German train "invasion"?

mc_squared · 20-09-2010, 07:13 PM

German train giant to spark price war with airlines as it speeds 200mph express from Frankfurt to London

By Ray Massey, Transport Editor
Last updated at 4:17 PM on 20th September 2010

Bullet train set to arrive at St Pancras next month in trial run
One way fares could be as little as £49

The nation renowned for making the trains run on time is to launch a 'dry run' trial for a 200mph high-speed cross-channel link between London and Frankfurt.
German railway giant Deutsche Bahn - which has already bought up a number of UK train operators - has now set its sights on competing with the airlines and arch rival Eurostar between the UK and the Continent.
The company is to bring one its latest German 'bullet trains' through the Channel tunnel and into the capital's St Pancras International terminal on October 19 to showcase its plans for a high speed link between the two financial centres from December 2013 - sparking a new price war.

Bullet across the Channel: The 200mph 'Bullet Train' planned for a new express service between Britain and Germany

The aim is to cut the train travelling time from Central London to Frankfurt, nicknamed 'Bankfurt' in Germany because it is the nation's major financial centre, from around six hours to between four and five hours.
A direct non-stop route is achievable in 3 hours 55 minutes. This will compete with approximately 4 and a half hours needed to fly there, once travel to the airport, check-in time and the 1 hour 30 minute flight time are put together.
The extra competition could also mean lower fares. Experts say a one way trip could be between £39 and £49. The Germans are considering stops in Cologne and Brussels and Lille.
The centre-to-centre travel will also mean business travellers and tourists can relax for longer in their seats or work via wi-fi rather than enduring the hassle of airline check-in, security and trips to and from the airport.

Enlarge

The planned Frankfurt=London route: Using the 200mph 'bullet trains' should improve air travel times between the two financial centres by about half an hour

However the high speed German -built Inter City Express (ICE) trains will first have to pass stringent safety tests to pass through the Channel Tunnel - including evacuations.
Deutsche Bahn chief executive Ruediger Grube is understood to be arriving in London on the dry run trip, marking the significance of the event.
It highlights how far international relations have moved. Seventy years ago, at the height of the Battle of Britain, the narrow strip of water was all that separated Britain from German invasion. Today the nation which was defeated is now running much of Britain's railways.
The news comes as UK Transport Secretary Phillip Hammond this week visits areas in the Chilterns and the Midlands affected by a controversial high speed rail link plan linking London to the North - which would feed into the Continental high speed rail network. The Tories back a high speed link to the North, but are critical of the route set out by Labour.
Last month French and German transport ministries released a joint statement saying they had agreed to work together on changes to European rules covering rail and air transport..
Eurostar launched in 1994 and now carries 9 million passengers a year between London, Paris and Brussels.
Rail analyst Chris Meek said the German bullet-train would increase traffic between London and the Continent:'And the main source of the traffic will be diversion from air.'

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...#ixzz105vlW5hM

Gitta Rensolo · 20-09-2010, 08:05 PM

they should do that before NYE 2010

mc_squared · 20-09-2010, 08:07 PM

Why?

Anyway, RyanAir would still be half the price.

Black Rose · 20-09-2010, 08:52 PM

Quote:
Originally Posted by mc_squared;4451097
Why?
Anyway, RyanAir would still be half the price.

But I bet the train won't charge you £40 if you forget to book-in online or £1 to use the toilet. Or have silly weight limits or bag size limits

mc_squared · 21-09-2010, 11:47 AM

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dargarius;4451179
But I bet the train won't charge you £40 if you forget to book-in online or £1 to use the toilet. Or have silly weight limits or bag size limits

If you abide by their rules, you'll never have a problem, as I never have.

You can't beat 20-30 Euros return!

Braddock · 21-09-2010, 01:09 PM

I use Ryanair and I've had no problems.

mc_squared · 21-09-2010, 01:13 PM

Quote:
Originally Posted by Braddock;4452061
I use Ryanair and I've had no problems.

My point exactly. I fly with them regularly, and I've never had any problems other than the odd delay you can have with any airline.
I've also hardly ever paid more than 40 Euros for a return flight with them.

