American reacts to Germany's Biggest Train Station (Leipzig Hauptbahnhof)

Thank you for watching me, a humble American, react to German train station Leipzig Hauptbahnhof
Original video: • Tour of Leipzig Hauptb...
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[@Christian-il4fe]

The Film doesn`t even really give You an adequate impression how huge the location is. The Leipzig main station is a traffic cathedral. But also the city itself is worth a trip.

[@snurfli5605]

Leipzig - Hypezig

[@Maddie_OnPawz]

finally someone who knows how beautiful Leipzig is

[@Feuerteufel99]

The green city.

[@Maddie_OnPawz]

@@Feuerteufel99 kinda? Idk I don’t really have a comparison to other cities but from what I know yes

[@checkcommentsfirst3335]

My European mind can’t comprehend that you haven’t been at a train station

[@K__a__M__I]

Right? I've been to more trainstations _yesterday_ than Ryan has in his life. 🤣🤣🤣

[@checkcommentsfirst3335]

@@K__a__M__IErkläre Amerikanern mal das Konzept, dass deutsche Öffis zum Pendeln nutzen 😂

[@AHVENAN]

Well I live in Europe and I've only been to maybe 2 or three and only once or twice to each of them, Im 34

[@mangantasy289]

I've been at least on one for every business travel I made. And that's the only travels I made. (except one single vacation to Turkey as a teen time and that was by plane, and school trips) Apart from being a student and using the same ones dozens times a year. Main stations in Luxembourg, Germany, France, Belgium, Swizerland. And they often actually have a very similar style, like that in Leipzig, albeit being much smaller. The entry in Luxembourg city and Bonn too actually look very similar.

[@avr7120]

crazy. ive probably spend multiple weeks of my life in a train station if you add it up and im only a young adult lol

[@john_ace]

The reason that the platforms at the train stations look like hangars with a high ceiling is that originally trains were powered by steam when the stations were designed and built. The steam and smoke would easily rise up and have enough space to not sink down onto the platforms. The hot smoke is also the reason that the roof is not made from wood but from iron and glass as to prevent fires since when a locomotive is fired up, a lot of embers can escape with the smoke and steam upwards into the ceiling area. Just imagine 19 locomotives spewing hot steam and black smoke into the air at the same time in such a space.

[@AliothAncalagon]

The main station of Leipzig is indeed laughably large. You step into it and it feels like some kind of unbelievable fantasy palace. Then you realize you haven't entered the "actual" main station yet. That was the entrance hall. I really wish it was more common to put that much effort into making great public buildings.

[@Ph34rNoB33r]

And then you enter a giant hall and in a corner there is a tiny Starbucks. That was like 15 years ago, don't know what it looks like now.

[@finngin]

@@Ph34rNoB33r Still the Same

[@finngin]

Im from Leipzig and the little Starbucks is still there

[@resathe6760]

@@Ph34rNoB33r there is a starbucks, a mcdonalds and I think a kfc? Not sure about the last one, would have to check the next time I have layover there

[@Ph34rNoB33r]

@@resathe6760 Sure there is more in the station, I was just so impressed by how tiny and lost this rather average Starbucks looks in those giant halls. I just realized that I was at the station a year ago, but I entered at the side, right to the platform, didn't go through the main halls, was fully focused on getting my train.

[@wbrenne]

Leipzig Hauptbahnhof is basically a huge shopping mall with train tracks running in and out. Never noticed the chandeliers, I am always too much in a rush. They forgot to show the collection of historic locomotives on one of the unused tracks.

[@reinhardheim6008]

Track 24 I think it is. With 3 electric locomotives, one steam loco and in former times also diesel train from the 1930s. Last Christmas the Coca Cola train also had its first stop there.

[@charlotteice5704]

I think they only put up the chandeliers for christmas.

[@DieGurke_]

Why are you "always too much in a rush"? Your Train is delayed or canceled you are using DB afterall

[@reinhardheim6008]

@@charlotteice5704 No, the chandeliers are always there as a part of the shopping mall.

[@resathe6760]

@@DieGurke_ most regional trains are usually pretty punctual from my experience. It's the ICEs that have a lot of trouble

[@AlexGys9]

When it bothers you to pay for using a public toilet, consider it to be a tip to the janitor for keeping the toilets clean. You'll be happy the tip is quite small, 50 cents to a 1 Euro or so.

[@Raul.275]

Okay sure, but in this case it should be for free, covered by the DB. At least cover the toilets if you're not gonna improve your infrastructure.

[@kilsestoffel3690]

There are often free toilets in trainstations, too. At the farest end and you have to look out for them (when you are finally near, you'll smell it 🤮).

[@alis49281]

Or just go to the toilet on the train. They are tiny but usually ok.

[@sokolo161]

And then remember that company makes most of the money and he gets realistically 2ct off of your "tip"

[@alis49281]

@@sokolo161 actually, there have been lawsuits about the German Trinkgeld. It is illegal for the company to take it. The ckeaner earns the minimum wage and Trinkgeld goes on top. It is a different thing with sanifair toilets. With the coupon in the value of the toilet fee, any visitor can get the money back.

