Czech out this train in Germany!

[allanorn]

EC 175 "Berliner"
November 19, 2023
Hamburg Hbf 10.51 - Berlin Hbf 12.55

I was in Germany this past November, as I wanted to explore a few cities on my "to see" list and to cross off a bucket list item: visit a Christmas market. The early part of November was relatively warm for Germany but it was turning cold by this point. The weather had been on and off rain, with no snow while on this part of the trip. I had a great yet short and wet time in Hamburg, and needed to get to Berlin where I had an apartment for a few days to explore the city.

Because it was a two-hour trip, I bought a second-class ticket, semi-refundable, that included transport tickets for the day in Hamburg and Berlin. I had a Deutschland ticket so I didn't need the extra transport tickets, but it was still good to have in case I wasn't able to buy a D-ticket for the month. As I was running a tad behind schedule from leaving the hotel in the suburbs west of Altona, I didn't get any pictures of the Hauptbahnhof. However, it isn't a bad place to spend time before a train ride. Everything is indoors (unlike Hamburg-Altona where it's just covered) and there are plenty of shops and restaurants should you need something. It isn't a modern building like Berlin Hbf, but it's still in good order.

The platform was pretty crowded when the train rolled in to the station about five minutes behind schedule. I managed to board and find a place in the mid-car hold for my suitcase, but seats were filling up quite fast. In the end I had to rush to find a seat. For this particular trip, I wasn't worried about where I was sitting.

The seats in second class are fairly basic: probably the width of an airline seat, little if any recline (I didn't check), and fabric covered. Seat comfort is fine for a trip of this length. I didn't check for power but in second class it's either non-existent or one outlet between the seats for two people. The car I was in was open-plan, four seats per row - I wasn't in a compartment.

We depart a few minutes behind as we had a lot of passengers getting on; I'd probably say more than a few people were standing once we left Hamburg. We trundled on and people were milling about the aisle trying to find their reserved seats. Some discussions ensued as passengers found their seats and others were negotiating for seats. I did not spring for a seat reservation, as it wasn't worth the price. I read this train had "moderate" demand for seats as of the morning but this seemed a little full even for a EuroCity train.

So when we pull into the first stop outside of Hamburg around 11.30 local, and someone makes a gesture to me as if I am in their seat, I nod and offer the seat. I have other plans that I must attend to while on this train, so I set out for a different car and hopefully a less-crowded place to sit.

 

[allanorn]

The train I am on is one of several that ply the Berlin-Hamburg route. Most trains are German ICE trains: train sets capable of 300km/h and are the fastest available in Germany. They depart often, have good seats, and are generally pretty comfortable even for criss-crossing the country. When they are running efficiently - which is a hot topic of discussion in Germany as I found out on this trip - they're great. On an advance purchase they are quite inexpensive.

However, I am on a EuroCity train. While they are not as fast as ICE trains, EC trains have a set of features that are essentially required for itineraries that span multiple countries. They involve some power at the seat and air conditioning, and some level of first class that is 2+1 seating in open plan or four per compartment. Anyone traveling on EuroCity trains would find them more than adequate.

EC trains also have a restaurant car. Which, after offering my original seat up, is where I am going. For this train is run entirely by Ceske Drahy, and the restaurant car is Czech.

It also happens to be lunchtime.

When I was looking for this particular ticket, I noticed the price being four euro more than an equivalent ICE ticket. I was more than willing to pay it not only because the schedule worked out very well for me, but because there is a Czech dining car. In my European travels, this would be my first opportunity to try it, versus a number of opportunities for the Bordbistro and Bordrestaurant on an ICE train.

And while the menu for DB is perfectly acceptable - it isn't terribly inspiring. As I found out later, eating a currywurst mit pommes at 186mph is certainly a treat, and the currywurst isn't bad either. It's that the food feels more like fast food than a sit-down restaurant. This makes a certain level of sense as ICE trains are generally going really fast, so you're not on them all day.

However, the menu for CD EuroCity trains looked amazing when I was researching tickets. Plus, it's a true dining car and not some walk-up bistro.

So let's eat! At least, in the next post....