Black Rose · 21-09-2010, 09:00 PM

Apart from their border-line legally advertising of fees-free flights, but oh by the way you HAVE to pay £5 per person each way to check-in online. Not to mention the various gauntlet you need to run to try and avoid their card payment fees

Darlene_Ihnfsa · 21-09-2010, 09:04 PM

that thing would not work in Spain, i mean a train with that straight route design and apparently few stops

mc_squared · 21-09-2010, 09:04 PM

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dargarius;4452798
Apart from their border-line legally advertising of fees-free flights, but oh by the way you HAVE to pay £5 per person each way to check-in online. Not to mention the various gauntlet you need to run to try and avoid their card payment fees

Well then please feel free to travel with another airline with whom you might end up paying double.

I don't care how the fees are all calculated when I end up paying only 30 Euros return, even if they said it was "leprechaun tax".

Black Rose · 21-09-2010, 09:10 PM

At least Ryan Air are better than BMI baby, their cages for hand-luggage are the right size

I would imagine that train route being used by people not wanting to go though the whole security stuff you need to do at airports

mc_squared · 21-09-2010, 09:12 PM

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dargarius;4452833
At least Ryan Air are better than BMI baby, their cages for hand-luggage are the right size

Been Watchdogging, have we?

Black Rose · 21-09-2010, 09:15 PM

Yep

mc_squared · 21-09-2010, 09:48 PM

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dargarius;4452844
Yep

Have a secret crush on Ann Robinson, do we?

Black Rose · 21-09-2010, 09:57 PM

No, but I bet you do though

20-09-2010, 07:13 PM	#1
mc_squared Banned Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 67,519 My Mood: Location: Wherever life takes me Gender: Country: Chat posts: 0 Thanks given: 0 Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts	German train "invasion"? German train giant to spark price war with airlines as it speeds 200mph express from Frankfurt to London By Ray Massey, Transport Editor Last updated at 4:17 PM on 20th September 2010 Comments (21) Add to My Stories Bullet train set to arrive at St Pancras next month in trial run One way fares could be as little as £49 The nation renowned for making the trains run on time is to launch a 'dry run' trial for a 200mph high-speed cross-channel link between London and Frankfurt. German railway giant Deutsche Bahn - which has already bought up a number of UK train operators - has now set its sights on competing with the airlines and arch rival Eurostar between the UK and the Continent. The company is to bring one its latest German 'bullet trains' through the Channel tunnel and into the capital's St Pancras International terminal on October 19 to showcase its plans for a high speed link between the two financial centres from December 2013 - sparking a new price war. Bullet across the Channel: The 200mph 'Bullet Train' planned for a new express service between Britain and Germany The aim is to cut the train travelling time from Central London to Frankfurt, nicknamed 'Bankfurt' in Germany because it is the nation's major financial centre, from around six hours to between four and five hours. A direct non-stop route is achievable in 3 hours 55 minutes. This will compete with approximately 4 and a half hours needed to fly there, once travel to the airport, check-in time and the 1 hour 30 minute flight time are put together. The extra competition could also mean lower fares. Experts say a one way trip could be between £39 and £49. The Germans are considering stops in Cologne and Brussels and Lille. The centre-to-centre travel will also mean business travellers and tourists can relax for longer in their seats or work via wi-fi rather than enduring the hassle of airline check-in, security and trips to and from the airport. Enlarge The planned Frankfurt=London route: Using the 200mph 'bullet trains' should improve air travel times between the two financial centres by about half an hour However the high speed German -built Inter City Express (ICE) trains will first have to pass stringent safety tests to pass through the Channel Tunnel - including evacuations. Deutsche Bahn chief executive Ruediger Grube is understood to be arriving in London on the dry run trip, marking the significance of the event. It highlights how far international relations have moved. Seventy years ago, at the height of the Battle of Britain, the narrow strip of water was all that separated Britain from German invasion. Today the nation which was defeated is now running much of Britain's railways. The news comes as UK Transport Secretary Phillip Hammond this week visits areas in the Chilterns and the Midlands affected by a controversial high speed rail link plan linking London to the North - which would feed into the Continental high speed rail network. The Tories back a high speed link to the North, but are critical of the route set out by Labour. Last month French and German transport ministries released a joint statement saying they had agreed to work together on changes to European rules covering rail and air transport.. Eurostar launched in 1994 and now carries 9 million passengers a year between London, Paris and Brussels. Rail analyst Chris Meek said the German bullet-train would increase traffic between London and the Continent:'And the main source of the traffic will be diversion from air.' Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...#ixzz105vlW5hM __________________ LIFE ISN'T MEANT TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY Be yourself, no matter what anyone else thinks. Work to live - don't live to work...................... Age is purely a state of mind! Don't waste your time on jealousy. Success is a journey, NOT a destination. Life is a marathon, NOT a sprint! http://www.generationterrorists.com/...sunscreen.html

