London to Leipzig Arrive 18Jun20

[Diplodicus]

Hello,

Two old seventy-odd year olds wish to travel from London to Leipzig by train (first class).
We wish to return to London leaving morning 21st June but spending night in Ghent before crossing the channel.

We would welcome your advice on our options.

I am not enjoying particularly good health just now so an overnight journey would be unwelcome.

Many thanks in anticipation of your replies,
Malcolm

 

[JBuchananGB]

You don't say when you want to leave so I have looked it up for 13th June. How about:

London St. Pancras International dep 11:04 EST 9126 EUROSTAR Direction: Amsterdam Centraal Eurostar
Subject to compulsory reservation , Global price , compartment for nursing mothers / bottle-feeding , Compartment for disabled travellers
Operator: EUROSTAR
Bruxelles-Midi Eurostar arr 14:05
walk 7 min.

Bruxelles Midi dep 14:25 5 ICE 17 Intercity-Express Direction: Frankfurt(Main)Hbf
Komfort Check-in möglich (Infos unter bahn.de/kci) , Bordrestaurant
Operator: DB Fernverkehr AG
Frankfurt(Main)Hbf arr 17:41 18
Transfer time 33 min.

Frankfurt(Main)Hbf dep 18:14 9 ICE 594 Intercity-Express Direction: Berlin Gesundbrunnen
Komfort Check-in möglich (Infos unter bahn.de/kci) , Bicycles conveyed - subject to reservation , Number of bicycles conveyed limited , Bordrestaurant , vehicle-mounted accessaid
Operator: DB Fernverkehr AG
Leipzig Hbf arr 21:10

Leipzig Hbf dep 10:48 ICE 597 Intercity-Express Direction: München Hbf
Komfort Check-in möglich (Infos unter bahn.de/kci) , Bicycles conveyed - subject to reservation , Number of bicycles conveyed limited , Bordrestaurant , vehicle-mounted accessaid
Operator: DB Fernverkehr AG
Frankfurt(Main)Hbf arr 13:44
Transfer time 45 min.

Frankfurt(Main)Hbf dep 14:29 ICE 14 Intercity-Express Direction: Bruxelles Midi
Komfort Check-in möglich (Infos unter bahn.de/kci) , Bordrestaurant
Operator: DB Fernverkehr AG
Bruxelles Midi arr 17:35 7
Transfer time 17 min.

Bruxelles Midi dep 17:52 16 IC 1539 Intercity Direction: Blankenberge

Operator: SNCB
Gent St Pieters arr 18:19 12
Transfer time 14:20 h


Mo, 22.06.20
Gent St Pieters dep 08:39 10 IC 1507 Intercity Direction: Genk

Operator: SNCB
Bruxelles Midi arr 09:07 12
transfer 45 min.
Please observe check-in times


Bruxelles-Midi Eurostar dep 10:05 EST 9119 EUROSTAR Direction: London St. Pancras International
Subject to compulsory reservation , Global price , Bar , compartment for nursing mothers / bottle-feeding , Compartment for disabled travellers
Operator: EUROSTAR
London St. Pancras International arr 10:57

The above information from bahn.de. At least it gives you a possible itinerary. Not sue how you go about pricing it. Maybe talk to Eurostar.

 

[30907]

It's a fairly straightforward, if long, day trip (I did Erfurt to Shipley not so long ago, so this is not just theory) - there isn't an overnight option anyway. Change at Brussels and Frankfurt (Hbf or Flughafen, the latter being simpler if there is a workable connection). Brussels to Ghent is a short hop.

The caution is that the outward connection in Brussels is under 20 minutes. It is exceptionally easy off the 1104 from London as this goes to Amsterdam and it's a cross-platform connection. And if it doesn't work you could still make Leipzig that night.
If you prefer, you could allow an extra 2 hours in Brussels, or you could break your journey overnight there or in Germany.

Ticketing is more of an issue. For years the answer would have been:

1. a through ticket with Deutsche Bahn, allowing overnight break of journey (1 night only now), costing around £110-150 (the latter at quite short notice), plus tickets Brussels-Ghent-Brussels. Trouble is, ES are introducing a new ticketing system which DB apparently can't access (there may be more to it than that), and that may or may not be resolved by mid March

2. so plan B is to split tickets in Brussels, which particularly using Standard Premier/DB First may well cost a bit more. You would book London to Any Belgian Station (both ways, because there's a discount on returns) plus Brussels to Leipzig and Leipzig to Ghent.

3. Another option might be an Interrail Senior pass. With the special Eurostar passholder fare it would come to £310 each, valid from and to your local NR station, and you could get those prices at a few days' notice. Seat reservations on DB would be extra though at about £6 each way, and I'd advise getting them.
(BTW, Interrail often do discount offers outside peak season, but they are non-refundable).
This means, from a budget point of view, you can reckon on £320 each maximum.

 

[Nicholas43]

To arrive in Leipzig on 18 June you could leave London that morning, change at Brussels and Frankfurt, and reach Leipzig in the late evening. Or you could leave on 17 June for a more relaxed day London Brussels Cologne, spend a night in Cologne, and continue Cologne Frankfurt Leipzig on 18 June.
For times and prices Brussels to Leipzig, and Leipzig to Gent, Google reiseauskunft. You can specify extended times to change, or (say) a 12 hour stopover in Köln.
If you would like help at stations in Germany, Google DB mobility assistance.

 

[Diplodicus]

Thank you very much for all this useful 'gen' We had hoped to depart early on Thursday 18th June arriving in time for a concert starting that evening at 20:00. (it's the Bachfest).
We would depart Leipzig on the morning of Sunday 21st June stopping overnight in Ghent if possible.

 

[Nicholas43]

...We had hoped to depart early on Thursday 18th June arriving in time for a concert starting that evening at 20:00.

A sensible hope, but alas not practicable. As you will now have gathered, either leave on 17 June and do a stopover, eg at Köln, or travel in one day to Leipzig on 17 June (or earlier, of course).

We would depart Leipzig on the morning of Sunday 21st June stopping overnight in Ghent if possible.

An excellent plan. And DB offers good value Sparpreis tickets Leipzig to Gent:
https://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/q...2&ident=n3.025244162.1582102526&rt=1&OK#focus

 

[Jamesrob637]

I take it this is not happening now due to COVID-19? I see the intended travel date was tomorrow.

 

[Diplodicus]

Indeed. The Bachfest is one of my year's most wonderful highlights. Of course, it won't make the headlines... "thousands of people flock to city centre to listen (peacefully) to music composed by an irascible genius, sung or performed by musicians from across the world, young and old, and visiting the statue of someone who is probably about to have some unpleasant fact unearthed that turns him from genius to villain. Thank goodness for the intermabob.