Berlin/Dresden - DB Train - Which "car"?

Hi,

If you are taking the train Berlin Hbf to Dresden Hbf, it is the EC train, which you can reserve a seat in 2nd class. That's advisable since that train goes on to Prague and is most likely to be crowded in the summer. To ensure yourself a seat, reserve one. The reservation indicates the coarch # (Wagen Nr.) and seat # (Platz Nr.)

The train to Fontainebleau I've taken many times, the last time in 2010, just hop on a seat since it is a regional (TER) train. You did right by hopping on and taking a seat. Those seats can't be reserved anyway. I plan to be in Fontainebleau this time in early June.

Thank you, Fred.

I hesitate to go off topic, but I posted some input on getting from Paris to Fontainebleau on the France Transportation section of RS website. Here is a link. https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/transportation/france-paris-to-fontainebleau-supplement-to-rs-paris-tour-book-2017

I get the impressed you really know your way around Europe and the train systems, but this thread my help you.

And don't forget to look for the so-called »Wagenstandanzeiger«. It shows the section (A, B, C etc.) of the platform your carriage will stop. It looks like the panel on the right on this picture.

When the DB train is in the Berlin Hbf station, which car do I actually try to get into.

The long distance trains between Berlin and Dresden are Czech trains (which continue to Praha). You can determine the position of the car you have reserved a seat in as follows:

First locate the train number of your train at the DB web site (click "show details"). Then go to

http://www.vagonweb.cz/razeni/index.php?rok=2018

and enter the train number, e.g. "EC 171" in the "find" box. A graphical representation of your train will pop up, showing car numbers (in that case from #258 to #263), classes and car type (compartment coach or open coach). Now, you know the relative position of your car.

At the platform, you can determine the absolute position of your car at the "Wagenreihung" display (formerly "Wagenstandsanzeiger", as @tomfromleiden says), which shows wich car # will sit in which platform segment (A - F).

Thank you Sla019 for your information and link.

There is one thing that concerns me about my trip to Germany, and that is whether I will have internet use when I am actually in Germany. When I was in Paris, I was able to buy an Orange SIM card for my iPhone and I was able to look everything up when I was out and about from my hotel room.

For Germany, I understand security has tightened up considerably and that it may be quite difficult, as a tourist from the USA, to buy a SIM card. I think the new rules went into effect the first of this year. I am waiting to see what people post about their current experiences in getting a SIM card with a German carrier. We shall see, but thank you for your input.

Don't know who your carrier is now, but T-Mobile has text & data in European countries included in standard packages.

Honestly, I don't know the technical details of buying a temporary SIM card. But I'd go simply to a shop near a major train station, which usually are run by turkish or arab people. Tell them what you want and they will find a solution for you and certainly a better one than those ultra cool boys in the airport shops. Just follow the rule: whatever they suggest to you, insist that they will make it work on your cellphone in your presence.

Here's a recent thread about phone cards in Germany:
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/germany/sim-card-in-frankfurt-airport

I'm confused about not knowing which rail car to get on. You didn't say that you saw any number on the car. When you make a reservation, the reservation is for a numbered seat in a numbered car. As another reply noted, there is usually a Composition of Trains board on the platform itself, showing the best place to stand in order to be near the car. Usually the car positions on the signboard can be referenced to alphabet signs ("A", "B") hung above the side of the track.

The hardest part isn't finding the seat. Rather, it's getting past the people who have no idea where they are, and who are dragging huge bags up and down the aisles looking for their seats. Ocasionally you have to eject someone from your reserved seat. But it's not that bad an experience. It beats standing in the aisle of an American commuter bus going to work.

I'm confused about not knowing which rail car to get on. You didn't say that you saw any number on the car. When you make a reservation, the reservation is for a numbered seat in a numbered car.

As other people have said, the trains from Paris to Fontainebleau are RER trains, so it would have been impossible to have a reservation with a car and seat number. Its an open seating train. Just a case of inexperience.

@ luvToTravel....You're very welcome. About knowing my way around Europe and the train systems that all depends on which I am in. I know Germany the best, traveling wise, zig zag traveling, etc and geographically; Austria, France, and Poland all right, Italy and Spain not at all.

whether I will have internet use when I am actually in Germany

In my last 2 trips to Germany (6 wks, total) since 2013, I've stayed mostly in small towns. On my last trip, 12,400 average population (from 2700 to 25,000). Except for Munich, where the hotel used a third party hot spot, every place has had their own WiFi.

If you are booking through one of the booking websites, they will often indicate if a property has wifi (called "W-LAN", in Germany). Or use the properties own website; it will usually say if they have wifi.

Internet cafes are no longer as ubiquitous as they once were, but I've been in restaurants that have wifi for their guests. I think you will find most McDonalds do.