a week last summer. I've been to Zwolle too, but only for a day, and I didn't spend much time in the centre. Maybe that's a good choice!
Jason
2020-07-12 15:27:57 +0000 UTCOh yes, I'm pretty familiar with Brussels. I lived there for two years! 😁 I don't think we ever took the train within Belgium though, but we did take the Thalys, TGV, and Eurostar to other countries. For travel within Belgium we always drove, because like many office workers in Belgium, my wife had a company car that we could use. It was crazy how many people had company cars there!
Jason
2020-07-12 15:20:58 +0000 UTCBut in northern und eastern ger trains really do work like a charm! Thanks for sharing how it's like in Canada!
Oskar Scheding
2020-07-12 10:14:19 +0000 UTCThe trains in Canada really do sound horrible. We have great trains in Germany but there is quite a lot of debate surrounding them because of massive delays especially in the western part (North Rhine-Westphalia Area) caused by bottleneck stations and massive ridership numbers.
Oskar Scheding
2020-07-12 10:12:05 +0000 UTCVisit Brussels! I is the hel for trains with is bottleneck railroad system from Brussels-North to Brussels-South.
Toon Huygen
2020-07-11 21:47:39 +0000 UTCI also like trains in the Netherlands. The only thing that bothers me is delays. And it's not the fact that sometimes I have to wait additional time, but that I can't understand why there are so much delays. I came from Russia. They have really outdated trains and cars, they have strange schedules for suburban trains. For example in Moscow there used to be a pause in couple of hours between trains in the middle of a day. But there are almost no delays, even there are near 100 suburban trains per day on one direction. And Moscow has 9 big railways terminals. So NS delays surprise me very much.
Arthur Alikulov
2020-07-11 21:06:37 +0000 UTCLovely video. Thanks for bringing me more knowledge of trains in Canada. Even though service suck, the locomotives look impressive! Why do they weigh your bags anyway? Do you need to pay extra? And it doesn’t cost them more diesel to move a heavy bag? Although Dutch trains are not perfect, I can always rely on them. It is apparently a national hobby to complain about the NS, but I find it everything perfectly arranged with nice staff, punctual arrival and good modern trains. Before COVID-19 I was used to travel from Groningen to Amsterdam twice a week by train. 99% always on time. And always place to sit. Looking forward to your other videos. Regarding places to visit. I would say Groningen, but I think you lived there for a while, so not so sure if that is impressive. About where to go: Maybe you can go to Zwolle. It has a big station where you can capture a lot of trains, but also a beautiful inner city with loads of old buildings. And probably a lot of good bike routes. Not sure if you want to visit it just for fun, or for a video? Happy days! Niels
Niels Goedvolk
2020-07-11 20:30:10 +0000 UTCI think you're right. A few weeks ago, I found an old email I wrote in 2003, talking about how much I wanted to visit Rotterdam. 17 years later, and I still haven't been! I have to go this summer.
Jason
2020-07-11 19:06:51 +0000 UTCRotterdam is the city to visit because a lot of interesting things are happening there!
Marne von Z
2020-07-11 18:20:39 +0000 UTC
