ICE Amsterdam - Koblenz HBF Germany query

Rail Europe - forget it. They are a reseller. They have a limited number of trains listed and can apply a markup on ticket prices.

(1) The one I would trust is always the company running the trains. There is usually (everywhere except UK) one national railway company which runs 80-90% of the trains, and a few local companies, plus city-owned métro/subway. These are all shown on the national company website. And it will include short-term changes like engineering work.
Timetables change once or twice per year, in December and in some places also in June. Times are shown up to the next timetable change.
Most sites include connecting trains in the surrounding countries, but often only those of the national company, not local companies.
DB site ( www.bahn.de ) unusually includes most of Europe and is easy to use, but again only trains from the national company, not local companies, and may not include short-term changes like engineering work.

(2) I looked on DB site and found:

Amsterdam Centraal Fr, 17.07.15 depart 07:05 2 ICE 121
Düsseldorf Hbf Fr, 17.07.15 arrive 09:20 15
Düsseldorf Hbf Fr, 17.07.15 depart 09:27 16 ICE 27
Koblenz Hbf Fr, 17.07.15 arrive 10:46 4

(3) DB platform information is correct. It is included on their printed tiemtables and rarely has to change. Some other companies do not publish paltform numbers on their timetables, that is why it is missing from DB and other websites.
Platform 15 and 16 will be next to each other. The two trains pull up side-by-side. It will take less than 90 seconds to get from one train to another.

(4) If you have a through ticket, and miss your connection because the incoming train was late, they automatically put you on the next train. If it is a short delay (5-10 minutes), they usually hold the second trains as it is listed as a connection in the timetable.

(5) Depends on the train. Some trains are busier than others It is safer to reserve.

1. Since Deutsche Bahn runs the trains, I'd go by what they say.
2. Ignore other sources.
3. The train from Amsterdam arrives at 9:20 and departs at 9:23, giving you 3 minutes to get off. The connecting train arrives at 9:25, so you will be waiting 2 minutes on the platform. It departs at 9:27, giving you 2 minutes to board.
4. Yes, if it is DB's fault, ie. the first train is late, or if they did have to swap platforms and you could not make it to the new platform in time. Just make the new arrangements at the Reisezentrum, unless its a regional train, then just get on board.
5. If you buy now, it will cost 44 euro plus the res fee (4 euro?). If you wait, it costs 83 euro and you could have to stand. I've done this route, and I had to kick people out of my reserved seat in Amsterdam and open seats were in short supply.

Hi again Chris F and Sam :),

Thank You so much for the info

good to know you've been onboard this route. thanks for the detail of the arrival and departure in Dusseldorf HBF transit. it's not purely 7mnts transit time, don't realize that if you guys don't tell. one more thing, the platform in Amsterdam Centraal, it's only mentioned as platform 2. I see the station floorplan and there are platform 2a and 2b. are both the same? or i would only find out which platform to board on the day?

Cheers

2a and 2b are different ends of the same platform. Short trains only use one end of the platform. They tell you 2a or 2b so you won't have to run to the other end of the platform when the train stops.

Check the train board at the station when you arrive. Since the train originates there, it will probably be spotted on the platform 15 minutes before scheduled departure time. If you get there before the train is spotted, there will be a diagram on the platform that will show where on the platform your car should be located, assuming you have a seat reservation to reference. Same in Duesseldorf, you can use the train diagram to see where on the platform your new car will be and walk to that area. Platforms are usually divided into section A thru D or to E or F or higher. Then you can be standing in the right spot to board as the train pulls in. There are also electronic sign boards above the platform which will show the arriving train number and sometimes with the diagram on that.

Hi,
Thanks for letting me know that 2a and 2b are actually connected with different ends. Noted w/ the sign on the board, will definitely pay attention on that. I thought that 2a and b are separated and it'll create chaos if i go down to the wrong one and have to run across to the other one

Cheers