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DB through the tunnel this year?

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blackfive460

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According to the Railway Gazette:
'This autumn we will send an ICE3 test train through the tunnel beneath the English Channel as part of our preparations for possible train service to London', Deutsche Bahn Chairman & CEO Dr Rüdiger Grube said during his presentation of the German national rail company's half-year results on July 28.
More here:
ICE 3 through the Channel Tunnel this autumn
 
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R

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As I've said before, there'll never be Deutsche Bahn through services between Germany and London.

DB will have to deal with UK passport agency and the British government. Can you really see passport checks undertaken on board trains again on their way to the Tunnel ? It's either that or the east German style checks we see at Brussels repeated at each of the station en route from Germany.
 

scandal

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DB are serious about this, Im sure the new ICE sets are designed to be splittable for use in the tunnel.

Considering that the trains will run via Lille Europe, why on Earth can the UK Border Agency not perform full checks on the already onboard customers there at Lille (as well as having Eurostar similar check-ins for passengers joining at Lille) and then the train is "vetted" and able to run to London St Pancras with no issues?
 

Ivo

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DB are serious about this, Im sure the new ICE sets are designed to be splittable for use in the tunnel.

Considering that the trains will run via Lille Europe, why on Earth can the UK Border Agency not perform full checks on the already onboard customers there at Lille (as well as having Eurostar similar check-ins for passengers joining at Lille) and then the train is "vetted" and able to run to London St Pancras with no issues?

Or, better yet, this country can relax and adopt the Schengen Agreement :roll: Or are there too many H&S risks involved? :lol:
 

scandal

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It is rather odd for the an island nation within the EU to have its own border restrictions I agree, if you like the UK is doubley protected on its borders. This is because obviously their is the schengen borders outside the EU and then there is the border between the UK and the schengen protected EU countries.

The main reason the UK did not join Schengen despite the benefits was that Ireland didn't, I have no doubt that if Ireland had joined then the UK would of too to preserve the free movement between the countries. Note the UK has an open border already....Northern Ireland to the Republic!
 

route101

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Would be good to see DB trains to the UK ! PKP will be next :D In eastern Europe passport checks happen on the train no problem , slovenia / croatia whist the train was moving .
 

odol

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PKP will be next :D

Next in the UK? Thats such a good joke :D
You'll be lucky if you'll se the PKP (Polish National Rail) on its own tracks in next ten years ;D With the kind of menagment what they doing now they'll disapere from european railway map.
Anyway its not a passport control between the borders. I've travel a few times last year between Frankfurt/Oder and Poznan and have never seen any kind of border police or something like that. So I cant understand why UK doesnt want to adopt the Schengen Agreement. :roll:
 

Darandio

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As I've said before, there'll never be Deutsche Bahn through services between Germany and London.

DB will have to deal with UK passport agency and the British government. Can you really see passport checks undertaken on board trains again on their way to the Tunnel ? It's either that or the east German style checks we see at Brussels repeated at each of the station en route from Germany.

Loving your "it wont happen" stance, and in two threads as well. Do you really think DB would be going through the trouble of fighting for a service to the UK and indeed organising a test run if they hadn't thought of what you say already?

I have no idea who you are though, possible in charge of UK border patrol? I just dont know.
 

thefab444

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How do the Eurostar services to Avignon and Bourg St Maurice work then? Are there full UK border controls at these stations, so they can be used once a week for a half the year?
 

starrymarkb

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Reason the UK isn't in Schengen is Customs - No border checks means more Tobacco from the continent (and less for the exchequer)
 

EWS 58038

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Reason the UK isn't in Schengen is Customs - No border checks means more Tobacco from the continent (and less for the exchequer)

Which is utter BS becouse there is a freedom of travel of persons and goods within the EU with the exception of alcoholic drinks and tobacco. And it doesn't matter if you travel from changen to change or from change to non change member state.
 

route101

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Next in the UK? Thats such a good joke :D
You'll be lucky if you'll se the PKP (Polish National Rail) on its own tracks in next ten years ;D With the kind of menagment what they doing now they'll disapere from european railway map.
Anyway its not a passport control between the borders. I've travel a few times last year between Frankfurt/Oder and Poznan and have never seen any kind of border police or something like that. So I cant understand why UK doesnt want to adopt the Schengen Agreement. :roll:

Yeah Poland joined Schengen in 2007 so no passport control. Ive had one random check between Bratislava and Vienna last feb and ive been around the Balkans aswell. If there was a high speed line across Germany, London to Prague and Warsaw will be possible. A big if tho:lol:
 

Flywaver

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Yeah Poland joined Schengen in 2007 so no passport control. Ive had one random check between Bratislava and Vienna last feb and ive been around the Balkans aswell. If there was a high speed line across Germany, London to Prague and Warsaw will be possible. A big if tho:lol:

Would like to see Rail Baltica too if they decide on the guage and speed :)
 

odol

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They did allready, the guage will be 1435mm so that not'll be a problem.
Even polish gouverment said the polish side of Rail Baltica exactly Trakiszki (border with Lithuania) to Suwalki line will be electrifed for 25kV (now is 3kV in all polish lines) for test. Thats new think couse nobody never sais anything like that before (There was plans for upgrade CMK Warsaw - Krakow/Katowice for 25kV for higher speed than 160km/h).
Anyway that Lithuania allready start bulid that RailBaltica line but in Poland they still cant make a decision through what cities that line will goes.

