Late lunch in Cologne

My late stop in Cologne, necessitated by the need to get a connecting train, doubled as lunch stop and the stage for a series of minor culture shocks.

The station information was at first glance utterly baffling. Having deduced that displays I had found were showing information only about the immediately adjacent platforms, I went exploring in search of my connecting train. I eventually found displays stating upon which platform various trains can be found are placed only at the station's four entrances, at the very end of the station's dual concourses; less than ideal for making connections. Finding the displays had in any case been an exercise in futility: the single, non-scrolling screen with capacity to display a dozen or so trains was clogged with six-or-so late trains so my train due in about 45 minutes was nowhere to be seen.

Having resigned myself to remaining in suspense about which platform I should be on, I went in search of food. The station concourse was awash with bakeries selling delicious looking breads, pretzels and sandwiches - closer inspection revealed tragedy - each and every one was slathered in cheese. A closer reconnaissance of the offerings did turn up an intriguing looking bagel and an avocado sandwich; the Eurostar 'meal' having amounting to a meer morsel, I naturally got one of each.

The station itself was absolutely bustling, perhaps as a consequence of the bank holiday and populated with a very energetic group of beggars (but as heartbreaking as anywhere else you find people begging). Every platform was perpetually crowded, such that one had to weave or retrace one's steps to progress along its length.

The trains themselves came in all varieties, small commuter electric multiple units, inter city trains with power cars and double decker carriages and the sleek ICE high speed trains. The numbering convention for carriages wasn't very clear, but it appeared that to reduce confusion between trains each service has unique carriage numbers (I was in car 264 of a train I am certain had far fewer carriages than that).

When my train arrived I was surprised to see that, in contrast to the matrix displays on most every other, it displayed paper carriage numbers and each seat carried a paper slip to indicate if it was booked. Beyond that it gave little sign of its relatively advanced age; as smartly appointed and quiet as any I've ridden. Most importantly it's huge windows have a great view of Cologne's central cathedral and the Rhein river as we headed toward Dusseldorf.Read more