Help getting from Amsterdam to Hamburg for a novice?

I'm from the states and not familiar with using public transportation. I need to get from Amsterdam to Hamburg on July 29th. Would the following be easy to navigate with one large suitcase? Place to store suitcase on train? Is the short time switching trains a concern? Easy to navigate the switch Osnabruck if I don't speak German? Finally, should we purchase 1st class for a Friday mid-day ride? Thank you in advance.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

If that transfer time will work will depend on how large the station is, whether your will have to navigate stairs, and how well you can handle your suitcase.

Based on friends who have traveled by train, expect no special place for your suitcase and no one to help you with it.

This site is an excellent one for information about using trains in Europe. You might find some answers there.

For instance

http://seat61.com/Europe-train-travel.htm#How_long_to_allow_for_connections_between_trains

17 minutes should be OK to switch.

Luggage storage is a problem in our trains. On weekends you could experience crowds, and it is also the main travel time here as kids are on summer break from school. I would prefer first class and reserve seats on the trains.

If you need to catch a ship in Hamburg please go a day earlier and stay in a Hamburg hotel. There is lots of construction going on in the German railway system this year and your train might have some delays because of that.

You could also catch a direct KLM flight from Amsterdam to Hamburg several times per day which gets you to Hamburg in about one hour and is not much more expensive than the train.

Indeed better take a plane. KLM as well as Eurowings fly Amsterrdam-Hamburg direct.

It might be cheaper to book a return ticket (book a ficticious day about 1 or 2 weeks later) and not use the return. Strange as it may sound, often returnticket are cheaper then one way.

Trains donot have special luggage cars, so in general suitcases need to be stowed in the racks above your seat

Thank you for the replies so far. I priced out the difference between train and plane. A plane is running 158 Euro (with luggage) and the train is 78 Euro, so the train appears significantly cheaper due to the luggage. Do those figures sound correct?

The concerns I have regarding the train are these mostly about missing the connection. This is the ticket disclaimer: "This is a linked train route. This means your ticket is only valid for the exact trains printed on your ticket. A limited number of tickets are available for purchase up to one day before date of travel." If I purchase a flex ticket, it's the same as the plane.

We are up for the adventure of trying to navigate the train unless the overwhelming advise from this board is to take the plane.

The special price tickets are linked to the train and only a limited number is sold. That´s correct. If you miss your connection and it is your fault you would have to buy an expensive new ticket for the rest of your trip. But if you miss your connection because the first train was late then the original ticket gets you into the next available train without extra costs. Still not pleasant because you loose your seat reservation and will be late at your destination. But with 17 minutes to change in Osnabrück you should be OK, I think. I just checked the construction announcements online and there is nothing scheduled so far on that trip.

I think I would take the train with the special price ticket but invest a few extra €€ for seat reservations.

Thank you, your help is greatly appreciated. I don't mind paying more if it's my fault. Based on what I'm seeing, Osnabruck looks reasonably easy to navigate.

I found the following price from trainline.eu - is this a reliable site? The cost is only 39 euro with option to purchase seat assignment for 4.5

We would be arriving in Hamburg a day before the cruise ship leaves, so we have some flexible time.

Thoughts?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The price is the same which you would get directly at Deutsche Bahn http://www.bahn.de so I think you can trust them.

you has different dates in your posts, Jun or Juli? and friday?

go 5 Minutes before the train arrives in Osnabrück to the door, then you are fast out of the train and have not to wait.

i never was in Osnabrück, i found a map (don´t know if it is up to date)

https://www.bahn.de/regional/view/mdb/pv/deutschland_erleben/niedersachsen/regionales/sev-lageplaene/mdb_91775_osnabrueck_hbf.pdf

regular you can see the track on the homepage bahn.de, but for your trains they don´t show the track. for example, for the same trains in May the train arrives on track 11, and the train to Hamburg is on track 3. look for the tracks at the homepage before your tour.

Thank you, your help is greatly appreciated. I don't mind paying more if it's my fault. Based on what I'm seeing, Osnabruck looks reasonably easy to navigate.

 

 

 

Thoughts?

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hi, I make this same connection in Osnabruck several times a year and find it very easy. (BTW I am 76 yrs old, not very quick on my feet and tote a medium size suitcase) You need to go from one level to another, the two sets of tracks cross each other, using either a short flight of stairs or the lifts. 17mins is plenty of time, I have done it in 8. When you get off either follow the crowd, most people are changing trains; or ask someone in uniform for directions, most of them speak English.

