Here's today's #CrossBorderRail music track

Deutsche Bahn
Wise Guys

Not the greatest work of music, but it makes you laugh! And I no doubt will face some of the problems later!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXjhszy2f9w

#CrossBorderRail Finale Train 33 of 152
EC 56
06:10 Rzeszów Główny - Berlin Gesundbrunnen 15:13
PKP IC

Train type: Siemens EU44 Taurus locomotive, 8 carriages
⚡️ (3kV dc, 15kV ac)
🚲: ✅
🦽: ✅ (lift or ramp on board, not step free)
🛜: ⛔️ (installed but broken)
🍽️: ✅
🧳: 😐 (narrow doors and corridors, OK once inside)
🧽: 🙂

🎫 Interrail: 😐 (needs compulsory reservation for cross border section, costs €3 from ÖBB)

EC 56
06:10 Rzeszów Główny - Berlin Gesundbrunnen 15:13

Distance: 743.9km
Average speed: 82km/h

19 stops:
Dębica
Tarnów
Bochnia
Kraków Płaszów
Kraków Główny
Katowice
Zabrze
Gliwice
Kędzierzyn-Koźle
Opole Główne
Wrocław Główny
Legnica
Lubin
Głogów
Zielona Góra Główna
Rzepin
Frankfurt/Oder
Berlin Lichtenberg
Berlin Gesundbrunnen

This train, mapped: https://umap.openstreetmap.fr/en/map/crossborderrail-2025-finale_1163738#8/51.179/18.273

Agggh, someone in the compartment is typing on their phone and with the tap-tap keyboard noise on, something I do not understand the purpose of.

Is is socially acceptable to ask the guy to set his phone to silent?

Jon 1 - 0 DB

No info whatsoever about connections in the EuroCity into Berlin

But a quick re-planning to change in Lichtenberg onto a S-Bahn rather than Gesundbrunnen onto a RE and I’ll get my connection at Hbf

Other passengers could have done likewise!

Ah

This ICE 554 Berlin - Köln had a strange timetable, and now I have - I think? - worked it out

It reverses in Hannover Hbf, and will go via Paderborn (not stopping) to Hagen

https://signal.eu.org/osm/#locs=52.524636,13.369861;52.378325,9.737835;52.342261,9.753113;51.717704,8.752653;50.942784,6.959071

What the hell for?

So, assessments...

#CrossBorderRail Finale Train 34 of 152
S5
15:34 Berlin Lichtenberg - Berlin Hbf 15:54
DB S-Bahn Berlin

Train type: Adtranz, DWA 481/482 EMU, 4x 2 carriages
⚡️ (750V dc third rail)
🚲: ✅
🦽: ✅ (step free)
🛜: ⛔️
🍽️: ⛔
🧳: 🙂 (lots of multi use spaces)️
🧽: 🙂 (clean by S-Bahn standards!)

🎫 Interrail: 🙂 (accepted)

S5
15:34 Berlin Lichtenberg - Berlin Hbf 15:54

Distance: 9.9km
Average speed: 30km/h

9 stops:
Berlin Nöldnerplatz
Berlin Ostkreuz (S)
Berlin Warschauer Straße
Berlin Ostbahnhof (S)
Berlin Jannowitzbrücke
Berlin Alexanderplatz (S)
Berlin Hackescher Markt
Berlin Friedrichstraße (S)
Berlin Hbf (S-Bahn)

This train, mapped: https://umap.openstreetmap.fr/en/map/crossborderrail-2025-finale_1163738#13/52.5138/13.4333

#CrossBorderRail Finale Train 35 of 152
ICE 554
16:08 Berlin Hbf - Köln Hbf 21:14
DB Fernverkehr

Train type: AEG, ABB, Henschel, Krauss, Krupp, Siemens ICE 1, 2 power cars and 9 carriages
⚡️ (15kV ac)
🚲: ⛔️ (thanks @f09fa681 for pointing out the error!)
🦽: ✅ (lift on platform)
🛜: ✅
🍽️: ✅
🧳: 🙂 (well designed)️
🧽: 🙂

🎫 Interrail: 🙂 (accepted)

ICE 554
16:08 Berlin Hbf - Köln Hbf 21:14

Distance: 571.6km (routing via Paderborn due to engineering works)
Average speed: 112km/h

6 stops:
Berlin Hbf
Berlin-Spandau
Hannover Hbf
Hagen Hbf
Wuppertal Hbf
Köln Hbf

This train, mapped: https://umap.openstreetmap.fr/en/map/crossborderrail-2025-finale_1163738#8/51.779/10.197

Pfff...

ICE is 33 mins late currently, and I have 30 mins to connect in Köln with the last ICE to Bruxelles

And another ICE that is meant to connect with that Bruxelles train is 13 mins late, and has a 9 min connecting time

There must be enough of us on these two trains to hold it a few minutes...?

I am told DB now uses a data model to calculate this, not allowing train managers to ask for trains to be held. But as I am on Interrail I assume there's no data I even need the connection...

Also when I explained the predicament to the train manager, she rolled her eyes, as if "what, are you mad, you planned in only 30 minutes connecting in Köln"

"This isn't the last ICE to connect to the last Brussels train" I told her, there is one *after* this, with just 9 minutes to connect - I planned in extra!

Aaaand it looks like I will be spending the night in a hotel somewhere, or DB organises a taxi

The delay on my train has mounted, the connecting train is waiting a bit in Köln for some others (I presume the less delayed ICE 544) but not for my train (ICE 554)

I did the right thing - took the connection with the more generous changing time in Köln - and today that has backfired and left me stuck

I don’t know whether I’m happy this RE1 is packed with people who were partying in Köln

It’s great these people take the train home

But after today’s trip damn a little calm would be nice! 😀

Taxi Aachen-Bruxelles to end #CrossBorderRail today. 90 mins to drive…

There’ll be no summary video today - I can’t film one here!

Important #CrossBorderRail learning point, potentially.

Deutsche Bahn issued the taxi voucher Aachen - Bruxelles to me even though I have Interrail. The decisive point: I had a reservation proving I’d aimed to travel Rzeszów-Berlin-Köln-Bruxelles.

Had I not had that maybe I’d have struggled? Speaking German no doubt helped too.

OK, re-mapped and re-assessed from Saturday...

#CrossBorderRail Finale Train 36 of 154
RE 1 (26856)
22:47 Köln Hbf - Aachen Hbf 23:46
National Express

Train type: Siemens Desiro HC EMU, 2 single deck and 2 double deck carriages
⚡️ (15kV ac)
🚲: ✅
🦽: ✅ (step free into single deck carriages)
🛜: ✅
🍽️: ⛔️
🧳: 🙂
🧽: 🙂

🎫 Interrail: 🙂 (accepted)

(forgot to photograph it, but this is the train type, older pic)