glamirand
Traveller
0 comments
Posted 6 years ago
Hi!
First of all thanks a lot for this awesome plateform and all the amazing job you guys do to make easier international train journeys!
I\'m looking for a train to go to Berlin from Köln on the 29th of april.
I found the ICE949 which seems to fit perfectly my needs but I have 3 questions about it :
- Interrail reservation service offers me a first train from Köln to Dusseldorf (RE 10143) then ICE 949. Is there a reason for it? I don\'t manage to select a direct train.
- What about the reservation? It\'s mentionned as an optional reservation. Should I or not?
- Are there beds in this train so I can sleep all the trip? Any kind of bathroom to brush my teeth or so? Do I need a specific reservation for it and how to reserve it? I didn\'t see any option for bed instead of seat.
Thanks!
Flo
Traveller
10724 comments
Hi!
Thank you! :)
This train is a regular ICE (German high speed train) service: [ux]https://rail.cc/en/interrail-train-reservation/ice-deutsche-bahn/11[/ux]
There are no beds on this type of train, just regular seats (as you can see in the pictures in the link). Restrooms with washbasins are available in each carriage.
I dont know why the Interrail reservation service will only sell reservations from Düsseldorf; ICE 949 is scheduled to run from Köln on Aprll 29.
You can easily buy an online reservation (recommended since it is Sunday and many people will travel back to Berlin) from DB/German Railways at [ux]https://rail.shop/bahn[/ux]
Flo
Pleasexplain
Traveller
24 comments
I believe this is a new-ish connection in the last timetable change? If memory serves, last summer it was an "Nacht-IC" that ran in this path, IC 446 / 447, which was the direct replacement for EN 446 / 447 "Jan Kiepura" which until December of 2016 ran through to Warschau.
When did this go over to ICE and is it an ICE1, 2 oder 3?
It is a pity that it is now an ICE as it will obviously be at ICE tariff now and not IC meaning that it will now be rather expensive to use on FIP and of course no -(or not so many) abteil wagen for sleeping!
Danke! :>
Kris.
Pleasexplain
Traveller
24 comments
Having now used this train, I can report back that it is now sadly formed of a single ICE2 (DB BR 402) trainset with just one compartment set in two "semi-compartments" in the kleinkindabteil in the 806.0 Bpmbz vehincle, wagen no. 34 (I think) next to the (closed) Bordrestaurant.
I purposely showed up early at Köln Hbf to grab a seat in there to try and get some sleep with the blinds shut and lights out when I used this train on my way to Russia for the WM last summer and got kicked out by the Zugchef at Dortmund! The train was very busy, but I was "fortunate" to get a pair of "airline" places in the middle of a noisy crowded Grossraumwagen for the remainder of a long night with crying kinder and the lights left on in full glare all night.. Luckily I had brought biers und had my tunes!
So if planning to use this connection I recommend booking first class with reservations.
It\'s such a pity that they changed this to ICE operation from IC, the old composition would have been a lot better for sleeping with a good few ex-InterRegio Bimz cars with compartments in the consist: https://www.vagonweb.cz/razeni/vlak.php?zeme=DB&cislo=447&rok=2017
I can\'t see the need for an ICE on this train as it has hardly -(if any at all?) running on NBS and set at expensive ICE tariff...
Bring back the EuroNight "Jan Kiepura"!
Peter
Traveller
9333 comments
Hi Kris.
Thank you for this report! :)
There are hundreds of travellers who would pay some Euros more to get a nice place to sleep in a nigh train, instead for an "ICE running overnight". Happily we have the ÖBB nightjets, and lets see how they will hopefully extend their network in the next years!
Pete :)
Flo
Traveller
10724 comments
Yeah, it is a pity that DB doesnt offer proper overnight connections anymore. Anyway, for me I dont really care whether they use Bimz or ICE - as long as a train doesnt offer proper beds (in a couchette or sleeper) I dont want to travel with it unless it is really, really necessary.
Unfortunately it will still take a while until ÖBB will introduce new nightjet routes - at least until their recently ordered new rolling stock for the connections to Italy are delivered.
With their current fleet it is not possible to offer any new routes; I am still baffled that they managed to introduce the Wien - Berlin service since they do not have much backup coaches standing around.
Peter
Traveller
9333 comments
The Berlin-Vienna only had one seated car, one couchette and one sleeper... better than nothing. [ux]https://rail.cc/blog/berlin-vienna-nighjtet-train/[/ux]
:)
Pleasexplain
Traveller
24 comments
Yep, it all comes down to the usual railway politics in the end and its the passengers who suffer from decisions made by the execs at the top sadly..
Same story on SNCF in France with the InterCités de Nuit, the trains to/from Nice and Port-Bou in particular "Le Train Bleu" and the last remnants of the old "Calais-Mediterranée Express" TAC AutoTrain were well used and busy in their later years -(I travelled on the very last ICN from Paris to Nice and it was very busy for a train they claimed was "not profitable to operate").
The reality is that there is no will to invest in replacing or renovating the material so they can you "closure by stealth" tactics to ensure services can slowly run down and eventually stopped as we seen with the CNL\'s..
Anyway, if ÖBB really wanted to expand the Nightjet service now I think they could quite easily get hold of the plenty of Corail couchettes that are now surplus to requirements from SNCF as an interim solution? There is also the NMBS I6 couchettes currently sitting gathering dust in Oostende...