[@Al69BfR]

If you‘re flashed by those pedestrian traffic lights, you should do a google search about how the DDR-Ampelmännchen became one of the most recognizable symbols of the German reunification and how many different pedestrian traffic lights there are, including Elvis in Bad Nauheim and the Mainzelmännchen in Mainz.

[@tabeaha_da]

And in Stuttgart we have the "Äffle und Pferdle" traffic lights (it's very common in Baden-Württemberg / Schwabenländle and our monkey and horse (Äffle und Pferdle) are iconic). It would be definitively recommended for @ryanwass to do a research on that topic

[@MiaMerkur]

Thanks for the information. I did not know that. I would love to have Mainzelmaennchen here. As little child I loved Ted. (With the white cap and glasses).

[@marcolehmann8450]

And the "Rattenfänger" in Hameln

[@HolgerJakobs]

​@@marcolehmann8450 in English: The Pied Piper

[@HolgerJakobs]

In some cities you also find couples on pedestrian's traffic lights. Some are also gay or lesbian couples.

[@bogdanaschulze-neudorf9595]

Leipzig is such a beautiful city.

[@janpracht6662]

The people in Leipzig say: Leipzig Hauptbahnhof (main station) is more a huge shopping mall with tracks than a normal main station... I was there some years ago and I must say they are right.

[@derravensberger9395]

Another note about Leipzig Central Station: Before the main station was built, there were several stations belonging to various railway companies on the site, which were too small towards the end of the 1800s. After the decision to build a main station, the Prussian State Railways (as the station's most important servicer) and the Saxon State Railways, under whose jurisdiction the station was to be built, argued over who should be the operator of the station. Since no agreement could be reached on this, each of the railways built its own station - with a mirrored construction plan. It was only after the First World War, when the state railways were combined, that the Prussian and Saxon train stations in Leipzig were combined to form the Central Station we have today.

[@juwen7908]

"I've never been to a train station." he said. ABSOLUTELY MINDBLOWING 🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯

[@-hamma875]

He‘s American. Those people still live in the middle ages.

[@North_German]

I actually live in Leipzig, and I know a lot of German train stations. I travel by train a lot. And yes, Leipzig train station is impressive - like the whole city. It's always worth a visit.

[@senormatzy498]

Me too. Greetz from Reudnitz ^^

[@MathildaBiedermann]

Hi aus Borsdorf 😂

[@North_German]

@@MathildaBiedermann Hallo, haha.

[@SiqueScarface]

Leipzig Hauptbahnhof has been renovated in recent years. And my parents bought some of the old handrails from the swinging doors and mounted them as handrails at the staircases in their garden.

[@nurventilatoren]

I'm from Leipzig and I love the Hauptbahnhof (if you ignore all the crime that is happening around it). I regularly take the tram line that is going right by it. There is also a miniature model train diorama and a little train museum. You also have some good snack shops and restaurants you can eat at. Regarding the christmas market, the entire city centre is turned into a large christmas market during the pre-christmas eve times (usually during the end of november to right before the 24th of december). It is well-known in Germany and very popular. Another impressive monument in Leipzig is the "Völkerschlachtdenkmal", a 91 meter tall stone-concrete monument made to commemorate the defeat of the french army in 1813 during the "Völkerschlacht" or battle of the nations. Its stairway is a pain in the ass to climb tho.

[@MathildaBiedermann]

That's true for sure. We tool our argentinian exchange student up there a few years ago. It was a real pain, but the view is nice (if you ignore the flying ants) 😂

[@lhering]

To answer one of your questions: Deutsche Bahn (DB) basically has a monopoly on intercity travel. They control 98% of the market when it comes to long distance travel. Regionally however, there are many small competitors whose shares in short distance travel add up to 40%.

[@aphextwin5712]

In almost all of Europe, a national, government-owned train operator dominates at least long-distance train services. The biggest exception for this is the UK, which went for full privatisation under Thatcher, and even though the network part and a few operators got re-nationalised, most train services are provided there by different, ‘private’ rail operators. In the rest of Europe, in some countries like Germany, local and regional rail is privatised on the service provider level (ie, the government puts out tenders for services and private companies compete for them). There are some private long-distance services in some countries, most notably probably Italy and more recently Spain. Some more diversity happens via rail operators owned by regional authorities as well as cooperation between national operators for cross-border services. Note though that many of the ‘private’ operators doing business in many European countries are in fact subsidiaries of national rail operators.

[@budapestkeletistationvoices]

It's slowly changing. Spain, Italy and France have already opened their market and their respective national operators run services in all three countries

[@bromo366]

I really like your German pronunciation: Leipzig as "lazypig" is really funny😂

[@Aveal]

It's by far the most Beautiful trainstation i have ever been to! if you there in person you will be even more amazed!

[@OmegamonUI]

yes its nice often there. but the trains from Deutsche Bahn often to late

[@sarahbohl1796]

It is really nice and beautiful. I live for almost 18 years in Leipzig. Last year I saw the mainstation in Antwerpen. Its not as big as Leipzig's but I highly recommend a visit.

