It’s beginning to look alot like…

[mmm-five]

I know these cancellations are frustrating but you’ve gone so far…a final push to the Finish Line for all the gorgeous snow will be worth it

I tried…and failed.

I’m sitting in a lounge in Stockholm waiting for the (delayed) return sleeper to Hamburg.

I’ve had:

• 2 different attempts at getting to Narvik - both cancelled before I got to Hamburg
• 2 attempts at getting to Luleå instead - one cancelled whilst I was sleeping on the train to Stockholm, the other whilst I was touring Stockholm later in the day

So I’ve now resigned myself to turning 180° and going back to Hamburg on the 17:28 sleeper tonight…which suddenly changed to ‘unknown amount of delay’ as I reached the platform at 17:00. It’s now estimating 19:00.

Edited…
Got about 2 hours into the journey south and have been told the service will terminate at Malmo, as the German railway has withdrawn all permissions for foreign trains until further notice,

So, we’re going to Malmo, staying on the train to use it as an overnight hotel, and will return to Stockholm in the morning…and then make other plans for the coming days…with no guarantee we can go any further north or south.

Anyway, here are some more photos, taken in the measly 3 hours I had in Stockholm, after having re-planned this afternoon…

On the way to Stockholm this morning…

Stockholm…

Leaving Stockholm this evening…

Final edit…
Decided to call it quits, as no-one could say how long the routes north or south would remain closed.

So, I got off the train at Malmo, and took the regional train to the Copenhagen airport…where I’m waiting for my 8:30am flight home. I checked & double-checked and there’s no significant delays caused by the weather in either airport, so I’m hoping all goes well.

I’ve cancelled all other train reservations/tickets (where I could), and hotel bookings. Luckily I’d had the forethought not to cheap out and pick the non-refundable options to save 10%.

I knew I should have taken that Japanese ski trip - but put off by either a 23 hour layover in Tokyo, or 3 extra transfers.

 

[mikeyH]

Snow, what snow.

 

[ktnez99]

I tried…and failed.

I’m sitting in a lounge in Stockholm waiting for the (delayed) return sleeper to Hamburg.

I’ve had:

• 2 different attempts at getting to Narvik - both cancelled before I got to Hamburg
• 2 attempts at getting to Luleå instead - one cancelled whilst I was sleeping on the train to Stockholm, the other whilst I was touring Stockholm later in the day

So I’ve now resigned myself to turning 180° and going back to Hamburg on the 17:28 sleeper tonight…which suddenly changed to ‘unknown amount of delay’ as I reached the platform at 17:00. It’s now estimating 19:00.

Edited…
Got about 2 hours into the journey south and have been told the service will terminate at Malmo, as the German railway has withdrawn all permissions for foreign trains until further notice,

So, we’re going to Malmo, staying on the train to use it as an overnight hotel, and will return to Stockholm in the morning…and then make other plans for the coming days…with no guarantee we can go any further north or south.

Anyway, here are some more photos, taken in the measly 3 hours I had in Stockholm, after having re-planned this afternoon…

On the way to Stockholm this morning…
View attachment 355059
View attachment 355061
View attachment 355065
View attachment 355067

Stockholm…
View attachment 355053
View attachment 355055
View attachment 355057

Leaving Stockholm this evening…
View attachment 355051

Frustrating to read. Presumably, this UK approach to snow and ice is catching. Your photos are inspiring, though. Do let us know more about how your trip is going. Fingers crossed it will be a lot smoother after these teething problems.

 

[ktnez99]

Snow, what snow.

Ahhh, not in Cornwall or the Midlands or Scotland, then.

 

[mmm-five]

Well, I've finally awoken from my first proper sleep since last Wednesday.

Trip ended much as it started...as SAS lost my luggage on the return flight. Their contact at Manchester airport claimed it was 'a couple of bags', but an hour of waiting, and the screens stating 'all Copenhagen bags ended', and ZERO passengers getting ANY bags, we released there'd been a big F-Up.

Their rep then claimed they knew exactly where they all were - on a baggage cart, at the wrong gate, about to be loaded onto the wrong plane - but more than 24 hours later they claim that they're still searching for our luggage.

I've even sent them a Find My location showing that it's outside Gate D3/D4 at the airport (we departed from C27), and hasn't moved more than about 100m since about 6am yesterday morning (I was there at 1:30am and bagged was checked in at 4am).

 

[ktnez99]

Well, I've finally awoken from my first proper sleep since last Wednesday.

