My man, you fly around the world on some of the sketchiest, oldest planes flown by some of the most questionable airlines and you're telling us you're afraid of boats?!? You truly are something! Hope you and the family are well, my friend :) Happy travels!
I know it’s kinda frustrating it’s not his typical content he has lost his passion need get his wife health under control then come back we deserve better videos lately his hart isn’t in it
@@benlee8260you don’t ‘deserve’ anything so don’t sound so entitled. I think Noel’s recent videos have been continually fantastic and the health of his family has nothing to do with that, or with you.
@@robertmclaren3625 well it our business he put out on RUclips making our business we subscribed for good content it’s just gone down hill Noel also looks like me be doing drugs or medication just get by with regular day life I can tell from your response you don’t care about Noel or the channel
@@benlee8260 Really, dude. Chill. Enjoy the travels and sites he brings us. Noel's not a corporate puppet so we don't "deserve" a thing from him or his content. He's just a cool guy who does what he loves. And somewhere along the lines he started filming and posting and picked up viewers like us. That's all, that's it, nothing more, nothing less. He's earned no ridicule, criticism, condemnation, or even praise for what he does. He's just a man living his best life and we're just random strangers who watch through our screens hoping for an ounce of escapism. I happen to think he's a great guy with a cool wife who seems to support him.
Villa San Giovanni-Messina is the only surviving ferry with passenger train traffic in western Europe, there used to be the Night Ferry over the Channel and several crossings in Scandinavia including some domestic ones inside Denmark, very much missed by us nostalgics now as we are brought over by bridges instead.
The Berlin Night Express from Malmö used to run between Mukran (Sassnitz) and Trelleborg, but now the train runs via Denmark. There was also a ferry between Rödby and Fehmarn, but that was suspended in 2021 (iirc) because they're building a tunnel under the water at the Fehmarn straight. There is also a rail ferry between Sweden and Poland, but that is only used for freight. So this Sicillian rail ferry is the only one with a passenger train currently.
Afaik the Rödby-Puttgarten ferry is still running, just not for trains, as they're rebuilding the train lines from Copenhagen to Rödby for the tunnel. A bit too early IMO since from what I know the tunnel isn't expected to open until 2029.
Here in Denmark we used to rely on train ferries for both domestic and international train services. Before 1997 every train from Copenhagen towards mainland Denmark had to be transported on ferries between Korsør and Nyborg. If you look at older danish rolling stock, you will notice that it is much shorter than other western european trains. This is because all DMU's and carriages had to be short enough to fit on the ferries. Trains from Copenhagen towards Sweden and Germnay also had to rely on train ferries. It was quite a shunting manoeuvre when the long sleeper trains towards France and Italy had to be shunted onboard. Sometimes it required 2 ferries to get the entire train across
I remember taking the Copenhagen-Malmo ferry, the crew were particularly insistent that we get the car right up against the wall and we didn't know why. Next thing we knew, a whacking great train appeared alongside us. The new bridge is cool, but not that cool.
In the 1980s I travelled by car from Denmark to the then East Germany. The East German port was Warnemunde near Rostock. As well as cars the ship also had a train on it going I believe to Berlin. I guess the point of departure in Denmark was Rodby.
I love riding on any form of transportation... Nothing makes me nervous. I live for take offs and landings. Unless I am bone weary tired, I can't sleep on a plane. I am completely fascinated by observing everything "from above."
To be fair ROROs, roll-on-roll-off ferries like this one, are notorious for being unstable so the boat is a lot more likely to face disaster than a plane. That's why you can't stay on the train - if it rolls then you won't be able to get off and will be dragged under with the boat.
@@Wolverines77 I used to love flying (I too loved take offs and landing), being on boats, etc. However, I started to get headaches (which have progressively gotten a lot worse), then severe panic and anxiety settled in and I now have advanced cirrhosis and am in heart failure. Now the thought of flying terrifies me. In fact I can't even get out the house unassisted. I really miss my old life and love channels like this so I can see different parts of the world.
I did pretty much exactly this trip 30 years ago, only i started in Germany. It was really beautiful driving through countless tunnels in the alps and then along the Italian coast. We crossed over to Messina just as the sun was going down.
Nice one... as an Italian living in London this brings lots of nostalgia.. I used to take sleeper trains regularly 20+ yrs ago, they used to be quite handy before the low-cost airlines arrived. Lots of stories.. attempted robberies, friends met along the way, pregnant women just about to delivery, nuns, priests, drunkyards, you name it! Things seem to be better these days but it will still be quite an adventure. Well done nonetheless, I enjoyed the video
Italy is lovely, I’ve done a few port spots (including Messina Scilly) on cruise ships, city trips and ski trips. Such a vibrantly different country depending on where in the country you are. This trip has now been added to my bucket list.
small service information, the new intercity night carriages will arrive soon, more spacious, comfortable and luxurious. They will replace the carriages in the video which are now old
OMG, travelling on Italian trains over 50 years ago and the 'loo' was a tall metal can with a rudimentary seat - it opened straight on to the tracks roaring underneath and was FILTHY. Loved Italy though! 😂
Until 1980 you could have taken a train from London to Paris (as well as some other destinations) via Dover and Calais or Dunkerque with the train being loaded onto the ferry. Dover Marine station was on the Western Docks (no longer used for passenger traffic) and was the loading point for the ferry as well as for foot passengers using those services.
@@Banglish123 Sealink was a joint project between br/sncf/belgian marine and the zeeland company. they all said sealink on the sides, but whereas the br ones had the br logo on the funnel the sncf ones said 'sncf' and the others the same respectively. the ultimate successor was seafrance which was shut down about 10 years ago by the eu under the (to my mind false) view that allowing a competitor (to p and o) on the channel reduced competition because sealink was owned by sncf and thus gave sncf a monopoly because sncf controls the chunnel and the eurostar services. pretty faulty reasoning but that's what they decided thus stripping passengers of an option.
Hey Noel, You might wanna give German Carrier Condor a try, I bet you love their new livery (or hate it, there is no in between). Apparently their new Prime seats on the A330NEO are better then the current Lufthansa business class. They also have very interesting Destinations, for example Frankfurt-Whitehorse or Fairbanks (Whitehorse unfortunately will not be a Destination for them for a little bit due to construction on the Runway). Also they fly Boeing 757 300 out of Germany, with a very lovely special Livery called Willi. All the best and Happy travels!
