Flixtrain - Crossing Germany for ONLY 9€

Guten tag!
Flixtrain, the low cost operator, either you hate, either you love it. I saw dozens of opinions regarding Flixtrain and back in 2019, I actually loved Flixtrain, it's a cheap alternative to DB. They've recently introduced a new interior... but is it any good ?
Let's find out!
Enjoy, and don't forget to like/leave a comment to help the channel :-)
- TRIP INFORMATION -
Date: August 2023
Railway company: Flixtrain
From: Frankfurt Südbahnof to Berlin Hbf
Time: 3h54
Price: 9,99€ + 10€ extra
Thumbnail credit : michaelgoll777 aka Vectron X4E on Flickr : flic.kr/ps/2VRLoa
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00:00 : Intro
01:15 : Frankfurt Südbahnof
01:54 : Flixtrain again ?
03:04 : A classic German story
03:52 : Sit back and relax
04:24 : Arrival of the train
04:57 : A new Flixtrain ?
05:50 : Boarding
06:15 : FLIXSAUNA
06:42 : Seat Check
07:24 : 🥵
07:41 : Extra seat
08:02 : 200 km/h - 125 mph
08:49 : Opening the windows ...
09:38 : Mid roll ads
10:09 : Fulda
10:22 : WiFi ?
10:49 : #FensterAuf
11:59 : Walkthrough
13:38 : Toilets Time
14:00 : Fresh air
14:28 : Arrival in Berlin / conclusion
14:53 : Outro

[@avmz111]

The water in car 100 was the emergency water, which is also available on the DB and is given out when the train is very hot or there is a delay. You would have gotten water for free on your journey, which was also announced by the train staff (can be heard in the video). Furthermore, from 1 hour delay, passenger rights would have applied, according to which another train could be used. In the case of Flixtrain, this would mean buying a new ticket (e.g. for the ICE) and then having it reimbursed by Flixtrain, which Flixtrain is legally obliged to do.

[@grantsinsanetravels4330]

I took Flixtrain once and it was two hours late. I wish I had known this when I was studying in Germany.

[@bee_happy9969]

​@@grantsinsanetravels4330Flixtrain is really the worst when it comes to service and delays. It's not to rare, that trains get cancelled and you have to buy a ticket for a ICE with your own money and then need to get the money from Flixtrain back later.

[@Charlizzie]

He can't speak German and Thibault had no clue with this.

[@paulw.woodring7304]

One hour delay, really? Gee, on Amtrak you have to be four hours or more late to get any lateness consideration from them. The equipment situation reminds me of the early days of Amtrak (hand-me-down equipment in uneven condition), although Amtrak never had open-window coaches. I can't imagine being on a train at 125 mph with open windows. I was working for Amtrak 30 years ago when we tested an ICE 1 train set in the Northeast Corridor when they were trying to come up with a design for new equipment (what became Acela), and most thought it was a big improvement over what we had back then (Amfleet I equipped Metroliners). We also had a Swedish X2000 tilt-train set, which was nice as well, but much smaller loading-gauge equipment compared to U. S. standards.

[@avmz111]

@@paulw.woodring7304 If the delay is 60 minutes or more, you can claim 25% of the fare back or cancel the trip and get a refund free of charge. If you are 120 minutes late you are entitled to a 50% refund. This is the legal minimum, although transport companies can voluntarily offer even greater compensation. By the way, I used the ICE unit, which was in the USA in 1993, the last time in August 😉. The interior is of course different today than it was 30 years ago.

[@castlehighschool]

3:12 the reason the trains were delayed during your trip was a truck hitting three of Frankfurt‘s most important railway bridges. Therefore almost all lines had to be withdrawn from Frankfurt Hbf and the Riedbahn and were rerouted via Darmstadt and Frankfurt Süd. The fact that FlixTrain is overtaken by DB trains is simply false (eventhough the CEO of FlixMobility would say something else). The reason why Flixtrains are overtaken by ICEs is simple: fast in front of slow (it is all clearly regulated). In some cases Flixtrains overtakes slower ICE trains. Just remember DB Netz (the owner of the tracks) has to be neutral

[@hanshartfiel6394]

One truck hitting three different bridges? Wow, must have been one mother of a truck.

