Some miscellaneous (slightly scattered) questions - Austria, Slovenia, Netherlands and Germany

[A S Leib]

1. What are the rules about mixed connections from Nightjet delays with (global) Interrail passes? How common are heavy delays on the Amsterdam – Vienna route? For the 07:44 arrival at Linz Hbf from Amsterdam Centraal, if I missed the 07:55 and 08:55 (change at Selzthal) to Graz, would I be able to travel via Vienna without needing an extra seat reservation?
2. Is there any food worth getting in Slovenia, Austria or the Netherlands which can't be bought in the UK and which wouldn't go off in a week (and, of course, which could be taken through customs)?
3. Is one side of the route particularly more scenic than the other on the Mariazellerbahn (heading north, from Mariazell to St. Pölten) or Semmeringbahn (heading north-east, from Graz to Vienna)?
4. For the IC direct supplement between Amsterdam and Rotterdam, is there any price difference between tapping in on the platform and paying on the NS app?
5. I've heard of issues paying with bank cards in Albert Heijn; do any other chains in the Netherlands (or NS) have similar issues, and should either a Visa debit or Santander credit card be fine?
6. I might need to go to Hannover, Berlin or Hamburg in July or August, with at least a few travel dates being close to key Olympics / Euro dates (e.g. if going, I'd need to be in Berlin by 15 July, the day after the Euros final, and leaving after 9 August, two days before the Olympic closing ceremony); how busy are Eurostar services, Harwich – Hoek ferries and Paris / Brussels – Germany trains likely to be this summer?

 

[rvdborgt]

1. What are the rules about mixed connections from Nightjet delays with (global) Interrail passes? How common are heavy delays on the Amsterdam – Vienna route? For the 07:44 arrival at Linz Hbf from Amsterdam Centraal, if I missed the 07:55 and 08:55 (change at Selzthal) to Graz, would I be able to travel via Vienna without needing an extra seat reservation?

NJ doesn't have mandatory reservations in Austria and it's unlikely someone actually booked a seat Linz-Vienna, so by all means, stay in the train if your next connection via Vienna is faster.

2. Is there any food worth getting in Slovenia, Austria or the Netherlands which can't be bought in the UK and which wouldn't go off in a week (and, of course, which could be taken through customs)?

Stroopwafels. Available in any Dutch supermarket.

4. For the IC direct supplement between Amsterdam and Rotterdam, is there any price difference between tapping in on the platform and paying on the NS app?

If you have an Interrail pass, you don't need any supplement because Interrail is an international ticket. The Rail Planner App is incorrect.

5. I've heard of issues paying with bank cards in Albert Heijn; do any other chains in the Netherlands (or NS) have similar issues, and should either a Visa debit or Santander credit card be fine?

Credit cards are not accepted in all of Albert Heijn's shops:

Zelfscannen en betalen | AH Klantenservice

In onze winkels kun je op verschillende manieren afrekenen. Zo kun je gebruik maken van zelfscannen en afrekenen met je mobiele telefoon, of gewoon bij de kassa en pinnen of contant betalen.

www.ah.nl

(Credit cards and foreign pre-paid bank cards are accepted in the shops at Schiphol, in many station shops and 2 specific AH supermarkets in the centre of Amsterdam.)
Other chains may have other policies. Credit cards in general are not accepted everywhere in the Netherlands. Maestro and V-Pay should be no problem. In addition, now that Maestro is being phased out, Debit Mastercard and Visa Debit should finally be accepted everywhere, since that will be the replacement. I'm not sure how far they have already been rolled out.

 

[Austriantrain]

On the Semmering, traveling towards Vienna, you definitely need to sit on the right side.

 

[Shaw S Hunter]

Stroopwafels. Available in any Dutch supermarket.

Also in the Netherlands: speculaas. Similar availability.

 

[A S Leib]

Thank you.

 

[DanielB]

If you have an Interrail pass, you don't need any supplement because Interrail is an international ticket. The Rail Planner App is incorrect.

But should you be using the IC Direct without using a travel day, then tapping in to pay the supplement is advisable as you'll get 40% off on weekdays before 6.30; between 9.00 - 16.00; after 18.30 and on weekends.

Maestro and V-Pay should be no problem. In addition, now that Maestro is being phased out, Debit Mastercard and Visa Debit should finally be accepted everywhere, since that will be the replacement. I'm not sure how far they have already been rolled out.

Just found a document on my bank's website stating that most payment terminals would have had their software updated in april 2023. Though the very same bank provided me a brand new Maestro card last month, so there may not be a lot of Dutch residents already using a Debit Mastercard.

 

[eastwestdivide]

I've heard of issues paying with bank cards in Albert Heijn; do any other chains in the Netherlands (or NS) have similar issues, and should either a Visa debit or Santander credit card be fine?

I’ve been using a (UK) Starling debit card in the Eurozone for a good few years. They offer a Euros account on the same card, avoiding lots of little charges on GBP cards. Had no problem in Albert Heijn supermarkets or anywhere else, including usng it for contactless on the Rotterdam metro.

 

[30907]

On the Semmering, traveling towards Vienna, you definitely need to sit on the right side.

Whereas on the Mariazellerbahn (distant memory checked with map) it's predominantly left northbound, except for Gösing tunnel to Winterbach (with the first view of the "hairpin" stretch at Puchenstuben) which is right.

On #1, definitely no problem remaining in a sleeper or couchette - but check the t8mings of the next Railjet in case it connects better at Meidling.
Or go for Mariazell one way and Semmering the other?

 

[A S Leib]

Or go for Mariazell one way and Semmering the other?

