Help with train from Amsterdam to Berlin
 

We will be traveling from Amsterdam to Berlin on Friday March 14. I am looking to book the travel now. I am confused.

I am at a website that says the total travel will be 78 E for 2 people. We will travel from Amsterdam to Hanover and change trains with a 13 minute transfer time to get on the train to Berlin.

Is that doable? That sounds like so little time to get off with our bags and get on the next train. Since we will obviously be traveling 2nd class will there be a seat available for us?

Should I be looking at another option of train? Is there a high speed train?

Flying is like $300 plus and we love trains. It's a great way to see the countryside and relax.

Thanks so much for your help.

That is if you are looking only the IC+ICE train combo that saves ... whopping 4 minutes!
If you choose to stay on 9:01 IC143, 11:01 IC145, you don't have to change the train until Berlin.
Look at www.bahn.com.

A lot of the time you can make that connection, but sometimes you'll miss it. What I always do at the www.bahn.de website is specify a longer connection time. Click on "Further options" then on "Duration of Transfer" and you can choose up to 45 minutes, which is what I would do.

Though when I pull up schedules for that date on bahn.de there are multiple direct trains (no transfer) at the same rate (39,50e per person), so maybe that is even better. Is that the website you were using?

FYI (in part because I was once looking at doing this same train) I looked at airfares on Kayak and you can fly on direct easyJet for $101 USD per person on 3/14 at 9:10AM if you can make that. I like trains too, but that's a long ride...

With luggage you may have to factor in extra costs with easyJet however.

I'd book a direct Amsterdam to Berlin IC train from 39 euros and not worry about changing onto a faster one to save 4 minutes. These run every 2 hours all day.

Although I suppose if you really wanted to try Germany's impressive 175mph ICE InterCity Express trains you might do this for the hell of it.

It takes just 90 seconds to open the door and step off one train, and then open the door and step onto another. In the event of a delay to the IC and you missed the ICE you'd be allowed to take the next one at no charge, so there's no risk other than a further slight delay if you DID miss the connection.

Flying would be a sledge hammer to crack a nut - 4 hours of local trains and airports (oh, an a flight itself somewhere in there) as opposed to a relaxing centre to centre ride for 39 euros by train.

Bring a bottle of wine with you (it's allowed on trains where you are treated like an adult!) or go to the restaurant car for a proper sit-down waiter-served meal. Very civilised!

The direct InterCity trains are the most convenient option.
Just don't expect any exciting countryside to watch. It's a long trip through mostly flat boring terrain.

Thanks,

We will do the 39 E ride and enjoy the rest after 3 days of touring behind us. We will enjoy the down time.

teach