Calabrian scenery is stunning. I had never been there before 2 summers ago, and as an Italian it is incredible. Starting from the first bits of the motorway, that enters the region from the mountains and gorges of the Pollino, Sila and Aspromonte national parks, to the scenic Costa degli Dei" (Coast of the Gods, Tropea's located there) and Costa Viola (Purple Coast, from the shades the sea and mountains immediately rising from it get during dusk), its ancient heritage, rurality and relative isolation and lack of tourists makes it seem as if you were entering yet another version of this country. Good lord, the views from the main square of Scilla, which is a terrace 100 metres above the Thyrrenian Sea, are unforgettable, spanning from the first bits of the Messina Strait to the Aeolian Islands and their most famous volcano, Stromboli, emerging from the sea.
Looks like there is lots of recovery time on this working..... I'm guessing the last stop is Set Down Only (ie-no one allowed to get on) and again has a good chunk of recovery time so you can arrive on time, or as you found out, early. We used to have the same when i was a driver on BR, we had around 10 minutes to go from Prittlewell to Southend Victoria, one stop and about a 2 min actual journey time. So you could be 8 late and still arrive on time at Southend!
I just came back from the Amalfi coast, taking the Freciarossa from Rome to Salerno. A lovely train ride in Italy and would definitely recommend traveling this way
This brought back so many memories of my backpacking days years ago through Europe. I remember taking the InterCity from Vienna to Milano, where I had to get off to switch trains. Like you, I was just floored by the size and beauty of the Milano train station - I'd never seen anything so gorgeous in all my life! Little did I know I would soon become acquainted with REAL life in Italy. My connecting train was delayed by HOURS, none of the station employees or conductors I spoke to 1) knew any English or 2) knew when the train would arrive. "No idea, no idea" they would exclaim in half English half Italian with wild gesticulations of the hand, "come back tomorrow"! Then I had to wait in a long line at the ticket booth to try to change my ticket. In front of me was a young man earnestly pleading his case with the ticketing official behind the window in a scene right out of a Puccini opera. Pleading in Italian sounded so beautiful, the rise and fall of his voice, the way he earnestly beseeched the agent behind the window, who by the way was having none of it, with folded arms...I finally understood why opera was invented in Italy - it's nothing more than adding a sound track to everyday life in Italy. I had to sleep overnight in the train station, and next day an old, rickety train finally arrived. I swear, this train was constantly on the brink of falling apart! It was in winter and the heater was on full blast because you couldn't regulate the heat. Everything in my little cabin was loud and shaking. When the train stopped at a station, you had no idea where you were because all the place signs were missing. Asking the conductor was no use since he spoke no English and just gesticulated wildly with his hands. So you just had to guess your location using the map in your Interrail booklet as best as you could. There were frequent announcements on the PA system, but only in Italian and half the time you couldn't understand because the sound quality was so bad. Railing in Scandinavia however was a completely different story. The trains there were clean, modern, almost new. Everyone was polite and spoke PERFECT English, the place signs in all the train stations were neatly written and clearly visible. Then to my surprise the train suddenly slowed down. When I woke up and looked through the window I was just in time to see the train slowly entering the mouth of a HUGE ship! I had no idea what was happening! Once the entire train was inside the belly of the beast, everyone immediately got up and exited the train. So I followed suit. I followed everyone upstairs and was surprised to see a lively casino with tons of shops selling all types of goods. It turns out we were on the ferry heading to Denmark. The whole thing was so surreal! A similar thing happened in Norway when the train also entered a huge ship. Same drill as in Denmark - everyone immediately exited the train and went upstairs to play casino or go shopping. This happened a third time on the way to Finland. This time I knew what to do, but since as a backpacker I didn't have any money, I just hung out on the deck of the ferry. The wind was SO FIERCE and cold, if I hadn't held on for dear life I think I would have gotten blown off the deck. So I headed back inside where they had rows and rows of chairs, just like in the video. I was seated there alone however, since everyone else was either at the casino or shopping. This is what happens when you go backpacking through Europe on a tight budget!
Seems like you traveled to Italy in the 1950s...nowadays the Italian railway network is generally regarded as of the best in the world. I have taken trains in Scandinavia, and there is no comparison, italian trains are much better.
what an amazing ride, Noel! from Milan Centrale through the magnificent views of the coastal areas, to that from your hotel room! I chuckled at your multiple room changes though you took them well in stride. the train-on-the-ferry is quite something indeed! very cool all around! cheers!
Most definitely something I should be doing after the treatment of my illness. Top 5 on my plans for trains next year. OK, Top 3. Thanx for a brilliant video.
I visited the east coast of Sicily last summer I'm glad you have done the sleeper train to Sicily This is definitely on the bucket list thank you Noel .
Mr. Phillips, I am green with envy of your travels. Enjoy your videos and British accent. I had the opportunity in 1984 to travel by train from Bitburg, GE to Roskilde, Denmark. Yes, the train went aboard a ferry however , it was at night and in January. If my memory serves me we crossed the North Sea. Big fan of travel by train. Keep up the good work.
I did the train ferry from Denmark to Germany a few years ago. It's closed now but it was a great experience. I need to do this train ferry some day too.
WOW I've been waiting for the Italy stuff that was hinted in the earlier videos! Glad you're finally exploring that awesome country Noel! Have fun !! :D Moving around the cabins must have been annoying though.
I love your boyish excitement Noel. ("I'm on a train, on a boat, how cool is that?"). I think we may have a kindred spirit. Anything to do with travel excites me too. My Uncle was a station master being stationed all over New South Wales. As a youngster I would spend holidays visiting him all over that state. Trains up close and personal in all kinds of magical locations. I'm in the autumn of my life now and live on memories. I remember being at Rome station waiting to travel to Florence. A grand piano was positioned in the waiting area, and anyone could play it. Travelling Italians would stop and play classical music, movie themes and Italian love songs. They are so very talented. I thank you for your videos. They outstrip anything being aired on television. Thanks mate!
