Frankfurt to London

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Frankfurt to London 09/04/2013 at 16:15 #43239
jwsetford
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164 posts 		I've heard rumors that there will be a Frankfurt to London line. does anyone know if its true? if it is true, will they be building a new London station, or will they have it go to a pre-existing station, e.g. St Pancras, Waterloo, Victoria, London bridge, etc.

Josh.
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Frankfurt to London 09/04/2013 at 16:19 #43240
Rickurd
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128 posts 		I think the service will operate on the existing Euro high speed network, via the channel tunnel and HS1 to St Pancras. DB did a test with an ICE about 2 years ago, and I would assume the service will be operated using ICE sets.

Rick
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Frankfurt to London 09/04/2013 at 16:21 #43241
John 23
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173 posts 		That's my understanding. The service, which will include Cologne, will use DB Bahn's ICE sets to St Pancras International.
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Frankfurt to London 09/04/2013 at 16:22 #43242
jwsetford
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164 posts 		OK thanks. where will it branch off from HS1. also what route will it take from there?

Josh
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Frankfurt to London 09/04/2013 at 16:23 #43243
Rickurd
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128 posts 		From my understanding it will use all of HS1, and take the same route as Brussles bound Eurostars

Rick
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Frankfurt to London 09/04/2013 at 16:23 #43244
postal
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5191 posts 		" said:
I've heard rumors that there will be a Frankfurt to London line. does anyone know if its true? if it is true, will they be building a new London station, or will they have it go to a pre-existing station, e.g. St Pancras, Waterloo, Victoria, London bridge, etc.

Josh.
When I heard your rumour, I did a quick Google on "London Frankfurt High Speed Rail" and got 715,000 results in 0.27 seconds. The first link in the list gives the official DB information on the matter.
“In life, there is always someone out there, who won’t like you, for whatever reason, don’t let the insecurities in their lives affect yours.” – Rashida Rowe
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Frankfurt to London 09/04/2013 at 16:29 #43245
jwsetford
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164 posts 		So this is the planned route(s) and times

Travel times from London
Brussels: 2:00
Amsterdam: 4:00
Cologne: 4:00
Frankfurt: 5:00
Rotterdam: 3:00

Josh
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Frankfurt to London 09/04/2013 at 16:51 #43247
Underwood
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746 posts 		The ICE has already reached St Pancras on test runs only, took a video of it when it was there (didn't even know it was on test that day either, so took me by surprise!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVkpWGkC5zk
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Frankfurt to London 09/04/2013 at 17:26 #43249
guidomcc
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246 posts 		" said:
" said:
I've heard rumors that there will be a Frankfurt to London line. does anyone know if its true? if it is true, will they be building a new London station, or will they have it go to a pre-existing station, e.g. St Pancras, Waterloo, Victoria, London bridge, etc.

Josh.
When I heard your rumour, I did a quick Google on "London Frankfurt High Speed Rail" and got 715,000 results in 0.27 seconds.
I know it's been done before on the forum, but this.
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Frankfurt to London 09/04/2013 at 17:34 #43252
jwsetford
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164 posts 		Guidomcc that link is the same as postal's!
Last edited: 09/04/2013 at 17:34 by jwsetford
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Frankfurt to London 09/04/2013 at 20:45 #43257
Copping
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95 posts 		I heard that there will be a service from Amsterdam and from either Cologne, Frankfurt or Aachen and they attach/split at Brussels, basically two ICE sets will run between St Pancras and Brussels.

Spanish Railways, RENFE, also have planned future Barcelona and Madrid services through to St Pancras, probably when the standard gauge high speed lines have been built.
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Frankfurt to London 09/04/2013 at 22:12 #43258
Peter Bennet
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5362 posts 		" said:


I know it's been done before on the forum, but this.
Have we really got to the sad state of affairs where human interaction is discouraged in favour of a Google search?

Peter
I identify as half man half biscuit - crumbs!
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Frankfurt to London 09/04/2013 at 22:16 #43259
Rickurd
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128 posts 		" said:
" said:


I know it's been done before on the forum, but this.
Have we really got to the sad state of affairs where human interaction is discouraged in favour of a Google search?

