Greetings VT people!
My wife and I are travelling on the ICE1071 from Hamburg on 8 October - I booked a 2nd class seat online using the savings fare 50 deal. I've printed the online ticket but it's all in German, which I don't understand.

Can someone tell me, or confirm, the following:
1. Do we change trains at Frankfurt (Main) Hbf? The schedule shows a change of ICE from 1071 to 1026. It looks like there is 14 minutes to find the correct train.
2. When we arrive in Frankfurt (Flughafen) we have 15 minutes to find our check-in gate for our flight to Vancouver. Is it far from the railway terminus to the flight gates?

I'm sure it'll all be ok, but any advice/assistance will be appreciated.
Thanks!
Roger (Wellington NZ)

> 1. Do we change trains at Frankfurt (Main) Hbf?

Yes.

> It looks like there is 14 minutes to find the correct train.

According to DB's website, ICE 1026 usually(!) leaves Frankfurt/Main Central Station (HBF) from platform 6.

> 2. When we arrive in Frankfurt (Flughafen) we have 15 minutes to find our
> check-in gate for our flight to Vancouver.

Great. So if either of your two ICE train is 20 minutes late, check-in will be closed, or what?

You didn't mention your carrier, but I assume it's either going to be Air Canada or Lufthansa. Both are Star Alliance members, and both use Terminal 1, which happens to be relatively close to the station.

If you fly Lufthansa, you can check in right at the train station. There's a passage that links the station with Terminal 1, and check-in is just a few step away.

Air Canada's check-in is at Terminal 1 C, counters 765-772.

1. You won't need 14 minutes to get from platform 9 to platform 6.
You could also downgrade and take any regional trains or S-Bahn from Frankfurt (Main) Hbf to the airport.

2. With a number of airlines you can check in directly at the AIRail Terminal.
http://www.airportcity-frankfurt.com/cms/default/rubrik/10/10312.checkin_at_airail_terminal.htm

That's only valid if you travel by ICE to Frankfurt Airport.
The regional trains and S-Bahn stop at a different station in the basement of Terminal 1. However also close to the check-in counters there.

If your airline has only check-in counters at Terminal 2 you'll have a timing problem.

You might be lucky but it is rather careless to leave just those fifteen minutes between arrival of the train and check-in - even if it was next to the platform. I have travelled a lot by train in Germany and even the ICE's were late most times. Next time you rather ask such questions in the forum before booking a seat...

Poor planning between the train and check-in time at the airport.

Thanks for the replies. We are on Lufthansa to Vancouver, and our flight doesn't leave until 3 hours 15 minutes after the ICE is due at the airport. Unless I'm mistaken, it is rare for German trains to run very late, so I am confident we will be ok. As Turtleshell said, we can check in at the train terminus so I expect no problems.
I will post my travel report on my page, so you will see if I was foolish or not!
Roger

A 10-20 minute delay is nothing unusual in ICEs.

> our flight doesn't leave until 3 hours 15 minutes after the
> ICE is due at the airport.

Ok, that's plenty.

If your ICE from Hamburg happens to be late and you are going to miss your connection, consider taking the S-Bahn, as mentioned by abalada. In this case you would arrive at the old "Reginalbahnhof".

ICE 1071 is an ICE Sprinter. The flagship product of DB. They will do their best that these trains are not late, as these trains are in first place for business travelers who want to be in time at their destinations. That's why these trains are also more expensive than normal ICEs. They have also the most customer friendly conditions if it comes to delays and getting at least some money back (another reason for DB to see that these trains are not late).

Ok - 3:15 h before departure sounds good. Nobody will close the check-in in front of your nose if you start to queue 2:30 h before departure. So even a 20 min delay of the train would not be a problem. Your 15 min info sounded much more dramatic - as if you would arrive 15 min before check-in closing.