German Rail in decline ?

[Krokodil]

Found him. He wasn't the model of customer service, but did at least say that the connection would be made, and that the French couple who should have met the sleeper at München Ost could board at Augsburg.

 

[nwales58]

From experience, conductor saying Anschluss wird erreicht is a forecast rather than a guarantee. Platforms 3 and 4 but isn't that different islands?

 

[rvdborgt]

From experience, conductor saying Anschluss wird erreicht is a forecast rather than a guarantee.

Same for "Anschluss kann leider nicht warten". It might still be there...

Platforms 3 and 4 but isn't that different islands?

Correct, see Openrailwaymap. But it looks like the connection worked.

 

[nwales58]

6 minutes if the online info is correct.

DB's banana-shaped 6-8h runs are great for connectivity but also sweep up delays from all over the country and propagate them to the rest of the country.

 

[Krokodil]

Yes, everyone made it

 

[YorkshireBear]

Same happened to us on the exact same sleeper in November, except we were lucky and it was only 9 minutes earlier. We showed the ticket to check it was the same one and they just rolled their eyes and said, nobody told you? Us and about 10 other people as the service number had changed too.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 1 May 2024 ==

Yes, everyone made it

Glad it worked out!

 

[Jamesrob637]

Found him. He wasn't the model of customer service, but did at least say that the connection would be made, and that the French couple who should have met the sleeper at München Ost could board at Augsburg.

Germans to a T. They'll tell you what you need to know, but rarely go the extra mile. Suits most perfectly, myself included.

 

[peteb]

Judging by the hordes at Lübeck this afternoon I'd say not in decline as far as usage is concerned. However the introduction of woefully inadequate new rolling stock is contributing to a severe decline in customer comfort, safety and punctuality. Today's trip from Bremen to Kiel was via two loco hauled double decker rakes. Busy but most got a seat. Time keeping good. Problems at Lubeck on the Polish- bound Szczecin service at 1402, a 2 car unit which left 100+ behind. Took 15 minutes to off-load and refill with only one door per carriage. 1503 following service 4 car but wedged with those unable to get on 1402. Goodness knows how 200+ people about to be abandoned at Bad Kleinen (middle of nowhere) will complete their journeys, as the 1602 Polish-bound from Lübeck is only a 2 car unit.....

 

[The exile]

Judging by the hordes at Lübeck this afternoon I'd say not in decline as far as usage is concerned. However the introduction of woefully inadequate new rolling stock is contributing to a severe decline in customer comfort, safety and punctuality. Today's trip from Bremen to Kiel was via two loco hauled double decker rakes. Busy but most got a seat. Time keeping good. Problems at Lubeck on the Polish- bound Szczecin service at 1402, a 2 car unit which left 100+ behind. Took 15 minutes to off-load and refill with only one door per carriage. 1503 following service 4 car but wedged with those unable to get on 1402. Goodness knows how 200+ people about to be abandoned at Bad Kleinen (middle of nowhere) will complete their journeys, as the 1602 Polish-bound from Lübeck is only a 2 car unit.....

The introduction of new stock can only really be considered to have not alleviated the situation - whenever I used them 15 - 20 years ago, the Lübeck - Sczeczins were single 628s.

 

[RT4038]

Judging by the hordes at Lübeck this afternoon I'd say not in decline as far as usage is concerned. However the introduction of woefully inadequate new rolling stock is contributing to a severe decline in customer comfort, safety and punctuality. Today's trip from Bremen to Kiel was via two loco hauled double decker rakes. Busy but most got a seat. Time keeping good. Problems at Lubeck on the Polish- bound Szczecin service at 1402, a 2 car unit which left 100+ behind. Took 15 minutes to off-load and refill with only one door per carriage. 1503 following service 4 car but wedged with those unable to get on 1402. Goodness knows how 200+ people about to be abandoned at Bad Kleinen (middle of nowhere) will complete their journeys, as the 1602 Polish-bound from Lübeck is only a 2 car unit.....

But I thought it was only Britain's railways that were so bad as to have overcrowding problems....? I rode an XC in the afternoon peak on Thursday, 17h26 from Coventry to Basingstoke. Easily got a double seat at Coventry, and past Reading there were only 2 pax in my carriage.

 

[peteb]

The introduction of new stock can only really be considered to have not alleviated the situation - whenever I used them 15 - 20 years ago, the Lübeck - Sczeczins were single 628s.

Ha ha, so they've actually doubled the capacity!!

 

[duesselmartin]

I always wonder how many people use that Sczecin service over a long distance? Travel time and stock is totally unsuitable to travel in comfort.

 

[peteb]

I always wonder how many people use that Sczecin service over a long distance? Travel time and stock is totally unsuitable to travel in comfort.

Judging by the number of Polish people on the train I would think a lot would go the whole way! They mostly changed onto a Rostock loco hauled service at Bad Kleinen and, fair play to DB, they held our Schwerin connection too, (also a loco hauled RE double deck set).

