Happy

I noticed our original itinerary on March 26 BER to Leipzig originally from
BER to Berlin Sudkreuz, on IC 2270/RE17, arrives Sudkreuz at 11:25, then
Transfers to ICE 599 at 11:33 to Leipzig, does not exist anymore.

What is in place available to sell for a journey to Leipzig, is only ICE 599, leaves Berlin Hbf at 11:26, arrives Berlin Sudkreuz at 11:31, leaves for Leipzig at 11:33.

The segment of BER to Berlin Sudkreuz is gone - there is no more IC or RE. The only options left are either S-Bahn 45, or an express bus + a U-Bahn!

So the original connection ICE 599 from Berlin Hbf remains in place but we have to go from BER to Berlin Sudkreuz to catch it.

I NEVER receive any notification email from Bahn despite Notification is Activated.

I only found out the change was because I felt the need to put all the train transportation together since we have a total of 6 train trips from city to city to city...

In My Trip it does show me the Connection is no longer available. In the Trip Details it tells me now my ticket can take any train, and to search the alternative connection.

The PROBLEM is, there is NO alternative - the Search came back as No Search Result on This Connection.
So the S-Bahn would be our only option I gather?Do we still need to buy S-Bahn tickets given we already paid for the segment but DB canceled it?
I gather we need to print the damn tickets out and then stop by the Bahn customer service at BER to sort this out?

On top of that, S-Bahn station at BER is outside the airport terminal, correct? I vaguely remember seeing this info that the Train station is directly under T1 but the S-Bahn is outside the terminal. Is that right?

The Real Alternative is to actually change the departure point - the original connecting train ICE 599 departs from Berlin Hbf, has stops along the way with the Berlin Sudkreuf stop being the enter only point. The journey only took 7 min from Berlin Hbf to Berlin Sudkreuz (without going thru BER), versus S45 will take 40 min and 12 stops from BER to Berlin Sudkreuz.

I dont know if we can have our tickets changed to BER-Berlin Hbf-Leipzig? Online this obviously is not possible because all it offers is to find an alternative "connection" but there is no connection to be found!

We actually arrive BER the night before, around 19:00pm. Does the DB customer service office at BER still opens? I hope we can drop in to get this sorted out.

The whole reason to buy the original itinerary is we do not plan to go inside Berlin, instead we will stay the night before at Moxy located at Berlin Schonefeld the Old airport hotel cluster.

My understanding is, there is a bus 267 runs every hour between BER and the Berlin Schonefeld. How much is a taxi might cost?

Train travel these days is definitely much worse than several years ago, when one can really count on punctuality and such. Sigh.

Thanks for any suggestions.

the810

You don't need to go to a ticket office.
Go to bahn.de, or open the DB app and search for a connection from Berlin Airport to Leipzig. I'm seeing plenty of options for your date. Pick the one you like and take those trains.
If you want to keep your original ICE 599, take S45 leaving BER at 10:37, leaving you comfortable 16 minutes to change in Südkreuz. If 10:37 is too early for you, choose one of the later trains.

Happy

That was what I did last night. S45 is the best option to connect to ICE. I might take the S45 that goes out 20 min earlier, it would give us ample cushion (I hope), should the S45 delays.

I have another question - DB also gives an option for RE to Berlin Hbf, then ICE to Leipzig.

The total travel time is about the same - S45/ICE at Sudkreuz is 2h5min, RE/ICE at Berlin Hbf is 1h58min. The main difference is, ICE at Berlin Hbf is the starting station, hence much easier to find seats I imagine.

I am glad I have not bought the seat reservation on this trip. Else it would be another trouble to request refund.

the810

Yes, if you don't have a seat reservation, then you have a better chance of grabbing a seat at the starting station, although Tuesday mid-day shouldn't be that terrible.

fransknorge

And the S Bahn station in BER is the train station, right inside the terminal.

Happy

We are inclined to use the BER-Hbf-Leipzig connection. Can we take the FEX from BER to Hbf instead of RE? DB does not give give FEX option, only gives RE option. However when you search BER to Hbf, both RE and FEX show up as options, and the tickets are sold by VBB https://www.vbb.de.

I guess our original tickets now turn into fully flexible, we can choose FEX to Hbf? The advantage of FEX is its arriving platforms are of the small numbers like 3 to 6. Res arrive at platforms 13 to 16. ICEs all leaves from platforms 1 to 3. Taking FEX has a lot less walking to the ICE platforms at Hbf.

Another thing I could not figure out is the “short haul” ticket that we need on the evening of arrival to our hotel Moxy at Schonefeld, at the stop of Schönefeld (bei Berlin), Kienberger Allee - that is 2 stops away from BER on Bus 263 or 741. Both 265 and 742 run on an hourly schedule till 8:56pm, but the 2 buses are roughly 30+ min apart. For our 2 stops ride essentially it means every 30+ min.

https://www.vbb.de/en/vbb-travel-info/

Our ETA is 18:58 Bus 263 leaves at 7:20 and I suspect we would not be able to catch it. The next bus is 741 according to OBB, leaves at 7:56 - so we have about 40 to 45 min wait. I wonder whether the taxi drivers are willing to take this 3.5km distance fare, with under 15 euro in total per this taxi fare estimate site https://www.taxi-calculator.com/taxi-fare-estimation. Not sure if we can offer 20 euro would work.

