Through coach explained

In rail terminology, a through coach is a passenger car (coach) that is re-marshalled during the course of its journey. It begins the journey attached to one train, and arrives at its destination attached to another train.^{[1] [2]}

Through coaches save their transit passengers the need to change trains themselves.^[1] They also increase the number of direct links offered by the train operator(s).^[2]

Most frequently in the form of sleeping or couchette cars, through coaches have commonly been used for long-distance journeys, especially in continental Europe, although they are much less common now than they were in the early 1970s.^[2]

Example

In 2010 and 2011, the Basel – Moscow sleeping car (2856km (1,775miles) in 37 hours and 11 minutes) was attached successively to the following trains:^{[3] [4]}

• from Basel SBB to Hannover Hbf: CNL 472 Basel SBB – Copenhagen;
• from Hannover Hbf to Warszawa Wschodnia: EN 447 Amsterdam – Warszawa Wschodnia;
• from Warszawa Wschodnia to Brest: 405 Bohumin – Brest; with bogie exchange at the international border because of a break of gauge from to gauge
• from Brest to Moscow: D 22 Brest – Moscow.

See also

• Dividing train
• Express train
• Interchange (freight rail)
• Slip coach
• Section (rail transport)

Notes and References

1. Web site: Railway Operations - I: Train Services – Q. What are 'slip coaches' and 'through coaches'? . . 2010 . irfca.org . IRFCA.org . 30 August 2013.
2. Web site: Letter from Europe: Train services of yesteryear . Gardner . Nicky . Kries . Susanne . 30 June 2011 . hiddeneurope.co.uk . hidden europe . 30 August 2013.
3. http://www.uic.org/IMG/pdf/reservierungsubersicht_der_db_ag_2010_2011.pdf DBAG Reservation List
4. Web site: Train timetable. RW.by. 13 March 2017.