It may be the school holidays, but something is definitely not quite right with RER line E. The 8.35 was packed as it arrived at Noisy le Sec. I cunningly waited a further 4 minutes for the 8.39, which was pretty well empty.
At St. Lazare I narrowly missed two trains heading for Bécon, but was able to 'catch up' the slow train by my favourite trick of taking the fast train (line J) to Asnieres and changing platform.
Total journey time = 70 minutes
Thursday, 19 February 2009
Wednesday 18/02
A bit of variation this morning as the RER E line appeared to be experiencing some difficulties. I was on a crowded train, unusual in itself in what is the school holiday period, which had an extended wait at Magenta station. Fearing the worst, I jumped off, took a velib down to St Lazare and continued my journey without any further problems.
Total journey time = 60 minutes
Total journey time = 60 minutes
Monday, 16 February 2009
Monday 16/02
After Friday's excitement, an uneventful journey in this morning on public transport.
Total journey time = 55 minutes
Total journey time = 55 minutes
Friday, 13 February 2009
Friday 13/02
What's that date just above? Friday the 13th?!
Now that’s more like it. It’s journeys like this that make this blog worthwhile.
Arrived at Noisy RER to see plenty of would-be passenges milling around, weighing up their options, while the notice boards above advised simply that no trains were running in either direction. A fire near a station further down the line was, apparently, the cause.
Figuring that there was no point in hanging around as it would take several trains to clear the backlog of passengers. So my journey (another original) was:
- walk in a mixture of snow and freezing rain (did I mention that the temperature was a nice round zero) down to the ‘Pont de Bondy’
- Bus, route 147, to Pantin
- Metro, line 7, to Jaures
- Metro, line 2, to Villiers (*)
- Metro, line 3, to Pont de Levallois
- Bus, route 275, to Bécon
- walk in similar mixture of snow and freezing rain as above to office
total journey time = a mere 140 minutes
(*) I could, at this point, have taken my chances at St Lazare but figured that the suburban train services were bound to be disrupted by the bad weather.
Now that’s more like it. It’s journeys like this that make this blog worthwhile.
Arrived at Noisy RER to see plenty of would-be passenges milling around, weighing up their options, while the notice boards above advised simply that no trains were running in either direction. A fire near a station further down the line was, apparently, the cause.
Figuring that there was no point in hanging around as it would take several trains to clear the backlog of passengers. So my journey (another original) was:
- walk in a mixture of snow and freezing rain (did I mention that the temperature was a nice round zero) down to the ‘Pont de Bondy’
- Bus, route 147, to Pantin
- Metro, line 7, to Jaures
- Metro, line 2, to Villiers (*)
- Metro, line 3, to Pont de Levallois
- Bus, route 275, to Bécon
- walk in similar mixture of snow and freezing rain as above to office
total journey time = a mere 140 minutes
(*) I could, at this point, have taken my chances at St Lazare but figured that the suburban train services were bound to be disrupted by the bad weather.
Thursday 12/02
Cold but trouble-free cycling today. Almost certainly the only day in the week when cycling was an option. Whatever happened to global warming?
Wednesday, 11 February 2009
Wednesday 11/02
uneventful and surprisingly quick train journey in this morning, but I regret not cycling - the weather is cold but bright now.Should be on 2 wheels tomorrow
Total journey time = 55 minutes
Total journey time = 55 minutes
Tuesday, 10 February 2009
Tuesday 10/02
IT does not look like 2009 is going to be the Year of the Bicycle. More rain and very strong winds are ruling out cycling this week. The trains were suffering the effects of the weather too, with plenty of impatient would-be passengers milling around St. Lazare watching the train-less platforms. I eventually got on a direct train to Bécon.
Total journey time = 60 minutes
Total journey time = 60 minutes
Monday, 9 February 2009
Monday 09/02
With severe storms forecast in the afternoon, I was not tempted to cycle in today.
The journey by public transport was remarkably swift and pain free, but will it be the same this evening with all that weather about?
Total journey time = 55 minutes
The journey by public transport was remarkably swift and pain free, but will it be the same this evening with all that weather about?
Total journey time = 55 minutes
Thursday, 5 February 2009
Thursday 05/02
More fun and games this morning on the trains out of Saint Lazare. Not much traffic appeared to be flowing in either direction. I finished up getting a fast train to La Defense and then walking back to the office.
Total journey time = 85 minutes
It appears that some sort of strike action is to blame. NOw there's a surprise....
Total journey time = 85 minutes
It appears that some sort of strike action is to blame. NOw there's a surprise....
Wednesday, 4 February 2009
Wednesday 04/02
Having given the bike a thorough clean and check up on Sunday (well, by my standards anyway) I was keen to give it a try out.
NIce smooth ride in, the only problem being frozen toes for most of the way. I'm still not 100% happy with my front derailer, which has now been adjusted by at least 3 technicians. It doesn't snap back from the large chain ring to the middle (a common fault, so I am told) but it is very reluctant to place the chain on the large chain ring in the first place. The 'error' away from an ideal positioning of the chain is probably in milimetres, but it's very annoying not to have it just right.
NIce smooth ride in, the only problem being frozen toes for most of the way. I'm still not 100% happy with my front derailer, which has now been adjusted by at least 3 technicians. It doesn't snap back from the large chain ring to the middle (a common fault, so I am told) but it is very reluctant to place the chain on the large chain ring in the first place. The 'error' away from an ideal positioning of the chain is probably in milimetres, but it's very annoying not to have it just right.
Tuesday 03/02
Two rather quick and uneventful journeys by public transport today, as it was still too icy and damp to cycle
Monday 02/02
I was expecting the worst this morning as a thick layer of snow was covering just about everything. In fact, the journey was less eventful than I feared - RER E to Haussmann St Lazare and then a direct train to La Defense.
I was actually rather hoping that the train would stop at Bécon (I boarded it too late to see where it was going) but it didn't.
In fact, the walk back from La Défense to the office is not long at all - around 25 minutes, but it must be more pleasant when there is no snow and ice.
Total journey time = 75 minutes
No problems on the return trip, although all sorts of dire warnings had been issued about delays and cancellations due to the extreme weather.
I was actually rather hoping that the train would stop at Bécon (I boarded it too late to see where it was going) but it didn't.
In fact, the walk back from La Défense to the office is not long at all - around 25 minutes, but it must be more pleasant when there is no snow and ice.
Total journey time = 75 minutes
No problems on the return trip, although all sorts of dire warnings had been issued about delays and cancellations due to the extreme weather.
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