LONDON TO BERLIN BY TRAIN | A Travelogue and Guide
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 26 มี.ค. 2023
- For many reasons Berlin, the capital of Germany, is my favorite European City. So it's a trip I take often from the UK.
While it is quick and cheap to fly from London to Berlin, there are times you just want to relax, take your time and enjoy watching the European Cities and Countryside go by. So on occasion I take the train from London To Berlin as an alternative to flying.
This video is a Travelogue and a Guide for anyone who would like to take this alternative method of travel across Europe.
There is no direct train service from London to Berlin, this means we need to plan our own route using the various national networks. And I will show you the quickest and most direct routing in this video, which takes around 10 hours.
We will start in London St Pancras International Station, taking the only train that travels from the UK to the European Mainland - The Eurostar. The High Speed Eurostar travels under the sea through The Channel Tunnel.
We will then use the German National Railway, Deutsche Bahn(DB) Inter City Express (ICE) Trains to get to Berlin. Changing trains at Brussels Midi/Zuid (Brussels South) Station in Belgium. And then Köln Hauptbahnhof (Cologne Main Station) , finally arriving at Berlin Hauptbahnhof in the late afternoon.
I will be travelling First Class, so you can see the quality of First Class Carriages /Service. But the trains and route are exactly the same with 2nd or Economy Class seating.
CHAPTERS:
03:25 St Pancras International, London, UK
10:42 Brussels-Midi, Belgium
15:08 Cologne Hbf , Germany
18:40 Berlin Hbf, Germany
#trainjourney #trainjourneyvlogs #travelogues #berlin #eurostar
It really annoys me that Eurostar became a luxury product and there are no competing operators on the route.
Brexit finally killed DB ambitions to run Frankfurt-London. But even then it was riddled with fundamental problems like crossing a border including immigration, customs and security, and DB Train stations didn’t consider it worthy enough to implement.
@@Jytami I actually think it's a great pity. I've travelled from Frankfurt to London (and back) a few times. And a through connection would be too nice.
@@Jytami Even without Brexit, it never would have worked. The UK insisted on a dedicated London-Platform, to be used dir no other Trains. Frankfurt HBF, like almost all major Stations in Germany, is at or even beyond it's Capacity Limit and thus DB coupd not afford to waste an entire Platform to just a few Trains per Day.
Luxury product? You can still buy tickets from London to Paris for £39 each way. In May 2023 I'm going to Lille (presuming no strikes and I can actually get to St Pancras); journey out was just over £100 but journey back is £39. Oh, and Berlin is one of my favourite European cities and it's 2 hours each way by plane from Heathrow, then about 40 minutes by train from BER to Hauptbahnhof station for (currently) around 3 euros.
@@cmartin_ok agree. And I wouldn’t use trainline for Eurostar-cheaper to go direct through its own website
The oldest ICE generation actually had the most generous seating arrangement. The fact that the seats are narrower is due to a recent refurbishment. The interior of the older ICE 1 or 2 between Cologne and Berlin was actually less dated than the interior of the essentially younger ICE3 you were using between Brussels and Cologne with the older train having been updated with high resolution infotainment monitors and seats comparable to the (often criticised) current ICE4 layout
Interesting, thanks.
Ich hatte mich auch schon gewundert, was der nette Herr von der Insel da von sich gibt... 🙄
Eurostar, wants to make money, and this opportunity got dropped in their lap. Who or which developing company wouldn't take it? 😊
I thought the ICE in 2000 I used to get to Hamburg had much to commend it.
I really liked your presentation style! Few fun facts:
1. Trains in France also drive on the left side. So a change of track is obsolete when coming from the UK.
2. The (new) Eurostar is a SIEMENS Velaro train - a development of the SIEMENS ICE 3 from Brussel to Cologne.
3. The Berlin Hauptbahnhof was opened for the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany.
1. the exception is some parts of the RER and the Paris Metro, which run on the right. France and the UK are interestingly the only countries in Europe with trains driving on the left
great journey! My grandfather was the locomotive engineer for the Paris to Berlin route, picking up the train from the Belgian crew just west of Aachen, and taking it the rest of the way to Berlin; and then back the next day to the Belgian border, before returning home on a local train to his family in Aachen! Nice to see it from your perspective!
