TO PARIS

The sit up train from Budapest to Munich was comfortable and we got in to Munich at 8.30pm.

The station is very tourist friendly with a variety of restaurants, cafes, supermarket etc. I have to mention the toilets again. There was a turnstile with a slot machine for payment.

We had for dinner my favourite thing when I first arrive in Germany – a crunchy Bratwurst sausage in a roll with tangy German mustard and potato salad – delicious!

The sleeper train to Cologne (we had to change trains for Paris at 5.43am as there were no sleepers left on the direct train even though I booked it well in advance) was another new one with towels, shower etc and the conductor brought us in breakfast at 5am – good coffee and an airline type box with juice, muffin, pumpernickel bread and cream cheese – just a bit on the early side!

Cologne station is massive but a few other stations could learn from it with lifts everywhere and good timetables and spotless – German efficiency as usual!

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