# My trip to Europe with Amtrak, Luftansa, and Deutsche Bahn



## Seaboard92 (Sep 14, 2015)

Prologue

We booked our trip in March for Luftansa from JFK to Frankfurt on the new A380(more on that later). Round trip fare was 700ish dollars a person. We then paid an additional 200 a person for an exit row. We booked our amtrak tickets when the Silver Star restarted sleeper sales. Booked the star and used the offer to switch to the Meteor for the same price for a better departure time.

Day 1

After saying good by to the love of my life at home we drove to the Florence Amtrak station. Right before we got to the station we stopped at Longhorn for a good dinner. When we got to the station my travel partners stayed in the station. And I went to a picnic table outside to watch trains. I saw quite a few trains which is unlike my usual A Line experience of one. Apparently while I was out of the building a fight broke loose in the actual station so my partners were happy to have our sleeper while the fighters went to coach. The train was forty minutes late arriving to Florence. About fifteen minutes before it arrived the conductor scanned everyone's ticket in. Then we proceeded to wait inside for five minutes after the train arrived. We only had three minutes to board in. The ride was fairly rough all night but that's just CSX and being in room H over the trucks makes that more pronounced. We arrived in Washington about thirty minutes early. And I was really happy to see a train led by an AEM7. Never thought I would say that. We had one ACS sprinter for our power. The ride up the corridor was par the norm. Our diner am ex Southern Railway diner. Needed new shocks. At 110 I thought we might just come off the raid. But I had the French Toast. While it isn't the best it isn't the worst. The train pulled in about thirty minutes early to Penn Station. Which meant we ended leaving Penn on the LIRR at our original arrival time. The LIRR was enjoyable and new millage. I saw Sunnyside Yard for the first time ever. We had a little bit of trouble finding our hotel shuttle as he went to a different place then we were told to go to. But I chased him down. And we went to our hotel in Rockville Centere. It was a nice hotel the Executive something or other. Right next to the track. We walked back into town to eat at the Starlight Diner. And that was amazing I recommend it. Great food. Oh and track view. I spent the afternoon in Lynbrook station Railfaning. Trying to get their diesels. And I missed the only one that came by because I was on my phone. On the way back I went into Train World. That was very nice and enjoyable. I then called my fiancée for a few hours.

Day 2

We got up around ten and walked across the street to Key Foods. Which was amazing and got our food for the plane. As we don't like airline food that much. Then we went to the airport after that. And had mcdonalds for lunch in terminal one after checking in. I watched our plane come in. We went by security which wasn't bad and I talked to my fiancée while watching planes and the A train. While talking to my A Train (her nickname). We had a weird issue with the plane. It had two lines Row 1-74 left and Row 77-104ish right. We were row 75 and 76. We got to our seats and had amazing legroom. The plane left exactly on time. And with our exit row we had the stewardess facing us. And we got to know her she was super super nice. And she took amazing care of us. Took photos with a Polaroid of us and framed them. Made us feel at home. I watched one or two movies. Slept a little. And then we were down a half hour early. More to come.


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## Seaboard92 (Sep 14, 2015)

my original train I was supposed to take. Seven hours late.




Alexandria VA




98 at Washington.




Our sprinter on our train.




66 with an AEM7




Railroad French Toast




Somewhere in Maryland




Our train in New York Penn


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## Seaboard92 (Sep 14, 2015)

T


The diner in Rockville Centere. Well worth the walk. 


Inside the diner




The view from the diner




The food at the diner.




LIRR at lynbrook




I didn't get the power.




Terminal One




Our plane at JFK


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## Bob Dylan (Sep 14, 2015)

Nice pics and report, sounds like a good start to a great trip!

Look forward to the next chapter of your adventure!


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## Seaboard92 (Sep 14, 2015)

That was also the smoothest flight I've ever had. But it could have something to do with my leg room too.


