Flixtrain in Germany, the more affordable intercity trains. What it's like to travel by Flixtrain?

[@DeutscheBahnKoeln]

The blocked seats are for bigger luggage, which can´t be placed overhead. The boxes in Waggon 100 are for the so called "emergency water", since Flixtrain offers no AC. If the Trains break down in a hot summers, every passenger gets 1Liter of Water.

[@Trainviking]

Aaaahhh very useful to know, thank.you so much for letting us know.

[@oldbutgoldmusiknostalgie]

I go to a boarding school in the south of germany, while living in Berlin (~6hr train ride). As Flixtrain is sometimes way less expensive (for example sometimes Flixtrain costs like 35€ and DB costs like 100€...) I often use Flixtrain. Also Flixtrain stops at the city nearby (20 min. S-Bahn ride), while DB is usually from a city a bit further away (~35-40 min. S-Bahn ride, one change). I always had a good experience with Flixtrain. They are usually on time (not like DB...) and they are not too uncomfortable. Also Flixtrain has been great when DB was on full strike... btw.: on Flixtrain you always get a reserved seat (like on an airplane), so no standing when the train is a bit fuller (like on DB).

[@erik_griswold]

Hamburg Hauptbahnhof is quite busy and large so if I can use the Harburg or the Altona stations, I do.

[@Trainviking]

Hauptbahnhof is crazy indeed, I haven't featured Altona yet on this channel, if it's possible that will be my next Hamburg station review 😀.

[@joshablatzheim9075]

Last year I travelled with them from Basel Bad Bhf to Berlin HBF and back. I am a Musician, Classical Tenor Singer-Violist-Panflutist,and a Composer also, I am an Performer in Classical Music,as I compose Alternative Music, had this time my "Viola", not the Panflute,had a Concert "Voice+Viola". DB was really too expensive for me, wanted to spend a bit money from the Concert salary, since after Corona-Time, and also the Concerts are not getting 'paid",like in the past, so just by the way. I booked "two seats", the "other "one for my "Viola", because the Overhead compartments are most of the time "full‼️🤷‍♂️", so that's why, that I could have my Instrument next to me‼️ even of the Event taking a nap, and that no one can steal my Instrument! BUUUUUT: Flixtrain took my "second Seat" away, as well Basel-Berlin, and Berlin-Basel as well😳‼️ Thank God, there was on both train rides 🚂 enough space for the Instrument, even I had to watch out of catching an eye, and thank God, it was right above my head!!!😬🙏 BUUT STILL: I was and still I am, mad‼️‼️‼️ So I personally decided, not taking Flixtrain in the Future for me anymore!!! But besides the the 2nd Seat taking away, and with an Instrument 🎻=💎 , it is so far ok 🚂=👍 with them. Thank you for interresting and wonderful done KZbin Trailers!!! All the best 🍀🍀🍀🚂 Goetjes Josha 🙋🇪🇺🇩🇪 to🇪🇺 🇳🇱

[@notroll1279]

I took three rides with Flixtrain this May - and it wasn't good. I really wanted to like and support them because I like David vs. Goliath themed small competitors to legacy monopolists. However, the trains were not clean (even on the start of the line in the morning). Both evening trains were almost an hour late - in one case due to "repair works on the train" (nobody else to blame here...). The cabin noise level was very high, there was no aircon (with opening windows at top speeds at around 200 kph being no option). On the last trip, the delay was initially forecast to be a whopping 100 minutes (due to said repairs), so I tried to call Flixtrain about a refund if I took a DB train instead. I only reached a taped message that I was calling after their business hours. So while Flixtrain is a lot cheaper than Deutsche Bahn, you do pay a price as the experience can be significantly worse.

