1936 On the Continent

something to me but did not know the correct word. He then repeated several times “drink money” and was somewhat annoyed that I did not understand what he meant. At last it struck me that he was talking about tips, which in Germany are usually called “drink money.” This is a survival of feudal times when the great lords gave their servants presents over and above their wages, so that they mightenjoy themselves in the beer-houses. Now I gathered that in Germany I must not be too free with tips; they are nearly always included in the hotel charges, and the price is often calculated to include service, especially in the middle-class hotels. When this is not so, 10 per cent. is added to the bill in the middle-class hotels, and 15 per cent. in the first-class, but this latter is reduced to 10 per cent. for long visits. In the restaurants, also, the waiter does not expect anything over and above the 10 per cent., though he is not upset if he gets a little more.
Restaurant Cars
    The same system is in force in the restaurant cars which I got to know, much to my satisfaction, soon after we left the frontier. Whilst in all other continental countries the restaurant and sleeping cars are run by the International Wagon-Lit Company of Brussels, Germany severed her connection with this great international organisation during the War and formed the “Mitropa,” which now runs its very comfortable sleeping cars and restaurant cars for all classes throughout Germany. In addition to the menu, which is no dearer than a good average restaurant, a variety of snacks can be obtained in the restaurant car very cheaply at any hour of the day. The wine list is of special interest to the hurried traveller, as on his journey through Germany he can sample a wide choice of the most popular Rhine, Moselle, Ruwer and similar wines. By way of introduction, I enjoyed a glass of Pschorr-Bräu during the intervals of studying the wine-growing towns of my coming Rhine tour.
    Whilst in England in the express trains one can be served in most if not all of the carriages, on the German trains there is only one restaurant car, and it is therefore advisable to reserve seats for the midday and evening meals. A waiter goes through the train and gives out tickets.
    The sleeping cars have lately been completely modernised. The newest acquisition is third-class sleeping cars which are nearly as comfortable as those in the higher classes; the only difference is that each compartment accommodates three people against one in the first class and two in the second class. In any case the newest type of sleeping caris so well arranged that one does not at all mind a miniature dormitory.
Different types of trains
    Sleeping cars and dining cars are attached to three different classes of train, the FFD, FD and D trains. The FFD trains are extremely luxurious, one of them being the Rheingold Express, from Holland through Rhineland to Switzerland. The FD are the long-distance trains and have no third class. I must here mention that German trains usually run three classes, first, second and third. As regards comfort, the German second class corresponds to our third class. Although the third class since the War has been generally used by everyone, I would advise a foreigner of luxurious habits to use the second class, not because the third is not equally clean and well ventilated, but because we cannot put up with the hard wooden seats for any length of time. The first and second classes are as well upholstered as our own compartments. The German railway coaches are much higher from the ground than ours, but the steps provided require no special skill to mount.
    The D trains, which are the most important for foreign travellers, are really “through” trains. I thought at first that this meant the trains went through, i.e., only stopped at the most important stations. This was logical, but the name has a different meaning, and signifies not that the train goes through but that the traveller can walk through the train. In other words, the “passenger” trains and some of the express trains are the only fast trains so constructed that the coaches are all separate, whilst the D trains are like ours, in which passengers can pass from one coach to another. Thus it is obvious that only the D trains can take restaurant cars.
    FD means long distance through train, and is somewhat dearer than the ordinary D train. The railway prices in Germany are reckoned according to