Jon WorthJul 25, 2023

DB Regio in Bayern is trialling its "Ideenzug" with passengers - it’s to test some smart new interiors for regional trains. More here 👇
https://railcolornews.com/2023/07/24/de-ideenzug-regio-double-deck-coach-now-in-regular-service/

But the picture in the article so completely sums up all that's wrong with rail in Bayern!

Show threadSven LakemeierJul 25, 2023
@jon I want to debate the "smart" part if the amount of seats per car would be a lot lower than before. The armchairs upstairs or the first class one person "offices" downstairs are great show offerings, but far from any use because of the low density.
Show threadJon Worth
@sven Right. *If* you could simply lengthen trains (which you - mostly - cannot) then OK. But capacity matters, and this concept neglects it.
Jul 25, 2023 at 11:45amWeb
Show threadAlarith UhdeJul 26, 2023

@jon Capacity is not the only concern, though. With that argument, we should remove all furniture except for a few reserved seats and stand. This won't convince people to switch to trains.

I'm actually quite happy that DB is experimenting with different layouts and think about how people may use the space and time on trains. The ideas in Ideenzug are still quite moderate, no playgrounds, public offices or whatever you could think of 😉

We won't get great trains only by focusing on efficiency.

Show threadJon WorthJul 26, 2023
@alarith It's not all wrong. But most of it won't happen, and indeed should not happen, as some of the ideas are gimmicky.