I'm a German train guy......I'll use the train system whenever possible. With that in mind.....I'll offer some advice:
1. Use Bahn.de to plan out a trip. Excellent program and it's simple.
2. German trains tend to run on time. However, on various occasions.....like the heat of summer or snow periods in the winter.....they run behind schedule. If you've got a tight train schedule and have to switch trains at some point.....have a plan B ready if you arrive late and miss your connection. Typically, most trains run every hour, or every other hour.
3. Even if they say they've got air-conditioned cars in the midst of a July heatwave.....the humble truth is that it's NOT the same level of air-conditioning as you might expect in the states. Carry a bottle of water with you.....hydrate....and try to travel in the morning hours (getting to your destination by noon). The worst period of a normal hot day on a German train is 1PM to 4PM.
4. Most city bahnhofs.....towns of 10,000 or larger.....have a bakery/coffee shop within the station. If it's a town of 100,000 or larger....it's probably got at least one or two restaurants, a flower shop, a tobacco shop, a newsprint shop, and a pub.
5. Travel light. If you tend to drag two big suitcases around with you on trips.....train travel isn't the way for you to go.
6. Don't lose your ticket. You can expect at least one ticket check on an average three-hour trip.
7. Making a six-hour trip and changing trains at least once? If planning ahead of time....reserve your seat on both cars. If you are planning the trip only 48 hours ahead of time.....forget about reservations....it's way too late. Getting on a crowded train and finding NO seats is a burden.
8. First-class travel? For ninety-five percent of trips.....regular travel is adequate. I might advocate first-class seats if it's a crowded train (especially during holiday periods) or it's special occasion. You pay roughly twenty to thirty percent more for first-class travel.
9. Jumping to a second train as part of your trip? You'd best allow for fifteen minutes minimum between trains. In Frankfurt, if you have to go from the last ramp to the first ramp.....it's going to take a minimum of fifteen minutes walking to make the trip.
10. Plan means an evening arrival? Make hotel reservations ahead of time and know precisely what the plan or agenda is. You don't want to stand around some train stations (Frankfurt for example) at ten PM and wonder about where such-and-such hotel is located. Too many nuts or dopers make this idea stupid.
1. Use Bahn.de to plan out a trip. Excellent program and it's simple.
2. German trains tend to run on time. However, on various occasions.....like the heat of summer or snow periods in the winter.....they run behind schedule. If you've got a tight train schedule and have to switch trains at some point.....have a plan B ready if you arrive late and miss your connection. Typically, most trains run every hour, or every other hour.
3. Even if they say they've got air-conditioned cars in the midst of a July heatwave.....the humble truth is that it's NOT the same level of air-conditioning as you might expect in the states. Carry a bottle of water with you.....hydrate....and try to travel in the morning hours (getting to your destination by noon). The worst period of a normal hot day on a German train is 1PM to 4PM.
4. Most city bahnhofs.....towns of 10,000 or larger.....have a bakery/coffee shop within the station. If it's a town of 100,000 or larger....it's probably got at least one or two restaurants, a flower shop, a tobacco shop, a newsprint shop, and a pub.
5. Travel light. If you tend to drag two big suitcases around with you on trips.....train travel isn't the way for you to go.
6. Don't lose your ticket. You can expect at least one ticket check on an average three-hour trip.
7. Making a six-hour trip and changing trains at least once? If planning ahead of time....reserve your seat on both cars. If you are planning the trip only 48 hours ahead of time.....forget about reservations....it's way too late. Getting on a crowded train and finding NO seats is a burden.
8. First-class travel? For ninety-five percent of trips.....regular travel is adequate. I might advocate first-class seats if it's a crowded train (especially during holiday periods) or it's special occasion. You pay roughly twenty to thirty percent more for first-class travel.
9. Jumping to a second train as part of your trip? You'd best allow for fifteen minutes minimum between trains. In Frankfurt, if you have to go from the last ramp to the first ramp.....it's going to take a minimum of fifteen minutes walking to make the trip.
10. Plan means an evening arrival? Make hotel reservations ahead of time and know precisely what the plan or agenda is. You don't want to stand around some train stations (Frankfurt for example) at ten PM and wonder about where such-and-such hotel is located. Too many nuts or dopers make this idea stupid.
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