Hi from eastern Europe , Türkiye 🇹🇷
As a journalist working overseas, I was one of the few lucky ones to board the maglev between Tokyo and Nagoya. It's quiet and stable, and when I closed my eyes, I really could forget that I was moving at 500km per hour.
Thoroughly enjoyed the video.
In the 1970's I travelled many times with my Mum and Dad from London to Berlin. This was to
visit my grandparents.
Route was Liverpool St. to Harwich, overnight ferry to Hook of Holland, then via Hannover to Berlin.
Journey took more or less 24 hours.
In those days in Berlin, the U Bahn was run by the West Berliners, and the cheaper S Bahn by the East Berliners.
Many trains in Germany were still steam in the 1970s.
Must try out the ICE trains sometime!
Thanks. An excellent simplified journey, cutting out close inspection of toilets, seat quality etc. Just what non train buff travellers need.
Totally agree that although it’s a long day, it’s much more pleasant than flying. The slog to Heathrow or Gatwick, the sardine can approach to flying, then another slog from BER to the city.
I am pleased to write that every aspect of your presentation...videography, voice-over, information and overall presentation...is one of the best ever. I found myself so entertained that I did not want the trip or the video to end. The amount of information you provided is as thorough and facilitating as any I have seen. Many thanks.
So nice of you
Indeed, and if nothing else, this has made me want to visit Koln/Cologne (I've been to Berlin 3 times in the past 6 years and am due there again in October)
I really enjoyed this video thank you so much for taking us through your journey was so wonderful…..
Thank you. I’m definitely going to book a train ride from London to Berlin.
Berlin Hbf. An engineering marvel.
This video was seamless and the way you have presented this. As a listener and watching, I felt, I checked in at St. Pancras and travelled the journey to Berlin.
Top tip at Bruxelles Midi - thieves and pickpockets work the main station concourse as they know they people change there in both directions for international trains. Keep your bags and anything valuable close to you.
I did all these routes by train mate, even London to Istanbul by train or London to Marrakech by train! Watching your vlog was a fresh experience for me. Top-notch explanation !
I have driven from London to Istanbul and London to Morocco, anything but fly.
A very well documented journey. Thanks for sharing.
Another route goes over Amsterdam. There you can directly change to the IC to Berlin directly.
90 minutes to turn up before eurostar departure is astonishing, considering “it’s just a train”. As is the security scan. I can go onto any domestic train or ferry without a security scan, and yet you have to suffer that for an international journey. This all seems to be queue creation for its own sake.
For comparison it’s been a while since I’ve driven onto the eurotunnel (1999), but I’m guessing they still don’t x-ray your car before boarding the train. So the security concern seems to be all show and zero effect.
Love your presentation format. It’s very informative and engaging. I’ve tried out this travel style on my most recent holiday to Tromso from Aberdeen.
Agreed. I am just guessing here, since the Eurostar started from St. Pancras shortly after the 7/7 bombings which happened just around the corner from the new terminal there were a lot of anxiety, so probably they said well, they have to go through passport control anyway let`s throw in a security check to reassure everybody.
Your video brings back memories of a civilized way to travel. Thanks.
I took the same trip in 1989, long before the Euro Tunnel. London Liverpool Street to Harwich, then the ferry over to the Hoek of Holland. Germany had not unified by this time and it was direct train straight through to Berlin. As fine travelling through Holland and the then West Germany. They we entered East Germany at former railway border crossing at Marienborn, the guards changed from West to East German. Non-stop staight to West Berlin. My group of 8 excitable students then had to cross in East Berlin, as we spent 2 weeks on a student exchange program. Amazing seeing the former East Germany and visited Potsdam, Erfurt, Weimer, Leipzig and Naumburg. Sanssouci Palace and the wonders of historical centre of Bern, which was mainly in East Berlin. A few weeks later the Berlin Wall came down and only wished we had been a few weeks later to see tat historic event.
Great video. There’s nothing like train travel in Europe. It is amazing.