[@CobraChicken101]

I studied in Leipzig as an exchange student in 2000-2001, and the "Hauptbahhof" was an iconic landmark back then. It had a Mall in the lower levels, train tracks on upper level. With night trams leaving there at 1h11 , 2h22 and 3h33 if i remember correctly 😂. Good times 🤘❤️

[@OnlyRealmatze]

What about 7:06 a.m.? You know… 6h66min

[@AliothAncalagon]

​@@OnlyRealmatze No need. After 5am or so the regular transport schedule picks up again. I am pretty sure op actually remembered the dedicated night buses though.

[@YukiTheOkami]

its my hometown and i hate the night busses so much id rather walk home to be honest XD@@AliothAncalagon

[@AliothAncalagon]

@@YukiTheOkami If you can comfortably walk home you indeed had no need of ever taking the bus in the first place.

[@michaausleipzig]

The times are correct, they refer to the night busses though. Kinda like that system, you can remember these times no matter how drunk you are... 😅

[@soulpenguin2695]

I was born and also currently live in Leipzig... When you said that you would get lost at the main station it was probably due to the cuts and different angles, which seemed a bit random at times :) But it really is super straight forward and absolutely beautiful. I've been to pretty much all major main stations in Germany, but Leipzig is the most beautiful by far (even heard that from friends in Munich, Hamburg, Stuttgart which all travel a lot aswell). Also DB is pretty much the only railway company... Which sucks to be honest :D

[@thatonethere722]

Ooooh now I have to comment even before watching... greetings from Leipzig! It's a great place to live ❤

[@volkhardhenschel1863]

The silent train is an electric Inter City Express ICE which is very fast up to 300 kmh or 188 mph. Going 300 kmh inside the train is absolutely silent, talking to each other with normal loudness. European loudness!!

[@scheckenhere7417]

This one is an ICE4 with a top speed of 250 or 265 km/h. Leipzig isn't currently served by the ICE3, the only one to reach 300 so far.

[@SHoltz-pn2sj]

Oh, sitting in a flat in Leipzig and first time seeing this video...i remember that day and was even in the crowd at the beginning😂that blond woman with the white scarf at 1:38 (here)

[@TimoLaine-pv5ph]

Haven't been in Germany for a while, but my choice of fast snack is a rostbratwurst from a street kiosk.

[@Keksemann666]

There are several in that station.

[@TheEmmetdocbrown]

Thats always a good choice! 😊

[@midorishadowwolf8562]

Im really happy to live in a city with such a beautiful train station. I think when the Leipziger Hauptbahnhof was built in the early 19 hundreds it was the biggest terminal station in the world, with its, at that time, 26 tracks. Also, before it was built, there were 2 stations right next to each other where this station is now standing.

[@blondkatze3547]

The Leipzig train station looks really beautiful and so beautifully decorated at Christmas time.

[@angelikazschau1113]

Greetings from Leipzig!! (your pronounciation was pretty good) :-)

[@viviswunderland]

Finally something out of my hometown! Greetings from Leipzig! Glad you liked it and I hope you vicite us. I will gladly show you around. 🤩 By the way, you reacted to the christmas decoration. The Decoration changes for every holiday and in between, we do have some artsy or historical exhibitions, sometimes even concerts. Also, it's the only place where you can shop in most shops every sunday.

[@TGoKovenant]

I live in Leipzig. The main station is just a mall. A nice one. But mainly just a mall. It's also the only place you can go grocery shopping on a Sunday.

[@Muck006]

3:20 That's a christmas decoration ... you have them in a smaller wooden version at home and you put some candles on the outside ... and when you light the candles the rising hot air pushes the wings at the top to make the thing spin.

[@Fochest0r]

They move in the wrong direction

[@duit111]

don't understate it. the NY train station "Grand Central Station" is huge and also beautiful. I've never been there but I've seen videos about it.

[@steemlenn8797]

NY Penn Station once was a great building, too. Fantastic neoclassical train cathedral. Then they made today's joke of a station where there are 2 escalators to get to or from the trains. And of course WTYP has an episode about that: "Well There's Your Problem | BONUS Episode 21 UNLOCKED: Pennsylvania Station"

[@mats7492]

Grand Central is quite big in deed.. im surprised that Ryan is from NYC but has never been inside Grand Central

[@publicminx]

the NY Train Station is just like many classic European Train Stations indeed a great example of the same epoche. But like most Classic Grand Stations regarding size, Leipzig is a bit of a different beast (4 times the area of the Grand station in NY, 10 times the size of the Amsterdam Central Station etc.) ...

[@stevefl7175]

@@steemlenn8797 Well there are 2 big reasons for that with Penn Station. 1 is space is at a much higher premium in Manhattan. And the second is all their trains are below ground. Penn Station does really get tight during rush hour though.

[@steemlenn8797]

@@stevefl7175 There is enough space in that big hall to add enough stairs - or for that matter benches to sit on. Below ground train stations aren't exactly a novel thing. Every heard of the thing called "subway"? It's simply either a big fail in design or intentional discouragement of public transport.

[@Maddie_OnPawz]

As a person from Leipzig I’m proud

[@melchiorvonsternberg844]

Actually, with over 300 comments already made, I didn't want to write anything else. But if you look at the train station where I left last February, you get a good impression of the monumental things that were built during the time of the Empire and what the country once looked like before it fell into ruins 80 years ago...

[@valeriyavitkovskaya3592]

OMG that’s where I live! Saw the thumbnail and recognized it immediately! So cool to see it here

[@Mesonus]

I was born in Leipzig and lived not far away to the main station for the first 20 years of my life. I was away for a week in the early 90s and you can imagine my shock when I returned to find the entire station covered in swastikas and other Nazi symbols. Everything seemed so real and yet surreal, one of the most shocking moments in my life. But a short announcement explained: a Hollywood movie was shot here. At the time, Leipzig's main station was not as modern as it is in this video and could therefore be used as a backdrop for Berlin's main station during the Third Reich for the film Shining Through (Michael Douglas, Melanie Griffith, Liam Neeson).

[@emleyannmoreson1187]

Everytime I watch your videos, i just wanna show you around germany or at least answer your questions to the videos you watch live... I really enjoy your content💪😘

[@JohnDoe-us5rq]

An interesting contrast might be a video about the Berlin central station. That is a rather new one and has a very cool, multi-story layout

[@publicminx]

Berlin has the biggest 'Tower'-Station (which is also the most modern concept or big cities). Berlin also has additional classic train stations like the 'Ostbahnhof'.

[@CoL_Drake]

this hangar is what a normal trainstation looks like all over germany at least. its i think the cheapest way u can have the full platforms covered. they are pretty old but you even have them in every bigger station with a trainstation. so either you have just the train holding open air or u have this "hangars" of course most stations even covered ones have only like 4-8 platforms but the bigger ones have 20

[@winxclubfanboy]

Greetings from a Local of Leipzig 🫡

[@senormatzy498]

Hey cool, my city! Was yesterday on the Hauptbahnhof. Ryan, visit Leipzig if you are some day in germany. Best city in germany 😊

[@mariusrutkaus]

Niiice! I've lived for 7 years in Leipzig. It's Hbf is really impressive.

[@more120girl]

Hi, Ryan love your vids I'm from WI been living in Germany for 10 years I'm from the next town over Halle. There is also a pizza hut and a Dunkin donuts there. An electronics store as well as a pet store I even bought fish from there. I think though (from a tourist perspective) the best part is its in walking distance to id say the 2nd best zoo in all Germany. Absolut tolle Stadt

[@384DeLuXe]

Cool, a long Time i watch your Videos and now you are in my Hometown from this i watching your videos.

[@IsabelleRSG]

I did a one-day outing to Leipzig after New Year last month and went by train and was amazed by the train station as I arrived. It is grandiose and a marvel to photograph with all the industrial details. The city is gorgeous too, going back there in spring now for a long weekend.

[@6Korn6Slipknot6]

Talking about the walking stop sings and the cartoon figures: Some cities or areas indeed use special figures for that: Berlin has it's own style (famous "Ampelmännchen") but I think Leipzig in this video also uses that layout. And the city of Mainz (where the ZDF-TV-Station is located) actually uses mostly the "Mainzelmännchen". I lived there for some years and it's really funny to see them in your every day life. And it is a sympathetic (subtile) way to show that the people and the town are kind of proud on their famous little cartoons :D

[@marcel-rogerfalk2778]

I have been to this train station many times and it is really very beautiful and big.

[@RearAdmiralPeise]

Greetings from Leipzig 👋

[@user-rg2bg1jy5o]

Greetings from Leipzig. I didn't know it was the biggest. 😂

[@snooper1212]

McFlurry's are awesome - but the ice machine is always broken.

[@Brauiz90]

This train station is my destination next saturday to visit my family. I love this station because it has everything you need... and you're right - there are 2 Mc Donald's in this station - one on train level and one is a floor lower in the mall part

[@feindsender642]

3:29 It's a great christmas pyr, a traditional german christmas decoration. An especially in the state of saxony you can find them on most of the public places and almost every flat / house in christmas times

[@marcusplatzer1667]

It's funny, once you live there a couple of years, you don't notice it anymore. What I like best is that you have all kinds of stores under one roof, right next to the train station. Perhaps the station is even a little too practical, as you can do everything without leaving the station. That's a shame because Leipzig has a beautiful city center that you should definitely explore during a visit.

[@queeri_o]

Unfortunately the video doesn't give you a good impression of leipzig main station. You walk in and you'll be stunned about the size and impact of the architecture. Then you walk into the shopping area and will be stunned about the contrast of highly modern and older aspects. Then you walk into the platform hall and your astonishment will hit the roof. Literally. It feels like a mix one of the big european cathedrals and Kings Cross waiting for the Hogwarts Express to depart. I'm there on a weekly base and it gets me every time. So leipzig is worth a trip for the statuon and the city :)

[@MarcoTorrance]

I'm from Leipzig and yea, we love it. =)

[@avmz111]

You can only really experience Leipzig main station on site. The atmosphere is unique, especially when you are there almost alone at night. The birds are house sparrows that live there in the large hall. I mustn't forget to bring sunflower seeds for the little ones next time 🐦...

[@nightmaremoon369]

This is my annual stop when I go to the Leipzig Book Fair.It's always funny with all the anime cosplayers, it's the second carnival.

[@Vaati1992]

06:20 DB (Deutsche Bahn) is the largest rail operator, especially since it has both regional train lines (usually with red wagons, labelled RB or RE + the number) and inter-city train lines (IC or ICE, with the white wagons) Other train operator companies exist, too, of course. They range from publically owned (Hessische Landesbahn aka "Hessian State Rail" HLB) to privately owned (Flixtrain, which is a subsidiary of Flixbus, a long-distance coach company), to international companies that operate in the German market. For example a train line I often take is run by a UK-based company (or rather a Germany-based subsidiary of a UK company).

[@MrHerrS]

A few more additions here: RB / RE stands for RegionalBahn / RegionalExpress which might translate to regional train / regional express train. Each of these RB / RE trains operates in a specfic state and serves all the more or less important cities in that state. The IC / ICE stands for InterCity / InterCityExpress und serves as a connection between mayor cities of all german states. Express means basically fewer stops than the non-express variant. So if you want to travel between the different states in Germany you take your IC / ICE to go to a mayor hub in your destination state and then take the RB / RE to go to the city / municipality you actually want to go. If your destination doesn't have a train station you take the bus for the last part. So you're able to travel to every city / village in Germany. One last comment regarding the different much smaller and often regional train operators. The issue here is, that all infrastructur (train stations, power lines and the train tracks) is owned by subsidiaries of the DB AG and the different train operators have to pay license fees to use the infrastructur. They don't own a seperate infrastructure, except in really rare situations mostly in rural areas with no former or just abandoned infrastructure. So it's a pretty tough business.

[@nbreuer2029]

Munich has the most platforms (36 platforms). Frankfurt has the most highspeed trains per day (25 platforms), Hamburg has the most trains per day (11 platforms) and Leipzig has the biggest train station but not the busiest or the most important.

[@prius_magnus3834]

Leipzig is not only famous because of the biggest Train Station but also for the place of the biggest Battle of Napoleon, where he has been defeated: "Battle of Nations". Unfortunately "Waterloo" became more famous. 🤷‍♂ PS: greeting from Leipzig, sometimes called L.E. (as it is pronounced in German like L.A. in US) 😁

[@michaausleipzig]

And since we Leizpiger are known for being just a little megalomaniac we of course compare ourselves to LA. And how dared they give away the 2012 Olympics to such a minor city like London when we applied! Never forget! Never forgive! 😂😂

[@senormatzy498]

Leipzig best city! Kind regards from Leipzig Reudnitz

[@arnonym42]

DB stands for Deutsche Bahn which is the most common company for the trains

[@kkon5ti]

8:45 it’s the front end of a butcher, which we luckily still have plenty of. They only work in denser populated areas, like (real) cities or the right in the middle of villages. Suburbia and offering freshly cut and prepared meat dont mix well.

[@brunderbergft4196]

I am German and live in Leipzig. I'm lucky enough to see this station every day. Unfortunately, he is no longer as special as he was at the beginning. But still unique and overwhelming. The DB means Deutsche Bahn. Die meiste Zeit unpünktlich. Greetings from Germany

[@AkioHaRdCoRe]

burger king in germany is amazing, by far my favorite fast food place because they grill the burgers when you order them, which means you'll wait like 5-10 minutes for your order but it tastes infinitely better than mcDonalds which most of the time just has burgers lying around kept warm that have been unfrozen like 2 hours ago D: also yes most public toilets here are paid BUT at least at rest stations on the autobahn you get like a coupon that you can use to get some discount on items you buy in the store and they're useable pretty much across the country oh and the toilets are (from my experience) very clean

[@Werfloh]

It‘s much better than Mc Donalds, but after i‘ve seen this one documentation about Burger King some years ago, I haven‘t visited a Burger King again.

[@kiesel2790]

Hehe funny to see you reacting to the train station of my city. I just was there one hour ago :D

[@glaubhafieber]

Since shops are closed on Sundays and public holidays, train stations often have shops inside. Because that’s an exception. In and around stations it’s allowed to open. At least in Switzerland. I’m not german but our rules are very similar

[@AliothAncalagon]

I don't exactly know how it works from a legal point of view, but many of those shops do indeed also open on sundays, although with shorter opening periods.

[@mats7492]

same in germany but only goods that are for "travellers" can be sold. there obviously a wide range what could be considered goods for travellers so most shops in the station will be open.. groceries, alcohol, even clothing.. but not obvious like like furniture etc..

[@Ph34rNoB33r]

Essen Hauptbahnhof has a full size Lidl. Yes, they sell things a traveller might want, but also so much more. Similarly, Düsseldorf Airport has a regular REWE (not the largest, though). Very convenient if you forgot something.