Peter
Well said
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Frankfurt to London 09/04/2013 at 23:06 #43260
Danny252
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1461 posts 		" said:
" said:


I know it's been done before on the forum, but this.
Have we really got to the sad state of affairs where human interaction is discouraged in favour of a Google search?

Peter
Although some might debate the benefit when said human interaction is essentially someone googling the question in hand and then summarising the result...
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Frankfurt to London 10/04/2013 at 06:58 #43262
postal
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5191 posts 		" said:
" said:
" said:


I know it's been done before on the forum, but this.
Have we really got to the sad state of affairs where human interaction is discouraged in favour of a Google search?

Peter
Although some might debate the benefit when said human interaction is essentially someone googling the question in hand and then summarising the result...
Some would prefer the interaction to be based on a discussion of the easily available information rather than wondering whether the latest rumour has any factual basis. In the latter case, someone who prefers to have the facts is going to come back with whatever information is available in any event.
“In life, there is always someone out there, who won’t like you, for whatever reason, don’t let the insecurities in their lives affect yours.” – Rashida Rowe
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Frankfurt to London 18/06/2013 at 15:31 #45788
Snotri
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26 posts 		Yesterday Deutsche Bahn was granted with the right of tracks for this service. In theory they can start at once. BUT: there is no suitable infrastructure in Frankfurt Central, Frankfurt Airport or Cologne. They have to build a terminal in Frankfurt Central and have to invest in at least mobile safety gates for Cologne and Frankfurt Airport.
And there is a much greater problem left: the new class 407 ICE 3 from Siemens is still pending track qualifications for the network. Actually the EBA (Federal bureau for Rail Administration) declines track clearence for the class 407 because of software issuse.
So it is not clear, when the service really starts. maybe in 2014, more likely in 2015.

More to come.
Greetings from Frankfurt.
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Frankfurt to London 18/06/2013 at 16:38 #45790
Peter Bennet
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5362 posts 		Somewhere there will be a need for UK Border Force to be involved. Currently there is a presence at Brussels and Paris (and presumably Lille etc but I'm not sure about that) will they need the infrastructure in Germany and Holland too?

Peter
I identify as half man half biscuit - crumbs!
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Frankfurt to London 18/06/2013 at 17:12 #45794
kbarber
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1712 posts 		" said:
Somewhere there will be a need for UK Border Force to be involved. Currently there is a presence at Brussels and Paris (and presumably Lille etc but I'm not sure about that) will they need the infrastructure in Germany and Holland too?

Peter

Unfortunately I believe the paranoid tendency in HMG/UKBF have issued guidance saying, in summary, that they are unlikely to accept new immigration control locations other than those that already exist (Brussels, Paris, Lille, Frethun, Marne-la-Vallee and presumably somewhere in the French Alps and Avignon, I think). Neither are they likely to accept on-train checks in lieu of full shore-based facilities. So any trains running through from other than existing locations will apparently require an extended stop at - presumably - Lille while everyone alights (complete with luggage), clears UK Immigration and reboards. (Just what SNCF want at Lille, where I'm given to understand there are already capacity problems!) They've suggested the only alternative they're likely to accept would be full immigration checks for arriving passengers at St Pancras, which would require a major reconfiguration of the undercroft there (and create significant delays and passenger handling problems for arriving passengers).

When will someone knock a bit of sense into the Little Englander Militant Tendency and get us signed up to Schengen?

<Wish there was a smiley for terminally frustrated!>
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Frankfurt to London 18/06/2013 at 17:37 #45796
Danny252
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1461 posts 		" said:
Neither are they likely to accept on-train checks in lieu of full shore-based facilities.
Though in fairness to them, the few times I have been cross-border on trains, I've either sat with fellow passengers in amazement as the customers officer ignored/forgot about half the passengers on the train, watched them manage only half the train before we pulled into the first station across the border, or seen no sign of them at all! It doesn't seem like the most robust of systems.
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Frankfurt to London 18/06/2013 at 18:08 #45798
Peter Bennet
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5362 posts 		" said:

When will someone knock a bit of sense into the Little Englander Militant Tendency and get us signed up to Schengen?
Wish there was better phrase to encompass those of us who are not English. Little UKer Militant Tendency loses some of the kudos.