One thing to note: Starting in May there will be a direct sleeper train from Brussels to Berlin. Not sure it'll be any faster, but certainly easier with one less connection. Would love to see you try that when it gets going. Thanks for the vid :)
It will be slower for sure. Not only because sleeper cars usually to 160km/h max, but also because sleeper timetables are designed to take at least 8, or more commonly around 10 hours for the trip (so people _can_ actually get some sleep; also there would be no point arriving at 3:00 in the morning anyways). Plus night trains have to compete with freight on an overcrowded network, so the timetable usually contains some additional slack.
That’s the one that leaves London at 3 pm gets in at 6 pm then u have to change trains then it gets in to Berlin at 7am over nite
@@stephanweinberger Is that true of the ICE trains? I thought they were free of freight trains, even at night?
@@2112jonron dedicated high speed lines. Not all lines are high speed in Germany.
Magnificent Kolner Dom. Well worth spending time exploring.
5 star thumbs up for this gentleman (which I'll come to I'm a minute).
Firstly, I'm not sure if this video is for train spotter fanatics or "normal" people. But the latter, myself included, are not particularly bothered about the type of train, so long as it has clean windows.
I myself have done the overland route, except much further (to Hungary, in which case - via Dresden is a bit more convenient than via Berlin.).
Breaks and overnight stays -
now back to this gentleman producer -
Absolutely spot on about extra time at changing points - the gentleman suggested one hour - my experience is "two".
Firstly, the inexperienced aren't aware of how badly you need to stretch your legs.
Secondly, time to enjoy a hearty meal with the locals usually in a quiet side street, as opposed to fast food in the principle tourist rip-off area (might as well stay at home).
Thirdly, comfortable toilet session in which you can function properly, ready for your next leg.
This gentleman did Berlin in one day (summer, even better for overland travel).
Going further (as in my case) requires a refreshing overnight in a local B&B.
Finally, it's important that the whole experience must not be on the basis of an "endurance test" as this gentleman clearly pointed out.
Otherwise, take the plane and finished -
but no comparison!!!
Another great video Andy. Really felt like you took me along with the excellent commentry and stopping to show us around the stations on the way.
Thanks for sharing these details of euro star, I always wanted to travel on that train
The way you put this together makes it easy for me to understand
I live in Kent, work in Ashford. I often travel to London using the High Speed service that travels along the same route as the Eurostar trains, and have many happy memories of trips to Paris, Brussels and Lille from Ashford using the Eurostar trains. Also, have enjoyed many trips through the tunnel on the car carrying service from just outside Folkestone. I can't wait for passenger trains to start using Ashford again, it's a disgrace that if I want to use Eurostar I have to travel to London only to return back again along the same route. You mentioned entry / exit to the tunnels, it's like using the London Underground, train goes in and comes out later in a different place, no fanfare or anything (except that mobile phone signal dies).
Hi, do you know when passengers will be able to use ashford again? Its brexit related I guess? When I visit my grandad in kent I also find it super annoying to have to go in and out!
@@petewiggins Eurostar have said that Ashford won't be in use throughout 2023. We can only hope that it will re-open in 2024, and it's down to passenger volumes, so they say. They aren't able to run any of the trains full because it would take too long for all the passengers to be processed using the "new" post-brexit rules. Madness......
@@cmartin_ok If Eurostar's Kent stations reopen then surely that would reduce pressure on immigration and security staff at St Pancras International because it is fewer passengers to check
@@petewiggins Not only was there never a commercial case, the cost of extra immigration and customs officials never made sense. Nothing to do with Brexit, the UK was never in Schengen. That's why they built a great big viaduct that bypassed Ashford in the first place, rather than just use the through lines at the station.
A very good presentation, thank you!
Hi Andy. Your video takes me back some 10 years or more when I made the same trip heading for the Harz Mountain Railway and the summit of Mount Brocken.
We are enjoy watching.
Fantastic video - you’ve given me an idea for this summer 🇬🇧🇩🇪
Superb sir ..well done great video ..amazing and funny description
I've never actually taken the tunnel as I am usually take the ferries on the western channel (Brittany Ferries), but I have taken the DB ICE trains a number of times for work and also to visit family in Munich. Absolutely love them, they're smooth, comfortable, clean and stylish. Big fan of these trains, even the previous generation were (and still are) pretty good. German public transport is superior in every single way to what we have in the UK and (from my own travels) only bettered by the Japanese public transport network. Another great video Andy, many thanks!
