Reserved Seats in Germany

[Passenger John]

We have seat reservations for a trip to Germany in conjunction with DB Spezel Tickets, are there any rules on not using the allocated seats and sitting in unreserved seats of our choice, as in the UK with Advance tickets allocated seats. We often find a better location without any problems.
PS don't like travelling backwards which these seats are.

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

I have sometime sat in unreserved seats on both ICE & IC trains in Germany, if they are nicer than the ones that I have been allocated. I have never had a problem, so long as you are on the actual train that your reservation is for.

 

[WestCoast]

It shouldn't be a problem, but perhaps if the train is very busy (as ICE/ICs can be at certain times) it would be courteous of you to sit first in the original seats before locating something you prefer. If this doesn't apply, then I'd just go straight to your preferred unreserved seats.

The seat reservations on all trains are listed to/from (e.g. München Hbf - Nürnberg Hbf) and where automated displays are installed and working properly they will disappear some time after the departure of the station from which they were booked.

 

[Mag_seven]

PS don't like travelling backwards which these seats are.

Don't forget though that many long distance trains in Germany reverse "en route", sometime several times so you may end up backwards for part(s) of the journey anyway

 

[Hophead]

The man in seat 61 has links to ICE seating plans which should help you in your seat selections. If your train turns up in reverse formation, the careful selection is rendered somewhat academic of course.

 

[Bletchleyite]

We have seat reservations for a trip to Germany in conjunction with DB Spezel Tickets, are there any rules on not using the allocated seats and sitting in unreserved seats of our choice, as in the UK with Advance tickets allocated seats. We often find a better location without any problems.
PS don't like travelling backwards which these seats are.

ISTR that reservations are optional and chargeable on all German tickets including the advance types, so I can't see them caring. Are they not optional on London Spezial?

 

[30907]

They are now included in 1st.

 

[Passenger John]

Thanks to everyone who gave me a reply, as this is our first trip to the Continent, I now feel much more relaxed about it.

 

[Passenger John]

Now in Bavaria, brilliant journey, everything went smoothly, all seats were reserved, timekeeping was 100% and found all connections were made. All on bored staff spoke English and were more than helpful when they found out we were from England. EXCEPT when we changed in Brussels, broken escalator and broken lift which forced everyone to drag heavy luggage up a broken escalator, old people like Mr & Mrs Passenger John were really struggling. But would still recommend this way of getting to Germany. Thanks for everyone's help before we went.

 

[Bletchleyite]

It shouldn't be a problem, but perhaps if the train is very busy (as ICE/ICs can be at certain times) it would be courteous of you to sit first in the original seats before locating something you prefer.

Not sure I'd bother simply because of DB's reservation policy - the reservation expires and disappears from the display very shortly after the departure from the origin, and if you then want to keep it you are expected to place an item of clothing or similar on the seat when going somewhere else e.g. the bog. So if you don't use the seat it will get used. Once off the display, it is fair game for anyone and you've lost it.

 

[gordonthemoron]

I think it's 15 mins after departure

 

[Groningen]

We do not hold your reserved seat forever free; if you chose to sit somewhere else. And when the seat you are sitting on is reserved; your own reserved seat may be gone! We do not wait forever.

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

I think it's 15 mins after departure

I have often wondered why they take the seat reservation of the screen after departure from the booked station? I don't think train crew used to remove paper/card seat reservations before the new electronic versions came in.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Now in Bavaria, brilliant journey, everything went smoothly, all seats were reserved, timekeeping was 100% and found all connections were made. All on bored staff spoke English and were more than helpful when they found out we were from England. EXCEPT when we changed in Brussels, broken escalator and broken lift which forced everyone to drag heavy luggage up a broken escalator, old people like Mr & Mrs Passenger John were really struggling. But would still recommend this way of getting to Germany. Thanks for everyone's help before we went.

Glad you are having a good trip, shame about the broken escalator & lift at Brussels.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I have often wondered why they take the seat reservation of the screen after departure from the booked station? I don't think train crew used to remove paper/card seat reservations before the new electronic versions came in.

They did, though not with quite as reliable timing as it is now removed automatically.

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

They did, though not with quite as reliable timing as it is now removed automatically.

oh, ok.

 

[reb0118]

All ... bored staff.

Our guard from Frankfurt to Würzburg seemed down in the dumps too! He perked up a bit when I told him that my travelling companions & I did the same job as him - responding: "But I am a drug dealer in disguise! "

Don't believe anyone that says the Germans have no sense of humour - it might not be any good but they do have one.......

 

[Railman10]

I noticed, when we travelled from Dusseldorf to Hannover recently, that our seat reservations disappeared only as we were arriving Hannover, and similarly from Hannover as we arrived BAD BENTHEIM on the way into the Netherlands. Perhaps there is still variation in practices?

 

[TheEscapist_]

Didn't want to start a new thread so sorry for brining up an old one. Me and a friend are travelling on ICE 90 in May. I thought this would be operated by a ICE 1 but when booking the seats I managed to book the seats right behind the drivers cab. Does anyone know if it is a ICE 1 that's running the service? I booked seats on another train that I think is an ICE 3 and have the same seats book and the seating plan for 90 looked the same. Excited though for the cab view!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

That's the seating plan and seats 15 & 17 is what I have booked. Looks like an ICE 3 but not too sure. Just looking to find out

 

[Bletchleyite]

Looks like an ICE3 to me as well.

A word of warning - the cab view isn't what it's made out to be, as passenger seats are much lower than the driver's seat. Personally I prefer a good view out of the side if the cab isn't a wall of glass like the old Class 101s were.

I see DB have also failed to mark side window positions on their seating plan! Or are the !s "no view"?

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Googling "DB ICE90" brings up a few results that do look like the ICE 3 stock, if that's any help?

 

[D1009]

Looks like an ICE3 to me as well.

A word of warning - the cab view isn't what it's made out to be, as passenger seats are much lower than the driver's seat.

I agree, as the seats are tiered I have found there is a better view from the seats behind the front ones. Nevertheless it is a good experience, particularly on the high speed lines.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I agree, as the seats are tiered I have found there is a better view from the seats behind the front ones. Nevertheless it is a good experience, particularly on the high speed lines.

Agreed, certainly worth doing once, but once the experience has been had, a seat with the full side window stretching ahead of you is probably preferable for admiring scenery, to the extent that scenery isn't blocked by noise fences on LGVs.

 

[TheEscapist_]

I did google it but couldn't find much that helped, i did last year when in Wien see an ICE 3. But most YouTube searches for it seems to be an ICE 1. Just wanted to try out the seats, not expecting much but got to try :P

 

[30907]

http://www.grahnert.de/fernbahn/reihung/reih0043.html

Booked ICE-T (Br 411) as are all the Vienna trains, rather than the newer ICE3.

If you are in coach 28 coming from Austria you will have a rear view.

 

[TheEscapist_]

Thank you for that!