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## Seaboard92 (Sep 14, 2015)

Once we arrived at the airport we had what seemed like a mile walk from our plane to the train station. And I got separated from my partners as they stopped for breakfast and got lost. I just followed the signs and found my way. We took the next ICE train to Köln (Cologne) via Mainz and Koblenz up the Rhine. The line we rode is one of the most beautiful lines in the world. We passed so many castles along the way. The dining car crew wasn't friendly but what can you say. I was ready to pass out after Koblenz. And I did pass out I'm our hotel.


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## gaspeamtrak (Sep 14, 2015)

Thanks for sharing. Looking forward to the rest of the story!


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## Seaboard92 (Sep 14, 2015)

Thank you. I'll work on it later tonight


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## jis (Sep 14, 2015)

I will be upstairs on one of those Lufthansa ginats come January from Frankfurt to Delhi and back.


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## oregon pioneer (Sep 14, 2015)

Signing on to hear the rest.

jis, the jet lag to Delhi must be absolutely horrendous! And yes, I want to hear more about those fabulous Indian trains, if you're riding. With pictures!


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## alan_s (Sep 14, 2015)

jis said:


> I will be upstairs on one of those Lufthansa ginats come January from Frankfurt to Delhi and back.


Where will you be going on arrival? I did the "Golden Triangle" in '08. Never to be forgotten.

Interesting report. Keep it coming


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## jis (Sep 14, 2015)

I'll first fly down from DEL to Pune (PNQ) to visit my cousin. Then go to Kolkata by the Pune - Howrah Duronto Express via Daund, Manmad, Nagpur, Bhilai. Hang around Kolkata 10 or 11 days with my sister and extended family, riding around on as many local EMU routes as I can. Then take most likely my old trusted friend 12301 Howrah Rajdhani via Grand Chord to Delhi, the fly out of DEL to FRA.


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## alan_s (Sep 14, 2015)

jis said:


> I'll first fly down from DEL to Pune (PNQ) to visit my cousin. Then go to Kolkata by the Pune - Howrah Duronto Express via Daund, Manmad, Nagpur, Bhilai. Hang around Kolkata 10 or 11 days with my sister and extended family, riding around on as many local EMU routes as I can. Then take most likely my old trusted friend 12301 Howrah Rajdhani via Grand Chord to Delhi, the fly out of DEL to FRA.


I'm envious 

I will be in Tamil Nadu, India brielfy in June, in the early stages of a rtw; later I'll be passing through the USA in July. I intend using the trains between Chennai, Puducherry and district over a five visit.


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## Seaboard92 (Sep 15, 2015)

Thank you here is the next part of the report. After I woke up in the Marriott Köln city center. I went to a late lunch/dinner at Früh. It is a wonderful place. It's right behind the Dom (cathedral) by about a block. Then I went on a major stroll. I walked around the altstadt(old town) and along some street car lines till I got to the freight bypass. I walked on the sidewalk of the freight bypass bridge over the Rhine. And walked alongside the Rhine to the Passenger bridge. Then I went to the hotel and called it a night. Picturss to come


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## Seaboard92 (Sep 17, 2015)

F


Frankfurt airport train station.




An ICE III sitting in the station


one of many castles




Lunch at Früh




Streetcar


sunset over the Rhine


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## Seaboard92 (Sep 17, 2015)

The next day we went to Trier. We boarded an RE to Koblenz. We had an issue with a drunk passenger right after departing the main station. The conductor and the drunk went rounds with each other. When we arrived at the next station the two conductors had a time throwing him off. On his way out the drunk threw a glass bottle that hit the conductor and forced him over. As the drunk was leaving he yelled in German "I'm going to make this place kaput". When I asked the conductor why they didn't call the police he just said it was an old drunk. Not worth delaying the train for. We still arrived on time in Koblenz and boarded an RB to Trier. The Rome of the north for the Roman Empire. A short stroll takes you to the Portra Niegra or black gate. It is an old roman gate. Then we strolled around downtown. We had a nice lunch in the marketplace. After that I accidentally became a wedding crasher at the dom. Then I proceeded to tour old town. I put my feet in the Mosel. Walked by Karl Marx's birthplace. And then we caught a train up the Eifel line back to Köln. It's a line that has no freight traffic that I can see. It's very scenic. The next day is Brussels. With train trouble


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## Seaboard92 (Sep 17, 2015)

The Portra Niegra




The marketplace


the main shopping street




Lunch another Schnitzel. Tour of schnitzel.