 

[allanorn]

When you walk in from second class, you see a takeaway counter:


You can get most anything to take back to your seat if you want. There was a counter to the right that might be suitable for standing and eating, though I didn't pay enough attention to it.

The main part of the dining car is pretty nice:


I apologize to the guys for becoming internet famous based on this trip report.

I took a seat at the table across from the four guys, who were drinking draft Pilsner Urquell. Yes, they serve draft beer on a moving train! Here's the tap in the kitchen:



They even use real glass tankards if you're in the dining car.

The menu's on the table when I sit down, so I pick it up and start looking:

 

[allanorn]

Our server today is a short girl with a number of tattoos peeking out from arms that are uncovered. Her name tag notes her being proficient in Czech and German, but I don't notice English. In this case I order by pointing at things in the menu and attempting the German; I didn't practice any Czech for this trip.

I am, unfortunately, gluten intolerant. So no beer for me. Fortunately CD generally does a great job of marking what is gluten-free and what is not on the menu.

I'm severely tempted by the veal with lentils and vegetables. Out of ethical concerns I try not to eat veal, but I notice that CD marked the plate as both gluten-free and containing gluten. I'm sensitive enough to gluten that I have to assume the gluten-free mark is misplaced. If this was the only marked gluten-free meal on board, I'd have the server double-check ingredients.

Fortunately, there are multiple meals that are gluten-free. And if there's anything the Czechs are known to do well, you can't go wrong with pork and potatoes.

I pair with an apple cider - an unusual choice perhaps, but pork and apples typically go well.




It's delicious. The bacon adds a little bit of salt to the entire dish, and the vegetables are a nice counter to the pork and potatoes. The apple cider is a bit sweet for my taste but it works out pretty well; it's not overly cloying as some American ciders. (My personal opinion is that dry English ciders like Blackthorn work better.)

I'm still hungry after this plate, so I continue to look at the menu for dessert. I can't eat anything dessert-wise besides some chocolate with a kid's toy - but I see a combination Kerner-and-almonds deal for not much more than the Kerner. Let's do it!




The wine's not too bad - it's off-dry, not very sweet, with a hint of apple on the palate. I read the label and this wine is specifically made for the dining car! It goes well with the almonds, which adds a little fat to round off the main course.

I consider getting an espresso to finish off the meal, but by the time I'm ready for one the dining car is filling up and we're starting to reach the outskirts of Berlin. Our lone server is now very busy and I was passed a couple of times as new customers enter the dining car. I also note that it's an expensive espresso, and I reckon I can probably get something inside the train station for a better price.

This meal altogether cost €26.50 - expensive, sure, but this is likely to be a once-in-a-lifetime event at the moment. I add in a fiver as tip; the server is very surprised to receive it. I feel the tip is worth it; I've sat in the dining car unbothered for perhaps 75% of the total ride, and the the price of a seat reservation would have been five euro. I'd rather give our server the money instead of the train company.

I leave the dining car just as we depart the Berlin-Spandau stop. I find an open seat next to my luggage, where I sit for about ten minutes before the train pulls into Berlin Hbf a few minutes behind schedule, and from there I depart.

Overall, this was a great experience and what a meal on the rails should be: open to everyone on the train, open when the train is running, with relatively priced good food and real china, plates and silverware. Perhaps the only downside is that I didn't have anyone to share the experience with while I was on the train! I wish Amtrak would run their dining car like this; I just don't expect them to do it in the future short of a major change in how they approach food on board.

 

[JWM]

The train I am on is one of several that ply the Berlin-Hamburg route. Most trains are German ICE trains: train sets capable of 300km/h and are the fastest available in Germany. They depart often, have good seats, and are generally pretty comfortable even for criss-crossing the country. When they are running efficiently - which is a hot topic of discussion in Germany as I found out on this trip - they're great. On an advance purchase they are quite inexpensive.

However, I am on a EuroCity train. While they are not as fast as ICE trains, EC trains have a set of features that are essentially required for itineraries that span multiple countries. They involve some power at the seat and air conditioning, and some level of first class that is 2+1 seating in open plan or four per compartment. Anyone traveling on EuroCity trains would find them more than adequate.

EC trains also have a restaurant car. Which, after offering my original seat up, is where I am going. For this train is run entirely by Ceske Drahy, and the restaurant car is Czech.

