(Jun 21, 2015) Fulda - Weimar - Mannheim

ICE 1549 arrived at Fulda on time from Frankfurt Main Hbf. The train was operated using a 7-car set of class 411 ICE-T. I sat on a 1st class compartment. The train left Fulda at 13:14. It was uncrowded, so I was able to occupy the compartment. ICE 1549 ran northward along the Fulda river. After the short stop at Bad Hersfeld, it changed the direction to the east in Bebra, and arrived at Eisenach at 14:07. Eisenach is a city where a notable composer Johan Sebastian Bach was born in 1685.













Just after departing from Eisenach, I saw a locomotive of class 294 with traditional blue livery owned by Railsystems RP Gmbh. After a short stop at Gotha, the train reached Erfurt at 14:39.







ICE 1549 left Erfurt on time. I saw Railadventure 139 558 stored in the broad yard. The high-speed line Erfurt – Leipzig branched soon, which would be in service from the end of 2015. The train arrived at Weimar at 14:55, one minute earlier than the schedule.













Weimar is a small town has played an important role in German culture because Friedrich Schiller as well as Johann Wolfgang von Goethe lived here. Schiller who I respect the most spent his last days in Wemar. I came to Weimar because I had been eager to visit the Schiller’s house.
I went to the central area of the town Wemar. It took only ten minutes by bus from the station. I was moved to see the Goethe-Schiller Monument in front of the Deutsches Nationaltheater and Staatskapelle Weimar.
Afterward, I visited Schiller museum, which was located in a house he had lived. I had been strongly impressed at the works of Schiller, so I had wanted to come here. The plain and simple house made me image the life of Schiller and his family.









Then I went back to the station. I had planned to take the train ICE 1544, but I was able to take IC 1958 which came to Weimar 10 minutes behind the schedule. The train was hauled by 101 105. I sat on a seat of traditional 1st class compartment. It was enough comfortable even compared to more modern ICE trains.





After stopping at Erfurt Hbf, the train moved to the left side of the double track from Fröttstädt and overtook a local train at Wutha, and afterwards reached Eisenach at 17:43, 2 minutes behind the schedule.
After leaving Eisenach, the train went to Fulda without stops, and reached Fulda at 18:40, 10 minutes behind the schedule. I got off here.









Then I took the train ICE 693 from Berlin to München, operated using ICE 1 (Tz 171 “Heusenstamm”). I boarded on the dining car to have dinner. Over half of the seats in the car was occupied, but I could occupy a table.



After leaving Fulda at 18:47, the train got off the high-speed line Hannover – Würzburg and headed for Frankfurt Main. I enjoyed a glass of beer “Bitburger” and ate tomato pasta and a delicious dish of chicken breast with nut pesto stuffing, zucchini and wild rice. After a short stop at Haunau Hbf, the train passed Offenbach, crossed over the Main river, and reached Frankfurt Main Hbf at 19:44.



















I ordered a small bottle of red wine. ICE 693 departed Frankfurt Hbf at 19:50 to the opposite direction. I enjoyed German red wine. I was absolutely satisfied with the dinner and convinced that the dining car was indispensable for ICE travel. ICE 693 arrived at Mannheim Hbf at 20:30, three minutes behind the schedule. I checked in Hotel Kurpfalzstuben which is located in front of the station.