[@Trainviking]

That doesn't sound good. Thanks for sharing with us. To be honest, I'm absolutely in favor of DB. Competition might be good to keep everyone focused however i also do have very strong doubts about it, especially when different state owned railway companies try to compete (look what's hallening in France, Spain and Italy, a entire different topic on its own). However what I also noticed for example in France, is that competition by starte owned railway companies has learned that that budget travel isn't always the answer. Back to this subject, it's a pitty to see delays being caused by maintenance issues, I guess having a small fleet might cause this. I guess we really have to try to see how Flixyrain is developing over the next couple or years, including their expansion. And from 2025 / 2026 it might be worth another video from my side where I include your story as well.

[@notroll1279]

@@Trainviking I still think small competitors can be good if done right - I never tried Lumo in the UK myself but watched positive reviews about them that looked legit as Lumo are using new train sets and not clapped out old ones.

[@lexburen5932]

you always have these individualistic cases.

[@notroll1279]

@@lexburen5932 Oh, look at trustpilot or reports about delay statistics. There is a pattern of unreliability, massive delays, a thin timetable to take passengers to their destination once their booked train is delayed or cancelled and poor access to their call centre and refund policies. Do some research and you'll find this is beyond anecdotal.

[@TheMaartian]

It looked like the load factor was very high, so Flixtrain must be offering good alternatives to DB. Do you have any information on their timeliness? Do the suffer from fewer delays than DB?

[@Trainviking]

Honestly I have no idea about delays. However many delays are network related, so I guess this would be pretty much equal.

[@Travelagent]

They are often as delayed as the DB trains....!

[@omn30]

Flixtrain trains are notoriously untimely, with even DB looking good in comparison. It's very common to see Flixtrain trains with 60+ minutes of delay.

[@TheMaartian]

Good to know. Thanks.

[@PtrkHrnk]

What type of camera do you use?

[@Trainviking]

I'm using a gopro (I think 11)

[@PtrkHrnk]

@@Trainviking I doesn't really show, I'm afraid. Especially the stabilisation is kinda weak.

[@rimcodaamen8711]

Bedankt voor de informatieve video ! Zit er airco in een flix train?

[@joshablatzheim9075]

No they do not have , but you can open the Windows 🥵

[@simonpilk]

I made a journey in January 2024 from Berlin Hbf to Hamburg Hbf and I was not very impressed at all. The train was externally filthy which wasn’t a good start. I had chosen my seat at the end of the coach and the quality of seat was terrible as it was very hard indeed and very uncomfortable indeed. The toilet was fine and quite clean and tidy which was a good thing. There was utterly no form of refreshments on boards, no trolley, no vending machines either, just nothing. Timekeeping of Flix makes DB look very punctual as after any distance of the journey the train just get later and later. The lady that came round checking tickets was just surly and really unwelcoming. A short distance maybe but anything of any distance it gets a big NO from me.

[@Trainviking]

That doesn't sound nice. I agree having something where you could at least buy some snacks would be very much appreciated, even if it would be a vending machine. And the comfort, well for the journey I did its fine but much longer, rather not. Personally (and I'm really picky on money) I would rather pay a bit more and travel with DB, however this also depends on circumstances, what the actual difference is, travel time, etc.

[@simonpilk]

@@Trainviking it was not a very good journey from certain angles and the fact of no refreshments at all, even water is a bad situation in many ways, especially not being able to purchase so,etching for people who might have medical conditions such as diabetes or pregnant women who might not have the luxury of purchasing food etc before boarding. Flix cannot compete at all with the likes of RegioJet who are superb. Their product is far superior than Flix for a start NS their prices are excellent and are MUCH more comfortable.

[@oldbutgoldmusiknostalgie]

​​@@TrainvikingThey actually had that you could by snacks and drinks in the conductors compartment, but they shut this down during covid and never brought it back...

[@bestoftiktok628]

Possible de prendre ce train avec le ticket du mois 49€ ?

[@Trainviking]

Le billet à 49 € est valable uniquement sur les trains régionaux.

[@joshablatzheim9075]

​@@Trainvikingand "only DB" and Regional Cooperating Train Companies like "Nordwestbahn", "Hanse Bahn", "Vlexx Bahn".etc. 49 € Ticket is also neither for "IC/EC", nor for "ICE" valid, and for sure not for "Flixtrain ".