I think the engineering works south of Schwerin maybe caused a lot of travel via Lübeck this bank holiday (Thurs) and on into the weekend.

 

[poffle]

DeutschlandTicket has caused big upsurge in users on regional trains. Pretty normal now in Germany for REs to be heaving in touristy areas. Also the REs get passengers going end to end who might have previously used an IC. And then the bike tourists.

 

[peteb]

You are right about cyclists. There were over 20 bikes trying to get on the 2-car 1402 Lübeck to Szczecin! Several failed and got 1503 instead. Incidentally the Bremen Hamburg double deckers have half a carriage just for bikes. This morning it was nearly full.

DeutschlandTicket has caused big upsurge in users on regional trains. Pretty normal now in Germany for REs to be heaving in touristy areas. Also the REs get passengers going end to end who might have previously used an IC. And then the bike tourists.

 

[Jamesrob637]

May is big on German Feiertage, with all of the 1st, 9th and 20th being public holidays. That will put transport to the test.

 

[Krokodil]

But I thought it was only Britain's railways that were so bad as to have overcrowding problems....? I rode an XC in the afternoon peak on Thursday, 17h26 from Coventry to Basingstoke. Easily got a double seat at Coventry, and past Reading there were only 2 pax in my carriage.

The fact that a single ticket from Coventry to Oxford (never mind Reading or Basingstoke) costs the same as an entire month's worth of travel on regional trains across the whole of Germany probably has something to do with it.

 

[The exile]

DeutschlandTicket has caused big upsurge in users on regional trains. Pretty normal now in Germany for REs to be heaving in touristy areas. Also the REs get passengers going end to end who might have previously used an IC. And then the bike tourists.

There was a similar near-collapse when the SWT (Schoenes Wochenende Ticket) was introduced 30+ years ago.

 

[30907]

Judging by the number of Polish people on the train I would think a lot would go the whole way! They mostly changed onto a Rostock loco hauled service at Bad Kleinen and, fair play to DB, they held our Schwerin connection too, (also a loco hauled RE double deck set).

I think the engineering works south of Schwerin maybe caused a lot of travel via Lübeck this bank holiday (Thurs) and on into the weekend.

There are different problems today (lineside fire?) but no obvious evidence of delays due to crowding, even though the direct Hamburg-Schwerin(-Rostock) service is part-bustituted all week as peteb has mentioned.

 

[duesselmartin]

Major rail disruptions in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg currently due to flooding affecting both ICE and regional services. Definitivly check before travelling.

 

[Capybara]

Ha ha, so they've actually doubled the capacity!!View attachment 158043

Heh! I wish I'd read this when it was posted as I was on the train from Bad Kleinen (RE 13088) that forms this one a couple of days later and it was exactly the same. I don't think anyone was left on the platform but it was certainly an uncomfortable journey and took ages to load. I could easily have picked a different route as well. Having said that, apart from this one journey, I spotted no significant chaos on my latest German trip which was much different to other recent experiences.

 

[peteb]

Heh! I wish I'd read this when it was posted as I was on the train from Bad Kleinen (RE 13088) that forms this one a couple of days later and it was exactly the same. I don't think anyone was left on the platform but it was certainly an uncomfortable journey and took ages to load. I could easily have picked a different route as well. Having said that, apart from this one journey, I spotted no significant chaos on my latest German trip which was much different to other recent experiences.

I wonder if the closure south of Schwerin is tempting people to travel via Lübeck to/from the Rostock direction? On our bus to get the train towards Hamburg there were only about 20 people. Notwithstanding the Rostock to Hamburg train being split into two separate trains with bus in between it seemed very quiet for 0945am in the morning.

However about half a bus (nice coach actually) load left Schwerin non-stop direct to Hamburg at about 0930am with another empty coach behind it, so they were obviously expecting more customers!

And as regards your other comment, apart from a cancelled train south from Uelzen the same day my 2 week trip to Germany was largely free of "farce"!!

 

[ABB125]

I had an interesting experience of the "random delay generator" in Germany last week.

NJ40491 Hamburg to Vienna. Departed (well, technically arrived) Hamburg Hbf around 20 minutes late for reasons unknown (probably something to do with the constant stream of hours-late ICEs from the south...). Then a sudden not-quite-emergency stop literally moments after joining the high speed line south of Hannover, which added another 20 minutes. There was then a magical mystery tour of central Germany, eventually arriving in Nuremberg at the booked departure time (so something like 90 minutes late).

After some very efficient shunting at Nuremberg, we left around 30 minutes late. When I woke up some hours later, expecting to be somewhere near Vienna, we most certainly were not! Eventual arrival just over 2 hours late.

I'm not sure exactly what the problems were, but clearly there were a few...

 

[peteb]

I had an interesting experience of the "random delay generator" in Germany last week.

