argon
Traveller
454 comments
Posted 1 year ago
Hello , i like to take RE 5 from Berlin to Stralsund at the 8th of october . As this date is in the holidays and these trains are always full i exspect that i maybe cant enter the train (because the train is so crowded) . In this case can i use ICE instead ? I have a SuperSaver (one part of the journey is with a long-distance train) , so i cannot get a refund and book a new ticket . Thank you in advance !
MisterSteve
Traveller
1089 comments
Interesting question.
With a SuperSaver you must use the the long distance train that is shown as compulsory (unless a previous train is delayed and you miss it). But the connections are usually shown as the best options and not compulsory. ICE trains are priced higher than RE but if your ticket includes an ICE then it might be marked as in the right price band. I think this might be possible but we need to see a scan of the ticket. If you long distance section is IC/EC this would get more complicated.
argon
Traveller
454 comments
Unfortunately is it a EC . DB says that if its needed to use a higher service class i have to book a ticket for this train and get a later a refund . This is valid if a delay of 20 min at the final station is exspectable . So when my train is overcrowded and i have to wait for the next train , it would be a delay of more than 20 mins , right ? ( RE5 is going every two hours )
argon
Traveller
454 comments
This is my connection . I asked because in Berlin an ICE 1043 is going to Stralsund (dep. 11:44 , 3 min before my booked train departs)
MisterSteve
Traveller
1089 comments
So all you have to do is prove that it was impossible to get on the busy train, which is not the same as chose not to get on. And the RE would have to be that overcrowded before the ICE departed.
But the ICE is likely to be late given the year DB have had so if you do get left behind you might get on it.
argon
Traveller
454 comments
Oh sure ! Thank you for your help :)
MisterSteve
Traveller
1089 comments
but the RE5 doesn't arrive at Hbf until the same time that the ICE departs so if the ICE is on time you won't be able to say the RE was too full to get on. And it's the ICE that is marked for possible overcrowding!
argon
Traveller
454 comments
Yeah , sorry my mistake . Btw. from my experieces RE is much more crowed because of the 49€-Ticket . Thank you for your help , regardless of my little mistake :)
MisterSteve
Traveller
1089 comments
the 49€-Ticket that doesn't count where people go to so nobody knows how to match demand with seats, that's a flaw in the plan!
argon
Traveller
454 comments
I dont know if you are German but i had much experieces with overcrowded regional trains where you cannot make any step for like 3 hours in times of / because of the 49/9€ Ticket . Or they where cleared by the police !
MisterSteve
Traveller
1089 comments
You don't have to be german to see that problem coming! The ticket will obviously attract many new passengers but when it begins nobody really knows where so can't plan extra capacity. So there will be months of chaos, possibly longer. But at the same time the ICs get quieter.
argon
Traveller
454 comments
Here in Germany we still have no extra capacity :) Hey its Germany !