Non-Stopping Karlsruhe Hauptbahnhof

[Ianno87]

This morning, I travelled on the 0658 ICE service from Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof to Paris Est. Checking the yellow station departure sheets in Frankfurt, this listed the intermediate calls as being Mannheim Hbf, Karlsruhe Hbf and Strasbourg.

However, this morning the departure boards at Frankfurt had a scrolling message reading (in German): "No call at Karlsruhe today"

In spite of this, we still passed, non-stop, through the platform at Karlsruhe Hbf. There did not appear to be any track or platform closures in the area, so I'm at a complete loss as to why the call was taken out this morning. We did however get signal checked for another train in the opposite direction on approach to the station.

Is anybody able to enlighten me as to why this might have happened?

 

[JonathanP]

As far as I can see from online sources, this service is not scheduled to call in Karlsruhe at all, on any day. Perhaps the paper display is wrong and they are trying to make up for it.

 

[radamfi]

What did the paper timetable given at each seat on the train say?

 

[30907]

As far as I can see from online sources, this service is not scheduled to call in Karlsruhe at all, on any day. Perhaps the paper display is wrong and they are trying to make up for it.

At a guess, it's a flag-up that the train doesn't call at Karlsruhe, which is very unusual (AFAIK everything else calls, and specifically the other Strasbourg route services do).
That doesn't explain the "today" - might be the only way of programming the message, or simply a case of selecting the wrong option on a menu!

 

[Ianno87]

Thanks for the replies.

What did the paper timetable given at each seat on the train say?

I don't think there were any put out (nothing on seat and I don't think any in seat pocket). The internal CIS screen didn't include the call.

It being a non-standard calling pattern with the departure sheet being wrong seems like a simple enough explanation, although it does seem odd to omit the call on thid one train.

Having said that, although the train is lightly loaded from Frankfurt and Mannheim, a fair few more joined at Strasbourg - so perhaps it's to keep some space for them (don't know what the TGV departures from Strasbourg are like around then)?

 

[Groningen]

I think this is the point. That ICE not stopping in Karlsruhe passes through that town at about 8.05. At 7.34 there is a TGV departing from Karlsruhe going to Paris Est. There is an ICE departing Frankfurt am Main 8 minutes earlier; going to Basel and stopping in Karlsruhe.

 

[k-c-p]

This train called at Karlsruhe in the past, but the stop has been cancelled (I think since April) to make sure the train runs on time and passenger will make the connection towards Marseille in Strasbourg.

 

[33Hz]

Karlsruhe is the size of place that I wonder why they bother stopping international services there to be honest.

 

[Merseysider]

Karlsruhe is the size of place that I wonder why they bother stopping international services there to be honest.

Well, it does have an airport (mostly served by Ryanair etc) and it's a very good station for making local connections, with a combination of Eilzüge, slow S-Bahn, Regiobahn, etc. Also good for connections to Switzerland via Basel.

That said, I was rather underwhelmed by the city when I visited.

 

[JonathanP]

Karlsruhe is home to the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, the leading university in Germany for science and engineering. I wouldn't be surprised if that generates a fair amount of international traffic.

 

[gordonthemoron]

When me and my mate went to Karlsruhe in 2010, we got a round of free drinks in one bar because we were the first English people to visit

 

[Groningen]

Well; Karlsruhe is a town with 300.000 inhabitants. Mannheim has a little bit less. An important connection point from points east of Karlsruhe to Salzburg and further!

 

[Doctor Fegg]

Karlsruhe is home to the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, the leading university in Germany for science and engineering. I wouldn't be surprised if that generates a fair amount of international traffic.

Indeed. If you've ever used a website to plan a car, walking or cycling journey from A to B, chances are you've benefited from research done at KIT...