Liechtenstein - June 2008

Tues 10 June 2008 - 1103 hrs (Local time) - All bus stops of LBA (Liechtenstein Bus Anstalt) carry a timetable which is specific to the particular location. This one was at the mountain terminus of Gaflei served by service 22 from Triesenberg 7 times a day Monday to Friday and 8 times a day on Saturday and Sunday during the summer only.

Tues 10 June 2008 - 1103 hrs (Local time) - All bus stops of LBA (Liechtenstein Bus Anstalt) carry a timetable which is specific to the particular location. This one was at the mountain terminus of Gaflei served by service 22 from Triesenberg 7 times a day Monday to Friday and 8 times a day on Saturday and Sunday during the summer only.

Tues 10 June 2008 - 1108 hrs (Local time) - LBA (Liechtenstein Bus Anstalt) service 22 from Triesenberg to Gaflei is contracted to Philipp Schädler of Triesenberg who uses this Mercedes-Benz O 815D Vario small capacity bus on the service. FL 7760 was arriving at the Gaflei terminus working the 1047 service from Triesenberg. A ski-rack is fitted at the rear. Gaflei is 1487 metres above sea level which is 1032 metres higher than Vaduz in the valley below

Tues 10 June 2008 - 1133 hrs (Local time) - Road repair crews get everywhere! The driver of Philipp Schädler’s Mercedes-Benz O 815D Vario bus (FL 7760), the contracted operator for LBA (Liechtenstein Bus Anstalt) service 22 between Triesenberg to Gaflei, talks to one of the workmen about passing over the trench they have dug out of the road on a tight corner just above Rotaboda on when working the 1120 service from Gaflei. The river Rhein, which forms the boundary between Liechtenstein and Switzerland, can be seen in the valley below through the left window. The land on the left of the river is in Liechtenstein and that on the right (with the highway) is in Switzerland. We weren’t held up for very long as the workmen put some planking down to avoid the bus having to negotiate a ‘step’ rather than a ‘slope’.

Tues 10 June 2008 – 1141 hrs (Local time) - LBA (Liechtenstein Bus Anstalt) FL 21117, a two axle diesel powered MAN bus, pauses all to briefly at Triesenberg (Post Office) when working the 1136 service 21 from Triesenberg (Guferwald) to Vaduz. This bus did not carry a fleet number so I was unable to confidently identify it. I thought it was numbered 17 until I saw an articulated bus numbered 17 carrying licence plate FL 28517.

Tues 10 June 2008 – 1140 hrs (Local time) - LBA (Liechtenstein Bus Anstalt) FL 21117, a two axle diesel powered MAN bus, leaves Triesenberg (Post) when working the 1136 service 21 from Triesenberg (Guferwald) to Vaduz. This bus did not carry a fleet number so I was unable to confidently identify it. I thought it was numbered 17 until I saw an articulated bus numbered 17 carrying licence plate FL 28517. The church can be seen in the background.

Tues 10 June 2008 – 1149 hrs (Local time) - LBA (Liechtenstein Bus Anstalt) 8 (FL 2138), a two axle diesel powered MAN bus, arrives at Triesenberg (Post) when working the 1133hrs service from Vaduz to Malbun. We travelled to Steg on this bus. The church can be seen in the background.

Tues 10 June 2008 – 1149 hrs (Local time) - LBA (Liechtenstein Bus Anstalt) 8 (FL 2138), a two axle diesel powered MAN bus, at Triesenberg (Post) when working the 1133hrs service from Vaduz to Malbun. We travelled to Steg on this bus.

Tues 10 June 2008 – 1159 hrs (Local time) - The road from Triesenberg to Steg and Malbun passes through a road tunnel built in 1946/7 which replaced a much smaller tunnel accessed through higher ground and consequently with a more winding road to climb to that level. LBA (Liechtenstein Bus Anstalt) 8 (FL 2138), pauses at the red light before continuing to Steg and Malbun on service 21.

Tues 10 June 2008 – 1159 hrs (Local time) - The road from Triesenberg to Steg and Malbun passes through a road tunnel built in 1946/7 which replaced a much smaller tunnel accessed through higher ground and consequently with a more winding road to climb to that level. The view ahead on board LBA (Liechtenstein Bus Anstalt) 8 (FL 2138) as it headed to Steg and Malbun on service 21.

Tues 10 June 2008 – 1159 hrs (Local time) - The road from Triesenberg to Steg and Malbun passes through a road tunnel built in 1946/7 which replaced a much smaller tunnel accessed through higher ground and consequently with a more winding road to climb to that level. The view ahead on board LBA (Liechtenstein Bus Anstalt) 8 (FL 2138) as it headed to Steg and Malbun on service 21.

Tues 10 June 2008 – 1200 hrs (Local time) - The road from Triesenberg to Steg and Malbun passes through a road tunnel built in 1946/7 which replaced a much smaller tunnel accessed through higher ground and consequently with a more winding road to climb to that level. The view ahead on board LBA (Liechtenstein Bus Anstalt) 8 (FL 2138) as it headed to Steg and Malbun on service 21. A Vaduz bound LBA bus waits in the daylight ahead.

Tues 10 June 2008 – 1330 hrs (Local time) - The old road from Malbun and Steg to Triesenberg (on which I was standing) passed through a road tunnel which required the road to climb to quite a high level. In 1946/7 a new road, and bigger tunnel, were built at a lower level to take larger vehicles avoiding the climb and bends. A Vaduz bound bus of LBA (Liechtenstein Bus Anstalt) was on the approach to the present day tunnel as it worked the 1320 service 21 from Malbun.

Tues 10 June 2008 – 1357 hrs (Local time) - LBA (Liechtenstein Bus Anstalt) 7 (FL 2137), a two axle diesel powered MAN bus, seen in the village of Steg when working the 1350 service 21 from Malbun to Vaduz.

Tues 10 June 2008 – 1358 hrs (Local time) - LBA (Liechtenstein Bus Anstalt) 7 (FL 2137), a two axle diesel powered MAN bus, seen in the village of Steg when working the 1350 service 21 from Malbun to Vaduz.

Tues 10 June 2008 – 1402 hrs (Local time) - LBA (Liechtenstein Bus Anstalt) 57 (FL 2137), a two axle diesel powered MAN bus, seen in the village of Steg when working the 1333 service 21 from Vaduz to Malbun. We caught this bus to the mountain village which is Liechtenstein’s main ski resort in the winter months.

Tues 10 June 2008 – 1407 hrs (Local time) - LBA (Liechtenstein Bus Anstalt) 57 (FL 2137), a two axle diesel powered MAN bus, seen in the village of Malbun having arrived as the 1333 service 21 from Vaduz to Malbun. The bus is seen passing the Alpen Hotel in Malbun, the village is Liechtenstein’s main ski resort in the winter months.

Tues 10 June 2008 – 1414 hrs (Local time) - Ivo Matt A.G. is the main contractor operating LBA (Liechtenstein Bus Anstalt) services – most buses carrying the neon yellow LBA colours. The company has a few older buses like this Setra bus (FL 7955) which carry Swiss Postbus livery perhaps from the pre-LBA days when buses were operated as Postbus services. These now have LBA logos applied. It was seen at Malbun with the correct destination for service 21 although I don’t know what actual service timing it was working. The normal service bus (seen in the background – number 57 (FL 28057) on the scheduled 1333 service from Vaduz had arrived on time, and lightly loaded just before it at 1404 and worked, as expected, the 1450 return service. Upon unloading the Setra immediately turned round and ran back empty out of service. Malbun is Liechtenstein’s main ski resort in the winter months. Some snow was still about on the higher ground above the village.