Delays and humor: Anke Engelke's train series causes excitement!

Delays and humor: Anke Engelke's train series causes excitement!

After an exciting day at the book fair in Frankfurt, I boarded the ICE to Cologne - but the journey back was anything but relaxing. All trains at Frankfurt Central Station were delayed by at least 80 minutes, and mine didn't fare any better either. When we finally got on the train, we had to wait on the platform for half an hour before we could finally leave. In this chaos, the new web series from Deutsche Bahn came to mind, which is currently causing a lot of conversation on social media: "Whoa, Bahn! We're all on the same train" with the charming Anke Engelke in the lead role.

The German railway launched her web series on YouTube on October 8th and it is already gaining popularity. With up to two million views for the most viewed episodes, the episodes are not only a hit with fans, but also a humorous homage to the everyday lives of the train attendants. Engelke plays the role of the train manager Tina and spent six months researching the train's processes while filming. She wants to use this experience to support the workforce, who often suffer from the problems of rail transport.

Humor on the rails

In the series, Engelke experiences all sorts of mishaps, from the typical chaos of delays to amusing encounters on the train. The humorous stories reflect the everyday lives of train crews and seem to be well received, although reactions on social media are mixed. While some viewers appreciate the funny depictions, there are also critics who are surprised at the financial outlay of the production and see this as sending the wrong signal, especially in view of the upcoming restrictions on train traffic.

Future challenges for commuters are also up for discussion. Among other things, a months-long interruption of train traffic at Bonn Central Station has already been announced for 2028. This is causing dissatisfaction among passengers and commuters and raises the question of how the railway will respond to such challenges in the future.

A special kind of adventure

“Filming was a real adventure,” says Engelke, while praising the entire team that made the web series possible. With the support of director Arne Feldhusen and wtf GmbH (a joint venture between btf, bildundtonfabrik and Elastique), an entertaining format was created that illuminates the difficulties of everyday railway life in a refreshing way. The first two episodes are already available online and another four episodes followed shortly afterwards. Funny insights into train life can also be found on the DB’s Instagram and TikTok channels.

Despite all the delays and challenges, Deutsche Bahn is setting an example with this web series that both shows recognition for the work of the staff and makes travelers smile. The hope remains that despite all the difficulties that rail operations bring with them, at least a bit of humor and understanding can be maintained for the staff on the tracks. Because, one thing is certain: without the people who ensure everything runs smoothly, every train journey would be more of an adventure than we would like.