I used the Puget Sound ferries at least 150 times when living in the region. It was always a blast. Even the few trips when rocking and rolling through gale force winds and 10 foot plus tall waves. My favorite rides were on those few weeks of 90⁰ plus heat. That breeze of the ferry slicing through that icy North Pacific water was SO refreshing. I spent 2 days "aboard" Naval Air Station Sigonella (Oct of 1987). It was part of my CRAZY journey home for two weeks of leave. I did not get to take my leave after finishing Recruit Training as my training class was starting 4 days after graduation. My parents and brother were living at Ramstein AB (a few miles west of Kaiserlautern Germany). One of these days, I will type out the abridged version of said journey from MCAGCC 29 Palms, CA, to home. I promise you it is worth the read. If I had a cell phone, it would be a military travel 10-part blog... Love your content, Noel. Keep up the great work, my travel brother from another mother...
If this is on your bucket list, the train-ferry-train bit, Italy is supposed to start construction on the Strait of Messina bridge in 2024, so don’t wait too long. Yes, it was supposed to start construction many times before, but just in case.
Wow Noel, what amazing scenery. Italy is beautiful, I get how weird it must feel, going on a boat, while still on a train, and then you tell us you are afraid of big boats, well let me tell you, most of the rest of us, would run a mile, rather than travel, on some of the questionable aeroplane’s, you have flown on, so consider your self very brave. Love your videos.
Thanks for sharing this particular video, Noel! Hubby and I were set on adding this one to our bucket list of "must dos" - that is... BEFORE we watched your video. NOW, we two pre-madonnas are set on doing something a bit more luxurious.... maybe a cross-Canadian country crossing train perhaps? (giggle). Cheers!
You are giving me nostalgia big time. When I was 16 I took the train onto the Ferry from Naples to Palermo. This was 30 years ago. I remember we slept overnight on the train on the ferry so I think we took the ferry direct to Palermo.
Wow never seen a train go on a boat before. I was in Italy for the first time a month ago and had an amazing time. So much to see. Such amazing cities and towns.
Brilliant video, we did this back in summer but the other way round, felt very strange going from train movement to boat movement! Because it was overnight we stayed in our beds. They lock the toilets so if you need to go you have to find the loo on ferry!! Salerno a good place to get off if you want to explore amalfi coast
Wonderful video! Drove from Milan to Naples this past summer… simply indescribable the beauty of Italy. You have a great talent in how you travel…it’s like hanging out with a friend watching you
It reninds me of my many trips crossing the Great Belt in Denmark on the Intercity ferries or the train ferries between Rødby and Puttgarden in Germany.
In Denmark, before Storebæltsbroen (the big belt bridge) was build, the trains also always went on the ferry. I remember that from my young years. Quite the experience.
Amazing how they solved the logistics of getting a rain onto a ship! Lining up the tracks and making them level is just pne aspect of getting the train onto the ship, but they did it, and everything else that had to work to make it happen. I'm very impressed by this mode of transport!
How cool is that?! A train that goes on a boat! Great countryside both in Italy and Sicily along the coast. Would love to plan this trip soon. Keep safe.
We don't have a Day Light Savings thing here in Singapore. I was wondering why is Lord Noel's video late today? Then my mind worked out this Shyt DST. Thank you for another wonderful video Lord. Take Care.
You know you’re used to high-speed trains when you complain that the train is going too fast to enjoy the scenery 😂! I wish we had that problem in the USA!
This was definitely one of our favourite videos of yours yet. We had no idea trains could go on ferries! Incredible. We've only been to Como and Milan in Italy (so far!) but plan to return in the future. Beautiful country, wonderful people, amazing food. And no, we didn't eat at McD's or a 5 Guys when we were there.
Back in 2017, I traveled from Turin via Milan to Dommodossola to Bern. These were like 10 hours of traveling... My phone overheated at Milano Centrale and I lost my lens cover during switching over in Dommo to the SBB train to Visp.
I remember the train ferries service's between Holyhead and Ireland but this train journey was beautiful from beginning to end even if you did have to play hokey cokey sleeper compartments
Noel, I absolutely LOVE travel and I wish I could make the content you make. It’s truly great! I love that you also do different modes of transportation like you did here in this video. Planes and trains are definitely my favorites. Keep up the great content.
Hi Noel! Just recently discovered your videos! Although I'm an AvGeek, I also enjoy your train reviews as well. I was just thinking the other day how I'd like to see you maybe do a few ocean cruise reviews, but after watching this video (and you not quite enjoying the ferry ride), I guess that's not in the cards! Love your videos and always looking forward to your next adventure. Safe travels! Chris
It is a great experience! I enjoy it every time I take the train to Sicily. The whole process takes two hours, the ferry ride takes approximately 30 minutes. The Italian government is planning to build a bridge over the sea to connect the italian peninsula with Sicily. They unbury this project every other decade or so. But in the meantime lets enjoy this rather " archaic" procedure
Supposedly the bridge in question hasn't been built because of issues with earthquakes, ocean currents, damage to the environment and things. But there is also a conspiracy theory that says it hasn't been built because of the Mafia...
Milano Centrale was built with the auspices of Mussolini who literally invented the modern railway! Italy is the country that FIRST IN THE WORLD electrified its railroads at the beginning of 1900 ; it’s also the country that introduced the ETR- Elettro Treno Rapido concept in 1937 that still exists today although updated to the 21st century technology. In 1939 an ETR 200 reached the at the time incredible speed of 203 km/h , breaking a world record !!! When it comes to Technology, Speed and Style we Italians know one thing or two 😉
Hilarious!!!! Nothing better or more entertaining on RUclips than your videos. I too am waiting on a refund from a train I took in Italy, 4 yrs ago!!!! The magnificent Tuscan countryside made up having no seat on the train because the train had changed and didn't have a seat number that I had on my ticket. You are so brave to eat all the food that you do in those different countries. Love the accompanying music for all your videos.
