@@steve-marsh We are absolutely love ur videos here in US!!!! When u go to markets or stores in different cities- can u show us pls.what I buy(snacks, souvenirs) and how much it costs...❤
So I found you like a week ago, and Steve I need my life back, have been watching a backlog of years of videos, and making my own (hypothetical) travel plans... you are addictive.
If you're landing at Westerplatte in Gdansk there's a really good ferry that'll take you right into the centre, takes around 40minutes and it is fascinating to travel right through a working harbour, imagine something 10 X the size of Aberdeen harbour, massive bulk carriers loading and unloading, shipyards, side by side with kayaks, yachts, sightseeing cruises.
I live in southern sweden. Your video of traveling to Gdansk by ferry inspired me to do the same. Thank you! I'll definitely book a trip to Poland soon by boat.
I travelled by ferry from France to the UK last summer and I loved it. It was short but while you are on a ferry, having a meal and watching the sea, you do not lose time, you relax. I love slow travels, by ferries, trains, coaches. That's the taste of the travel.
Hi Steve Brought back a lot of memories for me. I was working in the Gadansk and Gadinia shipyards in 1980 when the Solidarity workers went on strike. My colleagues and I had to get out of Poland, so we got the last ferry from Gadansk to Stockholm. Then we had to drive across Sweden to Gothenburg to get the ferry back to the river Tyne. So very fond memories in reverse for me. Thank you.
After much travelling around continental Europe, the Nordic countries have become my favourite part. They're so beautiful. I love how clean and liveable the cities are, I love the timber houses you see everywhere and I even love the languages.
and the more of foreign immigrants we get in the north, ne more it gets pulled down into the gutters.... Sweden had more shootings the last month than the rest of the continent combined. And the typical nordic "trust and honor" culture (open doors, clean places, care for the commonly used environment and nature) is beeing eroded. It starts with the big cities and graffiti art on beautiful architecture, and spreads from there with drugs and gang violence...and exploitation of any native trust based "weakness" also, folks without honor dont care about honor. So you can forget about trains w/o conductor checking on you - or plush nice seats. In 10 years you will have cameras, turnstiles and easily washable plastic shells. Pray for us.
@@zoolkhan har ni något slags möten där ni tipsar varandra om videos som handlar om Sverige så att ni går in och kommenterar om invandring? Ni är liksom alltid här..
23:40 Yes, Gotland with its medieval town Visby is a must. The medieval Hanseatic city of Visby is one of the best-preserved medieval towns in Scandinavia. The whole island is an excursion destination with beautiful nature.
@@steve-marshIf you go to Visby during summer, just be prepared that some weeks are "themed" weeks and the town is packed with people 😅 The 32nd week every year is the Medieval week and it's suddenly the year 1361. It's super fun if you know and has planned for it but otherwise it's expensive and people EVERYWHERE 😂. There's also Almedalsveckan, Stockholmsveckan and so on, so make sure to do a bit of research 😅
The entire island is stunning, I especially like the very South of the island as well as Fårö in the very north, and the smaller islands of Stora Karlsön and Gotska Sandön if you have the possibility to add these excursions.
Visited a lot of places in Poland but not, so far, Gdańsk. I’m beginning to regret that, it looks stunning. Another great video which really recreates the atmosphere and tribulations of travel. Many thanks.
Everything about Sweden looked really good. Clean, well maintained and thought out for the convenience of the people. I noticed plenty of relaxed people going about their day and not a single bit of graffiti until you arrived in Poland. I think the UK could learn a lot from Sweden. A great video, your production standards get better and better, so I thank you for your dedication and enthusiasm.
Thanks so much David! I must say Sweden was nothing but a joy for travel - efficient, clean, friendly, respectful people of all ages, and not nearly as expensive as I was expecting!
Thank you for all the wonderfully interesting videos you have done over the years. It’s a refreshing change to see someone who maintains such a high quality through out. Good luck for all your future projects how ever weird and wonderful they maybe.
I'm Swedish. I live in Helsingborg and lived in Malmö for some years. I visited Krakow 2 times. Felt really safe and everything was so clean and police was just hanging around everywhere without harrasing anyone. Just felt safe to be honest. They even helped me with finding the way when I got a bit lost. Young people seemed to be out having fun and not to make trouble. Loved it!
I can understand you felt that way in Krakow. Swedish cities are allegedly the least safe in Europe these days and things are only getting worse. I visited Warsaw and Gdansk this summer and both cities were as safe as Sweden used to be in the 1980s.
@@lordjim3109 Do you have any sources for that claim? I definitely call bullshit on your drivel. Unless you talk about a few specific suburbs to a few cities.
Loved the starting train journey the scenery looks like it was sculpted so precise and not a bit of rubbish in site, the ferry seemed very pleasant but you certainly got your ten thousand steps in when you arrived in Poland. Thanks for taking me along it was very enjoyable as always, looking forward to the next video so stay safe and cheers.
I just love a good train station, and those Swedish ones were AMAZING! Beautiful architecture, so light and clean, every bit of them! It’s just great, getting to see places I haven’t been, and finding those gems that get put on the future travel list! Thanks, and ATB!
As a Swede that lives in the Southern parts of the country, I usually travel the Karlskrona-Gdynia route (by Stena Line) whenever I go to the Gdansk/Gdynia/Sopot area, so it was interesting to see a video from the Nynäshamn-Gdansk route. The train trip would've been longer to Karlskrona, but it's easier to get on/off the boat on the Stena Line route, and a shorter ferry ride, so I think you would've preferred that. Anyways, thanks for the video!
Great trip and video. I will be in Gothenburg for a day this August .... I love Gdansk I lived there on the 70's and went back in 2021 .. Poland has gotten much better, of what it was before .... Safe trips , keep traveling and enjoying ...
