Bokhara2

I'm flying into Frankfurt on 20 December, arriving 12:30 pm and need to take a train to Freudenstadt.

Just wondering whether it would be reasonable to book on the 14:00 train (90 mins ) or should I book the 15:00 train to allow enough time to clear customs etc?

My first trip to Germany, any tips will be most gratefully received. Many thanks

PalenQ

Well it more matters how on time your plane is - how long it takes for baggage to be delivered - IME Immigration (passport control entering Schengen countries and subsequent Customs inspections (IME you just walk by the bored-looking Customs agents as you go out - you may not even realized you have cleared Customs - but I've never seen really long lines at Immigration here either

There are two airport train station - the Regionalbahnhof of Lokalbahnhof is the mainly for local trains and is right in your arrival terminal - in the basement - the newer Fernbahnhof is about another 10 minutes or so by foot in another airport building - your train no doubt goes from the Fernb ahnhof or Long-distance train station.

If you have discounted tickets bought online then they are I think train specific and non-changeable non-refundable so leave plenty of time between projected plane landing and the train. Frankfurt IME is a congested airport with flights and planes may well be late - or just buy a full fare ticket upon arrival for the very next train - you will never ever not find room on German trains - you can always board with a full fare ticket as there are no seat reservation requried - they are option and you can make them for a few euro extra at time of purchase say you both want to sit next to each with a window or aisle seat, etc - if traveling enough look at the German Railpass which lets you hop on and off any train anytime - fully flexible tickets and few long full fare trips can make the pass pay.

Check out tyhese IMO Uber duper good sources for stuff on German trains - www.seat61.com; http://www.budgeteuropetravel.com/id9.html and www.ricksteves.com.

www.bahn.de the German Railways web site has all the scheudles and fares and notes if discouanted fares are still available for that train as well as the full fare. No reason buying a full fare ticket ahead of time at all IMO - easily done at the Fernbahnhof train station ticket window.

greg

First, have you actually looked at the schedule? According to http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query2.exe/en, there is 13:53 train with change at Mannheim and Stuttgart (2:47 trip) and another with one change at Karlsruhe (3:14 trip). Then 14:53 with 2 stops.

What is your motivation for booking ahead? Discount? The 13:53 train has some discount. Seat? The time you are traveling is not during the rush hour. I just came back from Frankfurt today, and even during rush hours, I still could find seats for two somewhere even on main trunks.

Also, what you are asking is a certainty on probabilistic events. The customs, which you are worrying, is the most predictable and least time consuming part of your trip unless you have something to declare. It is a 5 seconds (yes, it is not a mistake) event walking out through a door labeled "nothing to declare." What can take time is the passport control and luggage retrieval. December 20 is in winter. During my last week trip, most trains ran within a few minutes of schedule. One ICE from Mannheim to Baden-Baden (the same route you are taking) was 40min late presumably because of snow (most trains out of Mannheim were delayed.) Also your plane might not arrive on time. In my case, I was traveling extensively on ICE trains, and it so happened that there was a railpass promotion for 11/5-12/31 trips. So I decided to use a rail pass to deal with snow related uncertainties. I ended taking different trains from what I originally planned due to snow delays, but it did not matter because of the pass. I used DB app on my Android phone extensively using a German SIM card to look at realtime alternatives.

Bokhara2

Thank you so much, PalenQ. That's exactly the sort of info I was seeking. Being so close to Christmas, I wondered whether I may need to book ahead to get a seat.

Yes Greg, thank you, I have actually looked at the timetables. That's how I knew there were trains around 1400 & 1500.

Much appreciated info - I'll have a look at the rail pass.
As I'm going to see a friend in an oncology clinic, I'm not sure how much other travel I'll be doing - and there is a l free transport pass ( K ... ) that covers local travel.

Thanks again!

PalenQ

there is a l free transport pass ( K ... ) that covers local travel>

not free but extremely cheap - city transit passes in all major German towns and regions - buy locally and never a problem buying.

PalenQ

Are you sure you are looking at correct schedules for Freudenstadt - the quickest connection from Frankfurt Airport according to bahn.de takes about 3 hours, requires one change of train either in Karlsrhue or Suttgart and you can leave the airport every hour at :53 minutes after each hour.

Is the spelling correct - is it Freudenstadt?

Cheers!