Boy do I know that feeling. I hadn't even heard of this. Didn't think it was possible. Went interrailing through northern europe and got on a train to Kopenhagen. The very friendly family I shared a 4-seat place with were speaking danish and i didn't know how it would work to get on the boat. So I asked them about it. And whilst I know most scandinavian countries speak English very well. There was obviously a bit of a language barrier. Since they kept saying we didn't have to transfer to the boat, the train would just drive on to it. You can imagine my supprise once the damn train just rolled onto the boat as if it was nothing xD. So weird but verry cool! And worked like a charm!
That was an amazing train ride. I would think they would have at least had sandwiches on the train. I always carry food with me when I travel , candy or little packs of cheese & crackers or something & water. You never know what can happen. With all of your travels, I didn't think you were afraid of anything! I am surprised you don't like large boats! I guess that's why you don't cruise. I enjoyed that train ride thru Italy even if it was a little rough at times & have always wanted to go to Italy! It's a beautiful country. Hope Rach is feeling ok. I always enjoy her on the videos.
Haven't watched you or anything on RUclips in over a year but if truth be told I was getting withdrawals from your epic adventures and you were the first show I watched. Happy belated Christmas to yourself and the family, by the way Mr Philips always carry cash with you, we can't always be reliant on digital technology for it crashes, cash is King, have a great boxing day.
If you come to china Hainan (an island), you would get the same experience if you were to head mainland by train. I was lucky to experience this once, this year september, and the only difference was, of cause the train model (different from yours), and how we were not allowed to come down the train while were on the boat. When the train was disected into 4 parts (because our train was much longer), there was not a bit of AC, and because we were not allowed to get off it. However, as you said, it was a great experience!
Trains on boats used to be a daily thing in Denmark until those pesky bridges got built. Was quite nice to take the train from Copenhagen to Hamburg via the ferry Roedby-Puttgarten.
The Danes had them before the Great Belt and Oresund bridges were built. I remember Sealink Dover Calais legacy ferries from the 80s with rail tracks. NZ interislander ferry Arahura from the 2000s also carried train wagons. Uncommon enough to still be interesting 😊😊
Yes and decades ago there was the London-Paris/Brussels Night Ferry which used the Dover-Dunkirk Sealink train ferry. So through WL carriages from London to these two capitals.
Some 40 years ago, I took the train from Kettering, UK to Catania, Sicily and back stopping off at many places en-route. I traveled First Class but no sleepers or couchettes. Spent some nights in questionable hotels next to railway stations (Marseilles) and not so questionable (Genoa). Other nights sitting up or standing if the train was full. Traveled on a summer Friday night from Rome to Catania on a train that was full to standing, and took the train ferry. We were in a compartment of six other people, though it was only meant for six but the company was tremendous. The people were very generous and let (made) us share their wine and food! The train onto the ferry was four hours late having started late from Rome and lost time progressively. I talked with the railway workers about that and whether it was a problem. Their answer was classic Italian railspeak; "As long as we get to Syracuse before we have to leave again, it will be OK". Catania was chosen so we could take a trip up Mt. Etna and see lava flows. Wow! Sicily was amazing, too. Friendly people and great scenery. The train on the ferry was the highlight for me, too. I'm glad that it still runs and have a promise to my grandson that he can go on a train on a boat! Thanks Noel for your videos - back then it was all roll film and heavy SLR cameras.
What an interesting video and above all experience! Thanks for sharing it with us! How about you coming to South America for a change, starting with Brazil?
Washington DC resident, here.... that tidbit about Milan's train station being modeled after ours, is a fun fact that I will be putting in my back pocket for future use! haha
My man, you fly around the world on some of the sketchiest, oldest planes flown by some of the most questionable airlines and you're telling us you're afraid of boats?!? You truly are something! Hope you and the family are well, my friend :) Happy travels!
I know it’s kinda frustrating it’s not his typical content he has lost his passion need get his wife health under control then come back we deserve better videos lately his hart isn’t in it
@@benlee8260you don’t ‘deserve’ anything so don’t sound so entitled. I think Noel’s recent videos have been continually fantastic and the health of his family has nothing to do with that, or with you.
@@robertmclaren3625 well it our business he put out on RUclips making our business we subscribed for good content it’s just gone down hill Noel also looks like me be doing drugs or medication just get by with regular day life I can tell from your response you don’t care about Noel or the channel
what the hell am I reading lol
enough youtube comments for me today
@@benlee8260 Really, dude. Chill. Enjoy the travels and sites he brings us. Noel's not a corporate puppet so we don't "deserve" a thing from him or his content. He's just a cool guy who does what he loves. And somewhere along the lines he started filming and posting and picked up viewers like us. That's all, that's it, nothing more, nothing less. He's earned no ridicule, criticism, condemnation, or even praise for what he does. He's just a man living his best life and we're just random strangers who watch through our screens hoping for an ounce of escapism. I happen to think he's a great guy with a cool wife who seems to support him.
Villa San Giovanni-Messina is the only surviving ferry with passenger train traffic in western Europe, there used to be the Night Ferry over the Channel and several crossings in Scandinavia including some domestic ones inside Denmark, very much missed by us nostalgics now as we are brought over by bridges instead.
The Berlin Night Express from Malmö used to run between Mukran (Sassnitz) and Trelleborg, but now the train runs via Denmark. There was also a ferry between Rödby and Fehmarn, but that was suspended in 2021 (iirc) because they're building a tunnel under the water at the Fehmarn straight. There is also a rail ferry between Sweden and Poland, but that is only used for freight. So this Sicillian rail ferry is the only one with a passenger train currently.
Afaik the Rödby-Puttgarten ferry is still running, just not for trains, as they're rebuilding the train lines from Copenhagen to Rödby for the tunnel. A bit too early IMO since from what I know the tunnel isn't expected to open until 2029.
And now they're planning a bridge to connect sicily to the mainland as well
Sooner or later a bridge will take the place of ferries.
Here in Denmark we used to rely on train ferries for both domestic and international train services. Before 1997 every train from Copenhagen towards mainland Denmark had to be transported on ferries between Korsør and Nyborg. If you look at older danish rolling stock, you will notice that it is much shorter than other western european trains. This is because all DMU's and carriages had to be short enough to fit on the ferries. Trains from Copenhagen towards Sweden and Germnay also had to rely on train ferries. It was quite a shunting manoeuvre when the long sleeper trains towards France and Italy had to be shunted onboard. Sometimes it required 2 ferries to get the entire train across
I remember taking the Copenhagen-Malmo ferry, the crew were particularly insistent that we get the car right up against the wall and we didn't know why. Next thing we knew, a whacking great train appeared alongside us. The new bridge is cool, but not that cool.