Just got back from a week in Gdańsk today! What an incredible city. I was massively impressed with Poland in general - I thought Gdańsk would be nice in the middle but no so much elsewhere, I was wrong. It’s nicer and seems wealthier than lots of places in the UK now. The transport is great (apart from that bus you used!) - 2 people on a train for a single journey was around £1.60 and 12 minute Bolt taxi rides were around £2. The food is lovely too 🇵🇱 Dziękuję for the video mate! Looking forward to the next one
Ahh superb mate, glad you enjoyed it, fantastic city eh? and you can clearly see all the investment, the place has come on less and bounds even in the last few years
@@craig.bryant UK expat living in Gdansk for the last 5 years. While there's been a lot of investment,particularly in I.T companies, wages are still less across the board than in the UK. A school teacher earns approx 3000pln a month-approximately £600.00. Prices have been creeping up too-Lidl is similar price wise to the UK. At least we have decent weather!
@@steve-marsh You should. Visby is a very old city, next to the sea. It has a well preserved city wall from I think the 1200s. Visby is also known for its roses and safron panncakes. It is a great place. I hope You go there.
Stockholm is well worth a longer visit. Only been for a day on a cruise but it was stunning. The port you left from is where a lot of cruise ships now berth, but it misses the spectacular trip from Swedish coast to the heart of Stockholm which takes a few hours as the route threads through the thousands of islands.
I so look forward to Saturday mornings here in Dubai, Steve, where I can enjoy your travels vicariously. You are one of the most authentic travel content producers and you and Alicja are a lovely couple. I hope your journeys bring as much pleasure to you both as they do to me. Best, John
I could travel with you as I too always like to arrive early at any departure point. I so agree with you, arrive early and then do some wandering about. Another stellar video Steve. That meal looked quite delicious, for ferry food.
Steve, you always find the most interesting journeys, and some wonderful places to stay on your travels. That apartment was fab for the price! And what great wee towns/villages/ports you share with us along the way. Love the way you give the journey details at the end - a big help for anyone wanting to do a bit of exploring in Europe.
I’ve lived here all my life and it’s so fun seeing someone elses perspective, and appreciation of the landscape. It’s just everyday to me and i rarely give it any notice. Love you videos, and welcome back any time!
Honestly, I don`t see anything wrong with this ferry except for the lengthy boarding and deboarding. Your cabin was "excellent" and the food was "so good".
I just love your channel. I’ve only recently found you - but I am so interested in traveling by ferry in Europe. Greetings from the Great Lakes region of the US..
While Inter-Railing back in 2002, I decided to visit Gdansk for two reasons. Firstly because Hitler had said in a speech on 1 Sept 1939, "Danzig was and is a German city!" Secondly because the Polish Solidarity movement started there. I was interested just because of its place in history, and I was just expecting an industrial port city, but nothing to write home about. I had a lovely surprise when I found out how beautiful the place is, and Poland is not short of beautiful places. I very much enjoyed your video. Keep travelling and keep entertaining!
Hi Steve. I know Sweden and Poland of old - that is back in the 1980s and early 90s. Sweden is a country in which I wish I had lived - especially given how much more pristine it has become. Puts the UK to shame sadly. Your video was uplifting, living as I do now in Thailand where clean roads and high-speed trains are unheard of, although we are always being promised such basics in a modern society. Having said that, Thailand has many redeeming features that appeal to many of us. Ferry trips are not on a par with your wonderful experiences, so thanks for sharing as always!
Funnily enough, we’ve just come back from Sweden and stayed in a place called Farsta Strand which your commuter train would have stopped at on route to Nynäshamn
Fascinating journey as always with your videos, and Gdansk is an amazing city, full of centuries of history. The reason for the delay in disembarkation may have been due to lorry trailers being loaded on that deck, and elf & safety requiring that they were removed by tractor before foot passengers could access the deck. The reason for the English three pin electric plugs is probably that Nova Star was first named Norman Leader and destined for Cross Channel sailings between England and France, but the contract was cancelled, and in fact she first began revenue service out of Portland on the Gulf of Maine, USA, and subsequently sailed the Mediterranean between Algeciras in Spain and Tangier in Morocco before being acquired by Polferries. Quite a checkered history!
Great video! Sorry about the MTR ticket. One of their trains (the engine) is called Trainy McTrainface. Hope you get to spend more time in Stockholm another time. Gotland is a great destination as well. Cheers!
As ever Steve this is a wonderful trip which I have shared with you. It just goes to show how sensibly organised Scandinavia is - I'm sorry you managed to book the wrong train but I can see you had a good journey. All the best
Cheers Scott! Aye, LOVED it, but unfortunately food poisoning wiped me out along with the day I had planned for a bit of filming! Ach well, all part of the experience :D
It’s a lovely little city. Originally named Danzig (later the free city of Danzig), totally destroyed in air raids by the Soviets and it’s culturally German and German speaking population expelled or killed by the communists. But that’s all in the past. The polish took it over and rebuilt the old city in the 5os and 60s in the same way as before destruction.
One day you're going to nip down to the Peak District for a hike, on a Cargo ship via Australia. And I'm all for it! 😂 I love these videos where you take a longest, most complicated route possible.
Hi! I found your channel through your previous video in Gothenburg. I love your style of travel vlogging and i will definitely check out more of your videos. Cheers from Gothenburg!
Nova Star was built to run from Portsmouth-Le Havre, but her first route ended up being from Portland, Maine to Halifax, Nova Scotia in North America. Hence the name.
Yet another ferry that was promised for travellers across the English Channel and never materialised sure to bad planning or design issues. The 'Honfleur' which was supposed to start operating for Brittany Ferries never turned up because the shipyard went bankrupt. It's now running between mainland Spain and one of their territories in North Africa.
For some years you could take the commuter train to the ferry terminal but they rebuilt the station so no more direct connection to the ferry now but you can take a direct bus from the Cityterminal next to the Stockholm Central station now. Gotland is the biggest island in Sweden, you should really visiting it. I must really take that boat to Poland some time, looks great.