I am a bit puzzled re the comments on lack of luggage space as I have always found racks for large suitcases at either end of every open-seating coach. It is a problem in compartment type coaches but there are very few of these on DB trains. I agree absolutely that you should book your seats in advance, only a small cost but well worth it.

Happy traveling,:)

Anni

www.travelanni.webs.com

Congrads to the OP for planning on taking IC Trains. It is a wonderful way to travel. We would be comfortable with the 17 min change. As to First Class vs 2nd Class....if you can afford the First Class without any dire consequence...it is a more comfy way to travel. But even 2nd Class is very nice. Keep in mind that on European trains you will generally have to fend with yourself when it comes to handling luggage. As long as you are capable of getting luggage on and off the train you should be fine. You should also be cognizant of luggage security as thefts do happen. Never leave your luggage unattended in a station. On the train, if you can get your luggage onto an overhead at your seat...all is good. But sometimes we need to put our luggage at the end of our car (because we have large pieces) where there is some storage for larger pieces. For that purpose we carry a "luggage cable lock" which is simply like a lightweight bicycle lock. When we leave luggage at the end of a car we cable our pieces together and attach them to the train (there is usually a rack). These cable locks are available online for as little as $10 and also sold in some luggage stores. Ours has come in handy many times over the years.

Hank

All of these replies are wonderful and have convinced me to take the train. The tip on luggage lock was especially appreciated.

Regarding the dates, certain sights only posted until the end of June so I was pricing that trip. However; we will be traveling on July 29th which is a Saturday. Does this make any difference at all? Should I expect to be more busy with weekend travelers, or less busy because the route is used for business mostly?

I hope this is my last question (thank you in advance). When I put my final destination as hamburg-altona, It looks like another train is added that goes directly from Amsterdam to Hanover main.

Please help me choose which of these two routes I should take. I am looking for easier transfers and not sure how Hanover ranks. I will be selecting 1st class. The route through Hanover is ICE. Is there big difference between ICE and IC? This is confusing for a novice but I am determined to experience the train system in Europe.

Which of these routes would you choose?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I would choose the Osnabrück connection.

reasons:

Hannover Hbf (main station) is much bigger than Osnabrück. In your first post you said you are not familiar with public transport. Maybe it is more difficult to find your way at Hannover than at Osnabrück.

But the main reason is the construction work at the railway network. The train via Hannover comes from Bavaria where there is construction near Würzburg going on. Delays may occur on some days.

If the train is on time,the 17 Mins of changing will not be a problem,but usually the IC might have huge delays,especially on such long routes.

But there is more than one train going from Osnabrück to Hamburg each day. And if you are missing the connection due to the daley of the Amsterdam train,you can use every train from Osnabrück to Hamburg.

The rule,that the ticket is only valid for the specific train is only valid as long as there are no delays.

I also chose the connection via Osnabrück for our trainride from Hamburg to Amsterdam and return end of June because of the reasons mentioned above.

IC-Trains from Osnabrück to Hamburg depart every hour so even if you miss the directly connecting train you can take the train one hour later. But normally 18 minutes are enough time to change trains. So there is no need to be nervous.

There often is not enough storage capacity for luggage in the train, so I always try to put my luggage between the seatrows (there are seatrows facing the front and the back of the train, so between some of the rows there is enough place to store luggage). Like that you can avoid putting heavy luggage in the overhead bins.

From Hamburg Hauptbahnhof (Main Station) to Altona you have to catch the S-Bahn. It is an 11 minutes ride with S 3 or S 31.

You have to cross the Main Station to get from Gleis 13 (track 13) where the train from Osnabrück usually arrives, to Gleis 2 (track 2) where the S-Bahn departs.

There are escalators and lifts at the tracks so it is easier to get around with your luggage.

This is so much help, thank you all. I will select the trip from Amsterdam to Osnabruck to Hamburg Main and then to Hamburg-Altona. Two more questions if you don't mind.

1) We will have one large suitcase each that will need to be stored and one medium backpack that we can keep on lap if necessary. Is there storage on all three trains for large suitcase (in particular the smaller train from Hamburg main to Hamburg-Altona)? Someone mentioned bringing a lock to keep storage at train ends. Is this recommended for all 3 trains?

