GLA-DUS
Posted: Mon Oct 21, 2024 11:54 pm
A few words on my recent trip to Wuppertal.
It began on Sunday the 13th October with the Ember bus from Perth Broxden to Buchanan Bus station £6.60 one way. A quick wander round town a bite to eat and stock up on some snacks for my hotel room for the evening. Back to the bus station for the bus to the airport £10.50 one way. An absolute rip off in my opinion considering I had traveled much further for less a couple of hours prior.
Flight wasn’t until Monday morning so spent the evening in the Holiday Inn right beside the terminal. Hotel was fine but the room had seen better days, they had no doubles left so I had to make do with a twin. Bed was comfortable enough though.
Monday morning checked out at 7 and wandered across to the terminal for my first flight of the day to Amsterdam. Was hand baggage only so straight to security, a wait time of about 10 minutes think there was only 4 lanes open, I got through without any issues. Flight was KL936 at 9.15, it appeared on the board about 40 minutes before scheduled departure and a swift walk around to the “international pier” and Gate 28. Boarding started around 9.00. I was at the back of a long queue as was zone 3 but the gate agent shouted anyone zone 3 come up to the front and thanks to this I was onboard the aircraft by 9.08! I’m assuming I got zone 3 as I paid for the economy comfort seats being 6’3 the legroom makes all the difference. Aircraft was An Embraer E195-2 operated by KLM Cityhopper PH-NXR my first time on this type. We were airborne around 20 minutes late, flight was uneventful. Economy in flight catering of a cheese sandwich and a can of coke, while this is not spectacular it is better than nothing I guess although I have read KLM are looking to trial BOB.
Landed in AMS on the Polderbaan which ensured a long taxi. Arriving at the former Fokker Farm a bus would take me to the terminal and dumped me out at D4. Already having a tight connection of 1 hour 25 minutes I was down to about an hour. After a long queue at the Schengen border and emphasising my next flight was in 40 minutes they fast tracked me through I had to run all the way to my gate which was B1 another bus gate for my connection to DUS. Made the connection with about 5 minutes before boarding commenced of KL1801. Again with being zone 3 managed to get on the first bus to the aircraft for the hop down the Rhine. This was a German Airways E-190 D-AGMP my first of this type and first flight with German Airways. We had a ground hold but eventually were up and away with a flight time of just 25 minutes. I had an exit row seat for this flight and no seat neighbour. Crew managed to quickly hand out water and a packet of mini cheddars.
Arrival at DUS was another bus gate but once in the terminal straight exit to arrivals hall. A seamless walk down to the S-Bahn and a train Düusseldorf HBF took about 12 minutes and another train from there a regional express to Wuppertal which took about 20 minutes. Wuppertal is a nice City I was there to ride the Schwebebhan and tick of a bucket list item. I also managed a trip to Cologne and Düsseldorf itself before heading back.
Quick mention about the return flights on the 16th October.
DUS - AMS was KL1804 same aircraft as GLA - AMS leg. This left from the B gates at DUS.
AMS - GLA was KL945 B738 PH-BCL. This left from Gate D14 at AMS.
Arrival into GLA was a bit late but through the E-gates sharpish and onto the bus back to town and I just missed my Ember bus at midnight back to Perth luckily there was a Megabus at 00.40.
It began on Sunday the 13th October with the Ember bus from Perth Broxden to Buchanan Bus station £6.60 one way. A quick wander round town a bite to eat and stock up on some snacks for my hotel room for the evening. Back to the bus station for the bus to the airport £10.50 one way. An absolute rip off in my opinion considering I had traveled much further for less a couple of hours prior.
Flight wasn’t until Monday morning so spent the evening in the Holiday Inn right beside the terminal. Hotel was fine but the room had seen better days, they had no doubles left so I had to make do with a twin. Bed was comfortable enough though.
Monday morning checked out at 7 and wandered across to the terminal for my first flight of the day to Amsterdam. Was hand baggage only so straight to security, a wait time of about 10 minutes think there was only 4 lanes open, I got through without any issues. Flight was KL936 at 9.15, it appeared on the board about 40 minutes before scheduled departure and a swift walk around to the “international pier” and Gate 28. Boarding started around 9.00. I was at the back of a long queue as was zone 3 but the gate agent shouted anyone zone 3 come up to the front and thanks to this I was onboard the aircraft by 9.08! I’m assuming I got zone 3 as I paid for the economy comfort seats being 6’3 the legroom makes all the difference. Aircraft was An Embraer E195-2 operated by KLM Cityhopper PH-NXR my first time on this type. We were airborne around 20 minutes late, flight was uneventful. Economy in flight catering of a cheese sandwich and a can of coke, while this is not spectacular it is better than nothing I guess although I have read KLM are looking to trial BOB.
Landed in AMS on the Polderbaan which ensured a long taxi. Arriving at the former Fokker Farm a bus would take me to the terminal and dumped me out at D4. Already having a tight connection of 1 hour 25 minutes I was down to about an hour. After a long queue at the Schengen border and emphasising my next flight was in 40 minutes they fast tracked me through I had to run all the way to my gate which was B1 another bus gate for my connection to DUS. Made the connection with about 5 minutes before boarding commenced of KL1801. Again with being zone 3 managed to get on the first bus to the aircraft for the hop down the Rhine. This was a German Airways E-190 D-AGMP my first of this type and first flight with German Airways. We had a ground hold but eventually were up and away with a flight time of just 25 minutes. I had an exit row seat for this flight and no seat neighbour. Crew managed to quickly hand out water and a packet of mini cheddars.
Arrival at DUS was another bus gate but once in the terminal straight exit to arrivals hall. A seamless walk down to the S-Bahn and a train Düusseldorf HBF took about 12 minutes and another train from there a regional express to Wuppertal which took about 20 minutes. Wuppertal is a nice City I was there to ride the Schwebebhan and tick of a bucket list item. I also managed a trip to Cologne and Düsseldorf itself before heading back.
Quick mention about the return flights on the 16th October.
DUS - AMS was KL1804 same aircraft as GLA - AMS leg. This left from the B gates at DUS.
AMS - GLA was KL945 B738 PH-BCL. This left from Gate D14 at AMS.
Arrival into GLA was a bit late but through the E-gates sharpish and onto the bus back to town and I just missed my Ember bus at midnight back to Perth luckily there was a Megabus at 00.40.