Well done, Steve. The disembarkation procedure for foot passengers on the old Rosyth-Zeebrugge route was just as slow and frustrating. You did better in Gothenburg than we did, travelling from Copenhagen to Oslo. Our first train was terminated at Malmo because it was running a bit late. So waiting an hour there for the next train meant we missed our connection in Gothenburg, 6 hours until the next train. Despite having booked for the three of us through the Swedish Railways website, nobody in Gothenburg station wanted to know or assist us to rebook. In the end we had a nice lunch near the market hall, and explored a bit before blagging our way through the ticket inspection on the Oslo train. We were past being prepared to take any more hassle. We presumed some kind of food could be bought on board and didn't buy anything to eat or drink before boarding - but there was none. Even the coffee machine wouldn't work with Swedish coins! Incidentally, we chatted on the way to Gothernburg to a Swedish musician who it turned out had been playing when were at Copenhagen's stunning opera house the previous evening, and asked him if delays and cancellations happened often. He looked shocked and insulted and said "This isn't Italy, you know!".
Excellent video Steve - liked the police car - remember years ago there was an international police convention in Glasgow and all the local Strathclyde police we having their picture taken with the Swedish police Volvo ( non- Scottish viewers - "Polis" is Scottish slang for police !).
We’ve been to Gotland twice before and the Destination Gotland ship is lovely. You should make that one of your next trips. Very lovely island. 👍🏴🇸🇪
I had the pleasure of riding the SJ High Speed from Stockholm to Copenhagen, it was a very good experience compared to VIA rail here in Canada or Amtrak in the US. Booked first class as it was only $15 more than coach and included a meal and beer. (1st class was 3 seats wide instead of 4)
Pity we couldn't see more of the cities, Gothenburg, Stockholm and Gdansk. Nevertheless, a very interesting journey and well documented. One would think that there would be a much easier connection from the ferry terminal to the centre of Gdansk without having to download an app. Great video!
Hi Steve what a brilliant and informative video that's enjoyable to watch, thoroughly enjoyed it great views of the countryside while on the high speed train in Sweden,, so i subscribed to your channel which accidentally came across
Many of the X2 EMU's on this stretch have been refurbished, and look a bit different from the one you are traveling with to Stockholm. The seating capacity has been increased by 15%, with the seats able to be adjusted electronically, while the carpets, interior panelling, and luggage racks have also been replaced. The trains have also been equipped with a redesigned bistro and kitchenette in first class.
As a Swede I really enjoyed the outsider’s view of things I take for granted. (And I keep forgetting how beautiful Stockholm is, even though I wouldn’t move from my beloved Malmö.) It occurs to me that taking the ferry from Trelleborg at the southern tip of Sweden to Świnoujście would have been a quicker route for you.
@@steve-marsh I recommend the Karlskrona to Gdynia stena line ferry. It’s known as the tricity of Poland: of Gdańsk, Gdynia, and Sopot. Land at Gdynia, taxi to sopot and then train to Gdańsk. Sopot is their beach resort and beautiful. And the ferry boarding is civilized. I will avoid this Pol ferry in the future, thanks for this vid.
I am so enjoying your videos especially Scandinavia & being an Aussie you’ve given me ideas on a fun way of travelling . We have previously home exchanged in Denmark & Sweden so excited to start planning a return visit !!!
A big factor of train or bus travel is the behaviour of other passengers. Loud people on phones or screaming kids do my head in. The Swedes seem very considerate.
The Swedish X2000 train sets date back about 35 years, to the late 1980s. In 1992 U. S. passenger carrier Amtrak leased a set to test it and it's tilt technology to research ideas for what became their Acela trains nearly 10 years later. As an Amtrak employee at the time I had a chance to ride on it a couple of times. The loading gauge is a lot smaller than U. S. standards, so the trains seem almost toy-like to us, but the ride was great at 125 to 135 mph, and Amtrak incorporated tilt technology into the Acela trains.
Is there going to be a follow up video from Gdansk? A significant place in Polish and European history. Also, it looks beautiful. Scott's video on Gdansk is great. 🇵🇱🇪🇺🇬🇧🏴🏴
Apologies in advance Martin - the day I had scheduled for a Gdańsk video ended up with me floored with food poisoning, but there is a nice look at Poland next week which I hope will make up for it a little
Fascinating trip, as always, the ferry company's boarding and disembarking practices are very strange indeed. Most sizeable ferries now board and disembark via a bridge/walkway, don't they? I like Stockholm. The last time my wife and I were there we stayed in a quirky hotel not far from the central station - convenient for exploring the city and for getting to and from the airport. I haven't been to Gdansk, but the central area looks beautiful. Reminds me of Wrocław, where we visited to teach conversational English to academics at the veterinary university many years ago, not long after the end of the communist regime. Thinking about Gdansk, I met Lech Wałensa at a conference in Dublin many years ago, when he was famous for Solidarnosc.
No way! That’s so cool mate!!! Will definitely give Stockholm and the islands there a look at some point, quirky hotels really seem to be a thing there! And with the ferry, it was a fun way on and off but boy did it add some tiring waits!
Thank you for a new catch phrase for my retirement years....what the fun is THAT?....very useful when folks question you travel plans and destinations. As well as many other changes that having time and a wee bit of money to burn.
Hi yea Steve, Thanks so much for another incredible adventure, Stockholm looks so very nice. That was a great apartment in Poland. All the best. Cheers
Interesting, and I had never been to this part of the world before. I was so impressed! Your food ,(especially the soup) looked amazing. May the road rise up to meet you, may the wind be always at your back...Merry Ann from Minnesota, the Land of 10,000 Lakes.
Memories of getting lost in Stockholm station, and a hotel room looking out on that red church there. I wondered whether the ferry had been used somewhere else before becoming a Polferries ship?
I since did this ferry route in reverse, last month, from a conference in Warsaw to visiting friends in and around Stockholm. That's travelling! To be honest, your ship was a bit bland (I guess you were on the Nova Star), but it still beats the ship I was on, the Wawel, dating from the 70s. We had a more spacious deck space, though, and the grill/deck bar was open on mine. And for a next time, the pub in the old station building in Nynäshamn is run by a Brit, from Brighton, I believe he was. Some lovely beers and a nice chap.
