Join the ALE Train to Porto!
Porto is far to travel to from many places in Europe. And it’s flight shaming times we live in. What an opportunity for a pre-ALE event to remember! This is our attempt to organise our travelling together – to give us even more time and space to connect, share and learn in ALEsome ways.
Schedule
Planning is still in its early stages, here’s the schedule as we’re considering right now. We’ll gather in Barcelona. You can reach Barcelona in around 10 to 11 hours from London, Frankfurt or Zürich, and much faster from Paris or Brussels. Some of us will travel on Sunday so as to enjoy Monday in Barcelona.
Monday, 17:25 Pintxos and Cava train from Barcelona to Madrid
Monday, 19:55 Summer night walk between Madrid train stations, and dinner
Monday, 21:43 Late night sessions from Madrid to Coimbra
Tuesday, 04:45 Collective WTF in Coimbra
Tuesday, 05:10 Group yoga, matcha chai and gratefulness meditation 
Tuesday, 06:46 Boas vindas Porto!
This will leave us with one full day for acclimatisation in Porto. Sightseeing, petiscos, wine tasting, some more pre-conf workshops and whatnot.
Alternatively, we could sleep in all the way to Lisbon and take a train from there to Porto afterwards. Arrival in Porto would be around noon.
On one hand, this will be a long and somewhat strenuous trip. On the other hand, it will be an invaluable occasion to reunite, connect and tune in to ALE mode. Like holidays, but better. We’re hoping to form a group of one or two dozen ALEians for this happening. Please tell everyone. Will you join us?
Write an e-mail and join the conversation on ALE Slack!
Practical Considerations
Night trains in Spain can be booked 62 days in advance. So June 20, 2019 would be a good moment to make those reservations. I’ve heard these trains are excellent quality, mostly two-bed compartments. Let’s check them out.
ALE Trains to Barcelona
A day on the train means full concentration on working, reading and conversations. Focus and relaxation. What more could you want! Co-organise with ALEiens from you direction to begin the ALE19 experience on Sunday already!
- ALE Train from Zürich–Bern–Geneva–Lyon on Sunday
Travelling Back
Just in case some of us should decide not to spend the rest of our lives in beautiful Porto, we should also prepare to travel back home.
Here’s a suggestion. Departure at 21.50 on Friday gives us time for a last supper in Porto. Night train from Coimbra to Hendaye, TGV from there to Paris. Champagne snack before travelling homeward. Exactly what I need to digest and calm down after ALE19. Exactly what you need, too?