10 things Germans generally know about trains

There's a loudspeaker announcement while you're waiting for a train, but you barely distinguish a single word? The acoustics of any train station are generally bad, so instead of worrying too much about what you've missed, here's a German idiom for the unexceptional occasion: "Ich verstehe nur Bahnhof" — literally, "I only understand train station" — which means you didn't understand a thing.

Most preschool children know this: The Intercity-Express (ICE) trains are the high-speed stars of the German state railway, Deutsche Bahn. They reach up to 300 kph (186 mph). The Intercity (IC) trains are also white and red, but not quite as modern and fast, traveling at a maximum speed of 200 kph. If you're heading to a smaller town, the (often red) Regionalbahn (RB) is what you're looking for.

Despite the stereotypes about German efficiency, train punctuality has been declining, and complaining about how they're late all the time is a small talk topic that unites travelers throughout the country. DB claims that nearly 75 percent of its high-speed trains reached their destination within five minutes of their planned schedule in 2018.

A basic principle: Buy your ticket before boarding a train. However, if ever the ticket vending machine is out of order at your station of departure or you don't manage to obtain a ticket before getting on the train, on ICE or Intercity trains you can buy your ticket from the conductor once you're on board. On a RB, you'll be fined for fare evasion, aka "schwarzfahren" (literally: black riding).

Groups of up to five people will find interesting deals for regional train tickets. In some cases, it's already cheaper for two people to buy one such ticket; each additional traveler on the same ticket further reduces the costs, which is why improvised groups of people heading to the same destination often find each other on the platform.

An increasing number of ICE trains have designated spaces for a limited number of bicycles. On other trains, from the Intercity to the regional ones, there are special wagons for bikes. You'll need an extra ticket to bring one along. Cycling is a popular activity in the summer, so expect a chaotic "first come, first served" struggle to squeeze yours in and out of a regional train on a weekend.

A train ticket doesn't come with an allocated seat. Reservations are available at an extra cost on long-distance trains — and they can be overbooked. Indicators usually reveal if a seat has been reserved, but even Germans find "ggf. reserviert" (which means: "it could be reserved") confusing. In any case, the passenger with a reservation is sure to let you know if you're sitting in their place.

While tourists wildly run around looking for the wagon with their reservation once their ICE train comes in, seasoned German travelers are already standing next to the right door. They know there's a useful information system that associates a letter on the platform to the position where each carriage will stand.

There are different options when you make a reservation: Do you prefer an aisle seat, at a table or in a smaller compartment? Some areas are conceived for people who prefer it quiet. Avoid making phone calls in the "Ruhebereich," or quiet zone. And even in other areas, no one really wants to listen to you talk loudly on your phone.

Parents traveling with their children will find it easier to avoid the quiet zone altogether. On ICE trains, special family compartments are an interesting option — but they need to be booked ahead. Traveling without a reservation? Head to the "Family Zone." Children aged 5 and under travel for free, while those under 15 don't have to pay either, as long as they're accompanied by a paying adult.