[@hypernewlapse]

*has to be, clearly is not. also it is very disunctional that db operations and infrastructureare not fully segregated as per EU law like Spain with Renfe and ADIF, so whenthere is a strike by DB it affects everyone which makes no sense and it anti competitve

[@czechmatebro]

i mean for 10€ you can't ask for much, but the second class ICE, which is a very decent way to travel is (also 1 month in advance) only 8€ more expensive. I'd always choose the ICE

[@imawatermelon1439]

Yep, I’ve gotten insanely cheap tickets on some ICEs before. 16€ was the cheapest I’ve ever gotten from Frankfurt to Berlin.

[@czechmatebro]

@@imawatermelon1439 nice!

[@phronsiekeys]

With a fight and a heatstroke case this seems like one of your more eventful rides. A big NO to no AC on an 85F+ day. And definitely on #teamfreashair here.

[@randomtravel4361]

I'll be #teamDB. Any money saved is not worth it

[@Frederick-765]

yes my country is 80+ to 90+degF throughout the year. the weather is unbearable and heatstroke can occur sometimes

[@NerdX151]

Gotta love those old german UIC carriages. They have been in almost every corner of Europe in almost every kind of service, and they are still being refurbished. In terms of interior I prefer the ones that Snälltåget have. They really did an amazing job making them cozy and up to modern standards... but I bet they also paid a great deal more for it than Flixtrain did...

[@liamtahaney713]

Considering an ICE ticket can be had for 19 euros, i personally would never risk riding an un airconditioned train in the summer. With the increased frequency of heatwaves its simply not worth the discomfort. Though an ICE is hardly more likely to be on time at least you will be comfortable when stuck

[@timor64]

ICE aircon is close to useless if the temperature outside is over 30 degrees.

[@flopunkt3665]

​@@timor64falsch

[@paul_ko]

@@timor64 Not with the new ICE 4 and ICE 3 Neo units

[@jaskoscricketos6682]

czechia:

[@mijos3]

@@timor64Better to have some A/C than no A/C

[@trainlagged]

I have a ticket for that train, and I'm very glad now it is for December. Great video!

[@sm6allegro]

You might be in for a disappointment as the windows don't seal properly when closed. Check out Dylan's Travel Reports' video on Flixtrain in Sweden to get an idea.

[@trainlagged]

It is way colder in Sweden than it is in Germany. Flixtrain in Sweden use imported stock from Western Europe, not tailor made for the Nordics as are the vast majority of trains used in that region.

[@sm6allegro]

@@trainlagged I know, they use the exact same carriages everywhere. But it doesn't need to be -10° C for it to be an inconvenience

[@noahb3700]

They don't have AC but they sure do have heating, And they BLAST that stuff. Used it once in January and it felt like a sauna in there

[@1337dingus]

9:20 I took the Flixtrain from Halle to Stuttgart, and the high speed line to Erfurt with all the tunnels was the WORST. The noise was unbearable, thought I was going to lose my hearing that day. In this instance, definitely "team quietness".

[@Jablicek]

Team noise-cancelling headphones here - and even they're little use as the noise carries through your body.

[@iuciubbb]

Nächstes Mal wären Ohrstöpsel nicht verkehrt…

[@timnewman1172]

Well, that sounds like quite the adventure... plus "onboard entertainment", LOL!!! Thanks for the ride, Thibault!

[@genethebean7597]

6:48 Screaming in pain for the cleanliness

[@drivest]

Interesting that the announcement on the train announced that there will be new trains with air conditioning in 2025. Flixtrain itself has not yet made any announcements about this. It will also be interesting to see what kind of trains these will be 🤔

[@andrealauer4493]

Give me the fresh air any day! I have noise canceling headphones 🎶 I think you may have discovered the point at which an operator becomes *too* low cost though. Yes it's a cheap ticket, but that's the only benefit! Less convenient station, uncomfortable dirty seat, no A/C, no wifi, no refreshments available to purchase even, and a big delay. I'd have to be pretty desperate to choose this itinerary

[@theobrattinga500]

Great video !!

[@kevinellis8869]

Totally agree it has to be Team Fresh Air in that heat, could they have been trying to create extra luggage space with the chained off seats?

[@localhorst6822]

Yep, that's exactly what they are used for. After Ryanarification of the interior they left virtually no room for bulky luggage, so these seats are used once the racks are full.

[@basstrip73]

50 years ago these old slam-door coaches didn't have AC...but at least all windows were able to open and I doubt many passengers got heatstroke on hot days. Unbelievable running a train with no AC where only a few windows can be opened!

