How to tell if one must change trains
 

I am looking at an ICE train schedule. The train departs and upon departure there is a Platform listed. The train then goes to the main train station (the train is leaving from the Frankfurt airport and stops at the Frankfurt hbf). At the main train station, no platform is listed. The number of the train changes at the main train station. Does this mean we have to disembark the train & get on another one? If this is the case, we only have 14 minutes between arrival & departure...Could there be any chance that we stay on the same train & just the number of the train changes?

Thanks!

If you do need to change trains, 14 minutes is plenty of time. If you are checking on bahn.de, it will show the number of changes. What is you destination?

I think the number changes because the train changes. bahn.de should show the platform you change to as well ('Gleis' is German for platform (US English 'track').

Beg pardon, bahn.de doesn't tell you that info - but if you ask for information in the stations they will give you a printout with the platform you have to change to. Sorry!

Whether or not platform numbers are listed sometimes depends on how far in advance you are checking timings.

>Does this mean we have to disembark the train & get on another one?
That's what "changing trains" means...

>Could there be any chance that we stay on the same train & just the number of the train changes?
No.

Platform numbers are given
a) on the timetable printout on your online ticket
b) provided by www.bahn.de when looking up connections closer to travel date
c) in the leaflet "Ihr Reiseplan" which is everywhere on board ICE trains and lists all stops along that train's route with all connections
d) connections including platform numbers are announced on board the train before arriving at Frankfurt main station in both German and English
e) the yellow departure timetables at the station list the platforms
f) there is a huge board in the hall of Frankfurt main station which shows the trains departing withing the next hour or so ith the platforms, including last-minute changes in case there are any
g) each platform has a board that announces the next train departing from that particular platform
h) every train employee can help you and other passengers will do so, too.

... and 14 minutes is plenty of time.

Hi el,

It would help if you told us where you were going TO as well as from.

When you get the list of available trains, you will see the heading
Station/Stop Date Time Duration Chg. Products Standard fare

Under CHG., it tells you how many times you have to switch trains.

If you click the icon (on the left of the train heading) that looks like a ">" in a box, it will show you where you change trains.

For example:
For FRA to Berlin, you change trains at the Frankfurt main train station, and under CHG. it shows a 1.

For FRA to Stuttgart, it shows a 0 under CHG. Clicking the ">" shows that the train stops at Mannheim, but continues on.

Hope this helps.

((I))

PS,

I was reading the schedule at www.bahn.de