20-09-2010, 08:05 PM	#2
Gitta Rensolo -1 Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 44,318 My Mood: Location: sleeping in a sidewalk with a Burger King crown Gender: Country: Chat posts: 0 Thanks given: 0 Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts	they should do that before NYE 2010 __________________ keine Zeit, in Echtzeit Die Musik ist aus und ist immernoch da

20-09-2010, 08:07 PM	#3
mc_squared Banned Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 67,519 My Mood: Location: Wherever life takes me Gender: Country: Chat posts: 0 Thanks given: 0 Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts	Why? Anyway, RyanAir would still be half the price. __________________ LIFE ISN'T MEANT TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY Be yourself, no matter what anyone else thinks. Work to live - don't live to work...................... Age is purely a state of mind! Don't waste your time on jealousy. Success is a journey, NOT a destination. Life is a marathon, NOT a sprint! http://www.generationterrorists.com/...sunscreen.html

20-09-2010, 08:52 PM	#4
Black Rose Bear with me Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 47,603 My Mood: Location: A strangeland under the iron sea where hopes & fears can make the night train be in perfect symmetry Gender: Country: Chat posts: 0 Thanks given: 6 Thanked 112 Times in 90 Posts	Quote: Originally Posted by mc_squared;4451097 Why? Anyway, RyanAir would still be half the price. But I bet the train won't charge you £40 if you forget to book-in online or £1 to use the toilet. Or have silly weight limits or bag size limits __________________ You could take a picture of something you see In the future where will I be? You could climb a ladder up to the sun Or write a song nobody had sung Or do something that's never been done

21-09-2010, 11:47 AM	#5
mc_squared Banned Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 67,519 My Mood: Location: Wherever life takes me Gender: Country: Chat posts: 0 Thanks given: 0 Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts	Quote: Originally Posted by Dargarius;4451179 But I bet the train won't charge you £40 if you forget to book-in online or £1 to use the toilet. Or have silly weight limits or bag size limits If you abide by their rules, you'll never have a problem, as I never have. You can't beat 20-30 Euros return! __________________ LIFE ISN'T MEANT TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY Be yourself, no matter what anyone else thinks. Work to live - don't live to work...................... Age is purely a state of mind! Don't waste your time on jealousy. Success is a journey, NOT a destination. Life is a marathon, NOT a sprint! http://www.generationterrorists.com/...sunscreen.html

21-09-2010, 01:09 PM	#6
Braddock Grow Delicious Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 11,035 My Mood: Location: The middle place between light and nowhere Gender: Country: Chat posts: 0 Thanks given: 85 Thanked 138 Times in 73 Posts	I use Ryanair and I've had no problems.

21-09-2010, 01:13 PM	#7
mc_squared Banned Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 67,519 My Mood: Location: Wherever life takes me Gender: Country: Chat posts: 0 Thanks given: 0 Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts	Quote: Originally Posted by Braddock;4452061 I use Ryanair and I've had no problems. My point exactly. I fly with them regularly, and I've never had any problems other than the odd delay you can have with any airline. I've also hardly ever paid more than 40 Euros for a return flight with them. __________________ LIFE ISN'T MEANT TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY Be yourself, no matter what anyone else thinks. Work to live - don't live to work...................... Age is purely a state of mind! Don't waste your time on jealousy. Success is a journey, NOT a destination. Life is a marathon, NOT a sprint! http://www.generationterrorists.com/...sunscreen.html