[@Abnerbandanovotempoinscrito1mi]

Boa Viagem simplys show lindo verde 0:53

[@michaelhall8586]

Wow that’s incredible value!

[@RAILEXCELLENCE2011]

Simply Railway, I will go for #fresh air. Every time I take the AM80 I always leave it a bit open.😊

[@haj8579]

Thanks for the video! 9 Euro for 4 hour trip is super impressive, but I think it was pretty painful for you to be in a train without AC in summer.

[@albertcristian4540]

Romanian railway operator (CFR Calatori) also uses these coaches, in a half-compartament, half normal configuration

[@imawatermelon1439]

Frankfurt Südbahnhof is my local station! Don’t spend much time there in the winter but in the summer I’m there multiple times a day taking various S-Bahn all around the city.

[@scottyerkes1867]

I would love the ttain to have a/c. But the low fare is good. Thanks Thibault👌💚

[@Inkling777]

Sounds like the old adage, you get what you pay for, applies to Flixtrain. That said, there is a place for low-cost A-to-B transport even without A/C or WiFi. We're I rambling Europe again via rail, I'd be using it.

[@sinadiatta9905]

If you're gonna use an Interrail pass, note that Flixtrain isn't included. But you could take the ICE (hell even a RE/RB) and get a better experience

[@dennisud]

The only thing I can say is: You get what you pay for on this line! Reminds me of a few Metro Lines especially in certain cities! That's not a good thing!

[@haufe012]

So no Flixtrain for me at summer, good to know 😅. And btw, the railway crossing in the video after fulda in the small village (where i come from^^) is one 3 crossings left in germany with barrriers that a worked manually so far as i know.

[@ethancampbell6076]

4:09 You know the vibes with the Duplex motor.

[@fp3359]

Team Fresh Air.... 🎄 For people with frail health Flixtrain is an absolute nogo.

[@MLWitteman]

Ok, never travel with Flixtrain 😂 Thank you for this warning video

[@briansivley2001]

I would be #Team Fresh Air. I have Asthma so being in a very hot place can be very dangerous for me.

[@trainsandmodelshungary]

Looooove these carriages, but only as a train fan 😅

[@rezaalan3991]

Talking about Air Conditioning, well in current time is definitely vital for transportation. If that transportation didn't have it, at least all of window can be opened or having ventilation on it.

[@kepckatherinec805]

I’d be on Team Fresh Air. I’d pop in my noise reducing ear buds and enjoy the breeze!

[@MarioFanGamer659]

tfw I recognise the blocked entrance to the S-Bahn platforms which shows that you travelled during the summer holidays (maintenance work happened on that line).

[@cyberi4a]

The only thing I would have liked if I was on that train was the green toilet seat as it showed a touch of fun on the part of Flixtrain.

[@MrThecroatian]

The German autorack train was a cool bonus.

[@profeuphorbe]

je ne savais pas que le low cost férroviaire existait aussi en Allemagne

[@christianfalke121]

Oh man. From what you‘ve shown us it‘s worse than DB ICE/IC nowadays. I won’t take a ride with Flixtraim on these conditions. I stay at DB pay 60€ in advance and get 30€ back while claiming passengers rights with the same train delay. On the other hand getting the chance of sometimes AC, clean waggons and water or paper towels on the toilet 😂. 20€ good extra invest.

[@Andrij_Kozak]

A/C will be introduced in 2025 according to the announcement between 06:42 - 06:57. New coaches will be introduced with A/C in 2025.

[@Xaac1609]

Probably not though, as there hasn't been any order for new coaches and no rolling stock manufacturer in europe has any cpacity left to squeeze anyone in

[@nielsjrgenkruse7307]

Perhaps they expect to take over IC1 coaches, that are replaced by Talgo 230 coaches in DB (and DSB) service.

[@Xaac1609]

@@nielsjrgenkruse7307 For what I've heard most of the IC1 coaches are far beyond their expected service life (with e.g. the Restaurant cars been retired this december) and the romanian railways supposedly rejected a purchase of some IC 1 cars because they were in an unrecoverable bad state

[@sm6allegro]

@@nielsjrgenkruse7307 Sounds plausible. They were actually planning to order new coaches from Transmashholding in 2021 but that fell through for obvious reasons

[@zaciagajacy-warszawiak]

If they want to keep the service as much cheap as possible, lack of AC is understandable

[@dragoner3211]

6:30 the reasons are technical, mostly because of the windows, which can be opened, making the A/C useless

[@zaciagajacy-warszawiak]

if a train has AC, windows would have locks then, this is usual case for public transport vehicles having both large openable windows and AC, windows are locked by staff during summer season

[@BengtHansves]

#Freshair ! Old school Inter Rail Style ! ;-)

[@timor64]

I took Flixtrain in the late summer of 2018. Looks like new carriages but exactly the same experience. Dirty, noisy, hot.