The trier dom




The old town




The Mosel river and Roman Bridge.




ICE III under the dom


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## Devil's Advocate (Sep 17, 2015)

I'm a huge fan of touring Germany although I rarely get to visit. Did you pay more for the extra legroom on the Lufthansa flight? LH charged us $100 each for "extra legroom" for a trip in November but it's not entirely clear to me what exactly we're receiving for that money. My reservation doesn't show us in an exit row like you had.


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## jis (Sep 17, 2015)

Did you look up your seat in Seatguru? It should have pretty detailed info about what kind of seat it is and what it's pitch is.


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## Devil's Advocate (Sep 17, 2015)

jis said:


> Did you look up your seat in Seatguru? It should have pretty detailed info about what kind of seat it is and what it's pitch is.


According to seat guru we paid $200 for nothing. Then again most Seat guru information is generic boilerplate tied to ever so slightly specific floor plans that can be surprisingly hard to confirm with any certainty based on the limited information provided by the airline prior to boarding.


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## Seaboard92 (Sep 17, 2015)

What plane are you flying on. I paid I want to say 150 each way. And we were row 75 and 76. 76 window seat doesn't have row 75 ahead of it. And 75 is the exit row. So you would receive way more legroom with it


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## Seaboard92 (Sep 23, 2015)

The next day we went to Belgium. My travel patters wanted to sleep a little extra. I was on the 6 am train they were on the 9 am. It was an uneventful trip even though we were on detour. I had the room behind the engineer for a little bit. I found someone's passport when I was on the train. Then I wrote all of my postcards out. And had breakfast. The train dropped me off at Midi station. And I had a little bit of confusion trying to find a train for Central station. Once I got there I just wandered for three hours. I actually walked all the way to Midi via the Grand Market and several other historic sights. I had a time trying to find the central station on foot. Eventually after circling for thirty minutes I found the door. As I was catching a train I saw my travel partners ICE roll by. I made it to their side to pick them up. Then we went to lunch a block off from the market in this little place. They said it was too stuffy so they said they would open the window. And they took the whole window out. It was a really good steak too. With some really good gravy. Then we watched the Mayboom which is a festival for not paying tax on beer. And to keep beer tax free they have to plant a tree by a certain time. Then we shopped. On the return trip we had some issues. We got to midi and we tried to find our track. Our ICE was cancelled. I checked the app and DB was claiming it was canceled for just Midi but not for Nord. So we took off for Nord and got on the right track. To find out the train was canceled. Then we had a nice railroad worker help guide us and our wheelchair across several tracks without escalators. We took a freight elevator to a concourse that is worse the Penn station. Once the train finally showed it was majorly over crowded. There were no seats and I barely found a seat in first class. They didn't make announcements for the detoured passengers and we almost missed our stop. We got off and boarded a little emu that looked like the VIA RDCs. Then someone said we had to get off to get on a replacement bus. So we got off. And we're told to get back on. So we got back on. We talked to a nice few passengers. When the train arrived to Aachen we transferred to a replacement DB train made of IC stock. All first class cars. We finally made it to Köln three hours late. Didn't get dinner either as all the places shut down. Photos to come


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## Seaboard92 (Sep 23, 2015)

My train to Bruxxelles




Random church




I want to say this is the grand promenade




The grand market




Street car




Lunch at Cafe Raphellel




The Mayboom




I don't know what this is.




One train passing Nord




Another train passing nord




Our little RDC


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## Seaboard92 (Sep 23, 2015)

The next day I went to Aachen. I got up again very early around six. I spent half a day walking around. I arrived way too early for anything to be open. So I just strolled. Then I went to a a train store. The train was very nice on the way back. Even though DB cancelled it east of Köln. Photos to come.


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## cirdan (Sep 23, 2015)

The building where you write "I don't know what this is" is the Palais de Justice. It is home to various courts.

