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The coach network is very extensive and on certain corridors, the journey times are not massively longer than the train. I'd recommend www.busradar.com, it shows all the coach connections between cities on a given day, where they leave from and the current prices (with a link to book on each...

I think sleeper trains are a very good concept. However, I've had reason to use them with a large network from Munich, I now see them a little less 'romantically'. With CityNightLine on the Munich-Berlin line the trains have to be timed (10h30ish) to take almost twice as long as the daytime...

Yes, each ServicePoint was fully staffed and there were around 10 additional staff members in front of the SerivcePoints at each station (possibly on train staff who have been assigned to station support during the strike?). It was also fairly relaxed at both stations, and the ZOB (coach...

I have no doubt you will get there. There is a replacement timetable (Ersatzfahrplan) in place. 12 hours before your time of departure use the real time departure engine. This should show all the planned long distance services. Some older staff members are not confident in English, at...

It's very frustrating all in all. The S-Bahn here in Munich is running the usual replacement timetable of a service every hour on each line guaranteed (usually 10/20 mins), a 20mins service on core lines (usually up to every 5 mins). The possibility of more trains is there, but nothing is...

It was one of my local stations for over 7 years and I don't think I ever had reason to complain. Generally orderly. OK, it'll never win any awards for the best station or suchlike, but I've never found it particularly unpleasant. It was better before the barriers appeared though, although I...

It's a Euro-wide market these days. Arriva owned, or had a majority stake in, a number of rail operators in Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden when they were a UK-based plc. Buses in four or so more. Partially why they were so attractive for DB to buy, although they had to divest the...

Having a mixture of uniformed and plain-clothed staff is surely the best solution? In the Munich example I used, they have highly visible security staff roving around, in addition to plain-clothed ticket inspectors. One provides the visible deterrent, the other the element of surprise. If I were...

Yeah, these strikes are quite something really. Fortunately some regional and interregional services are provided by private operators these days - in Bavaria there's, to name main ones, ALEX, BOB/Meridian & Trillex. I find I can get a lot of places using them. Some states rely a lot more on DB...

I'm also surprised plain clothed inspectors aren't more common on TOCs in the UK. They use them on the buses/trams/underground here in Munich, the system is completely without barriers. The doors close and they present their IDs. I've seen them in various forms, three older ladies with shopping...

In my experience it's the same for London Midland in the West Midlands area, on the Cross City line. The trains carry commercial guards from what I can tell, but I've only ever seen them check (and sell) tickets outside the Centro PTE area. Inside that area (most of the route), there aren't many...

I've seen airline staff with many big bags before, I'd imagine they're off on long-haul trips for quite some time though! :lol: It's interesting really, on the continent popping across the border is often like going to another county in the UK these days. The borders are observed and discreet...

I've been to Ebbsfleet a couple of times, catching trains and passing through on Eurostar. I'm pretty sure station staff would be aware of this gentleman's presence as I'd imagine the CCTV coverage to be fairly extensive and Eurostar arrivas/departures monitored. If not, he'd be picked up pretty...

I used to use my cards all the time in the UK (contactless and the rewards points were great!), but Germany still lies in the transaction dark ages and most prefer cash. Many shops only take "EC-cards" or "V-Pay" which are like basic debit cards attached to a current account you find in...

It's funny how that came to be really. €50 notes (around £37) are very common in everyday transactions in the Eurozone and are treated as normal like a £20 note. €100 notes are less common but never had one refused or refused to accept one on the occassions I've encountered one. €200 and €500...

Weather has been very poor in parts of Germany and Austria in the last 24 hours. The storm has caused a lot of damage and the resulting state-wide speed restriction in Bavaria caused enormous knock-on delays. It took five hours for me to get from Füssen to Munich on three trains and a...

I used to work in a large chain supermarket near Blackpool and with it being a touristy area, would (regularly) see Scottish and (occasionally) Northern Irish notes. No problem to accept them was policy, and the self-scan machines were also set up to do so. We weren't given any training on their...

I study Modern Languages as my second subject at University, so this is my personal (not necessarily well informed :lol:) opinion. It does depend how much time and money you want to invest, but you could get a lot out of it. German is one of my languages, but despite actually having German...

Firstly, I would hesitate to speak certainly on the situation, since although the initial findings point towards foul play, a fully comprehensive case with more evidence has yet to be compiled. There are various challenges in keeping the flight deck closed to potential terrorists but open to...

Awful news, my thoughts with all those affected. The circumstances on this one are really quite exceptional. I've flown on Germanwings and on Lufthansa quite a number of times before - it really is an extremely reputable and experienced airline group with an impeccable safety record (660+...