# A week in Germany



## Neil_M (Feb 23, 2009)

Left London on Sunday 15th Of February and headed for Aachen via Brussels. Fairly seamless journey, Eurostar to Brussels and then Thalys TGV from Brussels to Aachen arriving just after 7pm. Stayed in the Hotel Benelux between the station and the old town. Had dinner in the Ratskeller which was excellent and visited a few bars around the Rathaus square. Come out from dinner to find everything coated in an inch or two of snow, looks fantastic!

Up earlyish on the Monday for the 0839 ICE to Cologne, just a short 40 minute hop, but its a lot better and quicker than catching one of the slower RE/RB stopping trains. 35 minute break in Cologne, just enough time for coffee and time to watch the busy station in action, always lots to see here...

Our train, another ICE, starts here so we are first on board so its easy to snag some decent seats. Its a bit cold, so the warm train soon has us all nodding off as we speed towards Hannover, all the Alt Bier we drunk last night has nothing to do with it. Wake as we arrive at Wuppertal, just in time to see one of the DangleBahn trains whizzing past, part pubic transport, part fairground ride! Well worth a trip if you are in that neck of the woods!

Arrival at Hannover is bang on time and we have time for a few beers before boarding our local train to Bad Harzburg in the Harz Mountains. It is loco hauled by a Class 218 loco, nippy little things, 2700hp for 80 tons and its one fitted with the older more noisy engines and the driver is not hanging about! Lots of fun!

Time for another beer in Bad Harzburg before catching the train to Wernigerode our base for the next 3 nights. Take a few minutes out to watch the activity in the loco depot and see the locos being prepared for the next days service. Always very atmospheric in the fading light...

Staying, as usual, in the Weisser Hirsch, on the square with the Rathaus opposite. A class establishment.

Wake up on the Tuesday to find a blanket of snow over the town! Excellent! Time for breakfast and wander down to Westentor station and purchase our 3 day ticket for 40 Euros. We will only get 2 days use but its still good value.

Spend the day riding the Brockenbahn twice and a trip to Eisfelder Tahmuhle at lunchtime. Snow has stopped now but the trees are covered and its looks fantastic. The weather at the Brocken Summit is poor the first time we went up, but there was some good views over Wernigerode in the afternoon. Get back to Wernigerode just before 7pm and we have dinner in the Ratskeller, as usual excellent food and good prices!

Pull back the curtains on the Wednesday and its a different story... Clear blue sky! Another great day on the Brocken, with fantastic light and snow and sun. We get off at Schierke on the return from Brocken and catch one of the lines oldest locos on an extra train due to the volume of passengers, we then walk down the hill to Elend on the Eisfelder line in time for lunch and catch the afternoon steam back to Drei Annen. We decide to go back to Schierke and spend some time in the station bar there before catching the last train back to Wernigerode.

Thursday is another clear sunny day and the countryside looks amazing with the snow and bright light. We are off to Munich, so we head on a local train to Halle, IC train to Naumberg and then ICE to Nuremburg. From there we catch an ICE substitute service to Munich, the wheels on the ICES are having a few "issues" at the moment(again..), but it allows Munich depot to use their "depot pet"

103245, a 10,000hp monster, once the prime motive power for DB Intercity trains and capable of 125mph. The short train today doesn't need that kind of power, but the acceleration is pin you back in your seat and it simply rockets away from the station stops!

We meet up with our friend in Munich and have a great evening out in the beer halls around town.

Friday we take in some culture, visiting 2 of the 3 sites of the fanastic Deutches Museum, today we do the transport part and the aircraft section just outside Munich and Saturday we do the main part in the centre of town.

Friday night we go for dinner at the Isarbrau brew pub which is located on one of the S Bahn stations just outside Munich and finish up in the Unionsbrau at Haidhausen. Both are quiet for a Friday evening, the recession has hit even the wealthy beer drinkers of Bavaria... The snow is still falling!

After our museum spin on Saturday we head back to the station and catch the Zurich bound Intercity train at 430pm, bound for Lindau on Lake Constance and then on to Friedrichshafen (home of the Zeppelin) for the night. It's carnival time in Germany

and both here and Cologne tomorrow are full of Germans in full on carnival mode, not for the faint hearted!

Sunday is going home day, so we head from Friedrichshafen to Ulm, onto Stuttgart then ICE to Cologne via the high speed line from Frankfurt to Cologne, we just miss out on reaching 300kph, the in coach speed display only got to 299kph......

Cologne is reached on time, but the usual haunts outside the station are packed because of the carnival, so we have beer and lunch in the station before boarding our Thalys at 314pm and back to London via Brussels and the Eurostar. We arrive at St Pancras at 720pm.

Oh well, back to work tomorrow.....