Peter
I identify as half man half biscuit - crumbs!
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Frankfurt to London 18/06/2013 at 21:29 #45804
Forest Pines
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525 posts 		" said:
" said:
Neither are they likely to accept on-train checks in lieu of full shore-based facilities.
Though in fairness to them, the few times I have been cross-border on trains, I've either sat with fellow passengers in amazement as the customers officer ignored/forgot about half the passengers on the train, watched them manage only half the train before we pulled into the first station across the border, or seen no sign of them at all! It doesn't seem like the most robust of systems.
If the Iron Curtain countries were happy with on-train checking back in the 70s, though, I'm not sure why UKBA are quite so paranoid!
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Frankfurt to London 19/06/2013 at 08:26 #45806
Snotri
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26 posts 		Quote:
If the Iron Curtain countries were happy with on-train checking back in the 70s, though, I'm not sure why UKBA are quite so paranoid!
I have made the cheks from BRD to DDR a few times through, visiting my Grandparents back in the 80th! That were really harsh checkings, nothing comparabel left today in Europe. You can compare it a little bit to the chinkings at US borders today.
The train (and the passengers) were first controlled by West-german police i.e. at Bebra and than the East-german police boarded the train at Herleshausen. They boarded with at least 10 officers and a few dogs. The cheking lasted 15 to 30 Minutes, then Einsenach was reached, first stop behinde the border.
The return trip was the same. But remember: you cant hardly compare that with today, because nobody cant simply by a ticket from Erfurt to Kassel i.e.. If you wanted to do so you must already have your visa for western europe.

For the plans of DB as fare as i know (i am working in the EBA (Federal Railway Authority) i can say that they are planning to reconstruct the plattform 1a at Frankfurt Central station and build there security gates and a passport control area.
How mans that control terminal, i dont know. In cologne it is planne, that there are mobile checking systems on planttform 1 or that the train is stopping only in Cologne Ehernfeld, a minor station in cologne, ant that in Ehrenfeld will be a terminal for UK bound passengers.
But nothing is certain at the moment.
As i told you, the major problem is, that the new class 407 has not granted permission for passenger operations. The EBA has not granted it. I can tell you that it is really complicated to get a permit for new cars in germany. It can take you more then a year because of bad administrative work and not enough qualified staff at the EBA! Really sad!
Greetings.

(I apologise for my bad english...)
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Frankfurt to London 23/06/2013 at 14:08 #45947
jwsetford
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164 posts 		" said:
I heard that there will be a service from Amsterdam and from either Cologne, Frankfurt or Aachen and they attach/split at Brussels, basically two ICE sets will run between St Pancras and Brussels.

Spanish Railways, RENFE, also have planned future Barcelona and Madrid services through to St Pancras, probably when the standard gauge high speed lines have been built.
I went to spain recently and found things called "guage changers!" found a small program about them;
spanish gauge changer
Last edited: 23/06/2013 at 14:09 by jwsetford
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Frankfurt to London 23/06/2013 at 17:28 #45953
Danny252
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1461 posts 		" said:
" said:
I heard that there will be a service from Amsterdam and from either Cologne, Frankfurt or Aachen and they attach/split at Brussels, basically two ICE sets will run between St Pancras and Brussels.

Spanish Railways, RENFE, also have planned future Barcelona and Madrid services through to St Pancras, probably when the standard gauge high speed lines have been built.
I went to spain recently and found things called "guage changers!" found a small program about them;
spanish gauge changer
Dear lord, they pay people to make videos that bad?
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Frankfurt to London 23/06/2013 at 20:05 #45957
benstafford
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88 posts 		There is already a standard guage HS line all the way from seville and Malaga to the French border.
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