I was lucky enough to take that ferry train and later the one in the tunnel.
In the 1980s I travelled by car from Denmark to the then East Germany. The East German port was Warnemunde near Rostock. As well as cars the ship also had a train on it going I believe to Berlin. I guess the point of departure in Denmark was Rodby.
@@john07973 Trains to East Germany and the rest of Eastern Europe used the port in Gedser, while trains to West Germany / Western Europe used Rødby.
Many thanks ......Must have been Gedser@@NerdX151
Guilty giggle here that you were nervous on the boat, while most of the rest of us are nervous on a plane! Thank you for this delightful adventure. 😉
Glad you enjoyed it!
I love riding on any form of transportation... Nothing makes me nervous. I live for take offs and landings. Unless I am bone weary tired, I can't sleep on a plane. I am completely fascinated by observing everything "from above."
To be fair ROROs, roll-on-roll-off ferries like this one, are notorious for being unstable so the boat is a lot more likely to face disaster than a plane. That's why you can't stay on the train - if it rolls then you won't be able to get off and will be dragged under with the boat.
@@Wolverines77 I used to love flying (I too loved take offs and landing), being on boats, etc. However, I started to get headaches (which have progressively gotten a lot worse), then severe panic and anxiety settled in and I now have advanced cirrhosis and am in heart failure. Now the thought of flying terrifies me. In fact I can't even get out the house unassisted. I really miss my old life and love channels like this so I can see different parts of the world.
I did pretty much exactly this trip 30 years ago, only i started in Germany. It was really beautiful driving through countless tunnels in the alps and then along the Italian coast. We crossed over to Messina just as the sun was going down.
See Noel in my home town is simply great! Mamma and Grandma used to prepare me great food when crossing Italy by train!
Nice one... as an Italian living in London this brings lots of nostalgia.. I used to take sleeper trains regularly 20+ yrs ago, they used to be quite handy before the low-cost airlines arrived. Lots of stories.. attempted robberies, friends met along the way, pregnant women just about to delivery, nuns, priests, drunkyards, you name it! Things seem to be better these days but it will still be quite an adventure. Well done nonetheless, I enjoyed the video
Ciao , da un expat ad un’altro ! Saluti dalla Florida 🏝️
Wow, what an epic train journey. Milan Station is amazing. it does, however, have a sinister history during WWll, with a secret underground station.
"I'm on an island", says a British guy.
Lmao something about gb makes it seem like a it’s not an island
@@yaush_ It is a massive island and it's people are authentic and massively interesting.
Everyone lives on an island! Think oceans.
I'm young enough to remember the Boat Trains from Victoria to Paris and well beyond, they were an experience
Italy is lovely, I’ve done a few port spots (including Messina Scilly) on cruise ships, city trips and ski trips. Such a vibrantly different country depending on where in the country you are. This trip has now been added to my bucket list.
small service information, the new intercity night carriages will arrive soon, more spacious, comfortable and luxurious. They will replace the carriages in the video which are now old
OMG, travelling on Italian trains over 50 years ago and the 'loo' was a tall metal can with a rudimentary seat - it opened straight on to the tracks roaring underneath and was FILTHY. Loved Italy though! 😂
You are fantastic Noel Phillips, thanks for the new dimension you are introducing to your lovely trips, my regards to your lovely family and fans
Beautiful from start to finish. Far nicer than the auto train I did to Florida.
Thanks
Until 1980 you could have taken a train from London to Paris (as well as some other destinations) via Dover and Calais or Dunkerque with the train being loaded onto the ferry.
Dover Marine station was on the Western Docks (no longer used for passenger traffic) and was the loading point for the ferry as well as for foot passengers using those services.
I'm sure either Harwich or Felixstowe used to do this on Sealink Ferries which was owned by British Rail. It even had the BR logo on the funnel.
@@Banglish123 Sealink was a joint project between br/sncf/belgian marine and the zeeland company. they all said sealink on the sides, but whereas the br ones had the br logo on the funnel the sncf ones said 'sncf' and the others the same respectively. the ultimate successor was seafrance which was shut down about 10 years ago by the eu under the (to my mind false) view that allowing a competitor (to p and o) on the channel reduced competition because sealink was owned by sncf and thus gave sncf a monopoly because sncf controls the chunnel and the eurostar services. pretty faulty reasoning but that's what they decided thus stripping passengers of an option.
@@Banglish123- The train loading ramp is still there at Harwich! Complete with rails but cut off from the rail network.
Hey Noel,
You might wanna give German Carrier Condor a try, I bet you love their new livery (or hate it, there is no in between). Apparently their new Prime seats on the A330NEO are better then the current Lufthansa business class. They also have very interesting Destinations, for example Frankfurt-Whitehorse or Fairbanks (Whitehorse unfortunately will not be a Destination for them for a little bit due to construction on the Runway). Also they fly Boeing 757 300 out of Germany, with a very lovely special Livery called Willi.
All the best and Happy travels!
Calabrian scenery is stunning. I had never been there before 2 summers ago, and as an Italian it is incredible. Starting from the first bits of the motorway, that enters the region from the mountains and gorges of the Pollino, Sila and Aspromonte national parks, to the scenic Costa degli Dei" (Coast of the Gods, Tropea's located there) and Costa Viola (Purple Coast, from the shades the sea and mountains immediately rising from it get during dusk), its ancient heritage, rurality and relative isolation and lack of tourists makes it seem as if you were entering yet another version of this country. Good lord, the views from the main square of Scilla, which is a terrace 100 metres above the Thyrrenian Sea, are unforgettable, spanning from the first bits of the Messina Strait to the Aeolian Islands and their most famous volcano, Stromboli, emerging from the sea.