21-09-2010, 09:00 PM	#8
Black Rose Bear with me Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 47,603 My Mood: Location: A strangeland under the iron sea where hopes & fears can make the night train be in perfect symmetry Gender: Country: Chat posts: 0 Thanks given: 6 Thanked 112 Times in 90 Posts	Apart from their border-line legally advertising of fees-free flights, but oh by the way you HAVE to pay £5 per person each way to check-in online. Not to mention the various gauntlet you need to run to try and avoid their card payment fees __________________ You could take a picture of something you see In the future where will I be? You could climb a ladder up to the sun Or write a song nobody had sung Or do something that's never been done

21-09-2010, 09:04 PM	#9
Darlene_Ihnfsa Rising Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 50,540 My Mood: Location: Bavaria-Bohemia-Silesia Gender: Country: Chat posts: 0 Thanks given: 4 Thanked 27 Times in 12 Posts	that thing would not work in Spain, i mean a train with that straight route design and apparently few stops __________________ no rompas el silencio si no es para mejorarlo. nadie me dirá que jamás alcanzaré la cima que yo quiero ascender W W Cervantes D? life is for living, care to live it fully. be back in 2023. (20th anniversary).

21-09-2010, 09:10 PM	#11
Black Rose Bear with me Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 47,603 My Mood: Location: A strangeland under the iron sea where hopes & fears can make the night train be in perfect symmetry Gender: Country: Chat posts: 0 Thanks given: 6 Thanked 112 Times in 90 Posts	At least Ryan Air are better than BMI baby, their cages for hand-luggage are the right size I would imagine that train route being used by people not wanting to go though the whole security stuff you need to do at airports __________________ You could take a picture of something you see In the future where will I be? You could climb a ladder up to the sun Or write a song nobody had sung Or do something that's never been done

21-09-2010, 09:12 PM	#12
mc_squared Banned Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 67,519 My Mood: Location: Wherever life takes me Gender: Country: Chat posts: 0 Thanks given: 0 Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts	Quote: Originally Posted by Dargarius;4452833 At least Ryan Air are better than BMI baby, their cages for hand-luggage are the right size Been Watchdogging, have we? __________________ LIFE ISN'T MEANT TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY Be yourself, no matter what anyone else thinks. Work to live - don't live to work...................... Age is purely a state of mind! Don't waste your time on jealousy. Success is a journey, NOT a destination. Life is a marathon, NOT a sprint! http://www.generationterrorists.com/...sunscreen.html

21-09-2010, 09:15 PM	#13
Black Rose Bear with me Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 47,603 My Mood: Location: A strangeland under the iron sea where hopes & fears can make the night train be in perfect symmetry Gender: Country: Chat posts: 0 Thanks given: 6 Thanked 112 Times in 90 Posts	Yep __________________ You could take a picture of something you see In the future where will I be? You could climb a ladder up to the sun Or write a song nobody had sung Or do something that's never been done

21-09-2010, 09:48 PM	#14
mc_squared Banned Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 67,519 My Mood: Location: Wherever life takes me Gender: Country: Chat posts: 0 Thanks given: 0 Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts	Quote: Originally Posted by Dargarius;4452844 Yep Have a secret crush on Ann Robinson, do we? __________________ LIFE ISN'T MEANT TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY Be yourself, no matter what anyone else thinks. Work to live - don't live to work...................... Age is purely a state of mind! Don't waste your time on jealousy. Success is a journey, NOT a destination. Life is a marathon, NOT a sprint! http://www.generationterrorists.com/...sunscreen.html

21-09-2010, 09:57 PM	#15
Black Rose Bear with me Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 47,603 My Mood: Location: A strangeland under the iron sea where hopes & fears can make the night train be in perfect symmetry Gender: Country: Chat posts: 0 Thanks given: 6 Thanked 112 Times in 90 Posts	No, but I bet you do though __________________ You could take a picture of something you see In the future where will I be? You could climb a ladder up to the sun Or write a song nobody had sung Or do something that's never been done