The train is in a good mood – despite breakdowns
Of course, train delays or breakdowns can be annoying. More and more often, however, railway employees sweeten waiting times and service restrictions with humorous announcements. They even get trained in it. The passengers appreciate that.
Sales start of the 9-euro ticket planned for May 23rd
Many transport companies want to start selling the so-called 9-euro ticket on May 23 – provided the Bundestag and Bundesrat agree to the project. In June, July and August, the special tickets will enable travel throughout Germany for 9 euros a month in local and regional transport.
When the next train journey takes a little longer, the “FIS”, rail German for passenger information system, can be quite entertaining. Like the other day on the way to Berlin. “Enjoy the landscape and count the deer in the fields,” came the apologetic voice over the loudspeaker as an ICE strolled around. This sightseeing tip is also cheerful: “We stopped here for a moment because the section ahead of us is still occupied. In the meantime, you will see Berlin graffiti on the left.”
In the case of delays, such a distraction is most welcome. And fortunately there are more and more humorous railway employees who sweeten “disruptions in the operational process” or other railway breakdowns on the way with entertaining announcements. In fact, train attendants are even comedy-trained for such situations to better bridge waiting times and to keep the passengers and themselves in a good mood.
The apologetic announcement once came on the ICE: “Due to the high occupancy of the train, we only have cold drinks in our on-board bistro that are not that cold.” Or also: “This train does not have a dining car as planned. So you don’t have to look for it! Unless you want to go for a walk.”
Funny announcements from the train have many fans
They’re funny loudspeaker announcements and whimsical train displays too original to forget. There are several forums where travelers post the most original quotes right away. For example, with train announcements on Facebook and Twitter, with almost 250,000 followers. There is enough material there. For example, this self-deprecating announcement: “We still have to wait a bit. The train station in Basel does not seem to be prepared for a punctual German train.”
This saying is also wonderful: “If you’re late again, think back to this sunny day when we were two minutes early!” “ actually warns against train journeys?
Unintentionally funny: a train indicator at the train station in Hanau
Source: ddp/Stefan Auth
Of course, travelers also appreciate it when they are informed of the cause of a delay as quickly as possible – as in this announcement: “Dear passengers, we reached the train station in Erfurt on time. Unfortunately we can’t leave it on time again. We don’t have a train driver anymore.”
Sometimes the comedy attempts by the Deutsche Bahn employees seem a bit trying, for example with this saying: “If you look out the window on the left, you can see the North Sea Canal. If you look out the window on the right, you will see the Ostseekanal. If you move your head back and forth very quickly, you can see the Kiel Canal.”
We recommend the new volume “Jokes About the Train” from Transpress-Verlag, with 163 humorous suggestions about delays and the like. Because passengers appreciate humor, and sometimes a joke or two. One train passenger comments: “If you have a funny train driver, delays are a little bit less annoying.”
The humor of the Swiss railway colleagues is more subtle. They like to react to the delays of the Deutsche Bahn with verbal acrobatics. This is confirmed by this diplomatic announcement at the Basel border station, which was aimed in the direction of Germany: “Due to uncertainties abroad, we have now had a delay of 20 minutes.”
You’re already looking forward to the next announcement from DB, which will talk up delays within Germany as “domestic imponderables”.
.