NJ40491 Hamburg to Vienna. Departed (well, technically arrived) Hamburg Hbf around 20 minutes late for reasons unknown (probably something to do with the constant stream of hours-late ICEs from the south...). Then a sudden not-quite-emergency stop literally moments after joining the high speed line south of Hannover, which added another 20 minutes. There was then a magical mystery tour of central Germany, eventually arriving in Nuremberg at the booked departure time (so something like 90 minutes late).
View attachment 159388
After some very efficient shunting at Nuremberg, we left around 30 minutes late. When I woke up some hours later, expecting to be somewhere near Vienna, we most certainly were not! Eventual arrival just over 2 hours late.

I'm not sure exactly what the problems were, but clearly there were a few...

Was your journey affected by the storms that wreaked havoc in Baden Wertenberg and Bavaria? Shame it was dark as it looks a scenic detour!

 

[ABB125]

Was your journey affected by the storms that wreaked havoc in Baden Wertenberg and Bavaria? Shame it was dark as it looks a scenic detour!

Not sure, sorry

 

[Capybara]

I wonder if the closure south of Schwerin is tempting people to travel via Lübeck to/from the Rostock direction? On our bus to get the train towards Hamburg there were only about 20 people. Notwithstanding the Rostock to Hamburg train being split into two separate trains with bus in between it seemed very quiet for 0945am in the morning.

However about half a bus (nice coach actually) load left Schwerin non-stop direct to Hamburg at about 0930am with another empty coach behind it, so they were obviously expecting more customers!

And as regards your other comment, apart from a cancelled train south from Uelzen the same day my 2 week trip to Germany was largely free of "farce"!!

I think that's highly likely. The number of people waiting for the Lübeck train was already quite high when the Schwerin train came in (and was held as mentioned above) but most of those on that train seemed to get off and cross the platform to wait for the Lübeck train. I wonder if journey planners were directing them that way. I was only taking that route (I'd come from Stralsund via Rostock and Wismar) because I'd never done it before.

 

[hassaanhc]

I had an interesting experience of the "random delay generator" in Germany last week.

NJ40491 Hamburg to Vienna. Departed (well, technically arrived) Hamburg Hbf around 20 minutes late for reasons unknown (probably something to do with the constant stream of hours-late ICEs from the south...). Then a sudden not-quite-emergency stop literally moments after joining the high speed line south of Hannover, which added another 20 minutes. There was then a magical mystery tour of central Germany, eventually arriving in Nuremberg at the booked departure time (so something like 90 minutes late).
View attachment 159388
After some very efficient shunting at Nuremberg, we left around 30 minutes late. When I woke up some hours later, expecting to be somewhere near Vienna, we most certainly were not! Eventual arrival just over 2 hours late.

I'm not sure exactly what the problems were, but clearly there were a few...

I was on the northbound service, NJ40420, from München Hbf to Hamburg Hbf on 31 May. That arrived about an hour late due to a diversion (according to the TM), although there also appeared to be a delay at Nürnberg where the set is split.

Earlier that day, I had travelled from Zürich to München (with a few hours in Innsbruck), and apart from an hour or so, it didn't stop raining in that region since the day before, so I got off very lightly. In fact, the only daytime disruption I had on my week-long Interrail wasn't even in Germany (on my final day, Sunday 2 June, wires were down on the HSL-Zuid in NL).

 

[DanielB]

In fact, the only daytime disruption I had on my week-long Interrail wasn't even in Germany (on my final day, Sunday 2 June, wires were down on the HSL-Zuid in NL).

Actually quite an achievement to have your trip disrupted by that disruption. Don't think the wires were actually down as the archives with disruptions say it was resolved after just 24 minutes (and only affected international services).

 

[duesselmartin]

I had an interesting experience of the "random delay generator" in Germany last week.

NJ40491 Hamburg to Vienna. Departed (well, technically arrived) Hamburg Hbf around 20 minutes late for reasons unknown (probably something to do with the constant stream of hours-late ICEs from the south...). Then a sudden not-quite-emergency stop literally moments after joining the high speed line south of Hannover, which added another 20 minutes. There was then a magical mystery tour of central Germany, eventually arriving in Nuremberg at the booked departure time (so something like 90 minutes late).
View attachment 159388
After some very efficient shunting at Nuremberg, we left around 30 minutes late. When I woke up some hours later, expecting to be somewhere near Vienna, we most certainly were not! Eventual arrival just over 2 hours late.

I'm not sure exactly what the problems were, but clearly there were a few...

NJ was diverted due to flooding. You were lucky to make it at all. Hours later almost all Main lines were blocked and many lines still are.

 

[ABB125]

NJ was diverted due to flooding. You were lucky to make it at all. Hours later almost all Main lines were blocked and many lines still are.

Thanks, that's good to know.

Fun fact: I've now done something like 8 overnight trips on trains that do Hannover to Nuremberg (or opposite direction) over the last two years, mainly NightJet but also ICE. I think every single trip has taken a different route!