Vanguardias Rail Transport

Vanguardien entered the railway age early. In 1796, coal from Flourens and Gran Creus had to be transported to Prèsenet for use in the first industrial factories. In collaboration with British engineers, Grand Master Gean de Rouffleur then inaugurated what was then the longest continuous railway line in the world at the turn of the year 1797. This line remains one of the most heavily used sections of the Grand Master's railway company, VVV (Verrovia Vitesse de Vanguardië) .

Rail transport is divided into long-distance services with high-speed trains, regional services, and local services, which are important in major cities. Rail freight transport exists separately.

Long-distance hauls

The route map of the main lines shows the five lines that operate at frequent intervals. The impressive 3V express train runs between Prèsenet and Benisants, and on to Carviller. It connects the major cities on a 1329 km network, running hourly. Thanks to the high-speed lines, the 3V reduces the 581 km journey between Rosfleur and the capital to 2 hours and 12 minutes. Top speed: 300 km/h. It's a shame, because then you don't really see anything of this wonderful part of the world.

Particularly noteworthy are the plans to build the MagVan magnetic levitation train starting in 2023, in order to better connect the three major urban agglomerations of Marechal, Templemere, and Gran Creus. The first test runs on the partly underground and partly elevated track already show that speeds of 400 km/h can be achieved: Whoosh-Whooshwwwwww.

Regional transport

Alongside the high-speed trains on long-distance routes, there are the blue regional trains, which serve commuters and ensure long-distance connections even in rural areas. These trains run every 30 minutes nationwide. By decree of the Grand Ducal Court in 2010, the same fares now apply across the country, which are simply multiplied by the number of stations travelled.

Freight cargo Rail

Since it is often more economical to transport goods by ship or truck, the concept of rail cargo transport, which is widespread in Europe, has only survived along a few main routes for bulk goods such as coal, ore or building materials.