Night train > Amsterdam to Munich
 

Our family of 4 has booked the night train from Amsterdam to Munich (4 berth sleeper).

My question: do we change trains in Hannover? This is the information that I received just now?

Reservation 25.06.2013 CityNightLine 1287, Hannover Hbf (ab 23:23) - München Hbf, 4 Bettplätze, 4 Aufpreis ESP/SP, Wagen 29, Plätze 71 72 75 76, 4 T4 unten, Ref:802080168168

Reservation 25.06.2013 Intercity 241, Amsterdam Centraal (ab 17:01) - Hannover Hbf, 2. Kl., 4 Sitzplätze, Wagen 6, Plätze 31 32 33 38, Großraumwagen, Nichtraucher, 2 Fenster, 2 Gang, Ref:842080193045

Thanks!

I can't tell you for sure, but I doubt it. You bought a sleeper car, so what would be the point of waking you up sometime in the middle of the night to change trains?

It's probably just a stop or at the very worst, the sleeper cars might be transfered to another train as you are enjoying your rest.

Have a fun trip!

YES! THERE IS A CHANGE IN HANNOVER.

The City Night Line (CNL) travels from Hamburg in the north to Munich in the south.

To reach the night train, you will first be taking a regular InterCity (IC) train from Amsterdam to Hannover. In Hannover, you will catch the CNL departing at 11:23 PM. Your reservation from Amsterdam to Hannover is simply typical seats in the train cabin (there are no sleepers on that train).

Unfortunately, your train from Amsterdam arrives in Hannover at 9:18, so you'll have a 2 hour wait in Hannover. You could do a late dinner in Hannover, or simply take a stroll to stretch your legs before getting on the night train.

If possible, you should change your booking. The CNL 419 travels directly from Amsterdam to Munich. It leaves Amsterdam at 8:31 PM and goes directly to Munich where it arrives at 7:10 AM.

This would be a FAR FAR better option than your current schedule, where you leave Amsterdam earlier, only to be stuck in Hannover until 11:23 PM.

With the direct option, you could be relaxing in bed much earlier. I'm surprised you didn't end up with the direct option in the first place.

Thank you for the information! I would not have noticed the two hour wait in Hannover. I did notice the 2 "wagen"s and figured there was a change in Hannover. I'm assuming that we won't be able to stow our luggage on the train when we arrive but see that there are lockers available in the station.

Yes, if there are lockers available at the station, stow the baggage there. Your train may arrive at the station several minutes before the departure (as night trains typically do), but it is unlikely to be there when you arrive from Amsterdam.

I had a lovely extended layover in Hannover a few years ago, albeit during the day, so it was a different kind of experience. The Altstadt is not far from the station, so you should have time either for a decent stroll through town, or a quick meal or a glass of beer/wine.

But if at all possible, you should attempt to change those tickets to the CNL 419 from Amsterdam - a much better experience. You could have a nice last meal in Amsterdam and be asleep on the train by 9.

According to www.bahn.de for tonight anyway there is no change of train and you go direct from Amsterdam Centraal to Munich Hbf - no change of train it says. For lots of good info on night trains and European trains in general I always spotlight these fine sources that may also have answers to your questions - www.seat61.com; www.ricksteves.com and www.budgeteuropetravel.com - call Byron at the latter number to confirm there is no change of train required - as I see the schedules on bahn.de - IME of using him for years buying various railpasses even though you have already bought the tickets he will answer your questions! But I have ridden that very night train a few times in the past few years and never had to change trains - the Amsterdam to Munich nigh train goes nowhere near Hannover - the Belrin night train from Amsterdam does require a change but this one I believe is direct.

Um - who goes to sleep at 9 PM? We're in the middle of dinner at that point. Even my mother (92) stays up until 10 or so.

PalenQ - I'm looking at her post, where she clearly shows she has two reservations: one from Amsterdam to Hannover and then a connection to the CNL from Hannover to Munich. There is indeed a night train from Amsterdam to Munich (as I note above, CNL 419), but this is NOT the train which the poster has booked.

Here is the bahn.de page showing the train routes on the dates noted in the opening post:

http://tinyurl.com/jwo7sms

The poster must have selected the 17:01 departure to Munich via Hannover.

nytraveler - Touché. My point really is simply that the family may prefer to board the 8 PM night train direct to Munich and have time to get comfortable in their cabin without the two hour layover in Hannover. The Hannover option would indeed work well if they enjoy a late dinner. Even the 11:23 departure time from Hannover would leave them over 7 hrs of time for sleep.

Thank you again for the information Woyzeck, I did make the change and we are now booked on the direct train from Amsterdam to Munich.

@nytraveler, your comment made me laugh. As a matter of fact, my 18 year old son (much to my chagrin) is dead to the world by 9 p.m. I'm hoping that starting university in the fall will break him of that habit.

Amy,

That's wonderful news. Can I ask how you were able to make the change? I found Deutsche Bahn's customer service to be difficult, so I imagine you had some sort of intermediary?

I logged into My DeBahn and was able to cancel/rebook the ticket with no problem. I thought my credit card would have an issue but there was no hiccup. In fact, I changed our tickets twice this morning: once from a day journey to the night/connecting journey through Hannover; and more recently to the direct train. There was a 15 euro fee per change (it's only money, right?)... I'd much rather be on a direct train than to have to schlep my luggage from one train to the next.

Excellent to know. Enjoy your travels!

*oops make that Log in to My Bahn.

<i>amy_torres_sd on Jun 3, 13 at 12:31pm
Thank you again for the information Woyzeck, I did make the change and we are now booked on the direct train from Amsterdam to Munich.</i>

This is the train I recommended on my post a couple of days ago in your other thread, http://tinyurl.com/mfku4lg. I am surprised that you were able to book it so late. Are all of your bunks in the same compartment?

To see what you are in for have a look at http://tinyurl.com/y57vft.

wyrzrek - myt apologies - but why in the H did OP book that longer route and not the direct Amsterdam to Munich night train? Or ,maybe that one was full?

<i>PalenQ on Jun 3, 13 at 1:47pm
wyrzrek - myt apologies - but why in the H did OP book that longer route and not the direct Amsterdam to Munich night train? Or ,maybe that one was full?</i>

PalenQ, nearly full. The ns.nl site is reporting no T4 in 1st or 2nd class available for that evening. Maybe amy_torres_sd got the last one or they are in different compartments or they are in seats. I think that amy_torres_sd should call Byron as you suggested.

OP here... This morning I decided to change to the night train on spaarne's recommendation but did not go back to the thread to get the link. Basically, I chose the wrong train.

The first time that I booked a night train, we were in 4 berth couchettes. When I changed the train, there were two 2 deluxe double cabins for not much more than my previous booking.

Incidentally, thank you all again for your input. I'm really scatter-brained about this trip -- I usually take 6 months to plan a trip, not 6 weeks. You have all been so generous with your time and knowledge and I am much more confident about our plans with your expert advice (rather than relying on random factoids from a travel book.)