[@telquad1953]

#GoTeamFreshAir !!!

[@paulthiel5145]

Missing the fight images in the footage 😅. Also, who won? 😆

[@Charlizzie]

9:14 Well, I can be quiet while smelling the fresh air at the same time. It was the old days before AC trains came in. I hope the passenger got heat stroke is fine now.

[@johnbowyer6902]

It seems that Flixtrain is the Ryanair of rail travel. No thrills or amenities.😮

[@zacklewis342]

A free boxing match seems like a thrill. 😁

[@christiann5903]

Well at least Ryanair has air con…

[@falconheavy809]

Also, Flixbus and Greyhound here in the states.

[@aqvamarek5316]

When you do the seat check, the german voice in the background announce AC for new trains and wagons in 2025. So it seem's, you need to book in 2 years again.

[@mrvwbug4423]

so they run just as late as DB does haha. I always found that funny, Germany is known for its efficiency, but the trains are ALWAYS late. Flixbus is actually operating in the US now, I have to wonder if Flixtrain might pop up running some old Amtrak or VIARail hand-me-downs.

[@ft6066]

If you want CHEAP, you got it! Enjoy and don't complain!

[@the_mcmartin]

I prefer team #freshair with earplugs/ANC earphones. Best of both

[@randomtravel4361]

Delays aside, what is the Flixtrain regular fare and compared to DB? I lucked out riding an A/C train in China years ago... with A/C not working, no open windows, and fully packed to the point I stood 3 hours until reaching the destination. How I survived that is still beyond me.

[@alexejvornoskov6580]

Its cheaper, i looked up Berlin to Munich - its about 20€ cheaper if using cheapest option from both(notice - you have to plan ahead, as if you wish to buy a ticket for next day, its going to cost you way more, like 100€ more on DB side and 60€ on Flix side - which isnt affordable in any way, so better buy them month before or something like that). But on other hand it takes 4 hours longer (10 vs 6) to reach your destination. So if you are broke, then its an good option, otherwise you do lose a lot of time that you could have spent otherwise. So it depends on your priorities.

[@sollte1239]

That depends. If you book DB months in advance, you get DB Tickets for 20€ and Flixtrain tickets for 10€. But I personally would also have to buy a ticket from my hometown to the town where the Flixtrain starts and that would be another 6 € and in the DB Ticket would already be included. If you buy a DB Ticket only a week or day before the trip, DB Tickets can be extremely expensive (up to 200€) and I think Flixtrain tickets will not cost more than 60 €.

[@rogercasoliva1571]

In Spain with 8€ you can go from BCN to madrid high speed

[@amtrakharry]

Well Mr. Simply the price was excellent, the cars were nice looking. Though with no "air conditioning" DB would get my business. I'm to old for that crap in today's weird weather...😂😂😂

[@tyteen4a03]

Flixtrain is a great option when the temperature is below 20C.

[@mariaagustinagomezalessio7284]

It's a pity that it has so many delays and bad service, it would be very good competition for DB.

[@liamtahaney713]

It's literally no better than DB. They're profoundly terrible.

[@shiraharataurus1414]

Regarding to delays, the DB and Flixtrain are the same. They share the same track capacities.

[@bee_happy9969]

​@@shiraharataurus1414But at least you can take any other train without buying a new ticket when travelling with DB

[@DiesnerC]

@@shiraharataurus1414 they are not unfortunately. Flixtrain pays less for the train path to save money resulting in a really low priority for their service. If there is trouble on their route and the track is at capacity, it can well be that even freight trains are given priority. This combined with summer temperatures and no A/C can be a very unpleasent experience because the train might be standing an hour in the sun until they are given passage.

[@shiraharataurus1414]

@@DiesnerC Make sense. I think, under the German scheme, low cost means low priority, because they share the same tracks. What I only know is that one way to cut costs for the path is to be diverted via the classic line, like the former Izy between Brussels and Paris. But sometimes they can return to the same starting line, though - like track being closed by federal police due to unauthorized persons, or path being blocked by another delayed/broken down train, or whatsoever.

