Rambuster

Wouldn't cut it close when DB is involved. Trains are usually late and mis-connections frequent. When heading for the airport I always take one train earlier than necessary.

redstripeflyer

Thomas,
Thanks so much for the info. Before reading your posting, it was unclear to me whether the AIRail was a subset of the 'regular' trains. I was eyeing the 13.51 or 14.51, especially as I have no checked luggage, and will be flying in Business class on LH for my flight to JFK.

*Question - am I able to print my LH boarding pass at ZWS if I do not use their AIRail service? I assume that I will have to clear security in FRA after my train when I get there.

Regards

Rambuster

You will arrive at the FRA ICE long distance train station. It is a 5-10 minute walk to get to terminal A/B/C. There are checkin terminals close to the train station too.
Security clearance is in the main terminal in FRA of course.

redstripeflyer

1. Do the AIRail and non-AIRail trains both arrive at the same long distance train station? The map below states 'AIRail station', so it's a bit unclear to me.
2. More importantly, can I utilize the Lufthansa Quick Check-in and regular facilities shown in the link below if I take non-AIRail service on the ICE?
http://tinyurl.com/5zoshn

Thanks all

Rambuster

AIRailis just a fancy name for a seat on DB's ICE trains.... now in 2nd class ...
All of these ICE trains arrive at the same long distance train stations (Fernbahnhof). LH check-in is between the station and terminal as indicated in the scetch.

bau31888

To answer you second question clearly:
.. and can be used by all LH passengers!

redstripeflyer

At the Stuttgart train station, can I utilize the Lufthansa Check-in facilities if I take non-AIRail service on the ICE? This would seem to be a good way to save time ahead of my train to FRA.

alfahund

If you're SEN or HON, no issues, they will call FRA to check you in. If you're not, you need to check-in either via Web or Phone and then you can pick up your boarding pass at the station.

But that may not be a standard procedure, and only available to friendly people

juan516

@alfahund

Does ZWS checkin staff in such a situation (you departing from Stuttgart Railway station for Frankfurt Airport by train or returning a rental car, but not being an airrail pax) also prints (for friendly people only, of course) the real BP with origin FRA or do they just check you in and allocate a seat, so that your BP still has to be issued by a machine or a counter at FRA ???

taigatrommel

Hi,

it seems like the CGN/ QKL Airail is more important to LH than the STR/ ZWS Airail.

All the 'enhancements' to Airail are done on the Cologne leg. To Stuttgart they are cutting down step by step.
Since the start of Stuttgart Airail there was the last departure at 17.27 and only every two hours a train. OK, this is based on the DB timetable, as the as Airail used ICE line doesn't provide more connections.

Since October 2007 the train at 15.27 is no more airail anymore. And so the Airail counter in Stuttgart is closed from 2 pm to 4 pm.

For late departures ex FRA (Asia, ...) is Airail ex Stuttgart no option, because of the long connection time in FRA.

The Airail is great idea in my optionen, because it's a hassle traveling to this airport ('Flughäfele') in Echterdingen, if you stay downtown.
And the dining car is great benefit of the ICE - just staying there, never sitting on my assigned place.

But because of this 2 hours timetable and the missing trains I often fly again ex STR...


Best regards,

taigatrommel

rorschi

Sorry for saying this, but I won't wonder when the real reason for the cut-backs is the dramatically decreasing reliability of the DB Bahn-timetable.

I would even not wonder when LH will restart to offer FRA-CGN-flights soon. It would really be interesting to know how many LH-airrail-passengers have to deal every day with missed connections because of heavily delayed or cancelled ICEs...

A friend of me didn't have luck some days ago - and now I hope that he won't get troubles when he has to fly back from RGN via BKK to FRA on Dec 9th...

Sorry for speaking that negative about the global playing logistic company "DB Bahn" - but my quote of being heavily delayed (20 min. or more) or stranded with them is at calculated 100,0% in 2008...

supermasterphil

Don't forget that Stuttgart still has flights to FRA, Cologne doesn't. Cologne is a little larger population wise, so I assume there might be a little more demand.

Also, LH is doing a "good" job in cutting service from here as well. We used to be able to check bags which everybody knows but now we have to schlep them all the way to FRA.
I have to say though that the frequency to FRA is quite good but with the DB performance, I still dislike Airrail. If possible, I always fly via MUC or go to DUS to fly from there to FRA.

I would be happy to get the CGN-FRA flights back and have Airrail concentrate on Stuttgart again

By the way, did anybody realize that LH cut MUC-CGN frequency or am I just looking at fancy days? (random Friday in January)

redstripeflyer

I just went through ZWS a couple weeks ago onwards to FRA. The very helpful LH rep mentioned that I might want to take a regular DB train to FRA since the AIRail train was scheduled to leave after the next 2 DB trains. I like that she didn't try to sell me on the AIRail service. I had plenty of time before my flight out of FRA so I did not ask about printing a BP ...especially since I didn't have much time to catch the next DB train to FRA via Manheim I think.

taigatrommel

Hi

I totally agree, cutting down the baggage service was big step down. And with the bad DB performance, Airail doesn't make sense.


But the interessting fact is: for Cologne there no own LH flights left over, so LH depends totally on the DB, but on this line the performance of the trains (punctuality) is really bad.
On leg to Stuttgart, the punctuality of the trains is quite good - no ICE3 axle problems and the used ICE line begins in Stuttgart, so trains are mostly on time. At least on the way to FRA.
Neverless the service level of this leg decreases by LH: lower frequency and so one. Perhaps they still promoting their own flights (at least 6 per day out of STR).
I'm just wondering, because for Cologne LH made a clear cut, and the flights were suspended. For Stuttgart it seems like, they try to suspend the Airail and keep the flights.

Best regards,

taigatrommel

oliver2002

No more QKCI in Siegburg: