Why is their public transport so much better??? Or isn’t it???

[QuietlyFrench]

I’ve just come back from Germany, where I used several trains and the Munich underground. The trains were clean, efficient, on time, easy to use, and filled with nice, friendly, helpful locals.

I get back to the UK and my train is 40 minutes late, is packed, messy. This is not an isolated example - my trains are regularly late and in an absolute state.

Why are the Germans getting this so right and why are we getting it so wrong? Or am I just viewing the German system through rose-tinted specs based on a couple of good experiences?

We just came back from Germany last Sunday. All the trains we took were full and late. Lufthansa planes were late. I got totally different experience than you

German trains are really bad. Cheaper than ours though so I don't mind too much

A friend who lives in Germany was telling me how awful DB is

To the point that apparently Switzerland no longer lets ICE trains go beyond Basel into Zurich etc as they are so unreliable in timetable: https://www.iamexpat.de/expat-info/germany-news/sbb-cuts-deutsche-bahn-trains-switzerland-over-chronic-delays

The trains were clean, efficient, on time, easy to use, and filled with nice, friendly, helpful locals

I think this is true of the London Underground.

German trains are as hit or miss as ours. I can also tell you that Finnish trains were 4/4 being late! Only just made our plane as 90 minutes late

I've always had great PT experiences in Germany, although I understand that late trains is a running joke in some places a bit like it is here.

For me the most egregious difference between the PT in the UK and anywhere else is the price. Sure your trains might be late sometimes elsewhere, but I've never been anywhere where the price is a disincentive to using PT the way it is in the UK.

I lived in Germany and like a pp said it’s hit and miss but the very low cost (compared to the uk) makes it much more bearable.

I took the Berlin U bahn at about 10.30pm from the airport to the city centre.
All fine until I changed to their version of the Circle Line, which is supposed to go round and round until the early hours.
Not this time. The train abruptly started going the wrong way round, because the driver had decided it was time for him to clock off and go home.

The train driver decided which way to go? That’s some trick, to be fair.

Literally everywhere in Western Europe has drastically better transport than England outside London.

England outside London is a poor, run down country with failing infrastructure and limited opportunities.

Public transport in the Munich area is generally pretty good, and I have used it a lot in the past decade. The main issue I have experienced is that the S-Bahn can be unreliable on Sundays. Deutsche Bahn more generally is no better than British railways. It is, however, a lot cheaper.

I was told it's because our infrastructure is much older - most of Europe's was blown up in wwii so is necessarily a bit newer. Not sure how true that is!

You were lucky! Although you only have to pay 58€ a month to go anywhere in Germany on the regional trains which is very good value.

My experience has been good, especially U and S Bahn trains. I have not had delays on DB but have been at stations where others have experience delays.

Still overall seem better than the UK.

Sounds like I might have dropped on and got all the good services! Sort of reassuring to know that they aren’t perfect.

Different countries spend their income differently, we focus on benefits and the NHS, we can't have everything.

I've only used the U Bahn a couple of times and while it was efficient, the touch screen ticket machine was an absolute pain

Best public transport I've been on was in Switzerland and Japan. Don't really use it here in the UK as there are no buses near me and I only use the train if I'm going to London (20 minutes by car to the station).

The trains were on time? In Germany?! You were very, very lucky!!

We have a much better health service and generous benefits. Trains are not better than the UK though!

Hahahhahahahaha that is funny. I don't think anyone who lives in Munich would agree with you.

I kid you not! I thought I'd misunderstood where the train was meant to be going, but everyone else in the carriage looked just as confused as me.

Tram tickets were cheap 10 euro for day tickets for four. Trams were quite packed though but seemed to be in time.

I went to Copenhagen and came back feeling the same. I guess people don't mind paying all that tax when it's used well. The Metro is absolutely brilliant and if UK cities were set up like that. Id happily cycle everywhere. Rather than fear for my life on our roads.

Come to Sweden. Trains notoriously late, catenary from the early 1900s, trains breaking down. I kid you not. The only thing that is consistent with the times is ticket prices.