Steve, please accept my grateful thanks for all the hard work you put into videos. They make me feel as though I was there with you! Can I go in your backpack next time??
I went on the exact same route roughly 2 months later and i also loved everything about it and it was also the first time i went on one of those tilting trains
@stevemarsh Disembarkation from (and embarkation onto) large & busy ferries is a complex and high risk process. In order to disembark foot passengers through bow or stern doors, clear passage across the car deck is mandatory. All vehicles between the point of foot access to the "car deck" and the egress point to shore (ie bow or stern door), be they cars, trucks or unaccompanied trailers, have to driven off or shunted off before foot passengers can be allowed to traverse the car deck - it's simply not safe to have moving traffic, eg a 44tonne lorry, conflicting with a large number of pedestrians; all procedures & protocols for foot passenger (eg time-delayed access to lower decks) is purely and simply for the safety & welfare of said same foot passengers. If you're wondering why some ferry companies don't provide a shuttle bus ship-to-shore service (eg BritFerries @ Rosslare), that service would have to wait until all vehicles had been discharged from the vessel as conflict between off-loading vehicles and an oncoming vehicle would be dangerous in a confined space. Ship-to-shore shuttles can operate more safely on underused ferry sectors; if a ship is very quiet regarding vehicle traffic, buses can access the "car decks" while offloading traffic is held stationary, and expedite a quick disembarkation for foot passengers - a shuttle bus-type operation on PolFerrs may lead to a delay of 2 or 3 hours to foot pax departing the ferry.
10:42 that was the cutest wave from both of them
Agreed :)
@@steve-marsh We are absolutely love ur videos here in US!!!! When u go to markets or stores in different cities- can u show us pls.what I buy(snacks, souvenirs) and how much it costs...❤
So I found you like a week ago, and Steve I need my life back, have been watching a backlog of years of videos, and making my own (hypothetical) travel plans... you are addictive.
If you're landing at Westerplatte in Gdansk there's a really good ferry that'll take you right into the centre, takes around 40minutes and it is fascinating to travel right through a working harbour, imagine something 10 X the size of Aberdeen harbour, massive bulk carriers loading and unloading, shipyards, side by side with kayaks, yachts, sightseeing cruises.
I live in southern sweden. Your video of traveling to Gdansk by ferry inspired me to do the same. Thank you! I'll definitely book a trip to Poland soon by boat.
EXCELLENT Video Steve. Sweden and Poland are now 'Definitely' on our travel list!
Thanks so much!!!
I travelled by ferry from France to the UK last summer and I loved it. It was short but while you are on a ferry, having a meal and watching the sea, you do not lose time, you relax. I love slow travels, by ferries, trains, coaches. That's the taste of the travel.
Hi Steve
Brought back a lot of memories for me. I was working in the Gadansk and Gadinia shipyards in 1980 when the Solidarity workers went on strike. My colleagues and I had to get out of Poland, so we got the last ferry from Gadansk to Stockholm. Then we had to drive across Sweden to Gothenburg to get the ferry back to the river Tyne. So very fond memories in reverse for me. Thank you.
Superb David! A different place back then, but cool I did the same trip as you !
After much travelling around continental Europe, the Nordic countries have become my favourite part. They're so beautiful. I love how clean and liveable the cities are, I love the timber houses you see everywhere and I even love the languages.
Hard to disagree - more Nordic travels in my future for sure!
and the more of foreign immigrants we get in the north, ne more it gets pulled down into the gutters....
Sweden had more shootings the last month than the rest of the continent combined.
And the typical nordic "trust and honor" culture (open doors, clean places, care for the commonly used environment and nature) is beeing eroded.
It starts with the big cities and graffiti art on beautiful architecture, and spreads from there with drugs and gang violence...and exploitation of any native trust based "weakness"
also, folks without honor dont care about honor. So you can forget about trains w/o conductor checking on you - or plush nice seats. In 10 years you will
have cameras, turnstiles and easily washable plastic shells.
Pray for us.
@@zoolkhan har ni något slags möten där ni tipsar varandra om videos som handlar om Sverige så att ni går in och kommenterar om invandring? Ni är liksom alltid här..
@@zoolkhan do you want a link to therapy or an SD manifesto?
@@tomemancignoring facts....do you need a brain.
23:40 Yes, Gotland with its medieval town Visby is a must. The medieval Hanseatic city of Visby is one of the best-preserved medieval towns in Scandinavia. The whole island is an excursion destination with beautiful nature.
Sounds wonderful, need to make this happen soon thanks!
This was exactly what I was about to comment.
@@steve-marshIf you go to Visby during summer, just be prepared that some weeks are "themed" weeks and the town is packed with people 😅
The 32nd week every year is the Medieval week and it's suddenly the year 1361. It's super fun if you know and has planned for it but otherwise it's expensive and people EVERYWHERE 😂. There's also Almedalsveckan, Stockholmsveckan and so on, so make sure to do a bit of research 😅
The historical centre is within a well-preserved wall. It really adds to the experience walking along it. Around this old historic town,
The entire island is stunning, I especially like the very South of the island as well as Fårö in the very north, and the smaller islands of Stora Karlsön and Gotska Sandön if you have the possibility to add these excursions.
Visited a lot of places in Poland but not, so far, Gdańsk. I’m beginning to regret that, it looks stunning. Another great video which really recreates the atmosphere and tribulations of travel. Many thanks.
Cheers Mike! Gdańsk has improved massively over the years but still retains the old town charm, wonderful city
Everything about Sweden looked really good. Clean, well maintained and thought out for the convenience of the people. I noticed plenty of relaxed people going about their day and not a single bit of graffiti until you arrived in Poland. I think the UK could learn a lot from Sweden. A great video, your production standards get better and better, so I thank you for your dedication and enthusiasm.
Thanks so much David! I must say Sweden was nothing but a joy for travel - efficient, clean, friendly, respectful people of all ages, and not nearly as expensive as I was expecting!
