Train question — Soto de Luiña to Novellana

[Allisonmain]

Hello, I have to cut short my walk today to do some business so I’m going to take the train from Soto de Luiña to Novellana. It is a small town there’s no one here besides me and I don’t know which track to stand on. I know where I’m going, but I don’t know whether I’m standing on the station side of the track or walking across the track to stand on the other side, is there a way to know?

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

If there is no signage the only way I can think of is that the trains, just like cars, travel on the right. So if you look at Google Maps you should be able to figure out which side to stand on.
Edited to Add: if it's a single track, and there is no platform on the other side, just stay on the station side. The carriages should have doors on both sides

 

[MinaKamina]

On the platform.

 

[Kathar1na]

Hello, I have to cut short my walk today to do some business so I’m going to take the train from Soto de Luiña to Novellana. It is a small town there’s no one here besides me and I don’t know which track to stand on. I know where I’m going, but I don’t know whether I’m standing on the station side of the track or walking across the track to stand on the other side, is there a way to know?

Hi @Allisonmain, I don't know whether you are still waiting for the train from Soto de Luiña to Novellana. I posted a reply twice and then deleted it, again first because I had assumed that it is only one track (there are two tracks) and then because I simply wasn't sure on which side these trains ride - por la izquierda or por la derecha? I would be as puzzled as you are. I made a screenshot from Google Streetview although you are apparently already familiar with the surroundings. Best of luck and please let us know that you had chosen the correct platform. Was there perhaps some useful information on the poster in the green shelter?

 

[dick bird]

If there is no signage the only way I can think of is that the trains, just like cars, travel on the right. So if you look at Google Maps you should be able to figure out which side to stand on.
Edited to Add: if it's a single track, and there is no platform on the other side, just stay on the station side. The carriages should have doors on both sides

Beware! Trains often go on the left. They certainly do in Spain and France even where cars go on the right.

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

Beware! Trains often go on the left. They certainly do in Spain and France even where cars go on the right.

Wow, so they swap according to the individual line that they're on? I only used the train in Spain twice and on both occasions it ran on the right as they do here in Germany. (Other than when something is happening on the lines of course).

I know France is an oddity, but that's because they used the British expertise and equipment when they first built the railway system.

Assumptions, assumptions.....

Hopefully @Allisonmain got the right train!

 

[dick bird]

Got on a train today from Irún. On the left. Usually Spanish stations not only have the name of the station, but also the destination, or end of the line, from each platform.

 

[dick bird]

Hi @Allisonmain, I don't know whether you are still waiting for the train from Soto de Luiña to Novellana. I posted a reply twice and then deleted it, again first because I had assumed that it is only one track (there are two tracks) and then because I simply wasn't sure on which side these trains ride - por la izquierda or por la derecha? I would be as puzzled as you are. I made a screenshot from Google Streetview although you are apparently already familiar with the surroundings. Best of luck and please let us know that you had chosen the correct platform. Was there perhaps some useful information on the poster in the green shelter?

View attachment 172286

If you look at the yellow sign, one way points to Ferrol, the other points to Gijón/Oviedo with arrows. This will show you which way the train is going.

 

[Kathar1na]

If you look at the yellow sign, one way points to Ferrol, the other points to Gijón/Oviedo with arrows. This will show you which way the train is going.

Yes, I saw of course which way the train is going to Ferrol and which way the train is going to Gijon/Oviedo. And I saw of course that there are two tracks with two platforms. But what I continue to see, and that is the issue for me and presumably for the OP, is the fact that the two signs are identical on both platforms.

Maybe I am stupid and can't see the obvious. How does this tell me where I have to wait for the train to Ferrol when I do not know beforehand on which one of the two tracks the train to Ferrol will arrive?

This is only an issue in very small stations such as this one. I personally am not at all certain that one leaves a train (and boards a train) always on the same side with reference to the direction of the train in larger stations. It is definitely not the case in Germany where I remember from many ICE train trips that they usually announce before arrival at a major station, as well as display on a screen in the train, whether to leave on the right side or on the left side of the train when looking into the direction of the train. It is not uniform.

I will definitely pay close attention to this during my next multi-country multi-town train trip.

 

[Kathar1na]

I did not have time to research this in more depth when I posted my comment for the OP earlier today. And I posted it only because I found it confusing when I looked closely at the station and its environment in Google StreetView and in the absence of a more useful reply to the OP.