Recently went on an ICE for the 1st time in 10 years & would agree still fantastic.
DB: dammen und herren die ICE55 nach frankfurt hat verspatung i do not like DB they have nice trains but the delays are just way too often altough i must say in my own country (the netherlands) it isnt much better now but atleast we have 10 minute frequencies in some places and an 15 minute frequency all stop train through a city of 120000 and some smaller ones so kinda love the NS
Sadly the Deutsche Bahn is a total Desaster nowadays.
@@utethornburg7715 DB management and organization is horrific. Their infrastructure and trains are great. With connecting trains, dont panic if you have delays, chances are the next train you need to catch is also delayed -.-"
@@Max-hw7xl Don't know about that. When I was last in Germany, 2 years ago, I booked a slightly convoluted route from Kaiserslautern to Paris, in order to catch the Eurostar back to London and then Liverpool Lime Street (home area). I booked it about 6 weeks before actual travel date. On the actual day of travel, plans were scuppered from the start, when under the 1st day of the new Autumn timetable, my very first train had been completely removed from the new timetable. All onward bookings were completely screwed and I ended up missing my Eurostar connection. Fortunately, it wasn't the last service I'd missed so was able to rebook onto a later service at no extra cost. Only made the last train from Euston to LLS because it too was delayed by about 20-25 mins.
Hi Andy WoWWW !! Magic video. Thank you for all the information and the time for making this user-friendly video. Enjoy your travels. John
Thank you for putting this video together. I'm Australian and about to travel to the UK (where I have been many times before as my parents moved back there once us kids were older - unfortunately they both passed away last year, so I am heading over to scatter their ashes and start executing their will). I'm visiting my sister in Paris first and will be getting the Eurostar over (as a train nerd in Australia, riding on a train like the Eurostar is a dream come true). I want to visit a few cities in Western Germany and the Netherlands whilst I'm there and I really want to avoid flying as much as I can. It's good to know I can even use the Eurostar to get to Cologne. From there I really want to visit Wuppertal and Hamburg, and maybe Frankfurt. I know you probably put this video together as a bit of entertainment for people, but I hope you know such videos actually come in handy for those of us on the other side of the world. St Pancras is also my favourite station on Earth, it is truly magnificent. Our best station is probably Southern Cross station in Melbourne where trains to different cities in Victoria and the rest of the continent leave from. Although the new redevelopment of Sydney Central is quite amazing.
@TD B
G'day from Cairns.
As a seasoned German railway customer, here are a couple of pointers.
German railway can be rather expensive if one just walks into a railway station and buys a ticket on the spot.
The way to save up to 85% of a ordinary ticket is to buy a ticket in advance, this can only be done online!!!!!
And requires only a credit or debit card and is straight forward.
An electronic ticket will be send to your phone or email.
The German name for that category is called.....Spaar-Preis-Ticket.....
There are 2 main types available, ordinary and super saver tickets.
Check out the difference, but the main disadvantage is that all oft those tickets are only valid for a particular train service, booked date and time, no flexibility at all.
A refund prior to departure is no problem.
And there is a new kind of ticket coming out in May, the 49 euro ticket.
The German Government seems to still working on the details, but tickets are supposed to go on sale right now.
This might be the one for you!!!!
Imagine hopping on and off of every train, bus or subway all over Germany....all for $75 bucks per mth.?
With the exclusion of ICE''s and some other express trains.
Yes, you would need time, a 4 hr. journey by an ICE might take 10 hrs. by regional trains.
But hey, you see the countryside slowly passing by your window.
Now, this 49 euro ticket is not a on/off ticket as such, it requires a 12 mth. subscription.
However, don't let that put you off.
My understanding is one can subscribe for 12 mth. and than cancel any time within 10 days.
You have to find out, DB international has very good English speakers.
Well,
I hope you find my suggestions interesting and perhaps useful.
Any other questions regarding Germany....just asked!
Cheers
from Cairns
Personally would not bother with Frankfurt. Munich or Berlin are much better/more interesting!
