Q-and-A: My Thoughts On German Public Transportation

 1.  Am I pro-public-transportation?

I have a love-hate relationship over it. 

I think both the local App and the Bahn App are 5-star.  I agree...I feel completely safe on the local city bus.  For what you pay....it's a great deal.

So, the bad parts....the bus for 7AM to 8:30 AM: loaded usually, and you have to stand.  Out of sixty-odd occasions I use the bus yearly....my projected bus gets cancelled at least five times, and I'm behind schedule.  Any train that I take toward Frankfurt in the rush-hour....is likely overflowing, and I stand.  If the temp is 35 C (95 F) or hotter....you can forget about the bus or train AC working.  

2.  The basic difference between 1st class and 2nd class?

If you board a train made prior to 2000...you have the look/feel of 1st class being 'better'.  You can't really say this with the ultra-modern trains...other than the '1' being prominent and the seats are slightly more spread out

3.  Are the train stations toilets or the train WC's always functional?

Ever since the stations went to a commercial operation and forced you to pay 1-Euro for entry....they seem to be clean, tidy, and functional. 

Train WC's?  On regional trains....it's about a 20-percent chance of them being broke/non-functional.

Always try to do your business in the station.

4.  Do I have any 'fear' around train-stations?

Moderately sized stations....like Mainz or Wiesbaden or K-Town?  NO.

Frankfurt, Bremen, Hamburg....yeah, I watch my back and go into vigilant-mode.  

5.  Armed guards on trains?

Before 2010....NEVER.  At some point around 2015 to 2020....you started to notice on rare occasions....Bahn-Security in the stations.

Since 2020....on the trains (regional and ICE)....there's green-boot-military-style Bahn-'Army' guys/gals.  Last year....I noted some 6 ft tall German red-headed gal...160 pounds of muscle....inspecting tickets in the Bahn-Army uniform....figuring she could beat the crap out of anyone.

6.  Can you get any decent food on a Bahn train?

Well....the days of the 1970s/1980s where there was the dining car and a plate/beer was available for 24 DM....long gone.  There are cafe-cars...usually with beer/coffee, and chips.  

If you have a hunger...prior to the trip....go pick up some snacks in the station.

7.  A drug-zone within five minutes walking of any metro train station?

I'd argue...in forty (top) metro stations in Germany....yeah, they all have a drug zone. Before 1990s....that didn't exist.