@@steve-marsh the swedish krona has lost a lot compared to the pound just in the last year, so that might be why
@@steve-marsh I think Sweden is more cheap than UK if u know where to go
@@erikjohansson2703 yeah, the Euro exchange is a nightmare rn for us earning in SEK :-(
@@davidlittle7182 But great if you have your savings invested in foreign markets. 😁
“By flying over we missing all that’s below?” Sometimes taking the long route along the ground is much better than flying over and missing everything!
So true! The view from the air is stunning as well, but nice to get closer occasionally :)
Great video. I like the kids waving in background while you were in the station.
Always love seeing that in the edit :)
Thank you for all the wonderfully interesting videos you have done over the years. It’s a refreshing change to see someone who maintains such a high quality through out. Good luck for all your future projects how ever weird and wonderful they maybe.
Thanks so much!!
Taking a ferry across the Baltic Sea must be interesting . Thanks again for sharing this great video. Looking forward to watching the next episode.
Thanks so much Jacky!
I'm Swedish. I live in Helsingborg and lived in Malmö for some years. I visited Krakow 2 times. Felt really safe and everything was so clean and police was just hanging around everywhere without harrasing anyone. Just felt safe to be honest. They even helped me with finding the way when I got a bit lost. Young people seemed to be out having fun and not to make trouble. Loved it!
I agree with everything you say! And also have to visit your city sometime :)
@@steve-marsh You are more than Welcome! When you visit, dont forget to visit Helsingör aswell and Kronborg which is the scene of Hamlet.
I can understand you felt that way in Krakow. Swedish cities are allegedly the least safe in Europe these days and things are only getting worse. I visited Warsaw and Gdansk this summer and both cities were as safe as Sweden used to be in the 1980s.
@@lordjim3109 Do you have any sources for that claim? I definitely call bullshit on your drivel. Unless you talk about a few specific suburbs to a few cities.
Loved the starting train journey the scenery looks like it was sculpted so precise and not a bit of rubbish in site, the ferry seemed very pleasant but you certainly got your ten thousand steps in when you arrived in Poland. Thanks for taking me along it was very enjoyable as always, looking forward to the next video so stay safe and cheers.
Cheers Simon, by the time I got to the apartment, I was BROKEN :D
Wow, Gdańsk looked lovely when you finally got there :) Wouldn't mind strolling my way through those streets myself a lazy summer afternoon.
I just love a good train station, and those Swedish ones were AMAZING! Beautiful architecture, so light and clean, every bit of them! It’s just great, getting to see places I haven’t been, and finding those gems that get put on the future travel list! Thanks, and ATB!
Riding public transport in Sweden is an absolute pleasure Erin, not every day you can say that!
I love how you throw in little tidbits about what you are seeing. Great videos.
As a Swede that lives in the Southern parts of the country, I usually travel the Karlskrona-Gdynia route (by Stena Line) whenever I go to the Gdansk/Gdynia/Sopot area, so it was interesting to see a video from the Nynäshamn-Gdansk route.
The train trip would've been longer to Karlskrona, but it's easier to get on/off the boat on the Stena Line route, and a shorter ferry ride, so I think you would've preferred that. Anyways, thanks for the video!
Great trip and video. I will be in Gothenburg for a day this August .... I love Gdansk I lived there on the 70's and went back in 2021 .. Poland has gotten much better, of what it was before .... Safe trips , keep traveling and enjoying ...
Gdańsk, cudowne miasto ❤❤❤
Najpiękniejsze miasto świata 😘🤗🤗kto nie zna ......,🤫😥
Great film again Steve. Gdańsk looks amazing
Everything looks so good on this video. It is almost 3D. Different camera. Thank you as always for giving us a glimpse of these beautiful places
Thanks Maria!
Just got back from a week in Gdańsk today! What an incredible city. I was massively impressed with Poland in general - I thought Gdańsk would be nice in the middle but no so much elsewhere, I was wrong. It’s nicer and seems wealthier than lots of places in the UK now. The transport is great (apart from that bus you used!) - 2 people on a train for a single journey was around £1.60 and 12 minute Bolt taxi rides were around £2. The food is lovely too 🇵🇱 Dziękuję for the video mate! Looking forward to the next one
Ahh superb mate, glad you enjoyed it, fantastic city eh? and you can clearly see all the investment, the place has come on less and bounds even in the last few years
@@steve-marsh Absolutely, wish we could keep up with that level of investment!
@@craig.bryant UK expat living in Gdansk for the last 5 years. While there's been a lot of investment,particularly in I.T companies, wages are still less across the board than in the UK. A school teacher earns approx 3000pln a month-approximately £600.00. Prices have been creeping up too-Lidl is similar price wise to the UK. At least we have decent weather!
In its history, Gdańsk was the richest city in Poland.
@@ziutbryk531 It also had 30,000 Scots living there too-hence the Stare and Nowe Szkoty areas in Gdansk.
Super filmik, fajnie się ogląda, Gdańsk i promy Polferries to moje ulubione tematy do oglądania pozdrawiam serdecznie!
Nice video Steve, cheers! And much love Polish brothers /Swede :)
Sweden is so clean, I have been there but not Poland. It is great that there are viable alternatives to flying.
Thanks Steve.
Me again, You saw the boat to Gotland. That is my suggestion for You to go next. Great island. Lot of history and beutiful.
And I love an island, so I need to get planning! Cheers!
@@steve-marsh You should. Visby is a very old city, next to the sea. It has a well preserved city wall from I think the 1200s. Visby is also known for its roses and safron panncakes. It is a great place. I hope You go there.
Your videos are so inspiring! I totally want to go and travel Sweden by rail now!
Thanks so much! It's a truly wonderful country, shameful I'm only discovering this now!!!
Nice one Steve. Another great video, your stuff is better than anything on the telly! Crack on wee fella 👍
Stockholm is well worth a longer visit. Only been for a day on a cruise but it was stunning.