Photos here http://50031.fotopic.net/c1656111.html and here http://50031.fotopic.net/c1657907.html

Thanks for reading!


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## MrFSS (Feb 23, 2009)

As always - NICE REPORT and PICTURES.

Thanks!!!


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## caravanman (Apr 9, 2009)

Wow, what a great trip, I didn't know of the steam engines in Germany.. Is there anywhere I can find out more about traveling on the European railways, apart from your trip reports. (I have already filed away the hotel names you mentioned for future use !).

Great that you had the snow scenery too..

Ed B)


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## Neil_M (Apr 9, 2009)

caravanman said:


> Wow, what a great trip, I didn't know of the steam engines in Germany.. Is there anywhere I can find out more about traveling on the European railways, apart from your trip reports. (I have already filed away the hotel names you mentioned for future use !).
> Great that you had the snow scenery too..
> 
> Ed B)


http://www.seat61.com/ is a good starting point, but if you need any pointers just ask.

There are a few narrow gauge steam lines in Germany, but the Harz is the biggest and best.

I am probably off to Switzerland again in a few weeks!


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## Sam31452 (Apr 13, 2009)

> Is there anywhere I can find out more about traveling on the European railways, apart from your trip reports. (I have already filed away the hotel names you mentioned for future use !).


What about sending me a message or asking the question right here?

Especially if you need a few ideas about Switzerland, Austria and other central european countries.


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## caravanman (Apr 15, 2009)

That seat 61 site is great. I was kind of wondering if there was something similar to this Amtrak Unlimited site which was instead oriented towards European train travel. I find there are a wide range of the "general public" that use Amtrak Unlimited, which is good for balance... some of the "train spotter" type sites seem a bit too specialised for someone like myself who likes the travel experience itself as much as the trains..

Ed B)


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## Neil_M (Apr 15, 2009)

caravanman said:


> That seat 61 site is great. I was kind of wondering if there was something similar to this Amtrak Unlimited site which was instead oriented towards European train travel. I find there are a wide range of the "general public" that use Amtrak Unlimited, which is good for balance... some of the "train spotter" type sites seem a bit too specialised for someone like myself who likes the travel experience itself as much as the trains..
> Ed B)


I have not heard of anything similar, I suppose the fact that there are lots more countries in Europe so the language thing crops up. The forums on Trip Advisor often have rail stuff from a "normal" perspective, might be worth looking there.


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## gaspeamtrak (Apr 16, 2009)

Neil_M said:


> Left London on Sunday 15th Of February and headed for Aachen via Brussels. Fairly seamless journey, Eurostar to Brussels and then Thalys TGV from Brussels to Aachen arriving just after 7pm. Stayed in the Hotel Benelux between the station and the old town. Had dinner in the Ratskeller which was excellent and visited a few bars around the Rathaus square. Come out from dinner to find everything coated in an inch or two of snow, looks fantastic!
> Up earlyish on the Monday for the 0839 ICE to Cologne, just a short 40 minute hop, but its a lot better and quicker than catching one of the slower RE/RB stopping trains. 35 minute break in Cologne, just enough time for coffee and time to watch the busy station in action, always lots to see here...
> 
> Our train, another ICE, starts here so we are first on board so its easy to snag some decent seats. Its a bit cold, so the warm train soon has us all nodding off as we speed towards Hannover, all the Alt Bier we drunk last night has nothing to do with it. Wake as we arrive at Wuppertal, just in time to see one of the DangleBahn trains whizzing past, part pubic transport, part fairground ride! Well worth a trip if you are in that neck of the woods!
> ...


Great stuff as usual Neil!!!

I was checking out the night train service in Germany and it seems quite extensive. Have you ever rode the night trains there or ever rode the in Europe?

I think the night trains that run from Norway, Finland , or Sweden that go way up north are quite interesting have ever ridden any of these services??? Thank you for any info Neil


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## jackal (Apr 16, 2009)

caravanman said:


> That seat 61 site is great. I was kind of wondering if there was something similar to this Amtrak Unlimited site which was instead oriented towards European train travel. I find there are a wide range of the "general public" that use Amtrak Unlimited, which is good for balance... some of the "train spotter" type sites seem a bit too specialised for someone like myself who likes the travel experience itself as much as the trains..
> Ed B)


Seat61.com is more of one man's guide, not a discussion forum. As helpful as it is, sometimes you just need to ask a question!

Good news, though: FlyerTalk recently (within the last couple of months), due to public demand (of course I cast my vote in support!), opened a new sub-forum: European Rail Travel.

Some very knowledgeable folks there who can help with even the most remote of questions!


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## Neil_M (Apr 16, 2009)

gaspeamtrak said:


> I was checking out the night train service in Germany and it seems quite extensive. Have you ever rode the night trains there or ever rode the in Europe?I think the night trains that run from Norway, Finland , or Sweden that go way up north are quite interesting have ever ridden any of these services??? Thank you for any info Neil


Not used the night trains in Germany much, prefer to travel in the day and relax in the evening in some local hostelry!

