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And before you can even realize it, you’ll find yourself at Frankfurt Airport—lost, looking for that elusive train station that’s supposed to take you to Nuremberg.
On October 1, 2024, in the early morning, I arrived at Frankfurt Airport with all my important belongings packed into two suitcases weighing a total of 40 kg. After clearing immigration, it was time to find the train station platform. Good news: there are plenty of platforms! Bad news: if you’re here for the first time, like me, don’t expect to get it right the first time.
The immigration line was unexpectedly long. After finally crossing immigration, I found myself lost for a while, trying to get directions to the station. I realized that I was going to miss my connecting train to Nuremberg, but I still wanted to give my very best to catch that train. I took some wrong directions from confident-looking information providers, got myself onto the wrong bus, took a tour of the airport, and ended up on the other side of the station. After realizing the mistake, I had to come back to the same spot from where I had begun.
Finally, I saw the DB Lounge and, releasing a deep sigh of relief, I went there. And guess what? The late-night staff didn’t understand English. I firmly believe that, for a brief moment, we were talking to each other in sign language, trying to explain the word "ticket." By the end of the conversation, when I finally managed to make him understand that I was late for my train, he got annoyed and said a lot of things to me—thankfully in German! So, I didn’t understand a word. I just stood there with a gentle smile on my face and let him talk.
After a while, he took my ticket with that same grumpy expression and did a few things on his computer. He handed me another paper, highlighting two things: a new departure time and platform number. It didn’t take me long to realize that my ticket had been updated, and my new train would arrive in 20 minutes. Although I was a bit disheartened by his behavior, I grabbed the ticket, smiled at him for the last time, and ran.
Luckily, I found the platform this time. Navigating escalators with two heavy suitcases was no easy task. I had to carry one up, leave it at the top, go back for the second, all while keeping a watchful eye on the first.
When I reached the platform, I was a bit surprised! Except for the platform number, nothing was written in English. As I looked around, two Indian guys came to the same platform. After exchanging greetings, I learned that one of them was also headed to Nuremberg. As we were chatting, he shared that he had missed the previous train to Nuremberg, and now the new ticket had cost him 167 euros. Since he missed his train, he would be traveling with me and was understandably upset.
It left me wondering if that was supposed to happen to me too. Yes, my ticket price was included in my airfare; maybe that’s why it was updated, and I was given a new ticket. But if it hadn’t been updated, and if the guy had not chosen to help me, I may not have been able to negotiate it with him, given the language barrier. If that gentleman hadn’t updated my ticket, things would have been even worse.
A part of me wanted to go back to the DB Lounge, return to that grumpy-faced man, and tell him “Danke”! But after all the escalators that night, I knew I had enough. The train arrived—the train to my destination, the train to Nuremberg!
TBC.....
Tips: If you're traveling for the first time, I would suggest choosing an airline that offers a direct flight from Frankfurt to Nuremberg. The train connection can be tricky for someone who’s just landed here. If you have plenty of time between arriving in Frankfurt and catching your train to Nuremberg, then it’s fine—go for it! And don’t feel scared; it will all be sorted in the end. At least we have the DB Lounge guy!
On October 1, 2024, in the early morning, I arrived at Frankfurt Airport with all my important belongings packed into two suitcases weighing a total of 40 kg. After clearing immigration, it was time to find the train station platform. Good news: there are plenty of platforms! Bad news: if you’re here for the first time, like me, don’t expect to get it right the first time.
The immigration line was unexpectedly long. After finally crossing immigration, I found myself lost for a while, trying to get directions to the station. I realized that I was going to miss my connecting train to Nuremberg, but I still wanted to give my very best to catch that train. I took some wrong directions from confident-looking information providers, got myself onto the wrong bus, took a tour of the airport, and ended up on the other side of the station. After realizing the mistake, I had to come back to the same spot from where I had begun.
Finally, I saw the DB Lounge and, releasing a deep sigh of relief, I went there. And guess what? The late-night staff didn’t understand English. I firmly believe that, for a brief moment, we were talking to each other in sign language, trying to explain the word "ticket." By the end of the conversation, when I finally managed to make him understand that I was late for my train, he got annoyed and said a lot of things to me—thankfully in German! So, I didn’t understand a word. I just stood there with a gentle smile on my face and let him talk.
After a while, he took my ticket with that same grumpy expression and did a few things on his computer. He handed me another paper, highlighting two things: a new departure time and platform number. It didn’t take me long to realize that my ticket had been updated, and my new train would arrive in 20 minutes. Although I was a bit disheartened by his behavior, I grabbed the ticket, smiled at him for the last time, and ran.
Luckily, I found the platform this time. Navigating escalators with two heavy suitcases was no easy task. I had to carry one up, leave it at the top, go back for the second, all while keeping a watchful eye on the first.
When I reached the platform, I was a bit surprised! Except for the platform number, nothing was written in English. As I looked around, two Indian guys came to the same platform. After exchanging greetings, I learned that one of them was also headed to Nuremberg. As we were chatting, he shared that he had missed the previous train to Nuremberg, and now the new ticket had cost him 167 euros. Since he missed his train, he would be traveling with me and was understandably upset.
It left me wondering if that was supposed to happen to me too. Yes, my ticket price was included in my airfare; maybe that’s why it was updated, and I was given a new ticket. But if it hadn’t been updated, and if the guy had not chosen to help me, I may not have been able to negotiate it with him, given the language barrier. If that gentleman hadn’t updated my ticket, things would have been even worse.
A part of me wanted to go back to the DB Lounge, return to that grumpy-faced man, and tell him “Danke”! But after all the escalators that night, I knew I had enough. The train arrived—the train to my destination, the train to Nuremberg!
TBC.....
Tips: If you're traveling for the first time, I would suggest choosing an airline that offers a direct flight from Frankfurt to Nuremberg. The train connection can be tricky for someone who’s just landed here. If you have plenty of time between arriving in Frankfurt and catching your train to Nuremberg, then it’s fine—go for it! And don’t feel scared; it will all be sorted in the end. At least we have the DB Lounge guy!
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