2) Is the terminal in Hamburg easy to navigate like the terminal in Osnobruck?

Sorry for so many questions and know your help is very much appreciated. The train system in Europe is intimidating. If any of you ever come to America I will do my best to assist.

The smaller train in Hamburg (S-Bahn) is like the metro or subway in other cities. You have to keep your luggage with you, there is no extra storage place.

The mainstation in Hamburg has 14 platforms in total, so it is much bigger than Osnabrück station.

You have to look for platform 2 - this is where the S-Bahn 3 or 31 to Altona departs. Platform 2 is at one end of the terminal, platform 13 (where the train from Osnabrück usually arrives) at the other end. So you have to cross the terminal to find platform 2.

This is great info Tina- Ty Ty Ty. Sounds like we can make osnabruck transfer easy enough.

What is the likelihood we won't make the 13 minute transfer to altona train from Hamburg main? And in worse case scenario, if we miss connection to altona, what would you advise?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Good morning from Hamburg :)

The S-Bahn leaves every 5 to 10 minutes so I guess you would not even recognize if you catch an earlier or later train. So you really don't have to worry about this connection.

And if you should get lost: A lot of people in Hamburg understand English and will try to help if you ask for it.

Which of these routes would you choose?

Quick question Cheryl: why don't you choose the IC145 & IC2226 connection from Amsterdam leaving at 11:00 am? Then you don't have to switch trains in Hamburg main station and it's cheaper too [emoji6] (39€ instead of 59,90€ because of the IC instead ICE use)!

Cheers Oliver

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Quick question Cheryl: why don't you choose the IC145 & IC2226 connection from Amsterdam leaving at 11:00 am? Then you don't have to switch trains in Hamburg main station and it's cheaper too [emoji6] (39€ instead of 59,90€ because of the IC instead ICE use)!

 

Cheers Oliver

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Oliver: Thank you so much. I just purchased these exact tickets :). I really like that the 2nd train goes directly to Altona without a transfer in Hamburg-Main as it will make the trip easier.I did not go for first class, but I paid for reserved seating. They put us in Carriage 7 seats 75 and 77. I have no idea what that means, but I'm sure we will figure it out.

Big thank you to everyone on this thread who helped me out :).

Oliver: Thank you so much. I just purchased these exact tickets :). I really like that the 2nd train goes directly to Altona without a transfer in Hamburg-Main as it will make the trip easier.I did not go for first class, but I paid for reserved seating. They put us in Carriage 7 seats 75 and 77. I have no idea what that means, but I'm sure we will figure it out.

 

Big thank you to everyone on this thread who helped me out :).

Hi, pleased to see that you have chosen to go straight through to Altona.

You will have no trouble finding your reserved seats, German stations are very good in this respect.

Every platform is divided into sections A,B,C etc. with the letter hung above the corresponding section. On each platform you will find posters in glass cases with the time and a plan of the make up of each train departing from that platform on that day. Each carriage on the plan is numbered and shows the section of the platform in which it will stop. You simply find your train, then your carriage and wait on the section of the platform indicated.

If you can't find the poster no worry as each carriage is also numbered in a panel beside the door and sometimes in the window of the door as well. There is no need to panic as there are always plenty of people getting on and off in Osnabruck so it a reasonable stop. If you are really worried you can hop on anywhere and walk through the train to your correct carriage, they are numbered inside too, but this can be difficult with luggage.

Every seat within a carriage is numbered but it is important that you get the correct carriage as the seat numbers repeat. Your reserved seats will have a small lit-up sign on the luggage rack above with the seat numbers and your departure and arrival stations eg. Osnabruck-Hamburg Altona. If anyone is sitting in your reserved seats (fairly rare as everyone knows the rules) just show your reservation and ask them to move, which they must do. BTW. 75 and 77 are adjoining seats.

Announcements are usually made in both German and English and the crew usually speaks both.

I have travelled exclusively by train for the past 20 years and have had only positive experiences of DB, unlike some of the other European rail systems on which I travel. I know some people will disagree with me and I know DB has its problems but all in all I consider it one of the best systems in Europe. I am always more relaxed once we cross the German border feeling that now we will at least have organisation, even if it does not always work out exactly as planned!

Happy travelling :)

www.travelanni.webs.com