Please sign in to post.

NS Train- Can't buy ticket

Posted by (socal) on

When I google train from Berlin to Amsterdam on April 21 in the morning, google shows that there's a direct train from Berlin to Amsterdam on a NS International Intercity 148 train that has no changes.

But, when I go to the NS website, I don't see that train.

I see another morning non-direct train, but I'd have to make a transfer on that other train. And, even stranger, this other train that makes a transfer is a International Intercity 148 on the second leg of that route.

Does that mean that the non-transfer train I wanted is already sold out or there's some mistake by Google or something?

When I looked at trains earlier this month, I did see or thought I saw the option for a direct, non-transfer route.

Posted by
7250 posts

I would not trust Google in this case. When looking at DB's site, www.bahn.de there are no direct trains on the 21st, but plenty of one stop options. Looking a bit deeper into the information, it seems like the direct Berlin-Amsterdam trains are cancelled until April 25.

Posted by
35 posts

Where did you find the information that the direct Berlin to Amsterdam are cancelled until April 25?

So, that might explain why I saw a direct train earlier this month but now I don't see that direct train anymore now.

Does this cancellation have anything to do with the strikes?

Posted by
8460 posts

If you look at a closer date on the DB website you will see that IC148 as a through train does not run on 23 and 24. Mar, also 2. until 25. Apr 2024, 15., 16. Jun, 6. Jul until 18. Aug 2024, 14., 15. Sep, 14. Dec 2024

which will be due to engineering work in Germany. So you have to switch trains in Hannover for April, and the train from Amsterdam carries the number IC143. But you have 30 minutes at Hannover for the switch.

So Google is not wrong, it just cannot convey subtleties like this.

PS- You find this by using the DB journey planner then looking at the 'journey information' tab for that journey, then scrolling down to 'Days of Service'

Posted by
2611 posts

The railways of course have a better idea which trains are operating than google has.

Schedules change, as you found out. Trains selling out more than a month in advance just does not happen. In fact, for this train you will always be able to get tickets. You may not always get a seat though, so I would get a reservation as well.

Note that since you are starting in Germany you should book with Deutsche Bahn. This train is a DB train. It only becomes an NS train once it enters the Netherlands.

Posted by
35 posts

Forgive me for being a bit slow here, but I'm still confused about these scheduled routes.

I found a direct train this month on the IC 148, and it says for days of service "daily
not 23. Mar, 2. until 25. Apr 2024, 15., 16."

Can somebody please translate what that means?

Is it saying that there's no direct train between March 2 until April 25th? But, then I can see direct trains still available later on this month.

Posted by
35 posts

And, if schedules can change, is there a good chance that it might change again with a direct train for my day?

I don't know if I should wait to buy the ticket in the hopes that the schedule might change, and a direct train will be available on that day?

Posted by
21344 posts

I found a direct train this month on the IC 148, and it says for days of service "daily
not 23. Mar, 2. until 25. Apr 2024, 15., 16."
Can somebody please translate what that means?

Translation: No train on March 23 or April 2 to 25,
European notation, day comes before the month, thus 6/4/2024 means April 6, 2024.
Use of commas and periods reversed. 1.000.000 in Euope is 1,000,000 in US. Two ways of writing one million using numbers.

Posted by
8460 posts

The 15 and 16 refer to 15 and 16 June.

No little or no chance that the direct train will be re-instated. Buy the ticket now for the one and easy change service. If by some odd chance the direct train is reinstated your ticket will be valid on it.

Posted by
2611 posts

Important to remember: There is no such thing as a train ticket.

When you buy a ticket form Amsterdam to Berlin you buy a ticket for the route, not a place on a particular service. A place on a particular service is a reservation, and in most trains these are not compulsory.

In my youth we bought train tickets to places all over Europe without even knowing the schedule (as there was no internet then.)

Nowadays you often can get a reduction if you commit to using you ticket on a particular departure, but if that departure is cancelled you ticket becomes valid for all other trains on the route. So you should not worry to much about individual trains. Just get your ticket, and then just travel.

Posted by
8460 posts

Funnily enough I have just been watching a You Tube Video about this- the temporary connection at Frankfurt may be something to do with the planned introduction later this year of DB's new IC3 Neo Trains on Germany to the Netherlands and Belgium routes.

They probably have to train staff on the new trains, so there is a shortage of train crew for the existing routes- short term pain for long term gain.

Not that 30 minutes to switch trains is really any pain at all- just a slightly longer journey time.

This topic has been automatically closed due to a period of inactivity.