This was the first hit when I googled (translated from Spanish), namely a book with this introduction:

Double track in Spain and the direction in which trains run on it​

​

Year of publication: 2017 - 5th edition​

​

Trains normally run on the left on double track lines in part of the Spanish basic railway network [original: red básica ferroviaria española] and in the Madrid and Bilbao Metros (as also occurs in Portugal, France, Great Britain and many other countries); they run on the right in most of the Spanish network [original: la red española] and in Germany. This paper analyses the advantages and disadvantages of running in either direction, the attempts at unification, the changes introduced over time and the current situation.​

​

As to Germany in particular, if anyone has doubts about what I wrote earlier, I recommend googling for something like "Warum wird im Zug immer "Ausstieg in Fahrtrichtung rechts [bzw. links] angesagt?"

 

[MinaKamina]

Like I said, you get on the train either way on the platform on the other side. You hardly ever access a train from the ground level.

 

[dick bird]

It’s not a question of which platform you stand on. It’s a question of getting on the right train. If it is heading in the direction you want to go, you get on it. And you will have plenty of time to cross over to the other platform if necessary when you see it coming. There is also a strong possibility that there will be local people you can ask. They will definitely be standing on the right platform.

 

[Kathar1na]

OK, I officially retreat from this thread and give up.

I usually don't feel the need to explain my background but I wish to make it known that I am used to train travel. UK, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Spain, to name but a few. Local, regional and international. I've always figured out on which platform I needed to wait for my train. Even in Fromista. Even in these tiny railway stations in France between Paris and Dax. So no need to worry about me and I hope that the OP is in Novellana by now.

Toot toot to all.

Just one last thing: Before I posted my first comment, I had of course also looked at Google StreetView to see how you get from the station building platform to the platform with the green shelter in Soto de Luiña. Safely and as all travellers are expected to do.

 

[OzAnnie]

I know where I’m going, but I don’t know whether I’m standing on the station side of the track or walking across the track to stand on the other side, is there a way to know?

Hi Alison
I’m itching to know what happened. ?
The train must have arrived and left by now.

This will be useless info for you, but for anyone in similar situation on this stretch of invierno - it may help.
I was in a similar situation a few years ago when walking the Invierno stage ‘A Rua de Valdeoras to Quiroga .’ On arrival at A rua accommodation I left my backpack and walked part way to Quiroga (to a tiny place called Montefurado.(on same train line ). I knew the train would come along later heading back to A Rua. There is a timetable on the platform. I was also wondering which platform to wait on ???? I decided to wait on the platform that I hit first with the timetable etc. This place is deserted so nobody to ask.

But no —- the train came but not on my platform. …. & possibly because this occasionally happens ….the train speed was slow and he saw me and train stopped. I realised I had to quickly get across to the next platform. All worked out. I paid the fare on the train also.

Next morning a taxi back over this ‘walked’ section enroute to Quiroga.

. I do come from the land down under … so that’s my excuse.

I have also recently (April) been on an unmanned platform on the Levante. Luckily I picked the correct side.(platform ) on that occasion.


Please let us know how you went.


.

 

[Corned Beef]

As an aside could I recommend anyone using trains in Spain to use the ADIF app. ADIF run all the stations and have details of them on their website and app - including the next train arrivals/departures.

05255 Soto de Luiña - Adif

www.adif.es

 

[dick bird]

Stations on single track lines have arrows on the destination board showing which direction they are in. A good system but it kind of falls down at stations like Montefurado which are single track but have two platforms. We did exactly what you @Corned Beef did, and got told off for crossing the line in front of an approaching train

 

[Kathar1na]

I recommend anyone using trains in Spain to use the ADIF app. ADIF run all the stations and have details of them on their website and app - including the next train arrivals/departures.
https://www.adif.es/en/-/05255-soto-de-luiña

Thank you for this link. I wasn't going to comment anymore but I am making an exception . So that is quite informative.

There are only 4 trains per day that arrive and depart in Soto de Luiña train station. They depart either in the direction of Ferrol or of Oviedo. All four trains arrive on Track 1 and depart from Track 1. The map indicates that the point for boarding the train and leaving the train is on the track that is farthest away from the train station. The map also shows that the line is a single track line ("vía única"). It is only in the vicinity of the station that the single track splits into two tracks. There is a footpath at the very end, away from the station building, where you are allowed to cross the tracks and where you enter the platform for departure and arrival.

Quite useful to know but too late for the OP ...