Deutsche Bahn – Off the Rails or Simply Misunderstood?

Join us for our Deutsche Runde, a friendly, guided session where we explore a different aspect of German language and culture each month.

If you have recently spent time in Germany or chatted with German friends, chances are you have heard a story or two about travelling with Deutsche Bahn. Once a symbol of German punctuality, engineering and reliability, the company has had to contend with a rather bumpy reputation in recent years. Delays, timetable changes and rail replacement buses have become familiar companions. At the same time, Deutsche Bahn has been trying to reinvent itself with modern communication campaigns and a witty presence on social media.

In this edition of Deutsche Runde, we will take a light-hearted look at this giant of German transport and bring our own opinions and ideas to the table. What do you make of Deutsche Bahn’s definition of “on time”, for example, where a train arriving up to six minutes late still counts as punctual? How do you feel about the company responding to criticism with self-irony online? And if you had five minutes with the head of Deutsche Bahn, what suggestions would you offer?

We will also share personal travel experiences, act out typical train scenarios and explore some useful vocabulary and expressions related to travel and transport.

Next stop: Goethe-Institut Glasgow.
Guaranteed on time. Reserve your seat now – no BahnCard required. And our “Bordbistro” is looking forward to serving you too!

How to Take Part

Deutsche Runde is an informal gathering exploring a monthly topic related to German language or culture. It is led by Ilse Alim, a qualified German language facilitator. The session is suitable for learners with German at B1 level or higher and takes place once a month on a Thursday afternoon.

Participation is free of charge. You are welcome to register via Eventbrite, but this is not essential, you can also join on the day.