BTW
I would to go from London to Poland via Berlin, and try to buy a ticket at bahn.de but the London - Germany spezial offer doesnt exist anymore? Anybody knows what happened?
 

j0hn0

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Loving your "it wont happen" stance, and in two threads as well. Do you really think DB would be going through the trouble of fighting for a service to the UK and indeed organising a test run if they hadn't thought of what you say already?

I have no idea who you are though, possible in charge of UK border patrol? I just dont know.

:)

I think it's time for the "change the record" statement to mr shinkansen1966.

Someone clearly has no idea how hard DBhave been working behind the scenes
 

jopsuk

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I reckon he'llstill be caliming there will never DB through services as the first service (never mind test run) arrives at St Pancras
 

route101

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you never know but its about time there was through trains to germany and maybe one day amsterdam
 

odol

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I knew that before but when I choice my journey than I have something like that:
London-Spezial
Train-specific booking. Exchange and refund: EUR 15; excluded from the first day of validity. Limited contingent of tickets, advance-purchase deadline 3 days prior to day of travel
98,00 EUR Single ride no longer available

98 is becouse I checked for two persons, so that mean 49 euros each. But why single ride is no longer available?
 

paul_l

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How do the Eurostar services to Avignon and Bourg St Maurice work then? Are there full UK border controls at these stations, so they can be used once a week for a half the year?

I took the ski train last year, outwards was the normal checks at St Pancras. On the way back, there was a passport & ticket check in the station, and the UK passport check took place on the train.
 

jon0844

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you never know but its about time there was through trains to germany and maybe one day amsterdam

It seems strangely coincidental that Eurostar is now making such a big attempt to advertise all the other places you can go with a 'quick and easy' change.

I just looked up going to Cologne, as they are promoting that, and the cheapest fare seems to be £150 one way, per person. I guess they're trying to compete with the airlines quite literally!

Now, it may well be cheaper to split the tickets as I think Eurostar is taking quite a large chunk - which just goes to show how good it would be if/when DB start running trains without a change and, hopefully, some better fares.
 

route101

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I took the ski train last year, outwards was the normal checks at St Pancras. On the way back, there was a passport & ticket check in the station, and the UK passport check took place on the train.

Did the uk passport check happen between Calais and Folkestone?
 

paul_l

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Did the uk passport check happen between Calais and Folkestone?

no, it was fairly early on while we were still meandering around the french countryside before joining the high speed line. i think they got off at lille when we stopped briefly there for a crew change
 

blackfive460

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I just looked up going to Cologne, as they are promoting that, and the cheapest fare seems to be £150 one way, per person. I guess they're trying to compete with the airlines quite literally!
The cheapest advance fare appears to be £52.50 each way.
Splitting at Brussels gives you the possibility of £34.50 on E* + £18.00 on Thalys which also comes to £52.50.
 

gordonthemoron

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I knew that before but when I choice my journey than I have something like that:
London-Spezial
Train-specific booking. Exchange and refund: EUR 15; excluded from the first day of validity. Limited contingent of tickets, advance-purchase deadline 3 days prior to day of travel
98,00 EUR Single ride no longer available

98 is becouse I checked for two persons, so that mean 49 euros each. But why single ride is no longer available?

The quota has sold out
 

Railjet

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I knew that before but when I choice my journey than I have something like that:
London-Spezial
Train-specific booking. Exchange and refund: EUR 15; excluded from the first day of validity. Limited contingent of tickets, advance-purchase deadline 3 days prior to day of travel
98,00 EUR Single ride no longer available

98 is becouse I checked for two persons, so that mean 49 euros each. But why single ride is no longer available?

The €49 quota seems to be very limited now and sells out quickly. However, I have been able to book the €59 fare Cologne - London a couple of times, just a few days before departure. From London the afternoon departure (connecting to the ICE departing at 18:25 from Brussels) is easier for the cheaper fares, but, of course, this limits onward same-day connections.
 

gordonthemoron

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From London the afternoon departure (connecting to the ICE departing at 18:25 from Brussels) is easier for the cheaper fares, but, of course, this limits onward same-day connections.

I have taken to forcing the DB search engine to allow a stop of 3 hours in Cologne so I can then take the night train to munich. However, the standard of irish pubs in Cologne is not great :(
 
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Loving your "it wont happen" stance, and in two threads as well. Do you really think DB would be going through the trouble of fighting for a service to the UK and indeed organising a test run if they hadn't thought of what you say already?

I have no idea who you are though, possible in charge of UK border patrol? I just dont know.

DB plans to test run an ICE from Germany to St Pancras is encouraging. A through service would be welcome. But just how would it work with UK immigration ?

And what about passengers boarding at Cologne and travelling as far as Brussels ? Would they be subject to UK passport control ? Or would the controls take place on the train after it had left Brussels / Lille ?

Don't work in government. But if I did, I'd lobby the UK to join Schengen and end this farce of a UK border control at Brussels and elsewhere !!
 
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