Train travel, reserved seats, transfer times & Stradivarius Fiddles.

Yeah, reserve your seat, avoid the headache.

I have to admit we’ve moved up to first class on most train trips now cause usually the price difference is affordable. Not the Eurostar though.

Wish we could on our plane travel.

Lately, I've seen too many trains with SRO and that includes first class.

On a recent DB trip, my train was canceled at the last minute and I was moved to another train but with a seat reservation.

When I got to my seat, someone was in it. I told him it was my seat. He pointed to the seating board and it showed available. He said if my ticket showed the seat he would move. I showed him the ticket and he moved.

There had to be about 20 people standing in my car and that was first class (I'd be pretty upset if I paid for first class and had to stand the entire way.)

I always get a seat reservation if available.

There had to be about 20 people standing in my car and that was first
class (I'd be pretty upset if I paid for first class and had to stand
the entire way.)

If that happens you are due compensation.

The train experts say no problem with a 5 minute transfer when
traveling by train.

I don't know if I'm considered a train expert or not, but it depends a lot on the station. 5 minutes is more than enough at smaller stations, but at larger stations you will need more time.

we picked up a family of 4 with out seats and they asked people to
move so they could be together.

I hate when that happens, but sometimes that 2 euro charge adds up for a family, 8 each way makes 16 for the day with possibly a low salary. We're lucky we can pay and reserve where we want.

Are the SRO conditions some of you are witnessing typical of summer traffic, or is this worse than you have experienced in past summers? More people traveling by train?

Jojo Naa, I am complaining this time, but my last two local trains were the same, and my last time through Vienna in September was about the same.

Despite the complaints, worse things could happen. It's all good. Very acceptable trip. Seeing my son made it worth it.

Train arrived 20 minutes late. Missed the 5 minute connection ... if I had one.

Badger, you are correct it is different if you know the station. But tourists dont and never will with certainity until they go and check it out first hand. Who would guess or be expected to know that at a station from track 1 to track 15 is a 1 km walk?

5 minutes is more than enough at smaller stations, but at larger
stations you will need more time.

True enough for many stations but, as Mr E said, if unfamiliar with them - or new to train travel to being with - could cause difficulties. Also, transfer time for, say, a well-traveled couple shouldering nothing but day packs is a different deal than, say, a family of 4 with an infant and a preschooler, a carseat, a stroller, diaper bag. luggage for 4. etc. etc.

Kathy, you got my point and then some. I only realized today that Keleti Track 1 last car to track 15 first car was close to a kilometer. WHY? No tunnel under the tracks.

That's one of the reasons I like Deutsche Bahn—it's easy to increase the transfer time if you're nervous about not having enough time.

I usually only get reserved seats on crowded trains, and again, DB will let me know when I book the train if there is a tendency for it to be crowded. That's why I booked reserved seats on the Hamburg/Copenhagen train and then Copenhagen/Berlin, and I was very happy I did. All the trains on those routes were packed and on one, I had ask a young woman to move as she was in my seat. I saw her sitting on the floor later and felt bad for her, but not bad enough to give up my seat. :-)

I had to laugh at the idea of a reservation guaranteeing you anything. I was reading this thread to distract myself as I sat in my reserved seat on a train from Rovereto to Bologna. The need for distraction was that our two reserved seats put us in the middle of a German drinking card playing, singing party—all wearing yellow vests like construction workers. I had thought before reading this thread that had we not had reservations, I would have sat somewhere else!!!

I got up to investigate the next car-which was much fuller-and by the time I returned, my husband had been given two beers by one of the party. The partier announced to the car as I returned that my husband was an American going to Bologna. My husband asked and the partier did not know where he was going!!

The first stop was an hour later in Verona and we moved ourselves to the next car. The conductor checked our tickets after the train was moving again but said nothing about being in the wrong spot.

BethFL not a lot of dignity and consideration left in the world.

If i were a local maybe I wouldn't worry about seats or transfer times, but on holiday i want to do everything I csn think of to reduce stress or the possibility of stress.

On a more positive note, the Amadeus Music and Arts Academy in Vienna threw a pretty respectable violin competition. The winner got 5000 euro and a 2 year loan on a 1709 Stradivarius. Those in attendance were enjoyable (civalized), the music very good, and the atmosphere and cut above, but relaxed. First time I've worn a sports coat in 3 years. Surprised it fit.

Even reserved seats doesn’t always reduce the chaos. On our recent Reading to Oxford train trip, we had reserved seats, both aisle seats across from each other. These seats were assigned to us at the time of reserving which was fine. The train car was (over)full and of course another couple wanted/needed to sit together and wanted one of us to trade (although neither had a reservation for the window seat either). With the fullness and not all seats lit up as reserved, it didn’t take long for chaos to unfold. I ended up giving up my seat and standing in the vestibule by the luggage and toilet. This isn’t even a long train trip and I couldn’t understand why a couple couldn’t sit a bit apart for 20+ minutes until Oxford and they could then see what seats were available if they were continuing on.

Claire you are a saint. Why spend 3 euro when you can guilt someone out of .... nvm.

It doesn't happen very often, but maybe once or twice a week I'll see someone give a seat to an older person on public transportation.

Back to the trip. This morning a few museums then to the train station by 3:30.

