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Post by lagatta on Sept 22, 2010 1:37:30 GMT
www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/sep/19/london-frankfurt-train-high-speed The service probably won't get underway until 2013 but trials have begun. "However, a London-to-Frankfurt train service will also stretch the industry maxim that rail journeys must last no longer than four hours in order to compete with airlines. A trip between Europe's two largest financial centres would take four to five hours, with DB hoping that the appeal of broadband access and lack of airport security hassle will tempt the all-important business traveller market". Certainly travellers from much of North America, or arriving from Moscow, would not think that a great journey's time, especially as it can be productive time, or time for a decent rest. Great endnotes from Mark Smith, the legendary "Man in seat 61" (who contributed to Thorn Tree and other sites we know, and has helped me personally with a trip) on how rail is often actually faster than flying. London-Amsterdam at 3h50 might seem much longer than that short flight, but this is city centre to city centre.
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Post by onlymark on Sept 22, 2010 5:12:53 GMT
When I lived in Frankfurt and wanted to visit my parents back in the UK I dreamed a a fast train connection. Otherwise it was an overpriced flight from the airport or a trek out to Frankfurt Hahn airport, one and a half hours away for a cheap Ryan Air deal. The head office of my wife's company is in Frankfurt and it is conceivable we'll end up living back there again at some time, so I welcome any fast and reasonably priced mode of transport back to the UK.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 22, 2010 5:24:28 GMT
Naturally, the French national railways are accused of causing obstructions, since the German trains will be crossing France. The SNCF quite rightly points out that DB operates several lines in France already by ICE, notably the very lucrative Frankfurt-Paris line. However, I'm quite sure that they are in no hurry to give up any slice of the Eurostar cash cow.
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Post by bixaorellana on Sept 27, 2010 13:12:47 GMT
It is so true that "fast" airline travel is a myth. Factor in how early you're required to be at the airport before the flight -- two hours for international travel, the "trek" as Mark so aptly puts it to most airports anywhere, the combination of hustle and shuffle to pick up baggage, pee, get through customs, etc. and make your connection and you come up with hours of stressful wasted time.
People who can't take long flights because of physical problems triggered by sitting too long would welcome train routes that would get them where they're going while allowing them to move around during the journey.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 27, 2010 17:56:07 GMT
And even when they are not faster, we really like our trains in Europe. It is nice to know that other countries are beginning to realize that trains are the wave of the future for trips that last less than 4 hours.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 13, 2010 14:23:43 GMT
A German ICE train made its first test run through the tunnel today. It only went 30 km/h, which is apparently the normal speed for a test.
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Post by lagatta on Oct 26, 2010 19:39:35 GMT
It is usually a trek, but Frankfurt-Hahn (unlike Frankfurt International) is VERY far from the city it supposedly serves.
"Frankfurt-Hahn Airport (German: Flughafen Frankfurt-Hahn) (IATA: HHN, ICAO: EDFH) is a commercial airport located 10 km (6.2 mi) from the town of Kirchberg and 20 km (12 mi) from the town of Simmern in the Rhein-Hunsrück district of Rhineland-Palatinate to the west of central Germany. Despite its name, the airport is situated over 120 km (75 mi) to the west of the city of Frankfurt (by road)". (wikipedia) It is a former NATO airbase.
Kerouac, how is work on the German leg of what the French call TGV-Est (or LGV-EST) going? Are the German ICE trains adopting faster tracks as well? I know there is a huge controversy about an immense modal station in Stuttgart...
The line seems to have cut Paris-Frankfurt as follows: Paris–Frankfurt: from 6h 15 to 3h 50
Bixa, it is such a pity that so many of the railway links in the Americas have been abandoned. I wouldn't mind taking a train route from Mtl to Oaxaca (fast, at least to México) as I hate flying. But I can actually work on the train if conditions are decent.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 26, 2010 20:21:07 GMT
The Germans have lots of high speed lines, but I don't know if they created fast lines along the TGV-Est routes, since the French rails after the Vosges are not yet high speed lines either.
But travel times are nevertheless magnificently shorter. Anyporters can even use wifi when they ride the TGV-Est, but they won't have much time to make a trip report.
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Post by onlymark on Oct 26, 2010 20:37:44 GMT
Just has a quick look at the Deutsch Bahn site for a one way trip from London to Frankfurt in November. Shortest journey time is five an a half hours, but for 49 Euro I'd have taken it without much thought.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 26, 2010 20:43:34 GMT
Absolutely. In any case, I presume that a high speed trip to London from Frankfurt, when it finally exists, will head in the direction of Brussels. Maybe Lille (but through Belgium).
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Post by hwinpp on Nov 2, 2010 3:22:07 GMT
After a big fight from Alsthom the German ICEs will now be allowed to use the tunnel ;D
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