German train tickets

by Melissa

Römer in Frankfurt

This site is fantastic with lots of good information.
I am hopelessly lost when it comes to determining what tickets/passes I should use for transportation by train/subway/bus, etc.

My husband and I are vacationing in Munich, Frankfurt and Berlin for a 10 day trip. We plan some short city tours as well as day trips outside each city.

We will need to travel by train from Munch to Frankfurt and then to Berlin. I was hoping to buy one pass that would cover all my transportation needs but it doesn't seem to work that way.

We don't speak German and I'm not wanting to buy tickets each time we want to use transportation. Can you make recommendations for us?

Comments for German train tickets

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Jun 07, 2011

It is possible
by: Rita

Hi Steve,

A stopover for one night is possible when the stop is on the way to your final destination.

When you book your ticket online, enter the departure and final destination. Before you hit the search button, click on "further search options", and enter the stopover city, and the time of your stopover, like 24 hours.

Regular train tickets are valid for two days, so you need to complete your journey within two days.

I am not sure if you will get some special price offers with a stopover.

Rita

Jun 06, 2011

train tickets
by: steve

I am wondering, if I buy a ticket from Stuttgart to Munich, for example, is the ticket valid only for a continuous trip or can I get off in Ulm, stay overnight, and then use the same ticket the next day to continue the journey. Obviously I would have to make separate seat reservations, but I am just wondering in general what the conditions are for a continuous trip. Danke

Steve

Apr 24, 2011

Public Transport in Germany
by: Rita

Hi Melissa,

Unfortunately, there is no pass that covers all kind of public transport in Germany. The reason is that rail passes are only valid on services operated by the Deutsche Bahn.
Passes are valid for long distance trains and regional trains that run between smaller cities and towns.

A German Rail Pass saves you money when you travel long distances by train in Germany. You don't need to hunt for discount tickets weeks in advance, so you have more flexibility with you travel days.
When travelling on ICE / IC trains buying an optional seat reservation is highly recommended, so this cuts down spontaneity slightly.

For your itinerary you could use a rail pass travel day for the train rides from Munich to Frankfurt and Frankfurt to Berlin. As 3 travel days is the minimum for a rail pass, you would have one day left for any longer day trip from one of the cities.

If you have already fixed travel plan, you can also search for Saver fare offers. in advance. It is easy to do online on the Deutsche Bahn website. Find your tickets, make seat reservation, purchase with a credit card and print your ticket. You can even do this at home before you leave.

Now for getting around within a city. Regional centres like Frankfurt, Munich and Berlin have formed transport associations. You buy a ticket from A to B and you can use any train, tram or bus that brings you to your destination. You can even change trams if needed. However, you have to travel consecutively, breaks for sightseeing are not allowed. You have to buy these tickets at ticket machines just before you go.

For a day of sightseeing within a city you can buy a day ticket for multiple travel. To get a first overview of a city taking one of the hop-on hop-off buses is worth considering. You can buy a ticket in advance online, or from the local tourist information offices. This way, you don't have to worry about train tickets and the right tram to use.

See my Munich, Frankfurt and Berlin pages for ideas what you can do in these cities.

Enjoy Germany, and thanks for the kind words about the website.

Rita

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