Flix Train Europe

This may be Europe’s cheapest train service city to city, but be ready to step back in time on board the Flix train. 

Today’s train was originally scheduled for 1101 departure from Köln HBF, however a few weeks ago I got an email from Flixbus that they have changed their schedule to 1001 departure, which means we will arrive Hamburg an hour early, not complaining except having to wake up early.

The train arrives 10 minutes before departure, and at first look I can tell how old this train is. It seems like the carriage we were standing on is not available, so everyone around me started running to the nearest available passenger carriage. This train has a much higher step to get on board since it’s an older design, which can be a struggle for older passengers, disable or someone like me with 2 suitcases.

Once onboard, I can see some semi private cabins with 6 seats, which are probably more suitable for family, and walking through a glass door I ended up in a slightly more open area with some regular seats and seats with a fixed table.

The cabin is also very old which doesn’t surprise me when I saw the exterior, there is no air conditioning and the luggage storage compartment is above the seats which is way too high for me to lift my 20kg suitcase up, but luckily there are plenty of free seats on this origin station.

A few minutes after departure, the train manager made an announcement with a greeting and explain that this train doesn’t accept DB or ICE tickets which I guess is a common mistake people make. I wouldn’t be happy if I am paying a high price and get on a train that looks like this. He then further explains that carriage 1 and 2 is reserved seating which is purchased when making the booking, and the rest is free seating, which they should probably make clear on the confirmation email so that people are prepared, clearly marked signage helps as well.

The seat itself is comfortable and wide, legroom is average and you get an individual light (big light bulb on the ceiling) which may be bothersome at night to other passengers. There are smaller side seats placed along the corridor, which can be used when all regular seats are occupied since they are less comfortable. Some seats are in worst shape than others, the seat next to me has a tear on the cloth which causes the cushion fluff to get out on the seat. The seat personal storage is rather small and unpractical, I would have thought the fishnet is stretchable but that is not the case, so I couldn’t place any bigger item on it.

We departed on time and on route to Hamburg, via Düsseldorf, Duisburg, Essen, Gelsenkirchen, Münster and Osnabrueck. Their onboard cafe comes with a range of snacks and drinks available for purchase, however I have bought drinks and food from the train station before departure. A quick visit shows that it is really small, cramped, crowded, nothing too exciting.

The train service from Köln to Hamburg is around 4 hours and 40 minutes, which is slightly quicker than the quickest bus service, and up to 3 hours quicker on a longer bus (assuming they take longer break between stops since they are all non stop).

On the Flixbus website and the exterior of the train they advertise Wifi and power plugs but as much as I am aware there isn’t any of it (at least not near my seat).

So how much exactly did I pay for this? Since I got it during their launch promotion, it is only 5 euros for this trip. Checking on their website last night, they charge 20 euros for this service which is on par with their buses. Is this a good value? I would say yes even if you are paying 20 euros, since ICE or DB services would be 3 times more but they are definitely more modern and much better maintained and comfortable. If you are a budget traveller, this is a good deal, but the key is to purchase early for the cheapest fare. How about comparing their bus service and train? I would say I am much more of a train person since it’s less cramped and it feels much more roomier than a bus. The plus side is that the train service is (usually) quicker than the bus, and it’s easy connection to other train services to/from the city, as most bus terminals are separate from the main station. Luggage is a bit of an issue since there isn’t any luggage storage as such so heavier luggage seems to occupy additional seats.

By the 3rd stop, the train is starting to be overcrowded, people are walking around looking for free seats. Also after the 3rd stop the staff came into our carriage to scan the ticket, which means technically people can evade fare if they sit further back, however given that this is a budget service, I am not expecting them to employ too many staff either. Germany transportation seems to be built on a trust system, which is reflected by the transportation system I have seen in Köln and Hamburg so far. The ticket can also be purchased on board in the event that people do not possess a ticket or board by mistake.

About less than 2 hours before arrival, our train stopped for about 5 minutes and an announcement from the manager informing us of issues in Hannover that causes the train to be diverted and they are getting in our way. He said there’s about 30 minutes delay as a result of that. At every stop he also announced the amount of time we have been delayed and the time we can expect to arrive at the next stop, which is rather helpful and it shows that they are very precise about their time and that means they will try to be as punctual as possible. The very regular update is also welcomed since it provides us with an explanation, however do not expect this on their bus service.

As with any public transportation, you will get annoying passengers sitting near you, in my case a passenger sitting next to me speaking loudly on his phone, however most passengers who are family seem to be very respectful and keeping their noise level to a reasonable level. If you are travelling on public transport, please do not be that person and be respectful to other passengers who wish to have some peaceful moment.

Other Flix train services can be found on the Flix bus website, along with their bus services so you can compare on the prices and duration. I will have to emphasise that if you are boarding by the 3rd or 4th stop (or near midway of the service, seats may not be available and there are passengers who are standing, which can be rather unpleasant for 2 or 3 hours). Reserving your seat may be a wiser choice if you are not boarding on the origin or the 1st/2nd stop; on busy season I would even advise people to reserve even if they are starting on the origin of the service, but since the train does only have 2 or 3 carriages of reserved seating, booking early would be the key to getting a reserved seat.

We finally arrive in Hamburg central station 49 minutes behind schedule, since it’s out of Flixtrain control, it is more forgivable. I wouldn’t recommend this service if you are looking for comfort, however for budget travel between Europe this is a great option.