Notes

A class 612 tilting train is showing here, west of Hahndorf (don’t worry, actually most people have never heard of it. There’s no good reason to) just why exactly it’s called a tilting train.

These trains run here on the line from Hanover to Magdeburg through the Harzvorland (literally “area in front of the Harz mountains”) and along the northern edge of the Harz mountains, connecting Hildesheim, Goslar, Wernigerode, Halberstadt (I think) and a few others which nobody cares about (Bad Harzburg, I’m talking about you!). Thanks to their diesel engines mounted below the car body they are horribly noisy. They also have more steps to entry than most other carriages (nice when you’re traveling with big suitcases) and their bodies tend to roll a lot even at slow speed. Finally, it can be difficult to get a seat at times (the regional traffic department of DB does not do reservations).

On the other hand, they are faster and more comfortable (better seats, tables, air conditioning) than anything else on the route, and thanks to their tilting mechanic they are way more fun to drive in. Unless I have no other choice I always travel on one of those.