I'm not remotely interested in boats or trains, but I'm here for Noel, hooked me in with his aircraft videos the bas#$d ! 😆
Looks like there is lots of recovery time on this working..... I'm guessing the last stop is Set Down Only (ie-no one allowed to get on) and again has a good chunk of recovery time so you can arrive on time, or as you found out, early. We used to have the same when i was a driver on BR, we had around 10 minutes to go from Prittlewell to Southend Victoria, one stop and about a 2 min actual journey time. So you could be 8 late and still arrive on time at Southend!
I think I also saw this on Wingin’ It! Paul Lucas' channel.
I just came back from the Amalfi coast, taking the Freciarossa from Rome to Salerno. A lovely train ride in Italy and would definitely recommend traveling this way
This brought back so many memories of my backpacking days years ago through Europe. I remember taking the InterCity from Vienna to Milano, where I had to get off to switch trains. Like you, I was just floored by the size and beauty of the Milano train station - I'd never seen anything so gorgeous in all my life! Little did I know I would soon become acquainted with REAL life in Italy. My connecting train was delayed by HOURS, none of the station employees or conductors I spoke to 1) knew any English or 2) knew when the train would arrive. "No idea, no idea" they would exclaim in half English half Italian with wild gesticulations of the hand, "come back tomorrow"! Then I had to wait in a long line at the ticket booth to try to change my ticket. In front of me was a young man earnestly pleading his case with the ticketing official behind the window in a scene right out of a Puccini opera. Pleading in Italian sounded so beautiful, the rise and fall of his voice, the way he earnestly beseeched the agent behind the window, who by the way was having none of it, with folded arms...I finally understood why opera was invented in Italy - it's nothing more than adding a sound track to everyday life in Italy.
I had to sleep overnight in the train station, and next day an old, rickety train finally arrived. I swear, this train was constantly on the brink of falling apart! It was in winter and the heater was on full blast because you couldn't regulate the heat. Everything in my little cabin was loud and shaking. When the train stopped at a station, you had no idea where you were because all the place signs were missing. Asking the conductor was no use since he spoke no English and just gesticulated wildly with his hands. So you just had to guess your location using the map in your Interrail booklet as best as you could. There were frequent announcements on the PA system, but only in Italian and half the time you couldn't understand because the sound quality was so bad.
Railing in Scandinavia however was a completely different story. The trains there were clean, modern, almost new. Everyone was polite and spoke PERFECT English, the place signs in all the train stations were neatly written and clearly visible. Then to my surprise the train suddenly slowed down. When I woke up and looked through the window I was just in time to see the train slowly entering the mouth of a HUGE ship! I had no idea what was happening! Once the entire train was inside the belly of the beast, everyone immediately got up and exited the train. So I followed suit. I followed everyone upstairs and was surprised to see a lively casino with tons of shops selling all types of goods. It turns out we were on the ferry heading to Denmark. The whole thing was so surreal!
A similar thing happened in Norway when the train also entered a huge ship. Same drill as in Denmark - everyone immediately exited the train and went upstairs to play casino or go shopping. This happened a third time on the way to Finland. This time I knew what to do, but since as a backpacker I didn't have any money, I just hung out on the deck of the ferry. The wind was SO FIERCE and cold, if I hadn't held on for dear life I think I would have gotten blown off the deck. So I headed back inside where they had rows and rows of chairs, just like in the video. I was seated there alone however, since everyone else was either at the casino or shopping. This is what happens when you go backpacking through Europe on a tight budget!
Very cool video! Beautiful scenery. Great fun
But now, Italy is also very modern as u see in this video. How u said that was many years ago
Seems like you traveled to Italy in the 1950s...nowadays the Italian railway network is generally regarded as of the best in the world. I have taken trains in Scandinavia, and there is no comparison, italian trains are much better.
On my morning commute into Victoria station I used to see the dark blue wagons-lits of the Night Ferry train that had arrived earlier from Paris.
what an amazing ride, Noel! from Milan Centrale through the magnificent views of the coastal areas, to that from your hotel room! I chuckled at your multiple room changes though you took them well in stride. the train-on-the-ferry is quite something indeed! very cool all around! cheers!
Glad you enjoyed it!
That is so cool! Train being loaded onto a boat! Sounds like fun!
When I was a kid my mom would take us kids all the way from London to Brindisi by train it was a great journey,
Most definitely something I should be doing after the treatment of my illness. Top 5 on my plans for trains next year. OK, Top 3. Thanx for a brilliant video.
The scenery is stunning, pity it wizzes past so fast, cracking content Noel!
I visited the east coast of Sicily last summer I'm glad you have done the sleeper train to Sicily
This is definitely on the bucket list thank you Noel .
Mr. Phillips, I am green with envy of your travels. Enjoy your videos and British accent. I had the opportunity in 1984 to travel by train from Bitburg, GE to Roskilde, Denmark. Yes, the train went aboard a ferry however , it was at night and in January. If my memory serves me we crossed the North Sea. Big fan of travel by train. Keep up the good work.
I did the train ferry from Denmark to Germany a few years ago. It's closed now but it was a great experience. I need to do this train ferry some day too.
Have done the same from Berlin to Copenhagen, super cool experience! Bummed to hear its now closed.
WOW I've been waiting for the Italy stuff that was hinted in the earlier videos! Glad you're finally exploring that awesome country Noel! Have fun !! :D
Moving around the cabins must have been annoying though.
I love your boyish excitement Noel. ("I'm on a train, on a boat, how cool is that?"). I think we may have a kindred spirit. Anything to do with
travel excites me too. My Uncle was a station master being stationed all over New South Wales. As a youngster I would spend holidays
visiting him all over that state. Trains up close and personal in all kinds of magical locations. I'm in the autumn of my life now and live
on memories. I remember being at Rome station waiting to travel to Florence. A grand piano was positioned in the waiting area, and
anyone could play it. Travelling Italians would stop and play classical music, movie themes and Italian love songs. They are so very
talented. I thank you for your videos. They outstrip anything being aired on television. Thanks mate!
I help on a Fear of Flying course and find myself saying to people that we all have some fears. Yours is boats. Strange but true.