The port you left from is where a lot of cruise ships now berth, but it misses the spectacular trip from Swedish coast to the heart of Stockholm which takes a few hours as the route threads through the thousands of islands.
Looking forward to exploring the Stockholm islands in future!
Thanks for sharing your journey,Steve.Greetings from Australia.
Thanks Richard! :)
I so look forward to Saturday mornings here in Dubai, Steve, where I can enjoy your travels vicariously. You are one of the most authentic travel content producers and you and Alicja are a lovely couple. I hope your journeys bring as much pleasure to you both as they do to me. Best, John
John thanks so much for your kind words!
I could travel with you as I too always like to arrive early at any departure point. I so agree with you, arrive early and then do some wandering about. Another stellar video Steve. That meal looked quite delicious, for ferry food.
Cheers Curt! Aye, always best to minimise stress, especially in places where you don't speak the language!
Steve, you always find the most interesting journeys, and some wonderful places to stay on your travels. That apartment was fab for the price! And what great wee towns/villages/ports you share with us along the way. Love the way you give the journey details at the end - a big help for anyone wanting to do a bit of exploring in Europe.
Thanks so much Janette! Really great feedback :)
What a lovely pronunciation of word 'dog' in polish language!!! As a Pole myself I must admit: I'm really impressive🙂Well done, Steve!!!👏👏👏👏
"Gotland, I think it's an Island" - Yes, a beautiful and interesting place - it would be a good destination for you some day!
Oh cheers Jeff! Now on the list :)
Hi Steve. What great looking train and the bistro on board looked incredibly good.
Have a good week and cheers.
Cheers David! Wish I’d tried more food there now it all looked delicious
What a lovely station! Interesting experience as usual!
It was a gorgeous wee station, loved it!
Thanks!
I'm new I love your travels keep taking us to great places
Cheers mate welcome aboard!
A thoroughly enjoyable watch as always.
Cheers mate! Enjoyed watching your video with the excellent onboard wifi! :D
I like the catering catering cabinets Steve 😮 wish train transport had this
Hi Steve great vlog. The train station and bus station how clean. We could learn a lot. Keep it up ❤
So true Phil! The cleanliness and respect people have for their surroundings really stood out to me!
I’ve lived here all my life and it’s so fun seeing someone elses perspective, and appreciation of the landscape. It’s just everyday to me and i rarely give it any notice. Love you videos, and welcome back any time!
Honestly, I don`t see anything wrong with this ferry except for the lengthy boarding and deboarding. Your cabin was "excellent" and the food was "so good".
I just love your channel. I’ve only recently found you - but I am so interested in traveling by ferry in Europe. Greetings from the Great Lakes region of the US..
While Inter-Railing back in 2002, I decided to visit Gdansk for two reasons.
Firstly because Hitler had said in a speech on 1 Sept 1939, "Danzig was and is a German city!"
Secondly because the Polish Solidarity movement started there.
I was interested just because of its place in history, and I was just expecting an industrial port city, but nothing to write home about.
I had a lovely surprise when I found out how beautiful the place is, and Poland is not short of beautiful places.
I very much enjoyed your video. Keep travelling and keep entertaining!
Thanks so much Nigel! Aye, Gdańsk is not just beautiful but brimming with history eh!
Hi Steve. I know Sweden and Poland of old - that is back in the 1980s and early 90s. Sweden is a country in which I wish I had lived - especially given how much more pristine it has become. Puts the UK to shame sadly. Your video was uplifting, living as I do now in Thailand where clean roads and high-speed trains are unheard of, although we are always being promised such basics in a modern society. Having said that, Thailand has many redeeming features that appeal to many of us. Ferry trips are not on a par with your wonderful experiences, so thanks for sharing as always!
Funnily enough, we’ve just come back from Sweden and stayed in a place called Farsta Strand which your commuter train would have stopped at on route to Nynäshamn
That whole route was amazing!
Fascinating journey as always with your videos, and Gdansk is an amazing city, full of centuries of history.
The reason for the delay in disembarkation may have been due to lorry trailers being loaded on that deck, and elf & safety requiring that they were removed by tractor before foot passengers could access the deck.
The reason for the English three pin electric plugs is probably that Nova Star was first named Norman Leader and destined for Cross Channel sailings between England and France, but the contract was cancelled, and in fact she first began revenue service out of Portland on the Gulf of Maine, USA, and subsequently sailed the Mediterranean between Algeciras in Spain and Tangier in Morocco before being acquired by Polferries. Quite a checkered history!
Great video! Sorry about the MTR ticket. One of their trains (the engine) is called Trainy McTrainface. Hope you get to spend more time in Stockholm another time. Gotland is a great destination as well. Cheers!
I was really looking forward to it as well! :(
As ever Steve this is a wonderful trip which I have shared with you. It just goes to show how sensibly organised Scandinavia is - I'm sorry you managed to book the wrong train but I can see you had a good journey. All the best
Great scenery from the train Steve yes Sweden 🇸🇪 looks a lovely country
Totally! But need to travel north as well one day :)
Thanks for the tour. I feel like I am with a friend, exploring! I'm subscribed and will share! Good work!
Isn't Gdansk a stunning city? I was blown away when I visited there last September - straight to #1 favourite Polish city. Another great video.
Cheers Scott! Aye, LOVED it, but unfortunately food poisoning wiped me out along with the day I had planned for a bit of filming! Ach well, all part of the experience :D
Are the 2 great Scottish travel vloggers ever going to do a collab video ? 👍🙂
You need to visit Kraków too.
Built by germans :)
It’s a lovely little city. Originally named Danzig (later the free city of Danzig), totally destroyed in air raids by the Soviets and it’s culturally German and German speaking population expelled or killed by the communists. But that’s all in the past. The polish took it over and rebuilt the old city in the 5os and 60s in the same way as before destruction.
One day you're going to nip down to the Peak District for a hike, on a Cargo ship via Australia. And I'm all for it! 😂 I love these videos where you take a longest, most complicated route possible.
