Category: Travel

Once, the German Train system was world known for reliability, pensility and good service.  Those were the days. Now, taking a train the Europe’s biggest rail network is as sure as winning a million-dollar lottery.  At times Deutsche Bahn (DB) feels as if it is held together by five cent bubble gum.

Recently, a major newspaper published a story on DB and all the troubles.  Schedules are more estimates. The train comes, the train may not come.  If you arrive, you arrive. If you don’t arrive, you don’t arrive.  Perhaps, this is why the Swiss Rail System suspended the always late German Trains from its tracks.

Every German has a horror story. Just mention the company, then wait for the tale.  One friend on her way to Hamburg suddenly got stuck in a small town with a derelict station building.  The staff said, “End of the line.”  The riders had to find their own way. This happens in Modern Germany, not in a called a “developing country”.

Look For A Sign

The past summer, I bought a train ticket to the north coast, while at the station, an announcement, “The train has been cancelled due to a faulty signal”. For many this was normal, standard procedure, however the rest of us not prepared for DB Chaos, we were lost. In the woods, no one to ask on the platform, just a blue screen with white letters. A fellow passenger, not a DBahn worker cause they are never around during moments of chaos, told me to go upstairs to the customer service.

The line, typical, go to a person, tell them the problem, then get a number.  To my surprise, the wait was short.  The DB customer service person did not need an explanation. Certainly, she knew the story.  After explaining I could take another overcrowded train an hour later, then transfer to another train or fill out a form or wait until the next day. The last option seemed better. Cause of construction, I ploddingly made it to my destination one day and fifteen minutes late.

A competitor could help DB clean-up its act.  For the moment FLixTrain has a few normal speed routes. 

How long can Deutsche Bahn continue operating the way it does is a guess.  I realise when I take a German train, pray, snacks and luck are needed.