[@mats7492]

@@Ph34rNoB33r yep. but those are crowded af on sundays.. since its the only grocery shop opne on sunday

[@Jeni10]

Aussies call them Stations or Railway Stations. The station that is a hub for all the major railway lines, is called Central Station, which is why the property is so huge. In Sydney Central Station, you can meet up with trains going to many rural areas, but also just switch lines from one suburban line to another, utilising up to 22 platforms.

[@carambolede]

Many trains to the suburbs, or the so-called "local transport" , also depart from the upper platforms. But there is another station under the main station from which only S-Bahn (suburban trains) depart, stopping at various stations in the city and the surrounding area. 9:50

[@Alastor_MS]

as someone living in leipzig, YES the trainstation is very beautiful

[@felixe.6820]

It is pretty cool to see Ryan react to the main station in my hometown. A small fun fact, the measurments of main hall inside on the track level is that hugh, you could fit the RMS Titanic in it and also for both, the bulding started in 1909. And just for Ryan, the McDonalds at the main station was the first in Leipzigs city area. Besides of that, the renovation of the main station was a total sucsess in my opinion, because in the early 90's it was quite more darker and not that welcoming as it appears now. You still could smell the old locomotives driven by steam, it was also pretty dirty. Or better to say, the times of the comunism was seen everywhere.

[@chessnut4886]

Oh Leipzig. That's where I was born and grew up.

[@chessnut4886]

The palms must face forwards, at the stop sign.

[@harovan]

Might consider the same for Germanys biggest airport (Frankfurt). I had a friend from Florida visiting and later she told me, she wouldn't have found her flight back, since it was on a different terminal, where you need to get on a shuttle train.

[@michaausleipzig]

Leipzig!!! Home sweet home!! Love that station, been there many times and wtf?!?! How can an adult say he has never been to a train station! That's something we can't wrap our head around over here... 😅 Wanna know some trivia? The station is not only huge, it's also perfectly symmetrical. That's because it was built as a cooperation between two railway companies and since building the thing in the first place was pretty much all they managed to agree on, everything had to be built twice. It originally had 26 tracks, 1-13 for one company, 14-26 for the other. Now many have been removed cause for the traffic it sees today the station is admittedly massively oversized. The underground tunnel handles much of the local and regional traffic so the platforms above ground in the massive train shed are left with just the long distance trains and a few regional ones, mostly the ones run with diesel trains as they're banned from the tunnel. It's not unusual for German trains stations to basically be shopping centers with a built in railway connection. Leipzig was among the first to be converted this way in the mid 90s. The relatively new Berlin main station was built that way from the start and it's also a pretty cool station. If you wanna see what german station architecture looks like 100years after Leipzig main station was built, check it out. And yeah ... in that station there is a McDonalds, Burger King, KFC, Subway, Pizza Hut and my personal favourite: Rocket's. Didn't know about them before they opened their restaurant in the station, haven't seen one anywhere else but I guess they're a chain too. Anyone know them??

[@AkiAyatoru]

Leipzig! 😱💕 But that's not the biggest train station in Europe or Germany, it's just the biggest terminal station.

[@Watschelinka]

Leipzig ❤

[@franconianbike]

I've been at a autobahn gas station near nürnberg last saturday. The toilet tub said: it's ready to reboot (no kidding, a urinal with a display that was rebooting). wanted to take a photo, but had my smartphone in my car.

[@krccmsitp2884]

0:38 Ok, for now on, it's officially "Lazy Pig" instead of "Leipzig" for me. 😀

[@martinhuhn7813]

I agree! At the reunification they took the car sign "L" away from the city where I was born - just because they were concidered more imporant and maybe because "Lahnstadt" had not been in existence for a while! Look, what it got you, Lazy pigs!!!11!

[@GuardianOfRlyeh]

his final pronounciation was on point, though! ;)

[@OpaSpielt]

​@TimoGockel Depends on what German dialect you use. I use the hard G sound at the end, too. Even when I don't know why, because generally I use the soft ch for ...ig, but with the city name not. 👋🏻👴🏼

[@GuardianOfRlyeh]

@@OpaSpielt indeed. I know people who use "ch" and people who use "g". Lustig -> Lustich, Heilig -> Heilich and so on. Or even with "sch" at the end :D I, personally, use the "g" ;)

[@mangantasy289]

Gotta love the lazy pig 😆 I'm only half german, my tative tongue is luxembourgish wich gives my german a terrible yet very distinctive (at least in the regions close to the border) accent anyway. (Just kisten to luxembourgish politians speaking german - and sometimes english too 😅 - like Jean-Claue Juncker or Xavier Bettel)

[@thomasfranz6467]

Funny to have a Swiss guy complaining at having to pay for toilets lol

[@LtdNulty]

there's a moving decoration thingy spinning right above your head, if i am not mistaken ;-)

[@kevtb874]

I walk through this station every day during the winter months on my way to work. Not a bad start to the day I guess. I've gotten so used to it to me it's just a train station/shopping center/food court. Seeing it with outsider eyes makes me remember it's a remarkable place.

