The Replacement Train

Instead of the convenient Paris-Brussels-Berlin sleeper City Night Line have put extra carriages on the Paris-Munich sleeper that are then tagged on the train from Zurich to Berlin.

See also:

• a map
• why it is no good
• the timetable

The Paris-Berlin replacement connection only runs on Thursday to Sunday nights from Berlin and on Friday to Monday nights from Paris during winter and daily only during the summer (27 March to 2 November 2009).

The saver tickets in couchette start from €89/€99 for compartments of 6/4 people instead of €39/€49 in 2008. This is a price increase of 100%.

In the map below the red line shows the route of the night train (and London connection via Brussels) until 2008. The purple line shows the route of the new night train service from Paris to Berlin as well as the huge detour from London via Paris and southern Germany.

Der Zug fährt nicht mehr durch Belgien and does not serve Brussels and Liège.

The map makes clear that the replacement coaches make a massive detour.

Why is the substitute no good?

• In winter (November to March) it only goes on weekends.
• It no longer goes to Bielefeld or any of the Hamburg route stops.
• It takes more than an hour longer from Paris to Berlin – more on connecting routes
• It no longer serves Brussels and Liege
• It takes more than ½ a day longer from London via Paris

The train was a vital connection between Brussels and Berlin, linking the Belgian and EU capital with the German as well as north and eastern Germany.

The train was the only viable train connection between London and northern and eastern Germany. The new connection will require an afternoon (on the outward journey) and a morning (on the return), so 2 extra days off work (instead of none).

DB says there was insufficient use, but saver tickets were always booked out and the train always seemed full. The real reason seem to be higher access charges or problems with traction on the Belgian rail network.

This is a great shame. It will mean that travellers will fly instead, increasing carbon emissions.

CNL 451 Perseus Paris-Berlin

Time: 12:42

CNL 450 Perseus Berlin-Paris

Time: 13:54 (Sun)
Time: 13:32 (other)

The connection from London

Outward

Time: 17:11

Return

Time: 17:49

Eurostar times will be about 20 minutes faster once the Channel Tunnel has been repaired. Saturday and Sunday travelling times on Eurostar may vary.

© Andrea Woelke 2008