Train and flight connections-Too Tight?

Posted by Jed (Seattle, WA, US) on 04/25/15 02:30 PM

I booked our flight in July from Dusseldorf to Stockholm and the corresponding train from Cochem to Dusseldorf Flughafen a few weeks ago. For some reason, I woke up in the middle of the night last night and started worrying about whether I gave us enough time to connect from train to plane. Our itinerary is:

Cochem-Koblenz 8:42-9:35
Koblenz-Dusseldorf HB-9:43-11:15
Dusseldorf HB-Dusseldorf Flughafen Terminal 11:23-11:35 (S Bahn)
Flight on SAS departing 13:30 (on a Thursday)

We booked the train as a 29E special so I know it can't be changed and we have to take these trains. Probably the biggest worry is making sure we catch the train in Koblenz with an 8 minute change. I'd guess if we were late for our S Bahn train we could catch the next one? We also have almost 2 hrs when we arrive at the airport, which I'm guessing should be enough time to get through security. We have our Rick Steves bags, so hope is we can carry them on. Size-wise they fit, will have to see with weight.

So am I worrying for the sake of worrying? Not sure what the alternative would be. Thanks!

Posted by Russ

Paradise

04/25/15 03:09 PM

6627 posts

"Probably the biggest worry is making sure we catch the train in Koblenz with an 8 minute change."

For your peace of mind you could catch the 8:19 RE train (if it's available on your date of travel, which you can check) and arrive in Koblenz 8:55. Have a croissant and some coffee between trains. No one cares which regional train you use to get to Koblenz with your saver fare ticket. The only MUSt-ride train is the IC train, Koblenz-Düsseldorf.

Posted by Sam

Green Bay

04/25/15 03:14 PM

20026 posts

You have a Sparpreis ticket. so you are obligated to be on the IC train from Koblenz to Duesseldorf, but since the Cochem train is a regional, you can get an earlier train. There is a Regional Express train leaving Cochem at 8:19 am and getting to Koblenz at 8:55. You are allowed, under the Sparpreis rules, to take this train. That will give about 45 minutes to make the change at Koblenz. Time for a cup of coffee as well.
Edit- Russ beat me to the punch.

Posted by Tom

Danville, VT

04/25/15 03:23 PM

12040 posts

And just to note, an 8 minute train connection is more than enough time.

Posted by Russ

Paradise

04/25/15 04:06 PM

6627 posts

"...an 8 minute train connection is more than enough time..." - normally. But there's no guarantee on that day that that one train won't be 5-10 minutes late. And this is fly-home day. I would not want to count on the IC train waiting for my milk-run train to arrive. Miss that train out of Koblenz for whatever reason, and you're talking lots more money to get to DUS and the chance that the flight gate will be closed before you reach it. I'd want an earlier train myself.

Posted by Jed OP

Seattle, WA, US

04/25/15 04:38 PM

504 posts

Thanks!! Looks like we'll be taking the earlier train out of Cochem. Definitely want to catch the IC train! It'll make for a more relaxing journey. Now just have to hope there isn't a strike in July when we are there!

Posted by Lee

Lakewood, Colorado

04/26/15 03:31 AM

19092 posts

" Miss that train out of Koblenz for whatever reason, and you're talking lots more money to get to DUS" "for whatever reason"?

You might not get to Düsseldorf in enough time to catch you plane, but in won't take you a lot more money to get to Düsseldorf. There is a clause in the AGB (Conditions of Carriage) of the Bahn that says if you are traveling on an advance purchase Savings Fare ticket, and you miss a required train due to a "fault of the Bahn" (a late train), your ticket is no longer train specific. They will put you on the next available train, to Düsseldorf. I got to test that feature in 2008, when my regional train was delayed and I arrived at my change station too late to catch the specified IC to Karlsruhe. I went to the ticket counter and they checked that my train was indeed late, then put me on the next train, an ICE, to Karlsruhe. I actually arrived earlier than I would have on the original IC.

But I, too, would suggest that you try for the earlier RE from Cochem to Koblenz, just to make sure.

"under the Sparpreis rules"

What he is talking about is called "vor- und nach-lauf". Only the trains of the Bahn (IC/EC/ICE) are set by the ticket. You are allow to take any regional trains on the same routes from midnight (morning) until 10 AM the following morning to connect to the specified Bahn trains.