If i could suggest you some things in Germany that are in the Area you liked to visit:
Trier(Germany): Beautiful Roman City and the oldest German City
Rothenburg( Germany): Nice Medieval town a few KMs from Frankfurt
Heidelberg(Germany):Stunning atmosphere, clean historic
Dinant(Belgium):Stunning clive side town on a River in Wallonia. Its pretty small and more of a side activity but its a hidden gem!
The reason im telling you this is because from my personal view many people who come to that region are in my eyes wasting their time visiting Cologne or Dusseldorf, instead the less crowded much nicer places, wich are also cheaper✌️
Black Forest and the towns in that area are stunningly beautiful.
From Canada, thanks for the vid. Plain and simple, just the way I like it. Thank you.
Thank You for sharing this video. Very informative 👍🏻
nice to have accompanied you on the trip.
Excellent video. Great footage. Thanks heaps for sharing.
Sounds okay if I wasn,t 88 I would love to see this city as I have been interested in Berlin for a long time.
Really loved the video. The quality of the comments section is a testament to your presenting skills or moderating effort... or both!
Recently spent a 9 and half hour ICE round-trip journey from Hamburg to Karlsruhe. Most enjoyable.
Many thanks, Andy. A bit different than when I used to take the military train from the West up to Berlin.
Really enjoyed the video - nice job!
Great video and very helpful.Thank you.
I did that journey in 2004. Eurostar to Paris and the overnight sleeper train to Berlin. No 4.30am start for me!
I really like watching your vlogs, and listening to very detailed explanations about traveling to Germany with Eurostar, I've been to Europe but not by Eurostar train. Thank You
I've travelled twice to Berlin and back by train. Flew to Amsterdam and took the train direct to Berlin. Loco hauled corridor compartment stock in first class. Same stock throughout but the Dutch loco comes off at the border and a German loco takes over. Great journey.
I liked this video and trip. It made me realize how common this would all seem to me had my Grandparents stayed in Germany, not move to Hamburg, New York where in 1970 I had 'won' the Vietnam Birthday Draft Lottery which eventually resulted in all these years later living here on a US veteran medical-based pension to live decently and having to learn Spanish. Well... Bob's yer uncle! Gracias por tu video, RT sends, envía, envoie und sendet. Colonia Centro Histórico, Puebla, México...
Excellent video. Thank you.
Thank you. That was really interesting esp as I am considering taking my son on that exact route this summer!
What a beautiful description of the journey, explanation of key points, nice videography, good narration. Almost like we are doing this train journey ourselves. Keep up the good work and best wishes for future travels / vlogs. Just Subscribed to your channel.
Thank you Sir
Thanks for sharing the great train ride. I really enjoyed it. Hope someday I can travel the same route that you did.
Another brilliant , informative video, thanks !
My pleasure!
'Gut gemacht' (good job). It is a really amazing video about your journey from London to Berlin. I had a lot of fun watching the video. Carry on... Best regards, Michael
Very nice doco! Relaxing and fun to watch 🚄🚅
Sir, I enjoy your video reportage, are excellently and educative. Thank you very much.
Very nice Rail journey from London to Berlin ( Germany ) have a Good mood 😊 Thanks for you.
Great video, the way it was filmed, what you showed, what you said, everything was great! Big fan sir!
This is a journey I've mused about doing a few times but have always gone Sleazyjet in exchange for the extra time in Berlin. In the '80s I was a chef on the Berliner, the British military train which used to run from Monchengladbach (where I used to get on, I was based at JHQ Rhiendahlen) and it ran through West Germany where the business end was Helmstedt through to Charlottenburg in West Berlin.
I suppose if you're not in a hurry and can afford the additional expense then this is a worthwhile way to go. However, I've experienced the queues on Eurostar just going to Calais and that's enough for me. So although I've enjoyed the Vid, I think I'll stick with Sleazyjet!!!
Yes, this Military train runs daily from Braunschweig to berlin-Charlottenburg. Loco-Change from Deutsche Bundesbahn to Deutsche Reichsbahn der DDR was in Helmstedt.
Did this journey many times always enjoy the experience
Man everything about your videos is so nice, keep it up 👍
"Stadtbahn" reffers to the specific railway lines that run east-west through Berlin. "Schnellbahn" or "S-Bahn" reffers to the entire system.
