Today’s live text updates
FR 8802
06:10 Rimini - Bologna Centrale 07:15
Distance: 110.9km
Average speed: 102km/h
4 stops:
Cesena
Forli
Faenza
Bologna Centrale
This train, mapped: https://umap.openstreetmap.fr/en/map/crossborderrail-2026-spring-tour_1361108#11/44.285496/11.958625
#CrossBorderRail 2026 Spring Tour Train 103 of 125
FR 8802
06:10 Rimini - Bologna Centrale 07:15
Trenitalia
Train type: AnsaldoBreda ETR 700, 8 carriages
⚡️ (3kV dc)
🚲: ⛔️
🦽: ✅ (lift on platform)
🛜: ✅ (requires registration - annoying)
🍽️: ✅
🧳: 😐 (lousy for large luggage)
🧽: 🙂
Interrail: 😐 (needs compulsory reservation, costs €13)
Here’s this morning’s #CrossBorderRail intro video https://peertube.netzbegruenung.de/w/iJnEA2Xj8XfLz4Qq5U3LnU
Welcome to today's thread - #CrossBorderRail 2026 Tour Day 31 - 4 May - Rimini - Bologna - Milano - Lugano - Basel - Strasbourg
Borders already crossed:
Chiasso VG 🇨🇭 - Como S. Giovanni 🇮🇹
Basel St Johann 🇨🇭 - St. Louis 🇫🇷
Kehl 🇩🇪 - Krimmeri-Meinau 🇫🇷
First to Bologna for a breakfast meeting, then north across the Gotthard pass for the second time in just over a month. Today’s destination: Strasbourg to test a Régiolis.
Today's routes on the routes map:
https://umap.openstreetmap.fr/en/map/crossborderrail-2026-spring-tour_1361108#7/46.369674/9.920654
San Marino is at the top of a mountain. There’s nowhere to go beyond it. So a future line need not be more than Rimini - San Marino
But having said that, it’s *very hard* to do. You need loads of bridges, complicated junctions with traffic, a few land acquisitions
Is anyone going to find political will for that? Doubt it
The only thing that could work would be like NStCM from Nyon to La Cure https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nyon%E2%80%93St-Cergue%E2%80%93Morez_Railway?wprov=sfti1
It’s something half way between a tram and a train (but not a tram-train)
It could be the earlier 950mm gauge or lay standard gauge tracks
So in the end what should you DO here?
The need is obvious - San Marino has a traffic problem, especially in summertime
But could you fix the railway? 🤔
Into Rimini the motorway blocks the alignment. But through the suburbs the alignment is largely free of buildings. It even looks like the hospital was built to keep the alignment free. #CrossBorderRail
Here‘s the third place the former #CrossBorderRail line crosses the border. Pic 1 San Marino side, pic 2 Italian side.
Here’s one of the border crossings. The drone is in Italy. The border is circled. The arrow through the outlet malls is where it used to run in San Marino. #CrossBorderRail
Text updates are auto-generated from Mastodon – follow me on Mastodon @jon@gruene.social
Some updates will also be occasionally be posted on Bluesky – follow me @jonworth.eu
Today’s introduction and summary videos
All the #CrossBorderRail daily videos are on my Peertube channel
Today’s photos
Today’s background
New borders:
None
Borders already crossed:
None
After a little investigation of Albania’s ongoing rail plans, it is time to head to Italy – on a ferry from Durrës.
Today’s route
The full zoomable and scrollable map, including today’s route, is on uMap here.




