THE (semi) DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO GETTING TO WACKEN

[cxm]

If the journey planner says, it's the quickest option, I'll think it is. And as I can see, it does.

In S-trains, no toilets. In RB/RE (and allmost all trains in Germany) there is at least ONE toilet!
Either near the 1st Class carriages, or in the middle of the train, near the disabled people's place. That depends on the rolling stock.

Thanks for info Quark!

 

[Alix]

My second question (it can be a bit strange question) is there a WC in such regional trains? I am a person who needs to drink water very often, I don't want to endure the pain of my bladder during the journey

Oh boy can I relate and don't I have a horror story from my last trip! After the festival when I got to Itzehoe, I realised my phone was missing. I got someone to call it and a kind person had found it and handed it in at the Wacken box office, so back on the next bus I went (including one group of entitled bike riders who held us up and wouldn't get off the road for 5 seconds to let the driver pass, until the bus driver pulled up beside them and told them off - I assume; my German isn't that good, which according to them made him the arsehole somehow). Checked all the dixies at the Wacken entrance and they were all 100% unusable. Picked up my phone and got on the next bus back. The train station WC was out of order. One ticket machine was broken an no one works on Sundays, so the line was down the stairs and onto the platform long to get a ticket. By the time I got one, I had 10 minutes to spare before the last possible train that would get me to the airport in time for my flight. By then I was so stressed, hungry and dehydrated that I nearly fainted. WC on the train wasn't working either, fml. Literally had to wait until Hamburg airport; would not recommend.

Moral of the story: don't lose your belongings and get your train ticket back in advance. The 9 Euro ticket looks like an amazing idea.

 

[agresionpower]

Oh boy can I relate and don't I have a horror story from my last trip! After the festival when I got to Itzehoe, I realised my phone was missing. I got someone to call it and a kind person had found it and handed it in at the Wacken box office, so back on the next bus I went (including one group of entitled bike riders who held us up and wouldn't get off the road for 5 seconds to let the driver pass, until the bus driver pulled up beside them and told them off - I assume; my German isn't that good, which according to them made him the arsehole somehow). Checked all the dixies at the Wacken entrance and they were all 100% unusable. Picked up my phone and got on the next bus back. The train station WC was out of order. One ticket machine was broken an no one works on Sundays, so the line was down the stairs and onto the platform long to get a ticket. By the time I got one, I had 10 minutes to spare before the last possible train that would get me to the airport in time for my flight. By then I was so stressed, hungry and dehydrated that I nearly fainted. WC on the train wasn't working either, fml. Literally had to wait until Hamburg airport; would not recommend.

Moral of the story: don't lose your belongings and get your train ticket back in advance. The 9 Euro ticket looks like an amazing idea.

that is a horrorstory indeed.

 

[Quark]

And be warned! This year it might even be trickier, due to the €9-Ticket! Regional trains were pretty full THIS weekend, and that was just when I was going for the Hörnerfest! (though not that little RB to Wrist)
I got stacked in a train from Itzehoe to Hamburg Main in Elmshorn yesterday, wasn't fun anymore!

(I really should consider travelling differently to Hamburg Main next year)

 

[Alix]

that is a horrorstory indeed.

That trip was full of fun stuff like that. It all started when I did leg day back to back before my first flight. It was supposed to be a 2hr layover in Dubai but the flight there was delayed by an hour. The pilot assured us they would make up the lost time in the air. They did not. Running after leg day and no sleep is hard enough without adding stairs to the equation. I made it though, with 5 minutes to spare.

 

[agresionpower]

That trip was full of fun stuff like that. It all started when I did leg day back to back before my first flight. It was supposed to be a 2hr layover in Dubai but the flight there was delayed by an hour. The pilot assured us they would make up the lost time in the air. They did not. Running after leg day and no sleep is hard enough without adding stairs to the equation. I made it though, with 5 minutes to spare.

that's the reason why I always try to get direct flights.
Though I'm pretty sure that's not an option from/to australia.

 

[Alix]

that's the reason why I always try to get direct flights.
Though I'm pretty sure that's not an option from/to australia.

Currently, that's correct, and it's sometimes the same when you add regional areas to the itinerary.

 

[Quark]

I remember that, when we went to Rochester NY. There are only flights to and from Washington DC. Which means a layover there.
One of the reasons we went by Greyhound bus from Toronto. Was still close, after customs. We had like 2.5 hours to catch a bus, but spent 2hrs at immigration.

 

[agresionpower]

I remember that, when we went to Rochester NY. There are only flights to and from Washington DC. Which means a layover there.
One of the reasons we went by Greyhound bus from Toronto. Was still close, after customs. We had like 2.5 hours to catch a bus, but spent 2hrs at immigration.

My nerves would get the better of me...

I only once had a layover because my original flight was cancelled due to a typhoon.that layover was 9 hours in paris. which is a mega boring airport.
So that's the other end of the spectrum

 

[Mrs M]

Regarding the 9 euro ticket I made some experiences as a tourist in June in Hamburg, Berlin and Dusseldorf. On workdays it is okay but not on weekends. Maybe it is ok to travel to Itzehoe since it is on monday or tuesday or... But I decided , I stay one night in Hamburg to see a friend, to travel "back" to the airport to catch the Mondial bus. From Wacken I have to get to the airport anyway. I will also catch the bus. Tired after the festival I appreciated this way very much. There was a lot of traffic of course but we drove through villages north to the airport. It was no problem at all and it"s worth every penny. But left Wacken late. After noon. I don"t know how it works earlier

 

[Quark]

Tickets for the bus shuttle Itzehoe - Wacken now available online!

The W:O:A bus shuttle will take you from A to B, or more precisely: from Itzehoe train station to the entrance of the Wacken Open Air. And also back again! News on www.wacken.com

forum.wacken.com

Read thoroughly! A few things have changed ✨️!!

 

[Quark]

Extra update!

As from 2022, line 14 Itzehoe Viktoriastraße/Bahnhof - Wacken has been replaced by line 6170! Apparently it's also under HVV tarifs (www.hvv.de), but as we're in 9€ times, the 9€ tickets are valid on this line as well.
They're NOT valid on the W:O:A Shuttle buses!!!!

 

[Quark]

W:O:A Shuttle Bus Schedule is online!

www.wacken.com

Schedule online.

 

[cxm]

Hi, we will come with a vehicle that is not suitable for muddy roads. And I guess it's raining Wacken right now, is there any chance our car will get stuck in the mud when we get to the campsite? I'm so scared of this

 

[agresionpower]

Hi, we will come with a vehicle that is not suitable for muddy roads. And I guess it's raining Wacken right now, is there any chance our car will get stuck in the mud when we get to the campsite? I'm so scared of this

No need to worry, wacken is surrounded by farms. if anybody gets stuck they will pull you out with a tractor.
Specially on sunday wacken has many of them available to pull you out. it's not like you're the first person to ever get stuck on the campgrounds