It also happens to be lunchtime.

When I was looking for this particular ticket, I noticed the price being four euro more than an equivalent ICE ticket. I was more than willing to pay it not only because the schedule worked out very well for me, but because there is a Czech dining car. In my European travels, this would be my first opportunity to try it, versus a number of opportunities for the Bordbistro and Bordrestaurant on an ICE train.

And while the menu for DB is perfectly acceptable - it isn't terribly inspiring. As I found out later, eating a currywurst mit pommes at 186mph is certainly a treat, and the currywurst isn't bad either. It's that the food feels more like fast food than a sit-down restaurant. This makes a certain level of sense as ICE trains are generally going really fast, so you're not on them all day.

However, the menu for CD EuroCity trains looked amazing when I was researching tickets. Plus, it's a true dining car and not some walk-up bistro.

So let's eat! At least, in the next post....

Those Czech restaurant cars provide wonderful meals. May I suggest beginning with a split of Czech sekt?

 

[Willbridge]

Our server today is a short girl with a number of tattoos peeking out from arms that are uncovered. Her name tag notes her being proficient in Czech and German, but I don't notice English. In this case I order by pointing at things in the menu and attempting the German; I didn't practice any Czech for this trip.

I am, unfortunately, gluten intolerant. So no beer for me. Fortunately CD generally does a great job of marking what is gluten-free and what is not on the menu.

I'm severely tempted by the veal with lentils and vegetables. Out of ethical concerns I try not to eat veal, but I notice that CD marked the plate as both gluten-free and containing gluten. I'm sensitive enough to gluten that I have to assume the gluten-free mark is misplaced. If this was the only marked gluten-free meal on board, I'd have the server double-check ingredients.

Fortunately, there are multiple meals that are gluten-free. And if there's anything the Czechs are known to do well, you can't go wrong with pork and potatoes.

I pair with an apple cider - an unusual choice perhaps, but pork and apples typically go well.




It's delicious. The bacon adds a little bit of salt to the entire dish, and the vegetables are a nice counter to the pork and potatoes. The apple cider is a bit sweet for my taste but it works out pretty well; it's not overly cloying as some American ciders. (My personal opinion is that dry English ciders like Blackthorn work better.)

I'm still hungry after this plate, so I continue to look at the menu for dessert. I can't eat anything dessert-wise besides some chocolate with a kid's toy - but I see a combination Kerner-and-almonds deal for not much more than the Kerner. Let's do it!




The wine's not too bad - it's off-dry, not very sweet, with a hint of apple on the palate. I read the label and this wine is specifically made for the dining car! It goes well with the almonds, which adds a little fat to round off the main course.

I consider getting an espresso to finish off the meal, but by the time I'm ready for one the dining car is filling up and we're starting to reach the outskirts of Berlin. Our lone server is now very busy and I was passed a couple of times as new customers enter the dining car. I also note that it's an expensive espresso, and I reckon I can probably get something inside the train station for a better price.

This meal altogether cost €26.50 - expensive, sure, but this is likely to be a once-in-a-lifetime event at the moment. I add in a fiver as tip; the server is very surprised to receive it. I feel the tip is worth it; I've sat in the dining car unbothered for perhaps 75% of the total ride, and the the price of a seat reservation would have been five euro. I'd rather give our server the money instead of the train company.

I leave the dining car just as we depart the Berlin-Spandau stop. I find an open seat next to my luggage, where I sit for about ten minutes before the train pulls into Berlin Hbf a few minutes behind schedule, and from there I depart.

Overall, this was a great experience and what a meal on the rails should be: open to everyone on the train, open when the train is running, with relatively priced good food and real china, plates and silverware. Perhaps the only downside is that I didn't have anyone to share the experience with while I was on the train! I wish Amtrak would run their dining car like this; I just don't expect them to do it in the future short of a major change in how they approach food on board.

Here's how the Czech diner looked from the outside in 2005.

 

[allanorn]

Those Czech restaurant cars provide wonderful meals. May I suggest beginning with a split of Czech sekt?

Back in 2019, Regiojet would provide a split (or another drink) on the house if you were in Business class. They still might offer it.