Author Topic: Train to cologne  (Read 5079 times)

Auntie Helen

  • 6 Wheels in Germany
Re: Train to cologne
« Reply #25 on: 28 January, 2019, 02:21:59 pm »
Trekker, it’s not so good at Hoek now as the train has stopped. They have a bus to Schiedam where you have to get a train to Rotterdam Centraal to then have a good choice of destinations. They are changing from train to tram at Hoek but it will still only go as far as Schiedam.

My Mum had Dutch Flyer tickets for her visit to us last year but in the end I collected her by car (2 hour drive) as I didn’t want her to have to do bus, train, train, train, train to get to Venlo. In the past it was just train, train which was manageable for a 73 year old!
My blog on cycling in Germany and eating German cake – http://www.auntiehelen.co.uk


hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: Train to cologne
« Reply #26 on: 28 January, 2019, 03:16:49 pm »
IMHO any change of mode with kids and luggage is going to be challenging and the number of changes should be minimised.

Re: Train to cologne
« Reply #27 on: 28 January, 2019, 03:35:59 pm »
I understand the bus is temporary whilst they extend the metro system from Rotterdam? We are heading through there on our bikes this Summer on the way down to Ulm (probably) for a jaunt along the Danube but I think we will have enough time to ride to Rotterdam. We've still got three changes to Ulm with loaded touring bikes though.

Another issue forgotten by rail companies everywhere is those who are less able to do the above such as your elderly relatives. In my story above about the trip to Innsbruck my in-laws came with us and they are in their seventies. I've not mentioned travelling by train with them since!
Duct tape is magic and should be worshipped

Re: Train to cologne
« Reply #28 on: 28 January, 2019, 03:48:43 pm »
Haven't they finished the tram extension yet - I thought that Jonny Forriner was super efficient  8)
We went on a Dutch Flyer ticket possibly 18 months ago to Utrecht where we got a train to Cologne and then onto Bonn (to start a trip by public ferry boats down the Rhine - very much recommended). The replacement bus got caught in a traffic snarl up caused by a crash on the (?) motorway - causing much loosening of bowels regarding connecting trains - in the end all was good until we got to Koln.
Having said that we've never had a trouble-free DB journey - varying from a decision to terminate the train at Frankfurt Airport rather than the proper big station, causing mass exodus of hundreds of passengers over a footbridge onto a creaking DMU, to a three hour late arrival somewhere due to 'engineering works', and a vanishing commuter service from Cologne to Bonn - it got later and later on the departures board, and then it just >poof< vanished!
Too many angry people - breathe & relax.

Auntie Helen

  • 6 Wheels in Germany
Re: Train to cologne
« Reply #29 on: 28 January, 2019, 03:51:06 pm »
Tram wasn’t finished at Christmas, at least as far as we could see.

And the problem is, it will only go as far as Schiedam anyway. That means another change for lots of journeys.
My blog on cycling in Germany and eating German cake – http://www.auntiehelen.co.uk


Re: Train to cologne
« Reply #30 on: 28 January, 2019, 04:04:45 pm »
IMHO any change of mode with kids and luggage is going to be challenging and the number of changes should be minimised.

That's an important point.  Some of the train adventures are not a problem when travelling as able-bodied adults only but are much harder when circumstances are different. 

After Christmas we were travelling back from Cologne with 18-month old and had timed the trains so that she would have her sleep on the ICE and wake around Brussels.  She'd just fallen asleep when we were told we had to change trains.  That meant my wife carrying baby between trains, trying to stop her waking, while I took enormous heavy suitcase full of baby clutter +  a few clothes for us, pushchair, changing bag and food / toy bag.  A kind chap on our train helped me to get the bags off the broken-down ICE when I ran out of hands. 

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: Train to cologne
« Reply #31 on: 28 January, 2019, 04:57:34 pm »
No man is an octopus!
I don't know how old these monkeys are but any monkey under 5 will occupy at least one hand and baby clobber is bulky...

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Train to cologne
« Reply #32 on: 28 January, 2019, 05:04:39 pm »
IMHO any change of mode with kids and luggage is going to be challenging and the number of changes should be minimised.

That's an important point.  Some of the train adventures are not a problem when travelling as able-bodied adults only but are much harder when circumstances are different.

I also note that in ABROAD, the FOREIGNS can have some very different ideas[1] about the importance of level access.


[1] Sometimes this comes from a different attitude to disability accommodation generally, vis "We'll give disabled people plenty of money and they can sort it out for themselves" rather than providing accessible services or modifying the physical environment.

Re: Train to cologne
« Reply #33 on: 28 January, 2019, 05:14:25 pm »
The monkeys are 5 & 7. They're pretty good tbh but just see less stress in the car unfortunately!

If anyone wants me to bring back any fresh fruit btw let me know

yorkie

  • On top of the Galibier
Re: Train to cologne
« Reply #34 on: 28 January, 2019, 07:43:20 pm »


It would also help if they brought back the night trains. If we are going to reduce the amount of short haul air travel, we're gonna need to do so.


The night trains do run, Railjet of Austria now operate them but they only go as far north as Dusseldorf these days.

The night trains are branded "NightJet", which (like RailJet) is a brand of ÖBB, the Austrian state railway operator, who took them over from DB when they decided they didn't want to run them any more.
Born to ride my bike, forced to work! ;)

British Cycling Regional A Track Commissaire
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quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: Train to cologne
« Reply #35 on: 28 January, 2019, 07:56:29 pm »

I also note that in ABROAD, the FOREIGNS can have some very different ideas[1] about the importance of level access.


[1] Sometimes this comes from a different attitude to disability accommodation generally, vis "We'll give disabled people plenty of money and they can sort it out for themselves" rather than providing accessible services or modifying the physical environment.

At a Belgian station, I asked to use the lift (which was locked), I was told it was for wheel chair users only. I carried my bike up the stairs, behind a woman having 5 men carry her child's pushchair up the stairs... It was a proper new lift, like you'd find in any station, nothing about it seemed specific to a wheel chair.

Having got to the platform, when the train arrived it was 5 steps to get from platform level to the train floor (it was same height as my arm pits when standing on the platform). Which seems to completely defeat the idea of a platform...

It's getting better, EU rules say platforms have to be 550mm (750mm for .NL, 915mm for .UK), but it's slowly getting rolledout[1]

Level access is increasing, but it is far from even majority of cases.

J


[1] One DB station, they had one contractor do the raising of the platform, and another to adjust the height of the station building doors, only the former did their work long before the later did...
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
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Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Train to cologne
« Reply #36 on: 28 January, 2019, 08:20:35 pm »
At a Belgian station, I asked to use the lift (which was locked), I was told it was for wheel chair users only. I carried my bike up the stairs, behind a woman having 5 men carry her child's pushchair up the stairs... It was a proper new lift, like you'd find in any station, nothing about it seemed specific to a wheel chair.

Having got to the platform, when the train arrived it was 5 steps to get from platform level to the train floor (it was same height as my arm pits when standing on the platform). Which seems to completely defeat the idea of a platform...

This sums up my entire experience of Belgian train travel (with a loaded tourer and an ankle injury).

There was nowhere sensible to put the bike once on board the train, either, so it ended up being thoroughly In The Way in a random vestibule.  But since I'd correctly purchased the relevant cycle ticket, I got none of the expected glaring/attitude from either the guard or fellow passengers.  It was like I had as much right to be there as anyone else.

It's those little cultural differences...