On the VBB site, it gives me the “short haul” ticket option when I use fare calculator for this bus ride. But on S Bahn site it says the “short haul” ticket in Berlin zone C can only used on S Bahn while all other combo, BC, AB, the “short haul” ticket can be used on ALL forms of transportation, except different limitations on number of stops on S Bahn (4) and on Bus (6). Then the link it provides directs you to VBB fares screen, where there is no such mentioning of Berlin C cannot use the “short haul” ticket on bus. On top of that, VBB fare calculator keeps giving me a reduced fare of 1.90 euro instead of the 2.40 euro. Very odd.

I am not sure this kind of ticket is available from ticket machine or we need to buy it from the driver with exact cash.

It does say one needs to validate the ticket BEFORE entering the transportation means. Hence it seems ticket is sold thru machine.

Askartus

I would either take the FEX (which is also just a special name or brand for a regional express / RE) to Berlin Hbf (10:28, arrival Berlin Hbf 11:03, departure ICE 599 11:26) or, to use the original route, take the S 45 to Südkreuz (10:17, arrival Südkreuz 10:57, departure ICE 599 10:57).
As the original train has been cancelled, in my opinion there is no train connection, so any other connection can be taken.
And that should also include the FEX to Berlin Hbf. The S-Bahn The S-Bahn will work in any case.

The tracks for both the FEX / RE and the S-Bahn are basically in the same station: https://ber.berlin-airport.de/en/caf...ahnhof-t1.html
There is also a travel centre inside the station, which should be open every day from 7 am till 10 pm.

Happy

This is exactly my thought - FEX to Hbf for the original ICE 599 because ICE 599 starts from Hbf versus the other ICEs are from Hamburg to Berlin, so the train would have quite a number of passengers though some of them no doubt would get off at Berlin. With ICE 599, the train starts from Hbf, hence it should be a lot easier to find seats that are not reserved.

Great to know the travel centre opens late. Thank you for the info!

Askartus

At this time of the day, there should be many unreserved seats available. For example, the entire carriage 5 is currently unreserved except for one seat (135).
Just as fyi: This route might be a perfect distance to enjoy the restaurant car (where there are no reserved seats at all) and some lunch.

Happy

Askartus I thought you would not be able to see seat map on Bahn.com?

Yeah IC 599 journey is at lunch time. I think having lunch at restaurant car is a very good suggestion, except what about the rolleraboards a 19” and a 20” bags we carry with us? Can we bring them with us to restaurant car?

Askartus

It is possible with a dummy booking.

You search for a connection on the 26th from Berlin to Leipzig and select ICE 599.
After that, you can select "Book seat only" which gives you a €4,90 seat reservation. After that, you can choose to select your seat by yourself by clicking on the small arrow with "Select seat" shown. And then you are able to choose your car and the seat you would like to reserver. Or just see what is available.



ICE 599, 26th March 2024, Coach 5

Everything not greyed out is currently available.

There is a small luggage rack at one entrance where some reserved 1st class seats are located. Otherwise they should fit under the table. Or ask the conductor for the luggage, he might help you with that as well.

You can see the configuration of your train here: https://www.vagonweb.cz/razeni/vlak....azev=&rok=2024. Car 10 is the dining car and with the small camera icon you can see pictures of the interior of the car.

:D!

I think you can still buy tickets on the bus in Berlin and basically all of Germany and the driver will even give change (maybe don't offer a €20 for a €2 ticket) but someone else can confirm.

fransknorge

No need, just leave them on the rack whether above your seat or at the rack at the entrance of your car.

Happy

I could NOT believe this - DB completely redid its schedule Berlin Hbf to Leipzig Hbf again.

Just checked today when I am putting a Train Travel Summary (total 6 journeys involving DB, CK, OeBB), I went to check the schedule - then I saw the original options we discussed here all DISAPPEAR!

ICE 507 and ICE 599 no longer exist!

DB now has only 3 direct trains from Berlin HbF between 9:14am to 13:11pm on an ICE. The rest 6 trains not only require transfer but even involves a Bus service connection?!
The 3 direct trains that show up apparently are added very recently because it says "low demand expected", and only available on Mar 25 thru Mar 27 - 3 days only.

Of course "low demand expected" because all the people like us whose trains were canceled would not buy new tickets, hence whatever new purchases may take a while to show up given these are very recent replacement. Might even just a few days ago...

This is getting absurd.

I guess I would need to check all DB services before the few days before actual travel and the day before the travel, plus the day of travel.

What is wrong with the once good operation of DB?!

:D!

See for example:
https://www.dw.com/en/germany-whats-...tor/a-68091047
https://www.theguardian.com/business...-on-efficiency