Read on Twitter
By example #Darmstadt- #Frankfurt- #Paris- #Bordeaux- #Arcachon: Why train travel is not even close to using its potential and why that& #39;s sad because staff are actually quite engaged, helpful and polite. Thread 
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="👇" title="Rückhand Zeigefinger nach unten" aria-label="Emoji: Rückhand Zeigefinger nach unten"> (1/19)
The ride was booked in early march before the continent https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🇪🇺" title="Flagge der Europäischen Union" aria-label="Emoji: Flagge der Europäischen Union"> locked down. Having a 1,5 yo child and wanted to travel on a low CO2 budget, hence https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🚆" title="Zug" aria-label="Emoji: Zug">. So, we headed to the internets to book tickets for our - straightforward - journey from #Darmstadt (8h30) to #Arcachon (17h28). (2/19)
Booking was a mess: @SNCF would show us options starting from #Frankfurt, but not #Darmstadt. @DB_Bahn& #39;s normal portal would show us the connection, but would not let us book. It would forward us to http://international-bahn.com"> http://international-bahn.com which offered the full connection but *drumroll* (3/19)
... wouldn& #39;t let us book it. So we resorted to the pro move: book the leg from #Darmstadt to #Paris via http://international-bahn.com"> http://international-bahn.com and the one from #Paris to #Arcachon via @TGVINOUI. This would haunt us, bit it worked then.
Fast-forward #COVID19 ... (4/19)
Fast-forward #COVID19 ... (4/19)
... we decided to keep all bookings up awaiting the 15 June decision to loosen lockdown in https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🇪🇺" title="Flagge der Europäischen Union" aria-label="Emoji: Flagge der Europäischen Union">, which worked out. With very little changes to our plans we could go.
This however didn& #39;t stop @DB_Bahn/ @SNCF from changing their timetables. But first things first... (5/19)
This however didn& #39;t stop @DB_Bahn/ @SNCF from changing their timetables. But first things first... (5/19)
Our departure was #Darmstadt 8h30 to reach an ICE to #Paris Est at 8h56.
Announcement at 8h20: the regional train will be delayed by 5 minutes, incrementing to 10 when we arrived in #Frankfurt. It& #39;s incredible that this line consistently messes up my travel plans... (6/19)
Announcement at 8h20: the regional train will be delayed by 5 minutes, incrementing to 10 when we arrived in #Frankfurt. It& #39;s incredible that this line consistently messes up my travel plans... (6/19)
... since 2004.
Now, *on* that train, we realise that #ICE9566 has become a phantom. It must& #39;ve been cancelled in the pandemic. Did we receive an update from @DB_Bahn? Nohttps://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🤷♀️" title="Achselzuckende Frau" aria-label="Emoji: Achselzuckende Frau">https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="😱" title="Vor Angst schreiendes Gesicht" aria-label="Emoji: Vor Angst schreiendes Gesicht">
So, we head to the Kundeninformationsschalter (long words ftwhttps://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="😍" title="Lächelndes Gesicht mit herzförmigen Augen" aria-label="Emoji: Lächelndes Gesicht mit herzförmigen Augen">) and get some knowledge dropped: (7/19)
Now, *on* that train, we realise that #ICE9566 has become a phantom. It must& #39;ve been cancelled in the pandemic. Did we receive an update from @DB_Bahn? No
So, we head to the Kundeninformationsschalter (long words ftw
#ICE9566 at 8h56 cancelled a long time ago, next train to #Paris Est: 12h58. So: #Frankfurt-sightseeing. Imagine with a 1,5 yo and a big backpack.
Connection in #Paris cannot be rebooked/changed, has to be done at #Paris #Montparnasse. (8/19)
Connection in #Paris cannot be rebooked/changed, has to be done at #Paris #Montparnasse. (8/19)
The lady at the counter, French native-speaker btw, was very quick, very polite and wished us best of luck. I can only imagine how many rants she must have per day.
So, on to Paris on #TGV9552 on some backuo seats for unlucky travellers (worry not, you don& #39;t have to stand). 10/19
So, on to Paris on #TGV9552 on some backuo seats for unlucky travellers (worry not, you don& #39;t have to stand). 10/19
As usual, everything fine, clean toilets, diapers can be changed in a small but practical compartment: babies say https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="👍" title="Thumbs up" aria-label="Emoji: Thumbs up"> (just like in #ICE trains btw).
But arriving in #Paris #Est the strughle starts:
Get off platform, down to @ClientsRATP #Metro 4 and cherish your backpack. (11/19)
But arriving in #Paris #Est the strughle starts:
Get off platform, down to @ClientsRATP #Metro 4 and cherish your backpack. (11/19)
No idea if we overlooked it, but we didn& #39;t see an elevator. I know the Paris Metro is old, but that was bad in 1920 already. So back to the century old question:
Why, in the name of Phileas Fogg, do you let people passing Paris go down to Metro or RER!? (12/19)
Why, in the name of Phileas Fogg, do you let people passing Paris go down to Metro or RER!? (12/19)
And it& #39;s in no way 20 minutes from #Paris #Est to #Montparnasse. It& #39;s 30 minutes at least! But we got there in time for that connection train from Montparnasse at 17h47. However: those tickets were still the connection at 13h47 we missed by a whopping 3h30. (13/19)
10 minutes until departure. The lady at the platform politely refers us to the guichet, i.e. customer service. So, if they& #39;re really fast https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🤔" title="Denkendes Gesicht" aria-label="Emoji: Denkendes Gesicht">...
They ain& #39;t. The queue outside is 20m (social distancing inhttps://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🇫🇷" title="Flagge von Frankreich" aria-label="Emoji: Flagge von Frankreich"> n& #39;est qu& #39;un mètre https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="☝️" title="Zeigefinger nach oben" aria-label="Emoji: Zeigefinger nach oben">) And we wait 25 minutes in total.
(14/19)
They ain& #39;t. The queue outside is 20m (social distancing in
(14/19)
But! The gentleman at the entrance (not the counter) quickly gets us rebooked to the next train (now 18h47, we wanted to be in #Arcachon at 17h28 already) to Bordeaux. For no extra charge and again very forthcoming and polite.
(15/19)
(15/19)
So, as I& #39;m writing this we& #39;re checking where our apartment key will be hidden because scheduled arrival now is 22h30.
So, here are my take-aways:
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="☝️" title="Zeigefinger nach oben" aria-label="Emoji: Zeigefinger nach oben"> As long as you can& #39;t book simply from one page, people will prefer car or plane
(16/19)
So, here are my take-aways:
(16/19)
(17/19)
(18/19)
This is sad, because *all* staff - every single one at @DB_Bahn, @SNCF and @TGVINOUI - were forthcoming, nice and helpful. The journey itself is great with a small child (try some hours in a https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🚗" title="Auto" aria-label="Emoji: Auto"> and you know).
(19/19)
(19/19)
