Germany train strike

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I was just I formed by nightjet that Germany will be going on strike from 2000 GMT on Sunday (May 14) until at 2200 GMT on Tuesday (May 16).  This is during the window in which we are traveling via train to Germany and then on to the Netherlands.  

They did not say that our tickets were cancelled, just that I should postpone my travel.  Is that the same as canceling my ticket or will they still have limited service and I should continue as planned?  As for postponing that is not possible, we are on holiday travel and will need to get back to the Netherlands to catch a flight. How should I proceed?

33 replies

B
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Hi Anna

We are arriving into Stockholm 17 May and catching a train to Oslo on 20 May - is that likely to be affected ?

A
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Userlevel 7
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Hi Anna

We are arriving into Stockholm 17 May and catching a train to Oslo on 20 May - is that likely to be affected ?

As the strike just has been postponed a few days, going to from Stockholm to Oslo on the 20th should work. Previously the trains between Stockholm and Oslo should be affected from the 18th but that has been moved to the 22nd now.

Please note that I don't work for Interrail/Eurail and that I don't reply to personal messages.
C
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Definitely go via Switzerland.

I'd avoid Paris because there is a lot of extra fees. Milan - Paris cost 30€ and is surely sold out + Paris - Amsterdam is highly likely sold out, it can be the case weeks in advance

If you let me know your travel dates I'll make you a precise itinerary suggestion but for now here's what I'd do :

- DAY 1 Rome - Milan (13€) - Lugano/Locarno or Lucerne (no reservation)

- DAY 2 Lugano/Locarno/Lucerne - Basel - Strasbourg

- DAY 3 Strasbourg - Metz - Luxembourg - Brussels - Amsterdam OR Strasbourg - Lille (20€) - Kortrijk - Antwerpen - Amsterdam. Both options roughly take the same time and you could stop along the way in whichever city you'd like (everything is reservation-free except the Strasbourg - Lille TGV)

If you have 2 travel days then Rome - Basel/Strasbourg on day 1 and Basel/Strasbourg on day 2 : totally manageable, don't worry :)

We would prefer to do the trip to Amsterdam in a single day

C
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So it looks like I just need to cut out our trip to Munich. Our original plan was 2 over night trains fron Rome to Munich and then again Munich to Amsterdam. This also allowed for over half a day to explore munich.  Now I need to figure out how to get from Rome to Amsterdam without going through Germany. Any suggestions would be helpful.  From what I gather I can get a train to Paris and then on to Amsterdam. Any other routes?

 

Also, what is the best way to book the tickets and still be able to specify the seats we want and use out Global pass?

A nice trip would be through Switzerland. If you take a high speed train to Milan you can then travel with reservation free trains to and through Switzerland. 

This was the route we took to get to Rome.  Now  we are trying to get to Amsterdam and spend a few days there before our flight departs.  Therefore, we are trying to do it all in one day or overnight.

C
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Hi Anna

We are arriving into Stockholm 17 May and catching a train to Oslo on 20 May - is that likely to be affected ?

As the strike just has been postponed a few days, going to from Stockholm to Oslo on the 20th should work. Previously the trains between Stockholm and Oslo should be affected from the 18th but that has been moved to the 22nd now.

The 50 hrs strike has been postponed????

T
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Userlevel 7
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In Sweden yes. Not in Germany

It is not possible to reach Amsterdam in a day due to the TGV schedules. What would be your travel date ?

Either night in Milan, Turin or Paris

- TGV Milan - Paris about 33€

- Thalys Paris - Amsterdam 32€

Some trains are sold out so I need to know your travel date. Example on 15th May :

- Roma Termini - Torino Porta Susa 12:10 - 16:49 13€

- Torino Porta Susa - Paris 17:38 - 23:24 33€

16th May : morning Thalys to Amsterdam 32€

OR

15th May : any train to Milan or Turin (13€)

16th May :

- TGV Milan/Turin - Paris 06:00 (07:36) - 13:16 33€

- Thalys Paris - Brussels 14:22 - 15:44 27€

- IC Brussels - Amsterdam 16:45 - 19:35 reservation-free

Which route did you take through Switzerland ? If you choose the Gotthard you could travel via Bern and Strasbourg or even Geneva for a completely different experience (night along the way anyway). It would be way less expensive too. I'd advise that one. Let me know :)

B
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So after all that the strike is cancelled …..

R
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Userlevel 7
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So after all that the strike is cancelled …..

Yes, but it remains to be seen which trains will actually run. They now have just over a day to reorganise all shifts again. There will likely be many more cancellations than normal there will definitely be trains running.

DB say they expect to have the information tomorrow by noon.

Please ask questions in the community and not via a private message. That's the quickest way to get a response. I don't work for Eurail/Interrail.

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