My plan's to do Graz – Mürzzuschlag – Mariazell (bus) – St. Pölten – Vienna – Graz one day and then Graz – Vienna (– Amsterdam) the next; the latter day will be the day before the clocks go forward, so I'll be going via Semmering in the dark the first day but sunrise is ~05:30 on the second day so it should be light enough in the morning. Agreed on checking connections at Meidling if the connection at Linz is missed.

 

[philg999]

Also in the Netherlands: speculaas. Similar availability.

Also get bags of salty licorice (drop)!! Delicious!!

 

[rvdborgt]

Also get bags of salty licorice (drop)!! Delicious!!

I also like them every now and the, but it's an acquired taste. None of my Belgian colleagues will touch it

 

[A S Leib]

What would the best places to wait for the Amsterdam – Vienna Nightjet at or near Köln Messe/Deutz and Wien Hbf be (with a standard class ticket, so excluding first class lounges)?

 

[Nunners]

What would the best places to wait for the Amsterdam – Vienna Nightjet at or near Köln Messe/Deutz and Wien Hbf be (with a standard class ticket, so excluding first class lounges)?

For Köln, I'd wait somewhere near the main station and walk across the bridge at a convenient time. The messe/deutz side is mainly a convention centre and is more business - focussed.

Wien Hbf has lots of food outlets, with some communal tables which I normally use to eat before a sleeper

 

[A S Leib]

For Köln, I'd wait somewhere near the main station and walk across the bridge at a convenient time. The messe/deutz side is mainly a convention centre and is more business - focussed.

Wien Hbf has lots of food outlets, with some communal tables which I normally use to eat before a sleeper

Thank you.

 

[duesselmartin]

My Visa card had issues at some restaurants in Belgium but is fine here in Turkey.
Sounds like a similar issue.

 

[30907]

What would the best places to wait for the Amsterdam – Vienna Nightjet at or near Köln Messe/Deutz and Wien Hbf be (with a standard class ticket, so excluding first class lounges)?

The Wien lounge is available to NJ passengers (sleepers, not sure about couchettes).

 

[rvdborgt]

The Wien lounge is available to NJ passengers (sleepers, not sure about couchettes).

Indeed. If you pay €10 you can also enter with another ticket of at least €8 (except for a seat in a night train).
It should also be mentioned that the Nightjet doesn't have 1st or 2nd class.

 

[A S Leib]

I have a seat supplement; presumably there's also a time limit on how long before departure you're supposed to enter the lounge?

 

[rvdborgt]

I have a seat supplement; presumably there's also a time limit on how long before departure you're supposed to enter the lounge?

1.5 hours before departure. But you're not allowed access to the lounge with a night train seat reservation.

 

[wellhouse]

Albert Heijn in The Hague on Saturday had signs saying no Visa or MasterCard, but they did accept cash

 

[philg999]

Albert Heijn in The Hague on Saturday had signs saying no Visa or MasterCard, but they did accept cash

A few of the Amsterdam branches still say ‘no visa or Mastercard’ on a sticker on the PIN machine (eg the NDSM one). But I haven’t seen that sticker in the city centre shops for several months now.

 

[rvdborgt]

Albert Heijn in The Hague on Saturday had signs saying no Visa or MasterCard, but they did accept cash

I wouldn't expect it there (except at the station), see #2 above.

 

[StephenHunter]

Albert Heijn in The Hague on Saturday had signs saying no Visa or MasterCard, but they did accept cash

Good idea to get some Euros out anyway at the airport or St Pancras; it will also inform your bank that you're travelling.

 

[A S Leib]

On the Semmering, traveling towards Vienna, you definitely need to sit on the right side.

Is that the case for rail replacement buses south of Hofstetten-Grünau as well?

 

[wellhouse]

Good idea to get some Euros out anyway at the airport or St Pancras; it will also inform your bank that you're travelling.

I always advise carrying cash wherever you go. Last Friday we took the ferry from Palermo to Genoa (20+ hours) The GNV website says they take no cash on board, and it's card payment only, but once we embarked, we found that their card machines were out of order, and they would only accept cash.

 

[riceuten]

I always advise carrying cash wherever you go. Last Friday we took the ferry from Palermo to Genoa (20+ hours) The GNV website says they take no cash on board, and it's card payment only, but once we embarked, we found that their card machines were out of order, and they would only accept cash.

I always advise carrying some cash wherever you go. A comrade recently went abroad for a few days (accommodation and transport already paid for) and exchanged the equivalent of around €500 (!) at a shonky exchange booth offering about 5 cents less per pound than the market rate (which adds up when it's this much).

They then of course didn't spend much of the €500 (because almost everywhere accepted cards) and exchanged the remainder back at an airport exchange for an even shonkier rate (facepalm) and moaned about the EU and them victimising Britain.

I despair.

 

[Austriantrain]

Is that the case for rail replacement buses south of Hofstetten-Grünau as well?

I am really sorry, but I can’t help you there.

 

[riceuten]

Albert Heijn in The Hague on Saturday had signs saying no Visa or MasterCard, but they did accept cash

I avoid this supermarket for precisely that reason. Even the ones that theoretically do accept them sometimes don't. And some shops don't even accept cash, just Maestro cards, and good luck in getting one of these in the UK. Some vendors are being dragged kicking and screaming towards acceptance of Visa and MC.

 

[rvdborgt]

I avoid this supermarket for precisely that reason. Even the ones that theoretically do accept them sometimes don't. And some shops don't even accept cash, just Maestro cards, and good luck in getting one of these in the UK.

Maestro is being phased out. It would surprise me if there are still a lot of shops only accepting Maestro. Also see #6 above.