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Flying First Class by Rail

Germany's Metropolitan Express
sets new standards in luxury train travel

by Bodo Hornberger

Whether you’re a true train-nut, enjoy rail travel (or hate flying), or just like the idea of getting across Germany in record time and great comfort and style, the new Metropolitan Express train is something you should know about.

Introduced in August 1999, the Metropolitan elevates rail travel to new heights, offering a level of comfort previously only known to business and first-class air travelers, with staff and facilities catering to passengers' every requirement. Running four times a day, these sleek silver trains with the distinctive orange logo have quickly become a feature of one of Germany’s busiest railroad stretches, connecting the port city of Hamburg and historic Cologne in just over three hours.

Hamburg, located in the far north of Germany, is a vibrant, cosmopolitan place, the second largest city in the country (after Berlin) and one of Europe’s biggest ports. Famous for its bustling fish market and legendary ‘Reeperbahn’ entertainment district, it’s a fun destination, but certainly not relaxing! Thus, arriving somewhat early at the station for my trip south to Cologne, I am happy to find the Metropolitan Express already waiting at the platform, ready to board.

The Metropolitan offers only one class of seat – first class. However, as the service is aimed both at the business traveler and the discerning private traveler, when booking my ticket I was offered a choice of carriage types: Office, Silence and Club. Intrigued, I chose Club, described as the best option for those traveling with friends or those who wish to take advantage of on-board entertainment options.

Immediately on boarding,  I am impressed by the train’s interior. The generously proportioned seats are upholstered in soft black leather, the floors are carpeted and almost every other surface is clad in pale wood paneling. As on an airplane, each seat has its own overhead light, service team call button and headphone audio panel. Unlike most airline seats, however, there is also plenty of room to stretch out long legs – a big deal when, like me, you are over 6ft tall.

We leave Hamburg bang on time and a stewardess soon arrives to serve a lunchtime snack and non-alcoholic drinks at passengers’ seats (included in the ticket price). Remembering airline meals that I had ‘enjoyed’, I hadn’t expected much from this ‘snack’, but I was proved wrong – fruit, a light salad with feta cheese, pâté and a fresh German ‘brötchen’ (bread roll). I clear my plate with relish – a far better quality meal than I have tasted on many a flight!

The snack was fine for me, however should you crave something more substantial, the onboard kitchen staff are happy to prepare full meals at reasonable prices. The same policy is applied to drinks - complementary fruit juices, soft drinks, tea and coffee are served, and a selection of German beers, wines and spirits are on sale. This helps to keep Metropolitan ticket prices at reasonable levels.

After serving food and drinks, the stewardess returns to my ‘Club’ carriage with portable DVD players and a selection of 15 movies (following the meal the remaining journey is just long enough to catch a full length feature). The headphones can also be plugged into the audio panel to tune into a choice of four radio stations and ‘classic’ and ‘ambient’ channels. It’s a tempting proposition, but I decline and as the train speeds smoothly across Germany’s northern lowlands, I set out to explore the length of the train.

Arriving in the ‘Office’ zone carriages, I note that business travelers are well catered for with a power supply for laptop computers at every seat, amplifiers enabling the use of mobile phones without reception problems and a number of seats arranged face-to-face to allow for small meetings and working with colleagues. By contrast, the ‘Silence’ carriages are strictly mobile phone and computer-free areas. Cushions, blankets and earplugs are provided, making these carriages perfect for complete relaxation, or even sleep.

Reaching the front of the train, I discover the door to the driver’s cabin wide open. As I sidle closer to take a peak into the ‘cockpit’, the driver turns and invites me to step in and take a seat beside him. I’m worried that I might disturb him from his job, but he reassures me that most of the train’s functions are automatic. We chat while I admire the panels of controls and watch the track disappear under us at a speed of 125 mph. Later more passengers arrive to take a look and a stewardess serves the driver coffee. It makes for a nice sort of ‘family atmosphere’ on the train!

As I return to my seat I discover more facilities available to passengers, including two bar areas offering a selection of Davidoff cigars, a variety of complementary newspapers and magazines, telephones and a computerized car rental booking terminal.

Two and a half hours after leaving Hamburg we make our first stop at Essen, a city in the Ruhr area - Germany’s industrial heartland - which has succeeded in reinventing itself and its heritage. 20 minutes later we arrive in Düsseldorf, home to banks and company headquarters: the “desk of the Ruhr area”. All that work makes for a fierce thirst, and the city is also famous for its pubs and bars. Indeed the pedestrianized Old Town has earned the nickname ‘the longest bar in the world’!

Not long after, the Metropolitan finally rolls into its terminus: Cologne. Founded by the Romans over 2000 years ago, Cologne is one of the oldest and most attractive cities in Germany, not least because it is the starting point for boat tours along the majestic River Rhine. It also boasts a magnificent gothic cathedral, delicious ‘Kölsch’ beer and a spectacular spring Carnival.

Appreciably faster and more comfortable than all other trains on the Hamburg-Cologne route and requiring less time and effort than flying, it’s not surprising that the Metropolitan has a strong following among business travelers. Several major international companies have made it company policy to take the Metropolitan rather than fly, freeing up the entire trip time for work, meetings or pure relaxation.

Passengers are pretty much unanimous in praising the Metropolitan’s comfort, and I heartily agree – it is certainly the most comfortable (and stylish) train I ever traveled on! It is not surprising then to learn that the Metropolitan received the ‘Special Award for Service Excellence 1999’, awarded by Business Traveler Magazine (and considered the “Oscar” of the travel industry), as well as a ‘Design Oscar’ awarded by iF Product Design Award for outstanding design combined with environmental soundness.

The Metropolitan Express currently serves only the Hamburg-Cologne route. However, German Railways plans to extend the network, introducing new routes such as Frankfurt-Munich, Frankfurt-Berlin and Berlin-Hamburg. So next time you are traveling in Germany, don’t fly from city to city – take the Metropolitan instead!

For more information:

The Metropolitan Express website is at:

http://www.met.de (currently in German only)

E-mail: willkommen@met.de

Tickets can be booked online, via the telephone booking line +49 (0)1805 905805, or purchased at major German train stations. Ticket price: approx. $90 one-way

Text & photos by Bodo Hornberger © 2000

Please send comments to: bodo@globeflower.com

Reproduction of this article and/or images, either in whole or in part, including reproduction in electronic media, is prohibited without the written consent of the author.

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