Dayle

Hi German Fodorites,

Thanks for all the help so far! I am trying to book my longer distance train travel and the Bahn.com site is telling me the train I want from Amsterdam Centraal to Koblenz Hbf stops "alternatively at Bonn-Beuel. Does this mean the Koblenz Hbf is completely closed due to construction and I would instead have to debark in Bonn? I would like to take the fast train (about 3 hrs 45 min). It leaves Amsterdam at about 8:00am and arrives in Koblenz about 11:45 am.

Other trains are offered, but they are 4 - 5 hours.

Just not sure what the above terminology really means. Any clues?

Thank you!

Fussgaenger

With a bit of sleuthing I found a possible travel date for you of May 11?? On that day, the train you connect to in Duisburg may be leaving 30 minutes early (in which case you'll miss it) and you're advised to check the connections again at their website shortly before traveling (if you will miss that connection, DB will set you up with a later train to Koblenz, I imagine.) So you can buy the ticket leaving A'dam at 8:02 but may not be able to travel as scheduled. Also, the train will be stopping at alternative stations in Cologne and Bonn (rather than the usual main stations,) which is unimportant in your case.

Dayle

Yes, that was another question I had. If the connection time in Duisburg is 7 minutes and the train is running 30 minutes early, that would be a problem! Why is this type of routing offered if that is the case? Seems strange to me.

So the "Alternate" stations are in Bonn and Cologne, not Koblenz.

Looks like I'm stuck with the longer ride. with multiple connections.

Is this a common thing in Germany prior to summer season?

Dayle

Am I saving anything by buying my tickets in advance on line? I can't find anything on the website that indicates this. Maybe I shouldn't bother? Maybe I should change my car rental to pick up in Netherlands and just drive to/from Germany.

Would this be a better plan?

Fussgaenger

"Looks like I'm stuck with the longer ride. with multiple connections."

I don't understand. The schedule says you have only one connection in Duisburg. The Cologne and Bonn notes are STOPS, not changes of train.

"Am I saving anything by buying my tickets in advance on line? I can't find anything on the website that indicates this."

The itinerary itself shows 2 prices to Koblenz - EUR 29 and EUR 90.40. 90.40 is the regular walk-up price. For EUR 29 you are buying a Saver Fare and you are buying now. That price WILL rise as tickets sell. The low price means you must use the exact trains you schedule at the time of purchase. (If a delay is DB's fault, just ask a DB agent to authorize your ticket for later travel.) There's a hefty advance-refund fee on Saver tickets.

If you don't catch the 10:13, there's a 10:30, 10:46, a 10:55, an 11:11, and an 11:42 option to Koblenz. Don't sweat it. Buy the ticket if you want to save and the restrictions that come with the savings are acceptable to you. DB will get you on one of these other trains if your scheduled train isn't available.

Huggy

You also have the option of adjusting the transfer time at the change station if you feel uncomfortable with the scheduled transfer time during booking. Usually the transfer time assigned is adequate but sometimes tight. Just be sure that you are comfortable with watching an earlier train leave while you must wait for your scheduled train once it is booked. Presently in Europe and I find ticket checks at a higher level than I remember from past trips.

Dayle

I guess my confusion was in seeing the other possible initial departures listed from Adam. There are several throughout the day, but most did requore multiple changes and took much longer.

So I do save money purchasing now.
The Duisberg connection that is presently running 30 min early could change by the time I travel.

If I cant make the connection, I can ask for the next train.


Thanks so much for helping me understand the site! When I was trying to book, the field where you put in "reductions". Didnt offer anything for advance purchase or senior discount. Am I looking in the wrong place? It just defaulted to "no reduction".

Any big difference between first and second class on these trains?

Thanks again!!

Huggy

Unless you have a bahn card or half fare card, there are no other reductions for that specific fare. The advance purchase fare can offer considerable savings from full fare tickets. However, not all routes are offered as I found out on my recent purchase of 2 tickets Dresden to Nuremberg.

First class seats offer a bit more room but both classes arrive at the same time. It comes down to what you are willing to pay.

Huggy

Note that half fare card is offered in Switzerland and not on German trains that i am aware of.

annhig

First class seats offer a bit more room but both classes arrive at the same time. It comes down to what you are willing to pay.>>

lol, huggy, that conjured up an interesting image of the first class part of a train somehow getting there before the rest !

Huggy

Ann:

Have taken several trains in Germany and France on this trip. It is amazing that sometimes, the second class cars pull into the station before first class cars and vice versa. This of course depends on the makeup of the train.

However, I can safely report that all doors in both classes open within seconds of each other on both first and second classes. Remarkable! Not having the ability to be in two places at the same time, I have not been able to determine the accuracy of this statement. I pledge that in future trips, I will attempt to verify this but have not yet been able to ascertain how I might accomplish this by myself.

Dayle

Very funny!

I've used Italian and French, but this will be my first time on the German rail system. I was just curious if there was any significant differences between first and second class that would justify the expense.

I ended up booking second.

Also have decided to stick with my rental car pick up and dropping in Koblenz. I think I'll enjoy driving/training combo.

Thanks!

annhig

well done Dayle - I hope you have a great trip.

Huggy - lol!

sla019

>However, I can safely report that all doors in both classes open within seconds of each other on both first and second classes.

You shold have mentioned, however, that in peak times trains tend to get so long that by arrival of the first class cars in, say, Hannover, the last cars of 2nd class are still sitting in the station of Goettingen. If that happens, 2nd class passengers are entiteled to walk to their actual destination inside the train at a reduced rate which will be collected when they pass through the restaurant car. For details please refer to the actual Eisenbahnteppichbenutzungsgebührenverordnung.

JulieVikmanis

As an American I marvel at how much you Europeans know about the ins and outs of all your trains--and at how many wonderful options they afford you for easy travel. I am so jealous. But I content myself with being able to use all those options each time I travel in Europe and by getting all the marvelous information and advice you so willingly dispense about how to avail myself of them. Still wish we had just a fraction of the many options you do though.

annhig

Eisenbahnteppichbenutzungsgebührenverordnung.>>

prima!