Yesterday was my first long distance train ride in Germany. I bought a Rail Pass several months ago and with that I could purchase our train ticket for €8. All’s good there. They sent me specific instructions on how to print my TICKET at the train station, and, with some help from the attendant, I printed it out just fine.

Bob and I sat and people watched and browsed through shops until near train time. We stood at the track where our train was to stop, and there was an announcement IN GERMAN when all the people started leaving our platform. I don’t know why they didn’t make this announcement in English, as they had others, but they didn’t. I have discovered the Germans aren’t great at communicating fully. I asked one of the briskly-walking passersby, and she said our platform had changed to 15. 

Ok. Move to 15. The train came and we figured out where we were supposed to be. “Wagon” 23, Seats 41 & 43. Got it.  Our “Fenster/Window” seat had no window. Great! Three hour trip to Berlin and viewing the countryside…whomp (as Sam put it). The first leg of the trip we were able to switch to an actual clear glass window seat, and had a lot of conversation with a University student, but we had to go back to our seats as the train filled up.

Now comes the fun part. The conductor came through the “Wagon” checking tickets, so I pulled out my “ticket” that I had so carefully followed THEIR instructions on how to get. He said, “That isn’t a ticket, it’s a reservation.” (I promise the instructions CALLED THIS a ticket!) “It says 8 euros! This isn’t the ticket!” I said, “What should I do?”(fully expecting him to throw me off the train at 180 MPH). I looked at Bob as if he would know (He didn’t. I made all the arrangements.) I finally thought to show him the Rail Pass. “Now THAT is the ticket,” he said! Dang!