Berlin

Train to Berlin

I am now rushing at high speed from Hanover to Berlin.  The train rocks with the corners.  The bridges sound like rushing water. The forests are thick, tall, straight, brown poles with green tops stretching to the sun.  

I managed to get on the right train - thank you entrance kiosk - sit in the right wagon and in the right seat - thank you the the six foot businessman who spent no time after seeing my ticket.  Politely but authoritatively down there, mid-way.  The Train is going in that direction (no there is a question I didn’t;t think to ask, but it doesn’t matter.  Your seat is your seat regardless which way it faces.

It’s a direct train, but the cattle run.   I remember now:  first class was 7:00 am.  Second Class, no food service, was 10:00 am.  I’d rather go hungry than rush first thing in the morning. I chose 10:00 am. $181.00 Canadian.  Four or so hours.

The cattle run has been quite enjoyable and entertaining - lots of small towns, farms, wonderful architecture of stuccoed small houses.  An amazing variety of people: tattooed, pierced bellies with crop tops; a stately gentleman with long trench coat, long red and a variety of yellow plaid scarf, a fedora -  yes! Really a fedora!  Mum’s with bags of cookies for energetic youngsters. A bearded  business man typing away.  Grandmothers on their way to visit grandchildren for the weekend.  

All the while sun pours in on screen and me.

The views on our way to Berlin.  The photos are from an iPhone against the train window.  The phone does a great job but sun on the windows leave a few glares

We  pull away from Amsterdam.

Terschuur

Milower Land

Put this near the “find your train car explanation.  When the train pulls in, look on the car lower down, beside the door.  You should see something like the below - call number: IC 145, departing city: Amsterdam, arrival city: Berlin  and the car number: 27.  All the trains are different location around the door, different layout but the same information. 

Keep your wits about you,  Trains stop for a very short time.  Get your luggage and yourself organised and at the train exit door before the train stops.  You risk missing your station otherwise because the incoming passengers really are not worried about you,  They want to get on before the time is up.  Luggage - above you and sometimes at the entrance.  In the newer first class some seats allow storage of a brief case or carry on behind the seat.  First come, first served.  If you insist on travelling with a huge suitcase, note that you have to lug it up the steps of the train including the gap from the platform.  You have to find a place to store it.  I saw one woman spend the whole four hours she was on the train moving her suitcase out of the way of passengers getting off and on.  If you put store your suitcase on top, make sure you put it in the shelf with the lip of the shelf in front of the bag otherwise it will fall on someone.