I'm surprised to see it is still being restored as work of some sort has been going on every time I come past it. The views from the front of the building are pretty stunning


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## Seaboard92 (Sep 23, 2015)

My RE to Aachen


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## Bob Dylan (Sep 23, 2015)

Nice pics and trip, thanks for sharing!

It's been so long since I was in Europe they were still building those buildings! LOL


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## Seaboard92 (Sep 23, 2015)

I still have some more to post. Stay tuned Jim. You should go. It's amazing. Dfw should have some good flights. They can get an A380 I believe


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## Seaboard92 (Sep 23, 2015)

To continue the day. After I arrived back into Köln as I only went for half a day. I walked back over to Früh. Then went back to the hotel in the pouring down rain to get the suit cases. And back to the station. I then caught an ICE II for berlin. It was a fairly easy ride. Not much in the terms of scenery. But a little bit. We arrived in the main station and then caught a cab for our hotel. We picked the key up from the safe exactly like they told us. And then set out for the Summer in the City Carnival outside our hotel. For a change we had a view from our room. Then we went to bed.


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## oregon pioneer (Sep 23, 2015)

Oh, my, I was in one of those courts with a glass roof once. It could have been that very one. I went into a lace shop and asked for some very w-i-i-i-i-i-de lace. The old lady turned and got some cards out of a cupboard that were wrapped with lace about 3-4" wide, nice handmade stuff. Most of the prices were above my young-person's budget, but I chose one that I could afford. It had about six different prices on the card, each one crossed out with a line and a price about double written below it. The final price was still one I could afford. I pointed to the first, lowest price, and asked "When was that?" (in French). "Avant la guerre" (before the war) she replied. The year I bought it was 1984, I believe.


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## Ronbo (Sep 23, 2015)

It seems like there are very few people in most of the photos you took. Is that because it was early in the morning, the time of year, or the kind of looks like dreary weather? Just curious,I am enjoying your report and pictures!


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## Seaboard92 (Sep 25, 2015)

In Aacehn it is because I got there at six am. I move very early. And go places most tourists seem to skip


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## Seaboard92 (Sep 25, 2015)

Dom hotel Köln




My usual cake




Summer in the city Berlin


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## Seaboard92 (Sep 25, 2015)

The next day which was my birthday was a Berlin day. I got up and crossed the city by the U12. My first stop the Oberbaumbrüke. Which is a beautiful subway bridge over the Spree. Then I strolled along the East Side Gallery which is right next door. After walking along that I went to the DDR museum. I made a huge mistake not going there right when they opened as they were packed. Upon leaving the museum I bought a Border guard hat from the DDR for twenty euros with my lunch money. I had just a little bit left so I bought myself a ice cream cone of my favorite flavor. Straticella. Then I took the s bahn further east to the Berlin Children's Railway. A railroad entirely ran by children. And a handful of adults who supervise for safety purposes. The kids do 100 percent of the maintenance, operations, and management. I might write a separate review for them. I am writing an article for a magazine about them. So I had a nice guided tour. Complete with free unlimited ticket, shop tour, cab rides, and a safety vest to photograph them. And the two adults in charge of the operation took me around. It is a fascinating program. I hope you check it out next time your there. Then I had my dinner back on the west side in a small street cafe I had tried on a previous trip. This time it wasn't as good as I remembered. But that's alright. Then we went and listened to the musical acts at summer in the city.


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## Seaboard92 (Sep 25, 2015)

The three stop U1




Kaiser Wilheim Gedanchkirche




The Oberbaumbrüke




The Berlin Wall




Ostbahnhof




The tv tower




Next door to the tv tower




Summer in the city


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## Seaboard92 (Sep 25, 2015)