It’s a fabulous country. I cannot wait to go back
I used the Puget Sound ferries at least 150 times when living in the region. It was always a blast. Even the few trips when rocking and rolling through gale force winds and 10 foot plus tall waves. My favorite rides were on those few weeks of 90⁰ plus heat. That breeze of the ferry slicing through that icy North Pacific water was SO refreshing.
I spent 2 days "aboard" Naval Air Station Sigonella (Oct of 1987). It was part of my CRAZY journey home for two weeks of leave. I did not get to take my leave after finishing Recruit Training as my training class was starting 4 days after graduation. My parents and brother were living at Ramstein AB (a few miles west of Kaiserlautern Germany). One of these days, I will type out the abridged version of said journey from MCAGCC 29 Palms, CA, to home. I promise you it is worth the read. If I had a cell phone, it would be a military travel 10-part blog...
Love your content, Noel. Keep up the great work, my travel brother from another mother...
LOVED this film. Soooooo need to do this journey.
Wow, never expect a train need to split and travel on the big boat, this experience is really special! The bedroom has a very nice view at the end!
Hey Noel, I reckon the driver had get-there-itis. A train on a boat, truely awesome! Well handled!
If this is on your bucket list, the train-ferry-train bit, Italy is supposed to start construction on the Strait of Messina bridge in 2024, so don’t wait too long. Yes, it was supposed to start construction many times before, but just in case.
Wow Noel, what amazing scenery. Italy is beautiful, I get how weird it must feel, going on a boat, while still on a train, and then you tell us you are afraid of big boats, well let me tell you, most of the rest of us, would run a mile, rather than travel, on some of the questionable aeroplane’s, you have flown on, so consider your self very brave. Love your videos.
Used to be able to do this at Dover Western Socks before the channel tunnel opened.
Wow that's one for the bucket list...note back all your food and drinks...looks amazing
Thanks for sharing this particular video, Noel! Hubby and I were set on adding this one to our bucket list of "must dos" - that is... BEFORE we watched your video. NOW, we two pre-madonnas are set on doing something a bit more luxurious.... maybe a cross-Canadian country crossing train perhaps? (giggle). Cheers!
You are giving me nostalgia big time. When I was 16 I took the train onto the Ferry from Naples to Palermo. This was 30 years ago. I remember we slept overnight on the train on the ferry so I think we took the ferry direct to Palermo.
Interesting! I don’t know how you put up with having to move 3 times. The views were spectacular, you and Rachel NEED to go to Italy!!!
The man has the patience of JOB. And always polite through thick and thin. Very old school british!
I remember taking the night train from Bremen to London via Hoek van Holland in the late 1980s - and I always slept all through the ferry part.
Wow never seen a train go on a boat before.
I was in Italy for the first time a month ago and had an amazing time. So much to see. Such amazing cities and towns.
Brilliant video, we did this back in summer but the other way round, felt very strange going from train movement to boat movement! Because it was overnight we stayed in our beds. They lock the toilets so if you need to go you have to find the loo on ferry!! Salerno a good place to get off if you want to explore amalfi coast
Wonderful video! Drove from Milan to Naples this past summer… simply indescribable the beauty of Italy. You have a great talent in how you travel…it’s like hanging out with a friend watching you
Many thanks!
It reninds me of my many trips crossing the Great Belt in Denmark on the Intercity ferries or the train ferries between Rødby and Puttgarden in Germany.
In Denmark, before Storebæltsbroen (the big belt bridge) was build, the trains also always went on the ferry. I remember that from my young years. Quite the experience.
Thanks for this information, I had always planned to break the journey in Sorrento so the advice at the end just confirmed my plan A!
Amazing how they solved the logistics of getting a rain onto a ship! Lining up the tracks and making them level is just pne aspect of getting the train onto the ship, but they did it, and everything else that had to work to make it happen. I'm very impressed by this mode of transport!
How cool is that?! A train that goes on a boat! Great countryside both in Italy and Sicily along the coast. Would love to plan this trip soon. Keep safe.
Ah yes another video from the best RUclipsr ❤
We don't have a Day Light Savings thing here in Singapore. I was wondering why is Lord Noel's video late today? Then my mind worked out this Shyt DST.
Thank you for another wonderful video Lord. Take Care.
You know you’re used to high-speed trains when you complain that the train is going too fast to enjoy the scenery 😂!
I wish we had that problem in the USA!
I went on this train in excelsior class.We had our own bathroom with shower.Lovely train.The views are truly amazing
This was definitely one of our favourite videos of yours yet. We had no idea trains could go on ferries! Incredible. We've only been to Como and Milan in Italy (so far!) but plan to return in the future. Beautiful country, wonderful people, amazing food. And no, we didn't eat at McD's or a 5 Guys when we were there.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Finally some Noel Phillips to finish off my sunday
Back in 2017, I traveled from Turin via Milan to Dommodossola to Bern. These were like 10 hours of traveling... My phone overheated at Milano Centrale and I lost my lens cover during switching over in Dommo to the SBB train to Visp.
I always adore the contagious enthusiasm!!
I remember the train ferries service's between Holyhead and Ireland but this train journey was beautiful from beginning to end even if you did have to play hokey cokey sleeper compartments
Noel, I absolutely LOVE travel and I wish I could make the content you make. It’s truly great! I love that you also do different modes of transportation like you did here in this video. Planes and trains are definitely my favorites. Keep up the great content.
Thanks so much!
I was waiting for others to do this train route since Paul Lucas did it two years back! Thank you Noel!
Josh Cahill made this trip as well.
@@Kevin_C_Leonard_63 Oh I need to see this now!
Absolutely gorgeous architecture and stunning views…
It really is!
Hi Noel! Just recently discovered your videos! Although I'm an AvGeek, I also enjoy your train reviews as well. I was just thinking the other day how I'd like to see you maybe do a few ocean cruise reviews, but after watching this video (and you not quite enjoying the ferry ride), I guess that's not in the cards! Love your videos and always looking forward to your next adventure. Safe travels! Chris
That must take a bit of lining up the boat with the train track .
I did the Copenhagen - Hamburg train ferry in 2019, just before the service finished.
And yes, Milano Centrale is an amazing building!
