European Railroad Discussion > On board ICE 70 of 4 May --Zurich to Frankfurt

Wi-Fi just started working north of Freiburg.  According to display at end of car we have been running at up tp 200 km/hour.  Sun is out for a change.  Last day in Europe.

John

Please give an opinion of DB vs. Amtrak.

Paul Ramer
Cincinnati, OH

There is no comparison. There can be no valid opinion between the two.
Would you like to fly a DC-6 or take a Dreamliner?
Unless you  just enjoy rotation.

Agreed. No comparison. Amtrak loses in nearly every category.  Recently I was a passenger on a "delayed" ICE train. That's how it was announced on the Koln Station's PA. The train was about 10 minutes late. Upon departure, the crew apologized for the train being late and explained the reason (track work). On Amtrak, that would have been considered to be on time. Windows were twice the size. Seats in first class way more comfortable. Track mostly smooth as glass. Snacks and drinks brought to my seat. And the overnight train I did previously (operated by PKP). All the rooms had private showers and toilet. Crews are as friendly as my limited Deutch will confirm. Boarding the train at even large stations took only about 2 minutes for a 12 car train. All the doors (which passengers open themselves) were available for boarding. People got on and off and found the appropriate car without assistance. Seats could be reserved in advance for a small fee. No checking tickets at the boarding door wasting precious time. No endless announcements about how to walk through the train holding on to something or when the cafe car would or wouldn't be open and what they have. People figure that out for themselves (its open upon departure and arrival). and on and on. I know Amtrak is starved for money. But much of the positives I've mentioned about ICE train cost little or no additional money. The only thing Amtrak wins at is their lounges are better. The DB lounge is rather spartan compared to say an airline lounge. And even with a first class EuroRail pass, you aren't allowed in unless you have a ticket (which isn't necessary if you have a pass. Not a good way to treat your overseas first class passengers. And I forgot, the train is way faster than anything in North America. I heard Mr. Trump talk about our failing infrastructure. Of course we have no money at the moment to fix anything. But if we can find a way to balance our budget...cutting the volumes of bloated or unnecessary federal programs, perhaps we can have a serious discussion about putting money into passenger rail to at least begin to compare favorably with European and yes even some third world networks.

I quite agree there is no comparison at all, but of course they are just not doing the same job at all. DB is part of an overwhelmingly intensive passenger network, in a nation where a large propertion of all journeys are made by public transport most of which use rail of some kind.

US geography, land-use, traditions, politics and culture are completely different, to say nothing of the relative status of freight operations. I know that the NE corridor is pehaps a bit different to the long distance trains in the West, but I am sure that anyone who has travelled on a European train would be surprised at a fellow passenger asking anyone if they had ever been on a train before (as has happened to me on several rail trips in the US!)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/05/16 14:03 by spflow.

I just returned from a trip. We visited Germany, Poland and Switzerland. Some of our travel was by ICE, along with the old route along the Rhine (most interesting) and we rode a CNL from Berlin to Zurich this past Sunday night.
The responses preceding mirror my thoughts.
Actually, more than train travel is defined by prior remarks. I took out a Hertz SUV in Zurich so we could photograph the Gottard north slope. The Swiss roadways, although some narrow and twisting, are far superior to those in America! We drove up to Andermatt. What an intense experience!
And Poland was a real surprise for me. Mostly as up to date as Germany. And my hotel single room (double bed) was $23, breakfast addl. $4 - large glass orange juice $1.25 more. If you wish to do Europe on the cheap, that is the place. Just have to get by the language.

Paul Ramer
Cincinnati, OH