[@Luluxand]

I went from New York to Montreal/Canada by train and as far as I remember the railway station in New York was impressive, too.

[@ineswolf1499]

Sonntags haben dort die Geschäfte offen, nur an Bahnhöfen 😊

[@MetalKara]

I'm from Leipzig and I love our train station! ^^ Yes, its beautiful but first of all... It is clearly laid out! All the tracks are next to each other, so you don't have to do much searching. It's clearly structured and it's very easy to find the exit. And you can see the Tram right outside. I've never had that in any other large train station in Germany. Berlin, for example, also has a lot to offer, but you can easily get lost in their station. Oh! and by the way... There's another difference between the traffic light 'men' in East Germany and West Germany. ;)

[@team-steinbaer]

These traffic lights with the cute guys on it are only in the eastern Germany (the former GDR)

[@tsurutom]

Faulesau ist schon eine schöne Stadt

[@UrielArktos]

As a Original Leipzig Citizen, i must say it is one of our Favorit Places in Town , besides of the Honor-Places of J.S.Bach

[@-Gothicgirl-]

When you look after "Leipzig Hauptbahnhof" then you should after the "Wave Gotik treffen" that is every year in leipzig. And the Hauptbahnhof has a wall in after the renovation. Before it was a only train station. And the most train Plattform are inside. What you see and said look like a hangar is inside platforms. Trains are not loud when they are in a station because of the speed. Outside with more speed they are louder but not that loud like cargo trains

[@nrnexusrising]

I’m not European, I’m a U.S. American and while I know how things work in the US with transport I still find it incredible that he has never been to a train station. US public transport is crap and it only has one passenger rail company, Amtrak, which doesn’t go to many cities, is over priced and has terrible service, but I lived in the rail hub of the country, Chicago, so almost all the trains went through it except the ones that ran along the coasts, but you could get a train from Chicago to connect with those coastal lines if you want. I took the trains to several cities from Chicago Union Station, so I had been to a number of train stations while living there. I’m now an emigrant living in Mexico. No trains, but great long distance buses and walkable cities so I’m more than satisfied. And one other unrelated thing, I find it hilarious when Americans freak out about paying to use a public toilet. They have public toilets here where you might have to pay, but it’s only about half a U.S. dollar which is not going to kill you and I have no problem paying it. Most places like stores or restaurants paying customers use the toilet for free! You find the toilets that require the small payment outside a public institution. And you just keep some change so you can pay. No big deal if you ask me and the women working there keep the toilets clean for you.

[@publicminx]

Train Stations have to be seen different. Berlins Central station (Hauptbahnhof) is the biggest "Tower'-Station (which represents the most modern concept for big cities (less tracks, higher frequency, better traffic exchange, no need to 'manoever' around, more modern business concepts etc.). The Berlin Central Station is a hotspot for everyone who want see an impressive modern station. Leipzig has the biggest 'classic' Central Station by size and should indeed be visited (also the often overlooked 'hidden' parts), because it is the chance to see a really huge classical Central Train Station Cathedral (it covers 4 times the area of the Grand Station in NY, 10 times the size of the Amsterdam Central Station, 10 times the size of Victoria Station in London (just for comparison). Frankfurt/Hamburg have also still 'classic' Central Stations, smaller than Leipzig - but with way more traffic! Munich Central Station (Hauptbahnhof) represents an example of an after-War 1960ties functional modernism (so, no reconstruction) and is for most people just considered as ugly (but it will be substituted soon with a new one). Berlin also has classic stations like the Ostbahnhof (Eastern Station) but if we talk here about 'classic' then for big cities one has to differ. At first you had no Central Stations but rather a couple of decentralized different 'Stations' which were not connected to each other, only representing the connection to a specific destination/direction (often also named after such routes). I mean, you started back then at first with a 'one line' then another (the need to re-organize all such lines to a greater network came later). The old ruin of the Berlin 'Anhalter Bahnhof' is such an example. Such lines were also in Europe at first usually built and managed by private companies (similar to the US) or as kind of joint ventures till later in most cases local or national governments took over ...

[@McGhinch]

You have never paid to use a toilet, but my personal experiences and the pictures and clips I have seen teach me the result. Public toilets in the US were never clean, and the doors to the stalls had gaps between doors and frames where you wouldn't need that alibi of a door to simulate privacy. 🤣 I'd rather pay a little and have a clean installation and where they have the money to make the door wide enough to fill that hole in the wall. By the way, In most cases the fee is very minimal, and while you pay two to four times as much as the fee is, you will receive a voucher to redeem in most of the stores in the venue.

[@AliothAncalagon]

While its true that many free public toilets, for example in the US, might suck, I don't think that should be an argument to say that free public toilets that don't suck are impossible and therefore public toilets have to cost money. Its just a matter of what your priorities are. Good public infrastructure is simply not a priority of US policies, so as a result the public infrastructure, like the toilets, will suck.

