Category: journey
-
Sweden felt like home
My Swedish friend of many decades picked us up from the ferry. Everything in Stockholm felt so familiar and English – even TV. The ice cream is even better though. Who can beat the epic taste of liquorice and raspberry ice cream by 3 Friends / 3 Venner? All plant-based. After an overnight in Stockholm…
-
Being a dog on a ferry from Tallinn to Stockholm
The Tallink ferries between Tallinn and Stockholm are dog friendly. They also stop off at the Finnish island of Aland at 4am on the way to Sweden. Just remember that if you want to get off in Finnish territory, you need to have a vet administered worming treatment in the days leading up to it.…
-
City stress travelling with a dog
Cities just aren’t so fun with a dog, let alone for a dog. Many of the pleasures that may have been enhanced by a human companion are not shared with my dog, from beautiful architecture to restaurant cuisine. I’ve actually avoided stopping in some big cities Interrailing with my dog. Railway Dog and I avoided…
-
Railway Dog travel rules in the Baltic states
Dogs and other pets travelling by train, bus and tram have different rules wherever we went in Europe. However it was generally not as problematic as it appears on paper. Rules are sometimes applied more fully than at others. Here’s what Baspie dog and I found in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. Lithuania Dogs are tolerated…
-
Sigulda and the Gauja River National Park, by train
Only just over an hour on the train from Riga, the capital of Latvia, is Gauja National Park. It’s a combination of native forest and river. It’s fabulous and accessible by public transport, so would be easy to do a day trip. To access the national park, the train station choice is to get out…
-
Train times in the Baltic States – distinguishing fact from fiction – and a dog’s perspective on alternative transport
Trains in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia seem rather left off international rail apps, or even worse, have their trains listed incorrectly. Whether it’s Rail Europe, Rail Planner (Interrail/ Eurail) or Google maps, they are either empty or unreliable. Lithuania, which does have trains listed on Rail Planner, doesn’t have many of those trains in reality,…
-
First train in Latvia. There are only 2 trains a week from Liepaja, to the capital Riga, between these two different worlds
I’m excited to be on the mythical Saturday morning train to Riga from Liepaja with Railway Dog. The only other train out of here is the Sunday evening one, except for a a daily service during a couple of high season months. It might be one of the largest towns, but only freight and seasonal…
-
Travelling between Lithuania and Latvia for a pining train lover
Since 2020 there have been no trains running across the border between Latvia and Lithuania. Seat61 is the most likely place to update on this, but the situation may not change for years. For those of us travelling by Interrail or Eurail, or who simply prefer trains, this is a hurdle to get over. Travelling…
-
Klaipeda and Nida, the sandy West coast of Lithuania
We arrived in Klaipeda close to midnight, thanks to the only train options there from Siauliai (or Vilnius or anywhere) being very early or very late. On the plus side, I didn’t get hassled for not having a reservation, there were no dog issues, and my Interrail pass went down okay. After a bit of…
-
Into Lithuania
Only one train a day goes to Lithuania from Poland, the only Interrail country to the south. But that’s actually good for here. In 2020 it was one a week. During the pandemic and until May 2022 there were no border crossings by train at all! I want to head to Latvia and Estonia after,…