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Amtrak cuts

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Posted by schlimm on Saturday, March 29, 2014 1:36 PM

Unlike Amtrak, the food service on the European rail systems I know is not heavily subsidized the way the transportation is.  You pay a cost-neutral price for what you want.  That s the direction we should be taking.

I do recall an exception, however.  On the German Rail's ICE Sprinter (16.50 Euro supplement) train in 1st class, they also serve passengers a small snack and soft drinks (coffee, tea, mineral water, orange juice) free of charge at their seats.

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Posted by daveklepper on Saturday, March 29, 2014 2:40 PM

How do you know it is not subsidized?   My experience with German Federal and other European railroads is 20 years old, but with the single exception of France, prices seemed reasonably and comparible with restaurant prices.  For on-board train service this certainly indicated to me that the prices were subsidized.  In contrast, food prices on French trains seemed high, astromonimcal on the one TGV I rode, so I would say you are correct with respect to France.   But maybe Germany has moved in the French direction on this.

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Posted by schlimm on Saturday, March 29, 2014 9:45 PM

The prices for pretty simple food on DB seem a little higher than in a restaurant,so the price of served food does not seem especially subsidized.   The restaurant and bistro staffs are small and very efficient.

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Posted by daveklepper on Sunday, March 30, 2014 12:28 AM

Probably covered earlier, but currently is food prepared completely on board, or is more similar to the Acela concept of prepared food warmed or microwaved on board?

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Posted by schlimm on Sunday, March 30, 2014 8:20 AM

Not sure Dave, but I think mostly prepared off-site, like Acela.  What I had last time, was quite tasty (Koenigsberger Klopse).

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Posted by daveklepper on Sunday, March 30, 2014 8:34 AM

And exactly what is that in English?

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Posted by schlimm on Sunday, March 30, 2014 9:27 AM

daveklepper

And exactly what is that in English?

Meatballs (beef) in a caper sauce.   You would like it, I think.  Any chance you might come up from Israel in May?

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Posted by daveklepper on Monday, March 31, 2014 4:13 AM

No specific plans at the moment .  But I am still a member of the Heidelberg Post of the Legion, so who knows?

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