Hello.
We are a group of 8 people with luggage. We need to travel from Berlin to Rostock on the morning of our cruise. We plan to take the earliest RE5 regional train from Berlin Hbf (around 6:30 a.m.). Is this a safe plan, or is it too risky on the same day as our cruise?
Should we board at Berlin Hbf, or should we go to an earlier station like Potsdamer Platz to have a better chance of getting seats? Is it possible that the train will already be full and that we won't find seats, or even be unable to board? Also, how likely is it that we could miss the train? We are worried because we must arrive at the cruise port on time.
Is it advisable to buy the tickets ahead of time or it doesn't matter, they can be bought on the same day?
Any advice from people who have done this trip would be greatly appreciated.
Posted by
Surrey, UK
1109 posts
I can't answer most of your specific queries but, as a matter of principle, I would want to be In Rostock the night before your cruise in case of unexpected problems with the train.
An alternative would be to hire a big enough van/driver to cover the 150 mile journey.
Posted by
OP
2 posts
We need to be by 11am at Warnemunde cruise port. Yes, we are aware that we need to take S-Bahn from Rostock to Warnemünde (which are very frequent)
We are thinking of taking the RE Train at around 6:30am (Berlin Hbf to Rostock)
Posted by
Wengen
4174 posts
Early morning the trains will be full towards Berlin, but rather lightly loaded away from Berlin, so I would not worry. Just buy a ticket, and go. The chance that this train is so full that you won't even be able to board is negligible.
Posted by
Surrey, UK
1109 posts
You also don't say which day. Trains take between 2 and 2 hr 40 mins and may involve a change. The train to Warnemunde is about 20 mins, plus conecting time.
Personelly, with a boarding time of 11am, I simply wouldn't risk it.
Posted by
Brooklyn, NY
5087 posts
Like Lin C wrote, check out the cost of a driver. Split 8 ways (or 4 if you are couples) might not cost too much more. Add in the convenience and eliminating the worry of a missed or delayed train would be worth the price for us.
If you stay in Warnemunde a night or two before you can go visit Rostock for a day. It is an interesting small city with East Germany history.
We are taking a cruise from Ravenna, Italy in September. We are 5 couples and we are staying in Ravenna a few nights before the cruise to eliminate all delay possibilities.