Haha I wish! These cargo ships are expensive holidays these days! :D
Hi! I found your channel through your previous video in Gothenburg. I love your style of travel vlogging and i will definitely check out more of your videos. Cheers from Gothenburg!
Nova Star was built to run from Portsmouth-Le Havre, but her first route ended up being from Portland, Maine to Halifax, Nova Scotia in North America. Hence the name.
And hence the British sockets! Thanks for solving that mystery!
Yet another ferry that was promised for travellers across the English Channel and never materialised sure to bad planning or design issues. The 'Honfleur' which was supposed to start operating for Brittany Ferries never turned up because the shipyard went bankrupt. It's now running between mainland Spain and one of their territories in North Africa.
For some years you could take the commuter train to the ferry terminal but they rebuilt the station so no more direct connection to the ferry now but you can take a direct bus from the Cityterminal next to the Stockholm Central station now. Gotland is the biggest island in Sweden, you should really visiting it. I must really take that boat to Poland some time, looks great.
Well done, Steve. The disembarkation procedure for foot passengers on the old Rosyth-Zeebrugge route was just as slow and frustrating. You did better in Gothenburg than we did, travelling from Copenhagen to Oslo. Our first train was terminated at Malmo because it was running a bit late. So waiting an hour there for the next train meant we missed our connection in Gothenburg, 6 hours until the next train. Despite having booked for the three of us through the Swedish Railways website, nobody in Gothenburg station wanted to know or assist us to rebook. In the end we had a nice lunch near the market hall, and explored a bit before blagging our way through the ticket inspection on the Oslo train. We were past being prepared to take any more hassle. We presumed some kind of food could be bought on board and didn't buy anything to eat or drink before boarding - but there was none. Even the coffee machine wouldn't work with Swedish coins! Incidentally, we chatted on the way to Gothernburg to a Swedish musician who it turned out had been playing when were at Copenhagen's stunning opera house the previous evening, and asked him if delays and cancellations happened often. He looked shocked and insulted and said "This isn't Italy, you know!".
I've heard some dodgy stories about Swedish Railways, sounds like you had an authentic experience! :D
Love the title. Slowing life down is so much more enjoyable. When one makes the travel part of the vacation, grand things can happen
Excellent video Steve - liked the police car - remember years ago there was an international police convention in Glasgow and all the local Strathclyde police we having their picture taken with the Swedish police Volvo ( non- Scottish viewers - "Polis" is Scottish slang for police !).
Aye, love the Polis Car! :D
We’ve been to Gotland twice before and the Destination Gotland ship is lovely. You should make that one of your next trips. Very lovely island. 👍🏴🇸🇪
I had the pleasure of riding the SJ High Speed from Stockholm to Copenhagen, it was a very good experience compared to VIA rail here in Canada or Amtrak in the US. Booked first class as it was only $15 more than coach and included a meal and beer. (1st class was 3 seats wide instead of 4)
Sounds wonderful! And $15 well spent!
Great video, Steve. I agree with you: leave LOTS of time between connections. You’ve brought the sunshine along with you. 🌞🏴
Thanks Ellen! :)
Lovely trip Steve and I think its much better to travel this way than to take a plane. Gdansk looks amazing
Always prefer the slow way, and Gdańsk is a wonderful city!
I took this trip last year. Spent a week in Gdańsk. Thanks for bringing back some memories!
Pity we couldn't see more of the cities, Gothenburg, Stockholm and Gdansk. Nevertheless, a very interesting journey and well documented. One would think that there would be a much easier connection from the ferry terminal to the centre of Gdansk without having to download an app. Great video!
I did a video of my day in Gothenburg, but this one was focussed on the travel. I'll cover these places one day!
Hi Steve what a brilliant and informative video that's enjoyable to watch, thoroughly enjoyed it great views of the countryside while on the high speed train in Sweden,, so i subscribed to your channel which accidentally came across
Thanks Anthony! And really appreciate the sub, it helps keep the channel going :)
Many of the X2 EMU's on this stretch have been refurbished, and look a bit different from the one you are traveling with to Stockholm. The seating capacity has been increased by 15%, with the seats able to be adjusted electronically, while the carpets, interior panelling, and luggage racks have also been replaced. The trains have also been equipped with a redesigned bistro and kitchenette in first class.
Nice info, cheers!
Another enjoyable and interesting video, some trip, glad you finally arrived in Gdańsk
It's amazing that the Swedes have the technology to break down one of those high speed SJ trains into a flat pack.
Beautiful as always!
I have always wanted to visit this part of the world and after watching your videos definitely on my bucket list. Thank you for the journey 🤗.
As a Swede I really enjoyed the outsider’s view of things I take for granted. (And I keep forgetting how beautiful Stockholm is, even though I wouldn’t move from my beloved Malmö.)
It occurs to me that taking the ferry from Trelleborg at the southern tip of Sweden to Świnoujście would have been a quicker route for you.
Thanks for the tip, I plan to take all routes eventually :) your country is wonderful!
That, or the train to Karlskrona then boat to Gdansk. Quick check says ~18 hours.
@@henrikgiese6316 You can only go to Gdynia from Karlskrona, not that it's very far from Gdansk though.
@@steve-marsh I recommend the Karlskrona to Gdynia stena line ferry. It’s known as the tricity of Poland: of Gdańsk, Gdynia, and Sopot.
Land at Gdynia, taxi to sopot and then train to Gdańsk. Sopot is their beach resort and beautiful.
And the ferry boarding is civilized. I will avoid this Pol ferry in the future, thanks for this vid.
I am so enjoying your videos especially Scandinavia & being an Aussie you’ve given me ideas on a fun way of travelling . We have previously home exchanged in Denmark & Sweden so excited to start planning a return visit !!!
A big factor of train or bus travel is the behaviour of other passengers. Loud people on phones or screaming kids do my head in. The Swedes seem very considerate.