Trip ended much as it started...as SAS lost my luggage on the return flight. Their contact at Manchester airport claimed it was 'a couple of bags', but an hour of waiting, and the screens stating 'all Copenhagen bags ended', and ZERO passengers getting ANY bags, we released there'd been a big F-Up.

Their rep then claimed they knew exactly where they all were - on a baggage cart, at the wrong gate, about to be loaded onto the wrong plane - but more than 24 hours later they claim that they're still searching for our luggage.

I've even sent them a Find My location showing that it's outside Gate D3/D4 at the airport (we departed from C27), and hasn't moved more than about 100m since about 6am yesterday morning (I was there at 1:30am and bagged was checked in at 4am).

View attachment 355127

Blimey! This was an expedition! Thinking of doing this adventure journey, too, for the snow landscapes but…

 

[mmm-five]

Anyway, here's some more snowy pictures of my aborted trip...

Aborted Arctic Trip

Photos and videos of my attempt to get from Liverpool to Narvik (in the arctic circle). Unfortunately this was curtailed because there were no trains north (to the arctic circle) or south (into Germany) to go further or return home...which mean jumping off the return train after it was...

ibb.co

 

[ktnez99]

Anyway, here's some more snowy pictures of my aborted trip...

Aborted Arctic Trip

Photos and videos of my attempt to get from Liverpool to Narvik (in the arctic circle). Unfortunately this was curtailed because there were no trains north (to the arctic circle) or south (into Germany) to go further or return home...which mean jumping off the return train after it was...

ibb.co

WOW! Freezing cold and beautiful! The images are great and areal insight into your trip. Thanks for sharing them and telling us what your journey had entailed. Didn’t realise you had to fly back as there wasn’t any alternative. Let’s hope your luggage appears very, very soon In a positive note, you have some beautiful snow landscape images to show for your trip.

 

[mmm-five]

Blimey! This was an expedition! Thinking of doing this adventure journey, too, for the snow landscapes but…

Everyone was really nice about it, and let us all into the 1st class lounge for snacks/hot drinks...but they couldn't say whether any particular train was running until about 2 hours before the planned departure...so it was difficult to make other plans in the meantime.

Even the final train was delayed 2 hours until they got permission to enter Germany from the Germany railway board...but they rescinded that permission about 2 hours into the trip (about 10pm), and we were told we could get off where we were (Linköping) or carry on to Malmo, then choose to wait for the next Malmo to Hamburg train, or return to Stockholm and wait there...unfortunately that Malmo to Hamburg train was the same one that would be going from Stockholm to Hamburg anyway.

I think I would have enjoyed it still, had there not been constant announcements during the night telling us about delays, etc....so the last proper sleep I got was on Wednesday evening when I was forced to stay over in Brussels when the Eurostar was delayed and I missed my night train connection.

 

[mmm-five]

Finally, here's some short tracking videos captured when the limited daylight allowed it (from the inside the train unfortunately, as the windows were sealed shut)...and the rest of the time it was dark

View: https://youtu.be/Dgmv65o9eso

View: https://youtu.be/GHB6QRVGO4k

View: https://youtu.be/1Q_vDm-kZ68

View: https://youtu.be/S5_Tv3RJaoI

View: https://youtu.be/L09Q2mOnyIw

 

[ktnez99]

Finally, here's some short tracking videos captured when the limited daylight allowed it (from the inside the train unfortunately, as the windows were sealed shut)...and the rest of the time it was dark

View: https://youtu.be/Dgmv65o9eso

View: https://youtu.be/GHB6QRVGO4k

View: https://youtu.be/1Q_vDm-kZ68

View: https://youtu.be/S5_Tv3RJaoI

View: https://youtu.be/L09Q2mOnyIw

Those are dark! Err…black! Can’t view as marked as Private in YouTube.

 

[mmm-five]

Those are dark! Err…black! Can’t view as marked as Private in YouTube.

Sorry, for some reason youtube is asking for the same info I entered when I first uploaded them...so I've just clicked next on all the options and now they say published instead of draft.

You're not missing much really, just some short videos shot through the train window, of going through snowy landscapes.

 

[ktnez99]

Sorry, for some reason youtube is asking for the same info I entered when I first uploaded them...so I've just clicked next on all the options and now they say published instead of draft.

You're not missing much really, just some short videos shot through the train window, of going through snowy landscapes.

Brilliant! I feel like I’m in a Scandi drama! Fantastic snowscapes. My favourites are the last two with the weak, diluted sunshine and all are fabulous. Thanks for sharing your adventure with us.