European Rail Travel - Reserving specific seats on ICE

I've just booked a trip to Germany in June with DB's €99 1st class London-Spezial fare. Had my eye on these for a long time so pleased to finally have found availability, and an excuse to book one!

I seem to remember reading somewhere (probably here) that the ICE3 panoramic/lounge seats behind the driver's cab can be reserved. I paid for a reservation on the ICE3-operated Brussels-Cologne leg and it has assigned some random seats in car 28, but there isn't a way to select specific seats online.

Can I call DB and get the seat reservation changed to the "lounge" seats at the front?

Links:
ICE3 seat plan from seat61.com (http://dl.dropbox.com/u/30006269/trainseatplans/ICE3-seat-plan.pdf)
ICE3 driver's cab panorama showing the lounge seats (http://www.360cities.net/image/db-ice3-high-speed-train-london-st-pancras-station-driver-seat)

Please remember that the cabin behind the driver is either first-class or second-class, depending on the direction the train is traveling. At the other end of the train you can look over the track you have just passed over. I've found, albeit in past years, that so few people know about the reserved seats behind the driver, that there have always been unoccupied seats in this cabin. I suggest going directly there in Brussels, assuming it's the class you've booked, and grabbing an unreserved seat.


I've just booked a trip to Germany in June with DB's €99 1st class London-Spezial fare. Had my eye on these for a long time so pleased to finally have found availability, and an excuse to book one!

I seem to remember reading somewhere (probably here) that the ICE3 panoramic/lounge seats behind the driver's cab can be reserved. I paid for a reservation on the ICE3-operated Brussels-Cologne leg and it has assigned some random seats in car 28, but there isn't a way to select specific seats online.

Can I call DB and get the seat reservation changed to the "lounge" seats at the front?

Links:
ICE3 seat plan from seat61.com (http://dl.dropbox.com/u/30006269/trainseatplans/ICE3-seat-plan.pdf)
ICE3 driver's cab panorama showing the lounge seats (http://www.360cities.net/image/db-ice3-high-speed-train-london-st-pancras-station-driver-seat)

Bumping this thread to see if anyone has found out if you can change a seat assignment on ICE, either in advance or at the station? I just booked a ticket from Frankfurt to Paris in the 1st Panorama car, and I think I have a seat in the first row (aisle). While I'm really excited to be looking right over the conductor's shoulder :), Does anyone know where you can put your bags, and if there's a table that somehow would come out of the armrest? Curious if it would be better to change to a different seat.

Bumping this thread to see if anyone has found out if you can change a seat assignment on ICE, either in advance or at the station? I just booked a ticket from Frankfurt to Paris in the 1st Panorama car, and I think I have a seat in the first row (aisle). While I'm really excited to be looking right over the conductor's shoulder :), Does anyone know where you can put your bags, and if there's a table that somehow would come out of the armrest? Curious if it would be better to change to a different seat.

There is a luggage rack by the door. No table in the armrest in the front row, but there is a low cabinet in front of the seats (it houses fuse boxes and stuff), the top of which can double as a useful (but not very deep) table top for putting things on.

I sat in these panorama seats in 2007. I have uploaded a few pictures, just for interest sake.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/members/gregwtravels-albums-europe-train-travels-picture4254-2007-08-13-ice-train-view.jpg

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/members/gregwtravels-albums-europe-train-travels-picture4255-2007-08-13-ice-train-view.jpg

you can't change your seat reservations, however you can easily buy new one (4 euros each) and use them together with your london spezial. Nobody cares where you sit.
757DUD

PS: However you have to use the train indicated on your ticket. Using a train a hour earlier or later gets very expensive

Usually, the Brussels-Cologne route has the first class driver's cabin facing front (Unless they have "umgekehrte Wagenreihung" which happens very seldom on this route as there are only a few trains that usually travel on this route). And judging by your reservation in coach 28, you'll be travelling first.

I guess that you won't be using the early morning train when arriving from London (which is usually quite crowded) so your chances of grabbing one of the "Lounge" seats should be good. But please note that most train drivers leave their compartment windows opaque on this route (don't know why, but I haven't seen transparent windows in quite a while, and I'm travelling this route on a very regular basis).

By the way: Coach 28 is the coach for cell phone users (except for the compartments which are also located there); you should select "Großraumwagen" and "Ruhebereich" (quiet zone) in order to improve the chance of having a Lounge seat reserved. The Lounge seats are in coach 29 and have seat numbers greater than 100.

Thank you railways for the description, and GregWTravels for the photos!

Actually, the first-class lounge car was facing backwards (towards Brussels) on the day that I was on it.

We didn't end up sitting in the lounge car, unfortunately - my girlfriend has a thing about always sitting in assigned seats and I didn't want to create possible domestic strife by moving! But it would certainly be a nice place to sit next time.

First class was perhaps 50-60% full in our car, on the 10:25 service from Brussels.

Next time I'll skip purchasing seat reservations online and instead buy them separately at a station. Can you select a specific seat when purchasing a reservation from the DB ticket machines?

Actually, the first-class lounge car was facing backwards (towards Brussels) on the day that I was on it.

Well, that's bad luck. This usually happens when they change one of the Amsterdam-Frankfurt trains to Brussels-Frankfurt.

First class was perhaps 50-60% full in our car, on the 10:25 service from Brussels.

Usually, that's the service which is least crowded. I have never had more than 3 or 4 people sitting in coach 28 when I got onto that train in Aachen.

Next time I'll skip purchasing seat reservations online and instead buy them separately at a station. Can you select a specific seat when purchasing a reservation from the DB ticket machines?

No. You can only select the same options that you can also select during online booking (whether you want to sit in a compartment or have a table, in the quiet or cell phone zone, and what type of seat [window/aisle] you want to have). I think specific seats can only be reserved at a counter (increased fee!), but I have never tried that.

I think specific seats can only be reserved at a counter (increased fee!), but I have never tried that.

It seems this should be possible - also by phone ("http://www.bahn.de/i/view/DEU/en/prices/germany/seat-reservations.shtml):

You can reserve adjoining seats for more than 5 persons or book specific seats for ICE trains at the ticket counter or the DB Travel Service Hotline.

+49 (0) 180 5 99 66 33 in Germany, other numbers available here (http://www.bahn.de/i/view/DEU/en/about/overview/sales-offices.shtml).

Looks like my wish has been answered!

From today, DB offers the ability to select specific seats from a seating plan when making a booking online:

http://www.bahn.de/p/view/angebot/preis/reservierung.shtml

Looks like my wish has been answered!

From today, DB offers the ability to select specific seats from a seating plan when making a booking online

Yep.. accidentally, I discovered this feature when booking on monday. Seems like they have introduced the feature along with the new timetable.

By the way, another surprise for me: The "CityTicket" (for BahnCard holders) is now also valid at your departure city (very handy when you need to book single trips).