The Swedish X2000 train sets date back about 35 years, to the late 1980s. In 1992 U. S. passenger carrier Amtrak leased a set to test it and it's tilt technology to research ideas for what became their Acela trains nearly 10 years later. As an Amtrak employee at the time I had a chance to ride on it a couple of times. The loading gauge is a lot smaller than U. S. standards, so the trains seem almost toy-like to us, but the ride was great at 125 to 135 mph, and Amtrak incorporated tilt technology into the Acela trains.
Is there going to be a follow up video from Gdansk?
A significant place in Polish and European history. Also, it looks beautiful. Scott's video on Gdansk is great.
🇵🇱🇪🇺🇬🇧🏴🏴
Apologies in advance Martin - the day I had scheduled for a Gdańsk video ended up with me floored with food poisoning, but there is a nice look at Poland next week which I hope will make up for it a little
@@steve-marsh That sounds horrible, hope you're okay. I look forward to the next video 👍
@@MartinBrez Cheers Martin, it was a rough journey home as well but fully recovered now - just a shame I missed out on a day of filming!
Great travel vlog again. Really looking forward to seeing Gdansk and the surrounds. Ive been there many times and its a fave of mine!
Cheers mate! Unfortunately food poisoning wiped out my Gdańsk filming plans, but still some Polish treats to come...
Awww no! You need to go back - its one hel of a place (see what I did there).
Fascinating trip, as always, the ferry company's boarding and disembarking practices are very strange indeed. Most sizeable ferries now board and disembark via a bridge/walkway, don't they? I like Stockholm. The last time my wife and I were there we stayed in a quirky hotel not far from the central station - convenient for exploring the city and for getting to and from the airport. I haven't been to Gdansk, but the central area looks beautiful. Reminds me of Wrocław, where we visited to teach conversational English to academics at the veterinary university many years ago, not long after the end of the communist regime. Thinking about Gdansk, I met Lech Wałensa at a conference in Dublin many years ago, when he was famous for Solidarnosc.
No way! That’s so cool mate!!! Will definitely give Stockholm and the islands there a look at some point, quirky hotels really seem to be a thing there! And with the ferry, it was a fun way on and off but boy did it add some tiring waits!
Thank you for a new catch phrase for my retirement years....what the fun is THAT?....very useful when folks question you travel plans and destinations. As well as many other changes that having time and a wee bit of money to burn.
Hi yea Steve,
Thanks so much for another incredible adventure, Stockholm looks so very nice. That was a great apartment in Poland.
All the best.
Cheers
Cheers Roger! It was a whistle stop tour but very enjoyable!
Interesting, and I had never been to this part of the world before. I was so impressed! Your food ,(especially the soup) looked amazing. May the road rise up to meet you, may the wind be always at your back...Merry Ann from Minnesota, the Land of 10,000 Lakes.
Aww that's a lovely saying! Thanks so much Merry Ann!
@John Dance Finland: 187000 lakes. Sweden: 100000.
The ferry was owned at one time Sealink (stena) Dover - Calais route as the fiesta or Fantasia.
Hence the UK sockets! Now I get it!
Watching this video for the 2nd time, enjoyed this alot,thank you for sharing ,😊
Excellent, thanks Steve, another gey wonderful Video.
Memories of getting lost in Stockholm station, and a hotel room looking out on that red church there. I wondered whether the ferry had been used somewhere else before becoming a Polferries ship?
Another interesting and enjoyable video thanks Steve. We are looking forward to the next part of your adventure. The weather has been amazing.
Cheers Bryce! I really got lucky with the weather on this one it was PERFECT!
Enjoyable as always mate. Keep them coming.
Aw I just love the scenery going by…I feel like I’m on the journey too excellent job
If you like rails and boats there are some boats on rails on the Elbląg Channel not so far from Gdańsk 😅
I since did this ferry route in reverse, last month, from a conference in Warsaw to visiting friends in and around Stockholm. That's travelling! To be honest, your ship was a bit bland (I guess you were on the Nova Star), but it still beats the ship I was on, the Wawel, dating from the 70s. We had a more spacious deck space, though, and the grill/deck bar was open on mine.
And for a next time, the pub in the old station building in Nynäshamn is run by a Brit, from Brighton, I believe he was. Some lovely beers and a nice chap.
Steve, please accept my grateful thanks for all the hard work you put into videos. They make me feel as though I was there with you! Can I go in your backpack next time??
Just watched your Gothenburg vlog..my husband are going there in November. Brillant information. You should be on the TV ...total natural.😁.Thankyou.
I went on the exact same route roughly 2 months later and i also loved everything about it and it was also the first time i went on one of those tilting trains
@stevemarsh
Disembarkation from (and embarkation onto) large & busy ferries is a complex and high risk process.
In order to disembark foot passengers through bow or stern doors, clear passage across the car deck is mandatory.
All vehicles between the point of foot access to the "car deck" and the egress point to shore (ie bow or stern door), be they cars, trucks or unaccompanied trailers, have to driven off or shunted off before foot passengers can be allowed to traverse the car deck - it's simply not safe to have moving traffic, eg a 44tonne lorry, conflicting with a large number of pedestrians;
all procedures & protocols for foot passenger (eg time-delayed access to lower decks) is purely and simply for the safety & welfare of said same foot passengers.
If you're wondering why some ferry companies don't provide a shuttle bus ship-to-shore service (eg BritFerries @ Rosslare), that service would have to wait until all vehicles had been discharged from the vessel as conflict between off-loading vehicles and an oncoming vehicle would be dangerous in a confined space.
Ship-to-shore shuttles can operate more safely on underused ferry sectors; if a ship is very quiet regarding vehicle traffic, buses can access the "car decks" while offloading traffic is held stationary, and expedite a quick disembarkation for foot passengers - a shuttle bus-type operation on PolFerrs may lead to a delay of 2 or 3 hours to foot pax departing the ferry.
To joung people saying hello on your TH-cam video Steve 😅 plus your doing a great job on your journeys butt from Cardiff the land of rugby 🏉
Omg I love the Swedish language and it’s just the train announcement 😂