Living in Germany: 'Freibad' culture and summer train travel offers
In this week's roundup we have some good and bad news for train travellers and we take a look at German outdoor swimming culture.
In the past years, more people have been turning to train travel to avoid the stress (and climate consequences) of flying. And cheap offers - such as the latest deal from Deutsche Bahn - are very welcome. As The Local reported, the train operator is offering tickets for IC and ICE trains which will cost just €9.90.
The tickets are available to buy between June 11th and July 31st and are valid for travel during the summer months. The €9.90 tickets cover short distances between nearby cities - including Bremen to Hamburg, Cologne to Düsseldorf, Augsburg to Munich and Dresden to Leipzig - that people might otherwise use the €49 ticket for.
Less expensive train travel in general encourages more of us to take to the railway network. However, a report this week highlighted that riding trains in Germany could cause a few headaches due to delays. In May the punctuality rate of Deutsche Bahn’s long-distance trains reached a record low for the year - only 65.5 percent of trains arrived at their scheduled stops on time.
The operator said the disruption was due to construction works, infrastructure upgrades and ongoing wage disputes. But it forms part of a trend that passengers have been reporting of train travel seeming less efficient in Germany in recent years. So although the ticket offers are very welcome, we’d love to see more trains arriving on time in Germany to make journeys even more enjoyable.
Tweet of the week
What do we think of this question? All feedback welcome!
https://twitter.com/tessaapproves/status/1666162669479505922?s=20
Where is this?
Photo: DPA
This gorgeous photo of a young roe deer was taken in Schleimündung, a wildlife refuge and nature reserve in Maasholm, Schleswig-Holstein. Sunshine and high temperatures arrived in the Schleswig-Holstein and Hamburg area (as well as some other parts of Germany) over the weekend. You may spot some gorgeous animals and other wildlife if you're out and about in the countryside over the summer.
Did you know?
Germany is known for its many lakes that are often attached to beaches for people to enjoy in their free time. But did you know that public outdoor swimming pools are also hugely popular across Germany?
Unsurprisingly, they are usually packed in the warmer months when families, groups of friends or individuals go to take a dip or get into the summer atmosphere. The humble Freibad (as it is known in German) is part of growing up for many Germans.
Introduced in the early 20th century, there are around 2,600 outdoor swimming pools registered in Germany (as of 2019 according to official figures). More than half of public swimming pools are reportedly open-air, giving an indication of how important the Freibad is to German recreational life.
The Freibad is not just an outdoor swimming pool for a quick swim - most have a large lawn area for people to relax and dry off after a swim. There can also be snack bars and even playgrounds - so make the most of it by spending a few hours there. Just get there early on sunny days!
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In the past years, more people have been turning to train travel to avoid the stress (and climate consequences) of flying. And cheap offers - such as the latest deal from Deutsche Bahn - are very welcome. As The Local reported, the train operator is offering tickets for IC and ICE trains which will cost just €9.90.
The tickets are available to buy between June 11th and July 31st and are valid for travel during the summer months. The €9.90 tickets cover short distances between nearby cities - including Bremen to Hamburg, Cologne to Düsseldorf, Augsburg to Munich and Dresden to Leipzig - that people might otherwise use the €49 ticket for.
Less expensive train travel in general encourages more of us to take to the railway network. However, a report this week highlighted that riding trains in Germany could cause a few headaches due to delays. In May the punctuality rate of Deutsche Bahn’s long-distance trains reached a record low for the year - only 65.5 percent of trains arrived at their scheduled stops on time.
The operator said the disruption was due to construction works, infrastructure upgrades and ongoing wage disputes. But it forms part of a trend that passengers have been reporting of train travel seeming less efficient in Germany in recent years. So although the ticket offers are very welcome, we’d love to see more trains arriving on time in Germany to make journeys even more enjoyable.
Tweet of the week
What do we think of this question? All feedback welcome!
https://twitter.com/tessaapproves/status/1666162669479505922?s=20
Where is this?
Photo: DPA
This gorgeous photo of a young roe deer was taken in Schleimündung, a wildlife refuge and nature reserve in Maasholm, Schleswig-Holstein. Sunshine and high temperatures arrived in the Schleswig-Holstein and Hamburg area (as well as some other parts of Germany) over the weekend. You may spot some gorgeous animals and other wildlife if you're out and about in the countryside over the summer.
Did you know?
Germany is known for its many lakes that are often attached to beaches for people to enjoy in their free time. But did you know that public outdoor swimming pools are also hugely popular across Germany?
Unsurprisingly, they are usually packed in the warmer months when families, groups of friends or individuals go to take a dip or get into the summer atmosphere. The humble Freibad (as it is known in German) is part of growing up for many Germans.
Introduced in the early 20th century, there are around 2,600 outdoor swimming pools registered in Germany (as of 2019 according to official figures). More than half of public swimming pools are reportedly open-air, giving an indication of how important the Freibad is to German recreational life.
The Freibad is not just an outdoor swimming pool for a quick swim - most have a large lawn area for people to relax and dry off after a swim. There can also be snack bars and even playgrounds - so make the most of it by spending a few hours there. Just get there early on sunny days!
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