[@ringo7561]

Do Eurail and Interrail passes work on Flixtrain?

[@alexejvornoskov6580]

Nope.

[@falconheavy809]

I am concerned about this due to flix's coach bus service here in the states.

[@TheWillSlane]

My english is not good enough to told you, why this cars are running whitout A/C. So i apologize for doing that in my mother tongue german. 😉 Bei den Wagen mit den Flixtrain fährt handelt es sich hauptsächlich um alte Interregio-Wagen der DB, welche in den 70er und 80er Jahren ohne Klimaanlage beschafft wurden. Diese war dafür auch nie vorgesehen, insofern sind diese Wagen auch nie dafür ausgelegt worden. Das macht einen nachträglichen einbau sehr aufwendig und teuer. Als die DB ihre IC-1 Flotte das letzte mal redisigned hat, gab es Überlegungen auch diese Wagen mit einer Klimaanlage nachzurüsten. Das wurde jedoch verworfen, da dafür die komplette Elektrik der Wagen hätte getauscht werden müssen, um eine Klimaanlage überhaupt mit ausreichend Strom versorgen zu können. Hinzu kommt, das der Fahrgastraum hätte (in der Deckenhöhe oder der nutzbaren Fläche) verkleinert werden müssen, um Platz für die Klimaageräte zu schaffen. Das alles hätte in Summe dazu geführt, das die Wagen deutschlich schwerer geworden wären und somit eine neuzulassung der Bremsanlage durch das Eisenbahnen Bundesamt (die Aufsichtsbehörde der deutschen Eisenbahnen) erforderlich geworden wäre. Das bedeutet in Summe nichts geringeres, als den wirtschaftlichen Totalschaden für diese Wagen. Insofern wundert es mich nicht, das auch Flixtrain die Klimaanlage nicht nachgerüstet hat.

[@davethebrave2459]

Sehr guter Kommentar ,danke für die Aufklärung.Ich habe Flix Train schon mehrfach genutzt, das letzte mal Do nach B und zurück ,das ganze für schlappe 25 € .Soviel Geld,soviel Musik.Die Leute sollten vielleicht leise weinen....😅und so nebenbei Fakt ist das die Klimaanlagen im "tollen" ICE auch bei höheren Außentemperaturen ausfallen..also was solls.

[@TheWillSlane]

@@davethebrave2459 Fairer Weise möchte ich aber erwähnen, daß diese Ausfälle (auch wenn die Medien dies anders suggerieren) tatsächlich deutlich weniger geworden sind. Klar passiert dies immernoch zu oft. Aber verglichen mit den letzten Jahren, hat sich durch die Anschaffung der ICE 4 und 3 Neo die Lage merklich entspannt. Aktuell sind es eher die "üblichen Verdächtigen" bei denen immer wieder die Klimaanlage ausfällt und bei denen es auch keine einfachen bzw zügigen Lösungen gibt, um dem zu begegnen.

[@stefanv9660]

Freshair team😄.....I hate them people who always complain about open windows.

[@DeusWizard]

Team #freshair 😄

[@patoaks3148]

Nous avons voyagé à 4 de Bâle (Basel Bad Bhf) à Berlin en août : retard conséquent. Eau embarquée pas distribuée, WiFi OK, fenêtres ouvertes en partie pour ménager tous les passagers. Bilan : moins de 40 EUR à débourser pour un père de famille, ça vaut la peine ! Retour Berlin-Bâle : Flixtrain à l'heure, WiFi OK, A/C en partie actif (notre voiture était plus fraîche), personnel aimable et sympathique : satisfaction maximale pour 40 EUR à quatre. Prévoir à boire, manger, prendre un brumisateur, des bouteilles d'eau mises au congélateur la veille et la chaleur est supportable. De bons écouteurs ou des tampons auriculaires sont à recommander. Pour un prix aussi bas, je repars n'importe quand !

[@PtrkHrnk]

How many seats are there, hundred?

[@brilliantroads]

I have yet to travel with a Flixtrain, but I will surely consider it. I think Flixtrain is offering something bigger companies fail to offer: Affordalbe public transport (I mean, DB can be good in terms of price when ordered well in advance) but not for these prices.