Bokhara2

Yes,thanks PalenQ. I have the DB App & timetable. Just being sloppy/lazy/ using 14:00 & 15:00 instead of 13:53 & 14:53

Very helpful links to bahn.de and the man in seat 61. Thanks very much. Great train service!

Amazing the difference 60m people makes - and a small space. We have 23m people in 7.6m2km and Germany has around 82m in 357km2. Australia will never have the wonderful rail systems of Europe, unfortunately.

Bokhara2

357,000km2 ... it's not THAT small!

farrermog

Bokhara - good advice above and if you have not already done so, suggest you check out Freudenstadt etc on Trip Advisor which is well served by very experienced members such as abalada, altamiro, marcopolko, and Russ.

Assume you are talking about the Konus card which offers free local transport if staying in participating towns and villages.

I've travelled reasonably extensively in Germany by train (on Eurail Passes and point to point tickets), and while it was all quite some time ago (I'm looking to do more soon) I'm sure you'll be amazed at the frequency and efficiency of the German transport system compared with ours. Just stand well back from the edge of the platform when using minor stations or you'll get quite a shock when the fast trains hurtle through!

Hope everything goes as well as it can for your friend and that you are able to make the most of your trip.

Bokhara2

Hi Farremog!
That's it - the Konus card. We can use it in & around Freudenstadt, which will be very handy as our hotel is a couple of kms out of town, and our friend's Clinic is about 8 kms away in Dornstetten.

Thanks kindly for your good wishes. We're in party mode already, counting down the "sleeps" like little kids. Not to be deterred by 12 hour infusions & chemos, our friend has arranged wonderful Christmas Eve and Christmas Night dinners and is tantalising us with Menus & Venues.

"Brown paper parcels, tied up with string; snowflakes on eyelashes; snow rides & sleigh bells". Ignoring completely the reason, we're up for the full "White Christmas in the Black Forest" experience. All we really want for Christmas is enough snow for the picture postcard look & for us to play around in it & throw snowballs. And for our friend to be well enough to come out. And then we'll put on our sophisticated gear & go to dinner

Life's funny isn't it? Some of us have have been friends for 30 odd years, had Christmas together for the last 15 or so, thinking we might go somewhere different this year. Had anyone suggested Germany, there would have been some mulling over and I'm not sure everyone would have gone. It's all very well for the Poms, who can shoot over whenever the cellar needs topping up, but it's a bit of a hike for the Australians. The minute it looked as if our friend would be there, it was, "Right - White Christmas in the Black Forest! How exciting!"

I was singing "My Favourite Things" the other day. Got to the chorus, and it brought me undone. I'd forgotten how apt that bit could be.

Thanks too for the reminder about TA.

PalenQ

Freudenstadt BTW is known for having the largest market square in all of Germany!

Check out nearby Tuebingen as well - a sweet university town and neat town all together.

lavandula

I hope you guys have as nice a time as you can given the circumstances. It will certainly make for special memories. I don't know that corner of Germany very well - I've only driven through on the way to the Allgäu. But it has already been snowing in Baden-Württemberg and hopefully you will get enough snow by Christmas to make things interesting (http://www.swr.de/wetter/bw/-/id=549...gst/index.html). Just make sure that any car you rent has winter tyres (mandatory in Germany and some car rental companies are not so vigilant about this). You will certainly also be able to visit the Christmas markets which for the most part are open until the 24th, something not to be missed!!

Lavandula

Bokhara2

Thanks Lavandula

Every time I look at those -8's & - 12's, I throw another jumper on the pile! hahaha

Very excited to be able to go to the Christmas Markets. Great tonic for any jetlag, which I usually don't get going out. If the cold doesn't jog me awake, I'm sure the buzz of the markets will. And a gluhwein with my friends

Years ago one of the delegates at a conference I attended won $20k towards a skiing holiday. He was a seriously good skiier & some of the other skiiers were asking him what he thought was the best field, discussing what they thought were the various premier fields' points and asked which he thought was the absolute best, given that he'd skiied at all of them. (and could afford to ski anywhere and any time he wanted)

I'll never forget the big smile on his face; "Without question, the one where my friends are".

Vale Sam, your response was so much the measure of the man.

PalenQ

Just love that Gluhwein - piping hot spiced wines served not only at Xmas markets but in train stations, pedestrian shopping zone kiosks, etc.