Today we got up early to go to Hamburg and the Minitur Wunderland. We took an ICE I from the main station to Hamburg. Quick easy little run on new millage for me. I had breakfast on the train my favorite cake. Upon arrival we checked in our hotel which was an Old Brothel. And the interior has not been updated. Then I went strolling around this beautiful city. I joined up with a walking tour by mistake. It was there and headed the way I was going. I stayed long enough to learn some things. Then headed towards the Wunderland. The Wunderland is huge. It is everything you dreamed it would be. You enter into the museum part which is the history of Germany in models. Followed by Utopia where they invited the main political parties to make a model of their version of utopia. A fascinating concept. The only bad thing was the crowd. It is gigantic. The American sector has plenty of amtrak too. You'll see the Desert Wind as they have Vegas. It's well worth the visit. Afterwards I took a free harbor tour called the city ferry as our hotel owner procured us free tickets for it. Then We went to the Dom. A gigantic fun fair that occurs three times a year. It was amazing. And the carnival food was amazing. The rides were each unique and different. Totally different then how it is at my state fair.


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## Seaboard92 (Sep 25, 2015)

The spreciherstadt




The U bahn




The Rauthaus




The Hauptbahnhof




The main station







The museum part




Berlin 1961




Maurfall




Wunderland




It's scenic




The desert wind


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## Seaboard92 (Sep 26, 2015)

Today we went to Cuxhaven and the Wattenmeer. Which is a tidal flat. We had a bit of an issue we were told to go to a certain track. And the train said Cuxhaven. And we got on. Turns out they moved our real train and we went to the rail yard. So we got some rare millage. Plus we got our own special movement into the terminal again to return us. Where we caught the next train. The ride was actually quite enjoyable. Once we got to Cuxhaven we took a bus to the strand. I walked a half mile out initially then returned to eat along the strand. The water then came in while we ate. After that I was able to walk about two miles out into the North Sea without getting my feet wet. One gigantic thing of mud. Afterwards we took the train back to Hamburg and due to delays almost missed our connection back to Berlin. Where we had cake and snacks in our compartment. Then we relaxed at the train station. Then I did some night photography.


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## Seaboard92 (Sep 26, 2015)

My little rare millage train




The North Sea




The water is in




The water is out. In the direction of shore




Island transportation




Metronom




Dsb




Summer in the City




The main station




The kudam


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## Seaboard92 (Sep 26, 2015)

The next day we chose to stay in Berlin. First we walked around my grandmothers old neighborhood. After getting ice cream next to her church. My partners went shopping and I strolled down Karl Marx Allee. We had lunch in the Nikolivertal. Then after that I went dancing the night away


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## Seaboard92 (Sep 26, 2015)

Cafe Moscow




Frankfurter Tor




Nikolivertal




The rotesrauthaus




Live music to dance with


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## Seaboard92 (Sep 28, 2015)

The next day was a true whirlwind. We hit Wismar, Lübeck, and Schweirn all in one day. We started the day out with our normal s bahn to the main station. Then took the train to Ludwigslust. Our new train had routemaps as tables and we saw a little bit of wismar. So we decided to go there. It was a small hike to the old town. But that isn't a problem. I would recommend Wismar. It is wonderfully preserved. The old town is amazing. And it had brick gothic churches. Then we took the train to Lübeck with a connection in Bad Klinen. An interesting little station where six trains are scheduled in and out at the same time. We almost missed our train due to the bicycles having to get on. It was a two unit dmu and it wasn't that good. Lübeck itself was beautiful. But not nearly as nice as Wismar. After strolling a bit I took the train back to Schwerin with a change in Bad Klinen. I ran around Schwerin trying to get to the all palace and back in an hour layover. I managed to do it but my travel partners missed the connection as they were too slow. And came back on a train after me. I had a direct train to Berlin. But the problem due to track work my train was being rerouted around the city. So I had to take a time consuming s bahn ride. Where I eventually got back to the station and had dinner. Then my phone died. So I just guessed which train my partners were coming in on. And waited.


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## Seaboard92 (Sep 28, 2015)

The holiday express to Sylt


regionals meet at Ludwigslust




Wismar




Wismar market




Wismar




Lübeck station




Lübeck a gate




Lübeck




Schweirn




Schwerinarket




Schwerin Lake Palace


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## Rincewind (Sep 28, 2015)

Seaboard92 said:


> regionals meet at Ludwigslust


The yellow one is heading towards my small old hometown.


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