From Arnhem to Berlin on the train – that was our adventure this summer. Driving is often easy and convenient to nearby countries from the Netherlands, so it’s usually our preferred option. This year we decided to do something different. Taking the train was a break from our normal means of travel for our summer break. So is travelling from Arnhem to Berlin by train something I’d do again?
Book in Advance
I booked our travel nearly three months in advance with Treinreiswinkel, but you can also book direct with Deutsche Bahn. The earlier you book the cheaper it is. We had plenty of options in terms of connections and times. I opted for first class travel as it wasn’t much more than the regular tariff.
Then it was a question of waiting until the end of July came around.
International Train
Our first train was from Doetinchem to Arnhem. A broken down train on the line to Arnhem caused momentary stress as we saw minutes ticking away until our train was due to leave in Arnhem, but we arrived on time (tip number 1: leave ample time between connecting trains).
The travel from Arnhem through to Deventer was seamless. Here we awaited our international train, a Deutsche Bahn InterCity (IC), to Berlin Ostbahnhof. Incidentally, this route starts in Amsterdam, so it’s possible to go direct from the Dutch to the German capital by train. There is also a sleeper train from Amsterdam to Berlin.
In any case, our IC was slightly delayed, but what’s a few minutes between friends?
1st Class to Berlin
The five of us found our carriage, located our seats and made ourselves comfortable. I, inexperienced train traveller that I am, was pleasantly surprised to find the first class seats are actually in closed off compartments with seating for six. There was one passenger already seated in the compartment. He was busy on his laptop with cultural stuff – looked interesting in any case…..but I obviously wasn’t snooping.
In first class, the seats are adjustable, there is good leg room and it is quiet.
We unpacked the necessary items for the journey: my library copy of Yellowface, water bottles, some snacks, Exploding Kittens, mobile chargers (there are plugs and WiFi in the compartments) and a good dollop of excitement for our trip to Berlin.
Hot, Hot, Hot
It became apparent to the one member of the family whose telephone was already empty of juice that the phone wasn’t charging. That is to say that the sockets weren’t functioning. As the compartment got warmer and warmer, we realised that the airco wasn’t working either. Our co-traveller told us it had all been working fine before the train stopped in Deventer.
The train crew then announced they had reset the system hoping to rectify the problem in some carriages. However, as our airco and sockets kicked back into life the announcement came that the issue had not been solved in some other carriages. This meant that passengers couldn’t legally sit in them because of the high temperatures. NS staff ‘rehomed’ passengers where possible, or advised them to board a connecting train when we got further into Germany. In other words, we were luckier than some other passengers in having a hassle free train ride to Berlin.
Dutch to German
Just before the German border, our NS Dutch train driver said his farewells, and his German DB colleagues replaced him. Now we were really on holiday. Months of Duolingo practice was already proving handy as the German crew relayed information over the tannoy.
Time for a few rounds of Exploding Kittens and some cheese rolls, as we raced deeper and deeper into Germany.
In Berlin for Tea Time
We arrived (half an hour later than scheduled) in Berlin, at the Hauptbahnhof. We got our gear, exited the train and headed off down the platform in search of the tourist office, as we wanted to ask some questions about the Berlin Welcome Card.
First observation was that the station is GINORMOUS. I don’t travel often by train anymore, but Berlin’s main station dwarfed any London station I have been to. It was vast. And the tourist office wasn’t signposted anywhere. There was much wandering, much frustration and much uttering of Schieße, not language picked up with Duolingo I hasten to add. Eventually we found it next to the main entrance and joined the long, slow queue of tourists.
Long story short, we got our Berlin Welcome Cards. This was something I spent a long time researching. It is only worth buying if you intend to do and see a lot in Berlin. And that was certainly our plan! (Tip number 2: do your research – information is online and the card includes public transport costs, so definitely worth looking into).
So How was Travelling from Arnhem to Berlin by Train?
It was convenient, time passed relatively quickly and we were reasonably comfortable. The journey was over six hours. There was enough space for our luggage, but we travelled quite lightly. We were not on an ICE, which is a faster train, so the journey can be done more quickly than we did it in. The route was scenic, and we entertained ourselves. I am sure the other passengers who had the inconvenience of moving carriages, or even trains, may not be quite so positive about their journey. However, I am positive about our experience. Taking the train was definitely less stressful and tiring than driving, taking the inevitable holiday traffic and jams into account. And it beats flying hands down!
I would certainly do it again.
Over to You
Share your train travel experiences below, or your reasons to avoid trains!
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