[@YukiTheOkami]

i think the gabs in the dors is to prevent drug addicts from fixing inside the puplic restrooms on the otherhand if u u had to pay drug addicts wouldnt use it they need all coins for their drugs and cherry on top u had money to pay a cleaning service lolz so u got it wrong slighty although i dont know how true the anti fixing (maybe anti puplic sex) information is that ive gotten but seams like something the usa would do

[@McGhinch]

@@AliothAncalagon That is not what I mean, this time I wrote it a little disguised. It never ceases to amaze me that a people where almost everybody asks for tips, no matter how small their part of the service is, and almost nobody complains paying tips, nag about the little amount to pay for public toilets. At this time, most often the fee is 20 to 30 Euro cents. And yes, I know that in e.g. Japan public restrooms are free to use and they are clean and have better sanitary installations than Germany, but on the other hand when I compare prices in general in Japan with prices in Germany I'd rather pay for a German restroom -- if I only wouldn't forget the vouchers on my refrigerator door when I hit the Autobahn. 🙂

[@AliothAncalagon]

@@McGhinch Personally I would prefer the Japanese model. Its not even about the paying. Its about having to deal with extra hurdles. Its already annoying when you have to calculate weither you have enough small coins on you to pay the small restroom fee. Having to remember a damn voucher, just because I had to go to the restroom? That will just result in me despising going to public restrooms altogether which shouldn't be the goal of any public restroom model.

[@mrm7058]

The US also had a lot of palace like train stations - but sadly most of them had been torn down

[@LucyKosaki]

I was there a couple times for the yearly book fair, but I didnt even know it was the largest in germany/europe. You would think cities like munich, berlin, paris ect. are larger, but i guess not. Always learning something new~

[@Mapaed]

To add up some further information: The Leipzig main station was built before a central railway system - a nationalized train company was established. (end of the 19th century) One for the "prussian railways" and the other for the "saxonian railways". That is the reason why it has TWO entrance halls. And yes - there is also a massive shopping mall in there. Build after the german reunification of 1990. And this is also the time (until end of 1997) the whole station got an overhall ... and with good maintenance it could kept in good condition.

[@progamertwo-oh-oh-one890]

Of all the train stations in Germany that i have seen, Leipzig is my favorite.

[@srkares]

7:46 didnt intend to comment on it, but now had to: i've actually been to that sushi place as a kid, some 15 years ago (assuming its still the same store). during summer break you can buy special, very cheap ticket as a student (i assume they still exist) that allows you to travel w/o limits in a certain region for the duration of the summer break. not only on trains, but buses and trams too. i believe it depends on your regional public transport network, but mine allowed me to travel all the way from hanover to leipzig. Leipzig Hbf really is beautiful. iirc its also not that hard to navigate from the trains out of the station or vice versa, but navigating the different levels of stores is quite something. best is really to look down from the upper levels. oh and BK is generally better than McD here. or at least used to be, in recent years i've been pretty disappointed by both, as im cooking more and more myself. they still make absolutely divine fries tho.

[@SilverScroll]

DB is Germany's national train operator, and absolutely _dominates_ intercity train travel - you get a few other operators running cross-border services, but the only actual _competitor_ that DB has domestically is Flixtrain (yes, same company as Flixbus who recently-ish bought Greyhound). Things look different in the regional rail sector; there are lots of private companies there that have gained operating concessions from the local transportation management associations (though those do go bankrupt and vanish again from time to time).

[@charles8583]

YOOO GANG I LIVE THERE bro ryan u ma fav youtuber i fw u heavy thank u for reactin to this shi 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@mabus4910]

The reason that the trains in Germany are so quiet compared to what you're used to is because the trains in Germany are mostly electric and in the US they're mostly diesel.

[@tutnixx]

the ice trains runs mostly on electricity, the freight trains you saw run on diesel. thats a big difference in loudness, like a tesla car and a normal car.

[@erebostd]

2:32 obviously, it’s out of safety concerns. Those glass bottles could be used as improvised weapons. And the US doesn’t need *improvised* weapons, what do you think the CCL is for?

[@ayoutubechannelhasnoname6018]

Once you've seen free public toilets in germany you will understand why there is a necessity to have a fee 😂

[@hannah-charlotteoellers7568]

Hi Ryan, actually the pedestrian traffic lights are not the small cartoon guys you see on TV. They come from Mainz and are used there for the traffic lights 🚦 really cute! ❤ I was even wondering why you did not come across Mainz in your videos yet, seems like Mainz is still a secret place. But we have a lot of interesting things here: it’s an old Roman city, birth town of Johannes Gutenberg who invented printing, we have one of the biggest universities, it’s well known for its carnival, BioNTech who invented Covid vaccination is based here, it’s a great wine capital and much more. If you look for a new idea what to react to, go check out Mainz 🙂

[@isuckatguitar6252]

I was shocked when visiting the US that I couldn't drink outside, it's really common where I live, take a bottle of wine down to the waterfront, beach or the park to have a picnic or just a drink & chill with a friend.

[@spiritvoicemind1212]

In Zurich's main station you also pay a little fee. It is always extremely clean there. In my oppinion absolutely worth the price