Trip to Berlin by #ComfortJet. Step one: the ComfortJet is cancelled, take any train.
&@£#!ffs
This was predicted last evening. And you'd think DSB, which has spare rolling stock, would put another train in that time slot. Nope: two departures of 500+ person trains just cancelled.
Anyway. Toddler and I found some seat reservations on the ONE reasonable alternative (can't make the earlier one, can't leave too late due to toddler being two #sleeptime).
Not a fun start.
And this was today's second "comfort jet".
Neither of them had functional toilets. The DSB IC3 due to a technical issue: seems truly a case of bad luck and not something I've encountered before.
The DB double-decker as it was so incredibly full with people sitting and standing in the corridors that toddler and I could not reach one.
Now in Hamburg waiting for an ICE with reserved seats in the child department. It'll be bliss.
Now this is traveling: the Bahn-small-child-vip-lounge. Excellent. And right next to the restaurant.
Time for quick toilet-break, maybe a fresh drink and then a two hour nap.
DB does amazing children departments in their long and longer distance trains. Like, enough to make you contemplate to at least borrow a child.
In this one there's a funny quirk: a changing table above seat 97. It's probably a good thing most parents don't realise it's there.
Fun fact: Danish DSB took the ICE children department concept as inspiration for their own long distance trains, the Talgo 230, and then successfully flipped it 180degrees.
Happily in Berlin after both toddler and adult had an excellent two hour nap in the onboard ICE VIP lounge.
Tip for parents: you can get a free mini-train-with-face toy from the DB bistro. There's a variety of designs. Toddler got the DB-doesn't-do-nighttrains-but-to-children-pretends-they-do one. It's a success.
Showing the little hobbit some of the sights. Here's the HQ of some car company I think.
Or: OMG DAD, DANDELION!
Nice thing of a city trip with a two year old is that you're out & about at around.. six.
At least it's not that warm yet. Right now it's 18 degrees. Later in the day it'll be closer to 30. 😐
We're in central station to visit a supermarket. Berlin Hauptbahnhof reminds me Germany can have massive train-stations where passengers don't feel the need to get a tetanus vaccination. Subtweeting Hamburg specifically..
Oddly enough I do find Hamburg Hbf a friendlier place to be. People are rude here.
#Berlin tourism tip: an extended visit to the Bundestag is very much recommended. Massive complex of connected buildings that ooze that democratic wholesomeness of "free stuff!".
We received pens, a first aid kit, air conditioned playgrounds and encountered lots of interesting and friendly people.
There was also the AFD offering free hotdogs, which we denied as a nazi hotdog is as good as no hotdog. The Greens compensated with vegan curry wurst.
CDU offered crayons, which seems on brand.
Oh. If you're wondering, here's the box of CDU crayons. The marks are toddler for some reason putting their teeth in it as we received them.
The CDU lady (actual member of the Bundestag!) who went out of her way to chat with us, was half-amused / half-annoyed / half-bemused (hence the three halves) at my lame comment about toddler clearly already being a typical CDU voter.
Her very conservatively dressed assistant actually said: more like our neighbours (AfD). Which, honestly, made me LOL.
Full disclosure: we didn't just freeload inside the parliament buildings. We also freeloaded inside the big city park.
I collected some sequoia seeds for our tree nursery. This was the first time I remember picking up cones and the seeds falling out in abundance just from the movement of lifting them. I can only guess the combination of drought and them being in the direct sun / heath triggered this.
Anyway. #berlin is too hot.
RE: https://mastodon.online/@Pepijn/116511248026058649
If @europeanspodcast were to organise city trips for parents & kids this would basically be it:
-take a brand new international rail connection (which then craps out and you get to complain about European train infrastructure),
-to a capital so hot you don't know how to be outside,
-but luckily you can spend half of your entire one-day in the city inside the national parliament,
-where you receive crayons from a Christian conservative member of parliament,
-which your kid uses in the park.
Just last week DSB customer service told me it is of course a decision to provide "comfortable spaces for all" but it is also "technically impossible to have a special children section on board the Talgo 230." Apparently that's what other people are told as well.
DB at the same time is actively advertising the children section in their Talgo 230 units.
At least be honest ffs.
edit: also, the manner Marlene supports her face makes me suspect she might need to see a dentist.
We're currently in an ICE, soon arriving in Hamburg-Altona. Where... it seems there's an actual ComfortJet!
Today the little hobbit is not doing too well. The heat got to them yesterday and last night. 🤮 So we're using the stroller as a drying rack for our backup clothes..
Also: we didn't get a little train toy as I was stupidly honest in answering if the Hobbit is three years or older (no == no little train for you). I guess, safety & fair. We did get a little book meant for older kids :-)
And we're inside the ComfortJet from Hamburg to Copenhagen (Kolding..)!
The little Hobbit is still a bit sick so I don't expect to do much of a review.
For now though: comfy seats, functional info system, lots of luggage space and a truly surprising amount of legroom. It's not often you can have a folded stroller in front of your legs.
Basically: #DSB sell or repurpose your Talgo units and order a couple of these things right now! Your passengers demand it!
Ride out of Hamburg is pretty comfy (tracks are decent here as well). It's no high-speed ICE but definitely no Talgo 230 either. Noise levels are fine*.
Info system is super nice. Instead of dumb games or ads it is simply explaining all features of the train.
*most noise is from Swedish people being much louder than needed to operate as a human being. It seems to be cultural
I wonder why?
They probably don't see the little one 🙂
You're lucky with the weather. Here the whole day is rainy. Which is perfect for nature as it is way to dry. But I don't like walking in the rain :-(.
@ericaceae They were actually super friendly. Unfortunately for them the trick is not to befriend our little Hobbit, but to gentle let them go when your live needs to move on..
The weather is actually really bad for us: it's seriously hot, and no shade. We're burning despite proper clothes, hats, factor 50 sunscreen etc.
@Pepijn at least the Weather was great.
I was there with my hobbits at easter with a fog visibility measured in meters, single digit.
@Pepijn But I thought you loved the worm train?
Sorry about the ComfortJet, was looking forward to a review.
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