211–220 of 320 posts
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Last time I took the train, it was more expensive than driving, and took longer too. And certainly far, far slower than a plane could be, with no hours of pre-flight waiting. More comfortable than a plane, with its cramped seating, for sure. Really, a prop plane is not horrible for the environment, especially compared to cars.
If you live in an area with poor rail infrastructure, the solution is to improve it.
Best way: close the actual city airport that was functioning like a well-oiled machine and was loved by the city population. Even better, do it against their explicit wishes with a shady decision that reeks of corruption. Any follow-up to that will always end up being "fucked up".
> close the actual city airport that was functioning like a well-oiled You mean which Berlin's airport? As Berlin-native for few years I used the Schönefeld numerous times... and the staff there was some mixture of rude primitive sadists. Behaving towards passengers as if they're taking revenge for something. I just want to fly out of here, you cunt.
And I thought I had picked up the wrong person to check my papers that one time when we flew out from Schönefeld.
Easy: political corruption masquerading as incompetence and bad luck, since our leaders have absolutely zero accountability, so they have no incentive to actually do anything right and can instead represent the interests of various businesses and interest groups using your tax money, and once their political career is over, they can get on the payroll as execs or consultants by the same business they helped get rich…
Yep. This is Germany, especially in the East, I've been dismayed to find. The destruction of the "sober and efficient" branding can't come soon enough.
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I was so surprised going through security in Schiphol Airport recently. I swear there were 3000 people in line, but they have like 30 security checkpoints, and everyone goes in the same line (maybe one per terminal?), so we were through in 15 minutes. It was amazing. I also never realized how much I appreciate everything in that airport being connected by corridors until I had to navigate CDG and it’s stupid trains a…
My brother just went through Schiphol two weeks ago. Scheduled his connecting flight with a five hour layover just to be sure. Took him 5 hours and 20 minutes to make it through security.
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I would add two more suggestions here: 1) If you have 50€ to spare always take the taxy to the city center. If you take the train you will hate this airport as much as the one at Frankfurt. You can thank me later. 2) Use security lanes 1 or 5. They are the furthest and less busy. Everyone usually just queues up by the nearest one. Don't trust the indicators.
Imagine having "spare" 50€. Unless you're absolutely rich, you probably shouldn't default to using a cab in a city known for it's amazing public transport.
wow
Then I must be mega-rich.
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Schönefeld definitely won the award for most disgusting airport bathrooms in western EU, and most kafka-esque narrow winding hallways that may or may not be taking you where you want to go.
See, normal-airport problems! It's annoying in a normal airport way; Tegel was annoying in exciting new unique ways. (Honestly, I expect Tegel was pretty good for Schengen traffic).
Fast in and out, even with the X10 bus connection.
The main terminal was weirdly narrow on airside, but from memory apart from having to stand to drink beer was just fine.
I liked the currywurst carriage outside by departures if I was ever more than 30 minutes early for my flight.
Schönefeld on the other hand … grr. I argue that that airport was exceptionally poor in a way I’ve never experienced outside of corporate airports used for industrial and mining facilities.
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I thought Tegel was notoriously the very worst airport in the world? The facilities were atrocious . A security setup like cattle pens. It was like a bad bus stop - grim and dark and raw concrete. It didn’t even particularly have good routes did it?
I used to fly between London and Berlin a lot, and absolutely loved Tegel then. LCY-TXL was a great route. From my apartment to sitting on the plane at LCY took 20 min; from my desk in Berlin to sitting on the plane at TXL took 40 min. Probably the best two airport experiences I've ever had.
Food options seem to have gone downhill now that the ok airside restaurant only does burgers. I’ve had delightful meals there in the past, making delays more than bearable.
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I was so surprised going through security in Schiphol Airport recently. I swear there were 3000 people in line, but they have like 30 security checkpoints, and everyone goes in the same line (maybe one per terminal?), so we were through in 15 minutes. It was amazing. I also never realized how much I appreciate everything in that airport being connected by corridors until I had to navigate CDG and it’s stupid trains a…
My brother just went through Schiphol two weeks ago. Scheduled his connecting flight with a five hour layover just to be sure. Took him 5 hours and 20 minutes to make it through security.
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Maybe half-invented, but I read an architect's memoirs some years ago and he was saying how around the 1940s there were often cases when he and his chief-architect/supervisor at the time were actually chased out (like, physically) from the construction sites whenever they were coming in to add/make some changes that the constructor was considering as being too over the top/unrealistic. We need for that attitude to co…
Why would you chase the architect with his insane ideas away when you're getting paid by the hour and the project must be completed at some point because there's no alternative for the government? Unfortunately nobody appears to come off as not corrupt or idiotic in some way in this story.