we are planning a trip to france in april, but it's hard to plan if we dont know how the trains run? any expierence with catching connections? any help and/or suggestions would be great.
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23562 posts
Not sure what the question is? Trains run, even in Italy, to a pretty tight schedule and are seldom off by more than a couple of minutes. Sometimes connections can be as short as five to ten minutes. In a small station that enough. Sometimes a connection can be getting off one train, it pulls out, and the next train to pull in five minutes later is your connection or you walk across to the next platform. Now, weather can effect schedules. Our son was in Germany last Spring and had an awful day because of snow and cold. Once the schedule starts to fall apart it can be pretty bad.
Don't know if that is helpful or not. Maybe you need to re-phrase your question. I would plan at least 30 mins for connection just because you are not familiar with the train systems.
Posted by
Edmonton, AB, Canada
668 posts
On our first train trip in Europe we did as Frank suggested and planned our connections to be at least 30 mins apart, but quickly discovered you could easily make connections in much shorter times. You get the platform (track) number you are arriving at and the one your connection is leaving from and it is easy to go from one to the other. Only once did this not work out, I cannot remember the station, but they were doing renovations and we had to figure out where our train was leaving from. We still made the connection with time to spare.
Posted by
Texan in CA
4412 posts
In small stations, I've had plenty of 2-minute connections - no problem. It's a highly-choreographed dance performed several times daily for many years. (uh, otherwise known as routine LOL!)
But as Frank said, once a schedule starts to fall apart,...It's pretty rare, but it happened on my last trip. Completely blew our itinerary. It was even planned construction work, but they still got waaay off schedule. But, that was an international train, and it's much harder to recover from that kind of a route.
And as Iain said, 30 minutes is overkill - except for that one time...(I think we all have at least one 'one time' LOL!). I'd say for even most of the larger stations, 10 minutes would be plenty of time.
Most trains DO run on schedule. Most of the time. Are there any specific routes you're concerned with at this time?
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23562 posts
I agree with the shorter connect times for experienced traveler. But from the phrasing of the question, I am guessing she is a first time train traveler and the nervous level is very high. So why rush it?
Posted by
Texan in CA
4412 posts
But I WAS a first-timer! If you're standing on the platform of Podunk, Germany, and there's 2 platforms...and the conductors are watching you...it's no biggie. You figure it out. Follow the crowd, and double-check where the car is going by reading the nameplate on the train-car door or asking the conductor. The rail timetables always give you enough time, if it's a scheduled connection.
Unless it's one of 'those times'...
Laura, are you asking about a particular train? Alot depends on where the station is. Also, are you closer to 20 years old, or 80? Any physical limitations? One piece of luggage only? Your particular comfort level with the new and different? Figuring things out? I had absolutely no experience with any public transportation before my first trip to Europe, except for one ride on a light-rail system. It worked just like Ricky said it would in his books and on his videos! And some you have to figure out on your own as you panic - "How do I get this blankety-blank train door to open?!?". I did just fine.
Laura, your question doesn't ask anything specific enough to answer, so please come back with more info! I'll be looking for you...