Love your video 👍👍👍
Excellent video, thanks! This year I have already booked air travel from LHR to BER, but I'd like to maje it by train next time, it doesn't really take that long.
Very informative. So good. I think I will go
Wonderful informative video. I enjoyed watching. Thank you.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Lots of practical tips. I appreciated the suggestion to make connections a bit longer. Really good video!
Very nice journey from London to Berlin (Germany) I am good feel 😊 this view .Thanks
Top video, Andy. Thank you and many greetings from Germany : - )
nice film shot of the cologne cathedral
I always think that S-bahn as being Surface local Bahn, and U-bahn as Underground. (except U1, which is actually an elevated line.) Great information and vlog. Thank-you.
I’ve never liked flying and it’s always been a crap experience, and that’s only got worse and worse with time. I’ve long theorised that it would be possible to take a train all the way to Germany but I’d never actually tried it, but seeing that you actually did it makes me really want to try it for myself. I think it would be slow, but a much a nicer trip than flying. I probably wouldn’t go all the way to Berlin since I’ve been there before but I would love to see Brussels and some of the closer European cities via a train, when I start to travel independently of my family once I can afford it I’ll definitely try a route like this.
I THANKING YOU so much for your effort and for to help me ( and of cause others ) with all this information.
It was very valuable and important information about this route
You're very welcome!
Fascinating video. Having lived most of my life in the US and not traveled to Europe in years I forgot that the channel tunnel rail had been in operation for decades, I just assumed people flew for trips of that distance. This rail trip cannot be cheap especially via 1st class. I wonder how much cheaper this is compared to air fare. If indeed it is cheaper at all. Time is worth something too of course. Thanks for making me aware of this option, it'll be part of my research if I travel again in Europe.
and I quote, "lovely stuff!"
Nice video. Thanks 🙂
Have taken Eurostar and then TGV from London to Geneva via Paris...and many, many years ago, all the way From London to Athens, Greece via Belgium (boat-train to Zeebrugge), Köln, Austria, Zagreb, Belgrade, Thessaloniki and finally Athens ...
Thank you fir sharing you trip by train there in Europe. It is great you decided to stay at the Renaissance St. Pancreas Hotel. That early morning getting up and checking out would have made me an evil person!! But I know I would have to do it that to get to Germany on the same day. Congrats, yes, I would pay for First Class as well on all the trains. And you are so tight to say, it is better to take the train in Europe to see the beautiful country sides and towns there. Finally, it looked a little cold in Germany. Everyone's country and city weather is different. Again, thank you for sharing a great trip. You made me ☺ smile.
I live in Berlin and never used the Train from here to London. While I lived in Cologne I did it a couple of times as the price was good and it was more convenient. But from Berlin the best way to get to London is by plane.
Unless you prefer train travel. "Best" is relative.
very clear explanation. It is really better and more interesting than taking a plane
First time I come across your videos. I really enjoyed watching this one. A pleasure to listen to your pleasant and interesting narration and filming. Thank you and I leave a sub!
Love the Travelling! :)
I hear that the Europeans are working on linking all major cities with luxury sleeper train services. What a MONUMENTAL missed opportunity by the British with their HS2 which will start outside London necessitating a taxi from St Pancras and ending outside Birmingham necessitating a taxi to New Street station. Mental or what? Nice video Andy of European train services.
Very well made video! I really enjoyed it! :)
Lovely educational video for someone that wants to sample as many new travel experiences as possible. Thank You - Subscribed!
Thank You!
Wow! This is super interesting!
Tthanks for this video i live at england and i had no idea that i can travel to europe by train.
This was very interesting for some reason
Awesome video!!!
Hello from Canada. Thank you, Sir!
Enjoyed that, was sat on the grass outside the front of the reichstag building about 10 years ago, I'd love to go back for another mooch round & taking the train, rather than flying would turn it into an adventure 👌🏻👌🏻
Superb video ❤ … from London
Nice and informative video!
Excellent video ❤
great trip
I really liked the video. I dream of visiting Europe one day. From Amazonas / Brazil.
J'ai adore ta video!!