Not done much in the North of Europe, but was looking at doing a trip up that way later in the year, maybe September/October.


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## gaspeamtrak (Apr 16, 2009)

Neil_M said:


> gaspeamtrak said:
> 
> 
> > I was checking out the night train service in Germany and it seems quite extensive. Have you ever rode the night trains there or ever rode the in Europe?I think the night trains that run from Norway, Finland , or Sweden that go way up north are quite interesting have ever ridden any of these services??? Thank you for any info Neil
> ...



Looking forward to story and pictures!!!


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## ALC Rail Writer (Apr 16, 2009)

I'm craving a good lager now!

Great report, beautiful pics... love the ICE!


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## caravanman (Apr 23, 2009)

I have used the night trains in europe a few times. If you plan your journey, it is quite easy to sightsee a city by day, board an overnight sleeper, and arrive in a new city, and country, in the morning. Quite handy for budget travelers, saving on hotel fees, and yet still enjoying the train aspect. The sleepers at the budget end tend to be 4 or 6 berth, and one can expect a mix of male and female passengers on most trains. I enjoyed a nice overnight trip from Amsterdam to Copenhagen, and after a day's visit I was back on the sleeper to Cologne in Germany. I think my next trip might include a sleeper from Amsterdam to Warsaw in Poland. If you can book in advance, some all night fares are around 59 to 79 Euro's.

Ed B)


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## Sam31452 (Apr 23, 2009)

> I was kind of wondering if there was something similar to this Amtrak Unlimited site which was instead oriented towards European train travel.


There are hundreds of forums like Amtrak Unlimited, but unless you speak the local language they won't be a great help to you.



> I have used the night trains in europe a few times. If you plan your journey, it is quite easy to sightsee a city by day, board an overnight sleeper, and arrive in a new city, and country, in the morning. Quite handy for budget travelers, saving on hotel fees, and yet still enjoying the train aspect. The sleepers at the budget end tend to be 4 or 6 berth, and one can expect a mix of male and female passengers on most trains. I enjoyed a nice overnight trip from Amsterdam to Copenhagen, and after a day's visit I was back on the sleeper to Cologne in Germany. I think my next trip might include a sleeper from Amsterdam to Warsaw in Poland. If you can book in advance, some all night fares are around 59 to 79 Euro's.


And the big plus is: as there are about a thousand times more trains than in the US, you are able to make last minute changes, whithout having the problem of trains being sold out or fares being in the highest bucket (in France the story is a bit different about that bucket thing).

If you really want to travel by train in Europe get yourself one of the monthly published Thomas Cook European Railway Timetables (about $40), for Summer preferably the June edition (as Timetables in Europe change in December and sometimes in June, in Scandinavia there are special summer timetables for July/August/September), right at the bottom of the Italy section there is a list of Europe's most scenic railway lines.

You can also check schedules (be aware that this doesn't cover Greece, Turkey, most of Bulgaria and Serbia, as well as most of the Ukraine, Belarus and Russia) by using the Hafas System which is available on the German, Swiss and Austrian railways websites:

I prefer the austrian version because of the best coverage:

http://fahrplan.oebb.at/bin/query.exe/en

Some of my personal favourites are:

Serbia/Montenegro: Beograd-Bar (through the mountains, a railway adventure in every way)

Switzerland: Chur-Tirano

Switzerland/Austria: The Transalpin Wien (Vienna)-Zürich (go 1st class in car 313 which is has extra large panoramic windows)

Austria: St.Pölten-Mariazell

Croatia/Bosnia: Ploce-Sarajevo

Sweden/Norway: Narvik-Lulea

Sweden: Ostersund-Gällivare (Inlandsbanan)

Norway: Oslo-Bergen (Bergenbanan)

Italy: Rome-Sicily (a great trip if you get into a chat with the italians in your compartement)

About sleepers:

What you call a sleeper is indeed what is called a "Couchette" in Europe. This origninally austrian invention of low cost "sleepers" is today the most widely used form of night train travel. These are bunks (you will get a cushion and a blanket, sometimes even a small breakfast)

But there are still sleepers in the classic sense. A standard compartement acommodates 1-3 people.

In general you should calculate $30 for a 6-berth Couchette, $45 for a 4-Berth Couchette, $60 for a Bed in a 3-bed sleeper $90 for a bed in a 2-bed sleeper and $ 140 in a single compartement.

In eastern Europe prices are about half of that.

Sleepers with private Toilet/Shower cost more, sometimes a 1st class ticket is required for sleeper travel, but this has become rare, since the french Railways have cut down their sleeper services almost entirely.


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