[@alexejvornoskov6580]

I just checked Berlin - Munich. Yeah, DB cost 20€ more(or 100 on some connections for some reason, but no need to choose them) but it only 6 hours vs 10. So it question what you value more, your time or money.(and rest of things like AC, etc.). On shorter connections on other hand it actually make sense to choose neighter if you have Deutschlandticket, as then it comes at no extra cost, but again at loss of time, as you might have to change trains. On other hand, to even take the Flixtrain you might have to take a local train from your city to another anyway, as it doest connect many of pretty major cities - even if your city has an ICE connection.

[@Efe06_34]

In German train stations do they also make announcements in English or just in German because if it’s just in German, then I would be finished. I can’t even imagine my anxiety in that situation.

[@Valor115B]

During the Seat Check, the german announcement explained that there will be no A/C on Flixtrain trains until 2025, when they will grab new(er) rolling stock just fyi

[@markmoore5345]

Oh man that Paco's crossing was frikkin awesome. What a life and thank you so much for sharing it. Dude i am digging this so much.

[@ClovenCake]

#teamfreshair

[@ralphzechendorf1644]

Back when i traveled by plane during a few years, i made 5 flights on low-cost carriers (Ryanair, WizzAir, Vueling)... they were never as horrible as what is shown on this video :s Low cost train is great idea, but still needs to cate to people's needs. But then of course, is it still possible to have a reliable journey in Germany ????

[@davethebrave2459]

You get what you paying for, thats it.Ich gehe davon aus das du Deutscher bist.Wenn man von Dortmund nach Berlin ,für den Gegenwert eines Grilltellers fahren kann,dann sollten die Ansprüche auf Beförderungspflicht,Sitzplatz und eventuell Pünktlichkeit fixiert sein.Für alles andere gibt's Die Bahn.

[@Peugeot306]

Team #freshair

[@rezaalan3991]

Great trip. Fresh Air team for sure, if you want quietness, pay more for higher class of train or another transportation, or even better stay at home. Flixtrain is feels like Ryanair on Rail because they choose less known station outside main one for affordable station slot

[@shiraharataurus1414]

Frankfurt South is, however, in my opinion, not so less known. Some ICEs use this as a through station, skipping the terminating Frankfurt Main Station. Some regional trains also begin or terminate here if it's not able to access the Main Station (construction works, etc.). Oh, and this FLX10 runs from Basel or Stuttgart via Hanau and Erfurt, so it should bypass the Frankfurt Main Station.

[@rezaalan3991]

@@shiraharataurus1414 oh nice information.

[@RAILEXCELLENCE2011]

Beau train FLIX.🤩

[@sullybully]

Oof, I did eight hours on that train this summer. _It was such a blast???_ 💀

[@ani0081]

14:04 hmm... Some ppl!

[@YTnightspotter]

Fun fact recently i saw a flixbus

[@keigo50]

The train conductor said that "Untill 2025 there will be no cars with ac bc of technical issues, then theres gonna be new rolling stock"

[@roger0929]

Team #NotCheap

[@simonpilk]

Team #freshair every time..

[@user-bv7zo6vd4m]

I don't know exactly how the conditions were, but overall I think during the night I would have been in team #Quiteness

[@Cali-707-ica]

#freshair, that’s why I always travel with noise canceling headphones.

[@mx338]

Well, I will stick with the ICE, luckily I got a BahnCard 100.

[@Jorge-tl8sg]

I used flixtrain two times, ome time it was also heavy delayed and with one waggon less, so many people had no seats. Also both time nearly every toilet was out of work and closed. Its also crazy how much the waggons are shaking at 200 km/h So all in all I'm really no fan of flixtrain😅

[@telemaquegrigoriou7209]

Il me semble qu'à une époque Flixtrain avait pour projet de venir en France. C'est tombé à l'eau cette affaire ?

[@Brauiz90]

Passengers fighting over fresh air or quietness... Those people don't want to pay much (maybe because they don't have much money) and then they're still fighting? Well... not a pleasant yourney, but okay if those things don't happen... I always travel in ÖBB (Railjet) or DB (ICE) trains, there are quiet zones/cars and there's A/C (when it works, which isn't guaranteed in germany)

[@philkeeve6577]

So why does DB have so many issues with delays? I would think this would be a priority to address if it isn't already. Just curious as a clueless American. Thank you!

[@th60of]

It's complicated, but the gist of it is that a lot went wrong in the process of privatization. They took the approach of saving at every possible corner to make the company profitable, which resulted, among other things, in poor maintenance and a lack of long-term investment (the German language has the word "kaputtsparen", economizing on something until you have broken it). Investing in infrastructure, which is indeed now happening, will, for the foreseeable future, lead to even more delays, due to the number of construction sites.

