The average German reserves a seat and complains about delays. What does a typical train journey in Germany look like?

Berlin

The article follows Michelle Muller, a typical German traveller, on a train journey to Bielefeld, highlighting the popularity of rail travel in Germany. Despite the stereotype of German punctuality, the rail network is often delayed, with over a third of long-distance trains running late in the previous year.

The journey showcases various features of German trains, such as different seating zones, legroom guarantees, and the ability to consume alcohol onboard. The article also touches on common etiquette issues and ends with a nod to the humorous conspiracy theory about Bielefeld's existence.

How to travel by train in Germany

Today we're doing a quintessential German activity. We're taking the train. So are German trains as punctual as the German people? What do they look like inside? And can you really drink a beer on there? We're following Michelle Muller, an average German, to find out. Michelle is travelling by train to visit a friend in Bielefeld in western Germany. Germans ride trains regularly. In 2024, some 22 million took a longer train journey. That's more than a quarter of the country's population. However, while German people are known for their punctuality, unfortunately their railway network is not. Last year, over one third of long-distance trains were delayed. Looks like Michelle has a bit of time. Fortunately, he brought his own tea. Like 88% of Germans, Michelle associates the railway network Deutsche Bahn with the term unpunctuality. Luckily, he got here four hours early, so he's got some time to kill. That last part was a joke. ICE stands for Intercity Express. These high-speed trains connect all major cities in Germany. In the ICE, Michelle has booked a second-class ticket in the Handy Bereich, which is the area that you can legally use your phone and talk to each other. There's also a family zone, first-class cars, a silent zone and a special area reserved for those with gold and platinum bonus memberships. In other words, VIP train travellers. There might be some trouble brewing. A cardinal sin has been committed. Everyone is sitting in the seat that Michelle reserved. But he's not afraid to ask for his seat back, even though many other seats are available. In this second-class seat, Deutsche Bahn guarantees a minimum of 80 centimetres of legroom, but Michelle has to make sure. Now the ticket inspector is coming to check the tickets. Michelle's printed his out and put them in a folder, as if he's never heard of digital tickets. Better safe than sorry. Michelle walks the length of the train and goes to the dining carriage for a refreshment. After deciding that four euros twenty is too much for a cup of coffee, Michelle goes back to his seat. I'm just going to chill here for a second. Removing your shoes on the train is a contentious topic. Some love it, but some hate it. Germans also dislike it when people play music too loudly, talk too much on the phone and put their feet on the seats. Michelle has taken his revenge. He's eating one of the most maligned foods to eat on the train. Boiled eggs. He also has a cheese sandwich and some chopped veggies. Washed down with a beer. Unlike in many countries, on German trains, alcohol can generally be freely consumed. Michelle exits the train at his destination, Bielefeld. There's a long-running German conspiracy theory that the city of Bielefeld does not exist. Supporters of the theory ask, do you know anyone from Bielefeld? Or have you ever visited Bielefeld? Which is obviously ridiculous. So was that entire journey just a figment of Michelle Müller's imagination? I guess we'll never know. So what did you think of the German train experience? Was it everything that you expected, especially the punctuality? As always, like and subscribe for more Abertur.

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