Viewing a country across a border during a train ride

[west point]

The Tim Traveller did a video about it's current state a few years ago.

The more I think I am learning about western Europe Geography the less I really know

 

[cirdan]

Talking about weird borders, there are quite a few enclaves and even counter-enclaves along several of the European borders. Quite a few between Belgium and the Netherlands, including one monastery in which the church building is in Belgium but the attached graveyard in Holland. the story being that the Catholic monks living there were escaping religious persecution in the protestant Netherlands, but could not bear the thought of being buried in foreign soil.

There is also a Spanish enclave in France that has only a few dozen inhabitants. There was for years a huge debate in the 1960s about building a road across a narrow bit of France to connect the enclave to Spain proper, but the problem was that this road would have crossed a minor French road, and a huge fight arose about which nation should have priority at the intersection. The spat being escalated to the highest levels of government and diplomatic representations were made.

I think there was one field in the Spanish enclave which was a (disputed) French counter enclave, so pretty crazy.

There are also some bits of Germany inside Switzerland including some micro enclaves the size of a single house or less. In one place there is a residential road on which some houses are in Germany and others in Switzerland. For reasons of practicality, the mail is delivered by the Swiss postal service and there is actually a Swiss ZIP code covering German addresses. There are even houses in which the border runs through the middle of the house, so people may have their living room in Switzerland but kitchen in Germany. There is even a pub at which the bar is in one country and the tables are in another country so if you order at the bar the sales tax goes to Switzerland and if you order at the table it goes to Germany. If a pub fight breaks out, I guess you need to tell the police in which half of the pub it is.

 

[Trollopian]

There is even a pub at which the bar is in one country and the tables are in another country so if you order at the bar the sales tax goes to Switzerland and if you order at the table it goes to Germany. If a pub fight breaks out, I guess you need to tell the police in which half of the pub it is.

Or, I dunno, call in the United Nations peacekeepers?

 

[MARC Rider]

Well, if we're talking enclaves, let's not forget the Northwest Angle in Minnesota and Point Roberts in Washington. And the only year round fixed link between Campobello Island in New Brunswick Canada and the mainland is a bridge to Lubec, Maine USA. (Though there is a ferry in the summer that connects to mainland Canada.)

 

[jis]

The only place in the world where there was an enclave within an enclave within an enclave was between India and Bangladesh, thanks to the brilliance of Mr. Radcliff. Fortunately all that was ironed out by the new border treaty between India and Bangladesh a few years back by which almost all enclaves were gotten rid of. It involved significant population exchange and everyone was happy with the result. The enclaves were a royal pain in the side of everyone involved. Actually part of Bangladesh that is visible from New Changrabandha mentioned earlier was an enclave, which is no longer an enclave as it was connected with Bangladesh by the treaty.

There are a few remaining enclaves which have been provided connecting corridors so the population in them is no longer isolated from the main country.

 

[railiner]

Speaking of “enclaves”…how ‘bout that “hot” tourist spot…Guantanamo Bay, USA in Cuba?

 

[jis]

Speaking of “enclaves”…how ‘bout that “hot” tourist spot…Guantanamo Bay, USA in Cuba?

Strictly speaking the US Naval Base in Guantanamo Bay is not an enclave because it is not surrounded on all sides by Cuba. An enclave must be fully surrounded by the other entity.

 

[AmtrakMaineiac]

Well, if we're talking enclaves, let's not forget the Northwest Angle in Minnesota and Point Roberts in Washington. And the only year round fixed link between Campobello Island in New Brunswick Canada and the mainland is a bridge to Lubec, Maine USA. (Though there is a ferry in the summer that connects to mainland Canada.)

Unfortunately there are no railroads in the area anymore but back in the day when the Maine Central line to Eastport still existed you could see Deer Island which is in New Brunswick as your train ran along the peninsula that connected Moose Island (Eastport) with the mainland.

 

[Metra Electric Rider]

There is also a Spanish enclave in France that has only a few dozen inhabitants. There was for years a huge debate in the 1960s about building a road across a narrow bit of France to connect the enclave to Spain proper, but the problem was that this road would have crossed a minor French road, and a huge fight arose about which nation should have priority at the intersection. The spat being escalated to the highest levels of government and diplomatic representations were made.

This one? When in doubt, Tim has a video about everything!

He's also got one about the enclave/exclave of Germany in Switzerland and the island that changes nations....

Funny, I recently was suggested a video where a Canadian town had their driveways in the USA or something along those lines...

 

[jiml]

Funny, I recently was suggested a video where a Canadian town had their driveways in the USA or something along those lines...

There are several examples of this, including a street in the west that runs along the border with one direction in the US and the other in Canada. As long as one doesn't stop in the wrong country there is no harm done. A library straddles the Quebec-Vermont border too. Long-standing traditions like this exist in many places along the world's longest "undefended" border. That's what makes it so funny when government on either side tries to stir anti "the other" sentiments. The people in those towns just shrug and go about their business.

 

[jis]

MODERATOR'S NOTE: Time to bring back the poor train into the picture. The thread is about a different country that is visible from a train, not enclaves and strange borders devoid of the train element. Thank you.

 

[Barciur]

In the Carpathian mountains on the Ukrainian side there is a railway, built by the Austria-Hungarian empire, which runs right alongside the border with Poland. This area used to be one country, as before 1918 it was all Austria-Hungary, and after 1918 until 1939 it was all Poland. Since 1945, the small river San divides it. It is a very scenic ride on a very old, Soviet elektrichka, which I highly recommend to take when the dust settles so to speak. Here is the map of it:

Not my pictures, but a view from the train looking at the state border (you see Polish and Ukrainian border posts)

 

[crescent-zephyr]

The White Pass and Yukon Route Railway goes form Skagway AK (USA) to White Horse Yukon (Canada).
Tourist landing fro the cruse ships can board the WP & YRR for a scenic trip up the mountains. The get to the top and actually travel into a 100 yards of Canada but cannot get off.

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There are extended excursions that go to Bennett BC that allow passengers to get off in Canada. I'm hoping my next visit to Alaska lines up with the schedule so I can ride it - I've only been on the Summit trips so far.