[@roger0929]

Capitalism is the problem.

[@bjm676]

If the boarding doors were broken isn't that a bit of a safety issue? I guess you get what you pay for

[@berlinerbudapesti]

Probably technical reasons - the refurbishment of old trains is tricky if an operator wants to keep the license of the old rolling-stock and avoid re-approval which is almost impossible with 50+ year old rolling stock.

[@AndrewG1989]

What if FlixTrain anyway. Is it a low cost rail operator similar to Lumo and other low cost rail companies in Europe. Mind you the FlixTrain locomotives are very nice.

[@rojek6975]

2:05

[@maxart3392]

You get what you pay, it's a Ryanair (or Wizzair if you prefer this one) on tracks. Just a few remarks: it's difficult to judge the cleanliness if you don't board at the departure station but at an intermediate one (just imagine that someone could have spilled a nasty liquid on your seat just minutes before arriving to Frankfurt and then get off the train - no way of cleaning it). The AC problem will have to be addressed in the near future and as to the delay - remember Amtrak? That's what happens when you don't own the tracks, especially if you're competition to the one who does own them. No way they would give you any priority at any time, so it isn't even necessary all Filxtrain's fault. I wouldn't mind taking it, on some routes it can be even faster than ICE due to less stops.

[@DiesnerC]

The priority of the train is primarily a question of what you are goint to pay. It's like shipping a parcel. Pay more, it will be quicker. Flixtrain saves money on that which ist kind of understandable. However it is not the fault of DB Netze, the infrastructure company

[@wasmic5z]

DB Fernverkehr doesn't own the tracks. DB Netze does. They both have DB in the name, but they're different entities. DB Fernverkehr also has a very bad on-time performance. But the reason why Flixtrain is even worse, is because they don't want to pay as much for their timeslots. This results in a lower priority, so sometimes Flixtrain trains get held back in favour of freight trains.

[@lb2791]

High cost is really not the problem of DB intercity trains imho. Prices are very reasonable if you book in advance. It's the terrible reliability and lack of punctuality which makes the experience terrible a lot of the time. Both of which Flixtrain doesn't really improve upon. Only more investment in the track infrastructure can fix this.

[@taylorsmith4758]

#freshair

[@Blunt_Hunter]

no A/C in trains while summer heat should be illigal

[@teotik8071]

You could pay me and I would not travel with anything FLIX offers.

[@paulthiel5145]

Same

[@fp3359]

Free seats for the secret service? I saw suspects in your film. +- 13.00

[@markmoore5345]

Hey brother I'm from a small town in the Oregon high desert and I'm sorry I didn't catch on to you till three days ago. I've been power watching your videos and love them very much. I took Amtrak from Portland Oregon to Tampa Florida with two little girls 🥴. What a trip but I cherish the memories from thirty five years ago. It was great and I love Amtrak. I'm a subscriber now and will keep following your adventures. Thanx bud and safe travels..

[@Iuliano99dmg]

#freshAir

[@danielayancheva5234]

In northern Germany you really need A/C only 4-5 days in a year. There is no point to add A/C especialy on coaches 50 yo, that originally don't have it. It's a huge investment with very little return on investment. And on top of that it's a low cost company. If you want all the extras you can have it, but the price wont be 10, it'll be 100 or more.

[@marcbloom7462]

Which Frankfurt? There are 2 large cities by that name.

[@Blunt_Hunter]

Frankfurt a.M Süd

[@roger0929]

Frankfurt a/d Oder is a large city????? LOL I guess the medium-sized city I live in is a huge metropolis since it has nearly 4 times the population of that one.

[@thomaswallace479]

Wouldn't hurt to hand out inexpensive earplugs.

[@IndyGuy65]

I would like to see train service grow in the US but if trains are more than an hour late, have temps that endanger health and are dirty, people won't ride them.

[@roger0929]

That's what people constantly say about Spirit Airlines/Ryanair/Wizzair and yet their planes are usually fully booked.

[@IndyGuy65]

@@roger0929 True. I am the one weird person who refuses to fly Spirit after 1 miserable experience.

[@raycrou8837]

I didn't know about Lufthansa - DB combination tickets. I'm gonna take this on my trip to Berlin as I fly into Frankfurt anyways but I'll do flixrain someother time