Europa Spezial connections

[hluraven]

I'm looking to book a ticket from Hoek van Holland (connecting with Stena Line) to Munich via DB's Europa Spezial offer. Everything seems fine, but I am very wary of the connections.

The itinerary has changes at Rotterdam, Amersfoort and Hannover, but these are 8, 3 and 8 minutes respectively. This may not be a problem, but I am even more wary of the return, which is 8, 2 and 7 minute interchanges.

My experience of DB reliability is that it is worse than here, but regardless, these seem very tight connections all round, if I were to miss one, say because the Dutch leg of the connection misses the 3 minutes needed, does DB have to provide my onward journey once I arrive late at Hannover etc

Basically, as this is their itinerary, am I covered whatever happens or should I go for a more expensive but safer option?

 

[gordonthemoron]

DB are obliged to let you travel on a later train if you miss your connection. You should get your ticket endorsed by the guard on the delayed train or at the Service Point at the station where you missed the connection. I generally use the Service Point as guards are sometimes difficult to find on non-ICEs (on ICEs they have an office in the buffet car)

 

[hluraven]

Thanks Gordon, another question, I have the seat plan up to reserve tickets, it doesn't say which direction of travel, is there a way to tell which seats are facing forwards? Is first class always at one end for example?

 

[starrymarkb]

Thanks Gordon, another question, I have the seat plan up to reserve tickets, it doesn't say which direction of travel, is there a way to tell which seats are facing forwards? Is first class always at one end for example?

I can't speak for the seats but this site will be a guide (look the train up by number) to the formation - but I would take with a pinch of salt as the DB Formation poster on the platform was correct but that site showed the reverse formation for our trip

 

[30907]

You can take any train in Netherlands. NS are pretty good re connections but theres no point hanging around at the Hoek.