the delayed train speeding to Paris at 295km/h engulfed by nightfall, wind turbine warning beacons saluting it’s progress, and it’s weary occupants in a liminal space - already at their destination in their minds but physically not quite there.

And many more memories. Memories that I’d argue were only possible by taking the slow travel option. Trains in particular put you up close with a diverse array of people and lives. We can’t wait for our next adventure!

(3/3)

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the super assertive older American man who boarded in Bologna and declared we were in his seats and then turned out to be super apologetic when he realised his mistake;

the forlorn young men plucked from the train in desolate Modane station “en raison d'un contrôle douanier”;

(2/3)

#SlowTravel #GoreyToRome

Home from Rome (and Paris) and reflecting on our first (mostly) slow travel holiday.

First and foremost, we had a fantastic time.

But it’s strange how holiday memories that stick can be of the most unexpected moments and fleeting interactions:

the Eastern European (maybe Ukrainian) family boarding the ferry - four small cute children and their weary overburdened young parents;

the chatty American college graduate couple on the train to Milan;

(1/3)

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Buonasera Roma!

Three minutes late arrival to Roma Termini! Not much to see for large parts of the journey between Bologna and Roma - so many tunnels!

54 hours and 2500km after leaving home in Gorey we arrive in the Eternal City

As the coffee cup says “The journey, a taste of discovery”

#SlowTravel #GoreyToRome

Milano Centrale - Roma Termini

565km, Italian grid electricity, 19.775 Co2e, ~70% occupancy over full journey

#SlowTravel #GoreyToRome #ClimateChange

Again, calculating the carbon emissions is a moveable feast. My number for this leg came out a full 10kg co2e higher than that of ecopassenger.

881.6km https://signal.eu.org/osm/#locs=48.844806,2.373479;45.760573,4.860163;45.485879,9.204262

28g per passnger km https://www.fsitaliane.it/content/fsitaliane/en/innovation/transport-technology/frecciarossa-1000.html

15.5 Kg CO2 https://www.ecopassenger.org

#SlowTravel #GoreyToRome #ClimateChange

Paris Gare de Lyon - Milano Centrale

881km, low carbon French electricity and Italian grid electricity, 24.668 Co2e, ~80% occupancy over full journey

On time arrival to Milano, easy connection to onward train to Roma Termini.

One tip: look for the train number as the final destination is the one most prominently displayed. In our case we needed to look for 9639, Reggio Calabria rather than Roma Termini

#SlowTravel #GoreyToRome #ClimateChange

Modane - last station in France! Beautiful scenery from Chambéry to here.

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Day 3!

Frecciarossa train from Paris Gare de Lyon to Milano Centrale

Luggage space mostly just overhead and best suited to small cases.

#SlowTravel #GoreyToRome

On time arrival into Paris St Lazare. All said, ferry and train to Paris is very civilised (apart from shuttle buses on/off the ferry)

It’s very cheap on co2 emissions: ~16kg co2e pp (Dublin city centre to Paris centre)

But expensive on the pocket ~177.50€ pp but that includes a private overnight cabin on the ferry for three.

#SlowTravel #GoreyToRome

Of course if you try calculating the carbon footprint for any journey you will many sources and many possible final figures.

370km https://signal.eu.org/osm/#locs=49.633347,-1.620735;48.876530,2.325237

https://www.sncf-connect.com/en-ch/help/calculation-co2-emissions-your-train-journey

TGV train: 3.2 g of CO2 per kilometre
Intercity train: 11.8 g of CO2 per kilometre
TER train: 29.2 g of CO2 per kilometre
Transilien train: 6.4 g of CO2 per kilometre

10.2Kg CO2e https://www.sncf-connect.com/train/comparateurco2

2.6Kg CO2 https://www.ecopassenger.org/

2.5 Kg CO2 SNCF booking engine journey details

#SlowTravel #GoreyToRome

Cherbourg - Paris

370km, low carbon French electricity (nuclear!), 2.368 Co2e, occupancy - 100% “complet” according to the conductors announcement

One really nice thing that SNCF does is showing the carbon emissions for the journey in their quote engines. I’d really like to see this information prominently displayed on quote engines for all travel modes. It’s probably something governments could mandate

#SlowTravel #GoreyToRome #ClimateChange

Very nice bike racks between cars 3 and 4. No food service on board - just a coffee vending machine. Luckily we have our packed lunch with us.

#SlowTravel #GoreyToRome

The Cherbourg - Paris St Lazare trains are modern double deckers with some luggage racks. Probably not enough if the train was full.

We’re on an upper deck and the ride is quite bouncy! Lower deck would probably be a better choice if you’re prone to motion sickness

#SlowTravel #GoreyToRome

Fun and games boarding. Settled in to our assigned seats only for an announcement in French which we think said to move from the rear train to the front one - many other passengers were switching from the front to the back! The two train sets are coupled together.

#SlowTravel #GoreyToRome

Gare De Cherbourg has a small modern station building. Only vending machines available here today. Toilets are out of service.

#SlowTravel #GoreyToRome

Took a taxi to the train station. No taxis at the ferry terminal rank but phone number displayed. 15.50€ for 3 people and 3 small suitcases. (Dublin taxi was 14.50€)

Called the number and taxi arrived in 10 minutes.

It’s definitely a 30min plus walk. Cycling would be ok but there don’t seem to be many dedicated cycling tracks near the station

#SlowTravel #GoreyToRome

Day 2! On time arrival to Cherbourg and now it’s a case of waiting for a shuttle bus to the terminal.

628km, heavy diesel fuel, maybe 50% occupancy, 11.933kg co2e

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Painless, if convoluted, boarding. Much easier than the airport but definitely not glamorous

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And it’s a shuttle bus to take us from the terminal on the quayside to the ferry docked alongside!!!

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