LarryU

I am heading back to Cologne in late April and just booked a UA ticket which includes a segment on a DB ICE train from FRA to Cologne Hauptbahnhof (QKL). The train is listed with an LH flight number, in my particular case, "Lufthansa 6812, Operated by Deutsche Bahn AG." What's especially interesting is that booking my flight in this manner lowered my fare to FRA by approx $100 and also obviated the need to purchase a separate DB ticket to get to Cologne.

Having never previously booked a DB trip as part of a flight itinerary, let alone one associated with a UA E-ticket, I was wondering how I go about obtaining my DB boarding pass once I land in FRA. What type of credentials must I produce and what sort of entity do I seek out, DB or LH? I have the same question for my return trip, in which I will be taking an ICE train from Cologne Hauptbahnhof back to FRA, where I will be connecting to a UA flight to IAD.

As an aside, I was surprised to see that ual.com actually allowed me to pick a seat on the "LH fight." As you can see, in the following seat map, it shows rows ranging from 31 to 43, arranged in a 2x2 configuration:

http://members.aceweb.com/larryu/ima...Seat%20Map.jpg

I guess it must be a small train indeed to have so few rows.

supermasterphil

It's pretty easy. When you check in in the US, you will get your boarding pass for the second segment as well. It looks like a regular boarding pass and is your ticket on the train. You will even get miles for it. Your bags will read QKL via FRA but be careful. This means that you walk out of the Main Terminal and over to the "Fernbahnhof" (train station for long distance trains) On the left side, you will find a baggage belt where your bag will pop out. You have to carry it on the train yourself.

In Cologne main station (QKL) there is a LH check in terminal (staffed) in the downstairs area of track 10. (the side of the station that is furthest away from the Cathedral) They will issue your boarding passes for QKL-FRA and FRA-IAD. Unfortunately, you will have to schlep your bags on the train as well and you will be able to drop them off, once you have reached the train station at FRA airport, nearby the place where you have picked them up on the way over. You don't have to carry them all the way into the main terminal.

Enjoy the train ride. It's pretty different from what you are used to with Amtrack

robffm

It would be nice to read about your DB train experience here...

supermasterphil

I hate DB a lot and avoid them whenever possible. But between Frankfurt and Cologne, there is no smarter alternative.

Also, DB always beat Amtrack, they are just the worst!

djohannw

Second that. Between FRA and Cologne the train is just the right method of transport. The new high-speed-track allows for a 300km/h ride (about 185 mph) and the LH trains only stop once between FRA and Cologne - you can even get off and on there if you are heading for Bonn as it's closer to that city.

Not done the train under LH-number since they have changed it a little (e.g. having everybody from C and Y in one coach again) and also offer a kind of porter-service to help you with your luggage to get on the train, but those ICE-trains are really nice and not as small as the seatmap make it look like - all LH passengers are seated in the same compartment that only makes up a tiny part of the whole train...

Greetings - Dirk

neo16287

Agreed. I mean, just try comparing the Acela to the ICE.

supermasterphil

The Acela I'd take in the US, to the rest of US train travel, no thank you. Done that, been there, never ever again.

For New York - Washington it's actually doable. Unfortunately, with all the ATC delays in the New York area, flights are a little unreliable when it comes to timing and on such a route, it's easy to loose time... So why not the Acela...

Are we getting off topic?

LarryU

Thanks for the great information; baggage won't be an issue because I only use carryon. I'm afraid I won't be able to compare ICE with Amtrak because I have never had the privilege of traveling on Amtak. Here in the US, cars and planes are the only forms of transportation that I recognize, not counting light rail and commuter trains.

You can read about some of my DB experiences right now. In the second chapter of my trip report, Fährting Around Frankfurt, I describe in vivid detail an interesting DB journey from Mainz to Cologne. My first mistake was that it was an IC train, not an ICE train. The second mistake involved accidentally poaching a first class compartment with my second class ticket. I guess that part of the trip actually worked out fairly well.

On my return journey back to FRA, it turned out that I had erroneously booked the train from Cologne Deutsch instead of Cologne Hbf. In addition, and this was somewhat the fault of DB personnel, I wound up getting on the wrong train. My friend in Leverkusen hates DB with a passion and I must confess her feelings seem to be justified based on my limited experience with their personnel at Cologne Hbf. Details about this particular DB experience will be described in the conclusion of my trip report, which I hope to complete sometime in the next day or so.

That's very interesting that all LH (or in my case UA) passengers are seated in the same car on the train. That means that ual.com's seat map for the ICE train was actually correct! That is especially amazing to me because their seat maps for their own planes are sometimes incorrect.

PhilUSA

Give them a chance, will'ya.

Pacha

and you will get to hear the following sentence - always in immaculate Dinglish -

"In ä fjuh minnits wi will ärreif Cologne Hauptbahnhof. Senk ju for träwelling wis Deutsche Bahn."

PhilUSA

I keep saying to the Train Managers they should go on a Lufthansa long distance flight sometimes so they can learn 'top notch' mobility service from an organization that is 50 years or so ahead of them when it comes to customer service. This knowledge transfer has to happen.

kair528

Wish I had studied some Dinglish. Your dictation is impeccable!

Flying Lawyer

However, this is again by far superior to Amtrak: The heavy southern accent I enjoyed last week was hardly bearable. At least Deutsche Bahn offers announcement in foreign languages. Some conductors on Amtrak trains do hardly have such command of English.

neo16287

I was trying to get in on that, but they're not hiring in my area

supermasterphil

Amtrack, Deutsche Bahn or both?