When I meet people intimidated by the public transportation in Budapest i have to remember my first time to understand why. Seeing this was a good reminder. Ill try to learn this next trip.
Im taking an Uber to the train station this afternoon. https://images.app.goo.gl/p7bBsoThNima14JQ6

I don't mind all that much if I end up having to stand, but I am beyond annoyed when the car isn't full and I have a seat reservation I cannot use because there's no room for my larger-than-carry-on bag on the luggage rack. That happened at least twice in England and Scotland in May. Some of those luggage racks are really small--at least on some of the UK rail lines, and there are people who use them for things like small backpacks or under-seat bags. I also see people laying large bags flat; it's not that hard to place the bags on edge to save space.

acraven, common courtesy isn't what it once was. A little more survives in First Class, and to make that more affordable, I look more towards the East.

This has turned into a bit of a trip report so on that theme. Hotel Levante Parliament about a block outside of the Ringstrauss was pretty okay. Good staff and a nice single room for about $150, prepaid, no breakfast, on a week's notice. Vienna train station not one of the more positive holiday experiences. But is what it is and it works. Just dont plan and really short transfers. OBB train coming and going ... late. But still only about a 3 hour experience station to station.

Filled the train in Gyor. 7 standing in front of me, dont know how many behind me.

I also see people laying large bags flat; it's not that hard to place the bags on edge to save space.

acraven, I've been known to move bags a bit to make room for mine. I do it politely and gently, of course, and usually make a general comment to the seats around me about what I am doing. So far no one has ever objected.

Regarding transfers: Every station will have its minimum transfer time. For Zurich it is 6 minutes for example, and that works even in the worst case.

DB has this trick where they separate a station in sections, and have transfer times within the section, and between the sections.

Munich HB or example has: separate sectors for "Tief (tracks 1-2, S-Bahn)", tracks 5-10, tracsk 11-26 and tracks 27 - 36.

That way the planner can take in to account that a change from 15 to 17 will take less than eon from 5 to 1...

You see the same with Berlin that is also devided in a "Tief" and " Hoch" sector.

Regarding storage: The luggage racks on eg. ICE trains are very generous, and you can put large suitcases in them. I have a suitcase that occasionally gets redirected to the oversized belt at airports, but that fits in the overhead racks in a train without issues.

WengenK, both my OBB trains were late this weekend. One 30 min one over an hour. I've done better with flights than I do with these guys.

EDIT: i guess I am just having bad luck because on long haul trips OBB is on time 78% of the time (2024) that 3 out of 4 times.

I'm a 73-year-old female with not much upper-body strength, and I'm 5' 2" (157 cm) tall. There's no way I can lift my bag (30+ lbs/14 kg at the beginning of a trip) into an overhead rack, nor can I safely get it down if someone else lifts it for me. If I can't find space in the luggage racks or between back-to-back seats (haven't seen usable space like that on this trip so far), my only option is staying in the vestibule with my bag.

I know this is terribly incorrect, but I lifted a bag up and a bag down for someone today. For using the lower storage areas, you just gotta get on the train when it stops in the station. Plenty of room for at least 5 minutes. But First Class would be more convenient.

Last year on the train from Caserta to Bari there was a large group of, maybe 12-14 people on a trip for their US University reunion.
They were all in their 60’s I’d say
They had never traveled by train before in Europe and had a mountain of enormous suitcases and other bags.
Of course not all bags were able to fit near their owners, and ended up being stowed in nearly every carriage along the packed train.
Two of the men kept jumping up to check, in between having a few beers, and were planning the exit at Trani, I think it was, with military precision.
They had everyone primed for the stop well beforehand , and everyone was being told how to get the bags off quick.
It was hilarious, and all consuming.
We never did find out if all bags and all travelers made it off the train at a two minute stop!

Hot-footing it to the train (which I always do when I have luggage) doesn't necessarily help if you aren't boarding at the origin point. I stay in a lot of secondary cities. I had no problem on the London-Lille Eurostar, but I'm usually boarding at a midpoint.

Mr. E: Was this in Hungary? There are no OBB trains in Hungary :-)

I will often lift luggage in the upper rack for old ladies with less upper body strength :-) I of course first ask how far they are travelling to make sure that I will be there to lift it back down again too...

acraven, you will never get me to argue with you that flying isn't easier in many regards. Quite often faster and at least as comfortable as well.

WengenK, I thought you were the OBB expert? Lots of red trains with OBB written all over them here.

On Vienna - Budapest you indeed see both OBB RJ and MAV EC trains. But it is not so that the RJs are operated by OBB, and de ECs by MAV.

Both the RJ and EC services are operated by OBB while in Austria, and by MAV while in Hungary. Crew changes in Hegyeshalom.

Like i said, the trains i was sitting in were OBB trains. I am going to blame OBB. When i am sitting in a MAV train I will blame MAV.

Nearly half the trains I've been on the past 2 years have been late. Mostly OBB.

But when you are sitting in a train in Hungary that is driven by a MAV driver, and is being dispatched by a MAV dispatcher, and is being held up by a MAV signal, are you going to blame OBB because it has an OBB logo on the outside?

This time yes.

But you do have a point. Its another negative for using trains .... its always the other guys fault.