It is a great experience! I enjoy it every time I take the train to Sicily. The whole process takes two hours, the ferry ride takes approximately 30 minutes. The Italian government is planning to build a bridge over the sea to connect the italian peninsula with Sicily. They unbury this project every other decade or so. But in the meantime lets enjoy this rather " archaic" procedure
Supposedly the bridge in question hasn't been built because of issues with earthquakes, ocean currents, damage to the environment and things. But there is also a conspiracy theory that says it hasn't been built because of the Mafia...
Palermo is a beautiful city. I definitely want to go back again.
I had a funny visual of Italian train officials trying to pry Noel from his train cabin whilst on the boat
12:56 In Italian "extraordinary" in this context would mean that it was an unscheduled stop. ☺
Thanks for another great video!🤩
Milano Centrale was built with the auspices of Mussolini who literally invented the modern railway! Italy is the country that FIRST IN THE WORLD electrified its railroads at the beginning of 1900 ; it’s also the country that introduced the ETR- Elettro Treno Rapido concept in 1937 that still exists today although updated to the 21st century technology. In 1939 an ETR 200 reached the at the time incredible speed of 203 km/h , breaking a world record !!! When it comes to Technology, Speed and Style we Italians know one thing or two 😉
Hilarious!!!! Nothing better or more entertaining on RUclips than your videos. I too am waiting on a refund from a train I took in Italy, 4 yrs ago!!!! The magnificent Tuscan countryside made up having no seat on the train because the train had changed and didn't have a seat number that I had on my ticket. You are so brave to eat all the food that you do in those different countries. Love the accompanying music for all your videos.
Boy do I know that feeling. I hadn't even heard of this. Didn't think it was possible. Went interrailing through northern europe and got on a train to Kopenhagen. The very friendly family I shared a 4-seat place with were speaking danish and i didn't know how it would work to get on the boat. So I asked them about it. And whilst I know most scandinavian countries speak English very well. There was obviously a bit of a language barrier. Since they kept saying we didn't have to transfer to the boat, the train would just drive on to it.
You can imagine my supprise once the damn train just rolled onto the boat as if it was nothing xD. So weird but verry cool! And worked like a charm!
Thank you for sharing your beautiful video with us
There used to be a train from Victoria to Paris that went across the channel in a boat. I remember going on it as a child in the 70’s!
Super cool!!! I had no idea this existed.
That was an amazing train ride. I would think they would have at least had sandwiches on the train. I always carry food with me when I travel , candy or little packs of cheese & crackers or something & water. You never know what can happen. With all of your travels, I didn't think you were afraid of anything! I am surprised you don't like large boats! I guess that's why you don't cruise. I enjoyed that train ride thru Italy even if it was a little rough at times & have always wanted to go to Italy! It's a beautiful country. Hope Rach is feeling ok. I always enjoy her on the videos.
I love the combination of "live" and voice over. Very effective indeed.
What a beautiful journey.
Haven't watched you or anything on RUclips in over a year but if truth be told I was getting withdrawals from your epic adventures and you were the first show I watched. Happy belated Christmas to yourself and the family, by the way Mr Philips always carry cash with you, we can't always be reliant on digital technology for it crashes, cash is King, have a great boxing day.
If you come to china Hainan (an island), you would get the same experience if you were to head mainland by train. I was lucky to experience this once, this year september, and the only difference was, of cause the train model (different from yours), and how we were not allowed to come down the train while were on the boat. When the train was disected into 4 parts (because our train was much longer), there was not a bit of AC, and because we were not allowed to get off it. However, as you said, it was a great experience!
You managed to show me what I didn’t for my crossing was at night. Folkestone in UK used to have a boat train to France.
Trains on boats used to be a daily thing in Denmark until those pesky bridges got built. Was quite nice to take the train from Copenhagen to Hamburg via the ferry Roedby-Puttgarten.
The Danes had them before the Great Belt and Oresund bridges were built. I remember Sealink Dover Calais legacy ferries from the 80s with rail tracks. NZ interislander ferry Arahura from the 2000s also carried train wagons.
Uncommon enough to still be interesting 😊😊
Yes and decades ago there was the London-Paris/Brussels Night Ferry which used the Dover-Dunkirk Sealink train ferry. So through WL carriages from London to these two capitals.
Next i will watch Basillicas n Cathedrals. Thank u for the idea.
Another awesome 10/10 Noel Philips video👍 WOW!...Train & Ferry what a adventure / you sure get around there Noel
Glad you enjoyed it
Try airbaltic from Vilnius to Dubai. Never seen reviews of this airline and I seen videos that they have portable beer dispenser on board haha
Some 40 years ago, I took the train from Kettering, UK to Catania, Sicily and back stopping off at many places en-route. I traveled First Class but no sleepers or couchettes. Spent some nights in questionable hotels next to railway stations (Marseilles) and not so questionable (Genoa). Other nights sitting up or standing if the train was full.
Traveled on a summer Friday night from Rome to Catania on a train that was full to standing, and took the train ferry. We were in a compartment of six other people, though it was only meant for six but the company was tremendous. The people were very generous and let (made) us share their wine and food! The train onto the ferry was four hours late having started late from Rome and lost time progressively. I talked with the railway workers about that and whether it was a problem. Their answer was classic Italian railspeak; "As long as we get to Syracuse before we have to leave again, it will be OK".
Catania was chosen so we could take a trip up Mt. Etna and see lava flows. Wow! Sicily was amazing, too. Friendly people and great scenery. The train on the ferry was the highlight for me, too. I'm glad that it still runs and have a promise to my grandson that he can go on a train on a boat! Thanks Noel for your videos - back then it was all roll film and heavy SLR cameras.
What an interesting video and above all experience! Thanks for sharing it with us! How about you coming to South America for a change, starting with Brazil?
I was in Palermo about 3 weeks ago. Beautiful city.
Loved that trip Noel . How unusual xx
Glad you enjoyed it
Very entertaining and fun to watch. Thanks for posting this.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Washington DC resident, here.... that tidbit about Milan's train station being modeled after ours, is a fun fact that I will be putting in my back pocket for future use! haha
This was very cool Noel and if I ever get the chance I'd like to do that trip then get the ferry to Malta and fly back from there.
This was a nice departure from the airline travel. Can’t wait until you finish your Amtrak across the US