Booking German train tickets on-line

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KEELIEDW
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Joined: 21 Jan 2007, 2:01pm

Booking German train tickets on-line

Post by KEELIEDW »

We are a group of 3 due to arrive Munich airport next month for week's holiday cruising/cycling along the Danube. We are not taking our own bikes, so these questions refer to normal foot passengers.
We need to book local transport from the airport to Munich city centre and a train from Munich to Passau, the start point of the ride, returning a week later from Passau to Munich.
Booking websites seem quite helpful but can anyone offer some clarification:
1. Is there one ticket which combines the local airport shuttle with the inter-city train? Would this be cheaper than separate tickets?
2. If we pre-book specific times for the inter-city train are we committed to that train only?
3. We're all over 60, with UK railcards. Does this give us any discount?
4. Is there a discount for being a party of 3 people?

Any advice very much appreciated.
PDQ Mobile
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Re: Booking German train tickets on-line

Post by PDQ Mobile »

The Ffestiniog Railway travel center in N.Wales can be very helpful with such European tickets.
https://www.ffestiniogtravel.com
01766 512400
Cyril Haearn
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Re: Booking German train tickets on-line

Post by Cyril Haearn »

€37 for a Bayern Ticket, unlimited travel after 9oo weekdays for three people, you can use stopping trains: S-Bahn from the airport, RE to Passau but not IC/ICE
The stopping trains (Regional Express) are often double-deckers and fast enough
You can buy a ticket from a machine on the station, press the union jack for instructions in English
Doubtless you could buy online beforehand, not sure if it is cheaper
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foxyrider
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Re: Booking German train tickets on-line

Post by foxyrider »

Cyril Haearn wrote:€37 for a Bayern Ticket, unlimited travel after 9oo weekdays for three people, you can use stopping trains: S-Bahn from the airport, RE to Passau but not IC/ICE
The stopping trains (Regional Express) are often double-deckers and fast enough
You can buy a ticket from a machine on the station, press the union jack for instructions in English
Doubtless you could buy online beforehand, not sure if it is cheaper


+1

You can also ring the Bahn office in the UK who will happily sort you out - their number is on the Bahn.de website.
Convention? what's that then?
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mongoose
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Re: Booking German train tickets on-line

Post by mongoose »

As has been said you can book the tickets online at DBahn.de, but it is not necessary as you can buy them at the station. You do not need to go to Munich HBf from the airport, just get the #635 bus to Freising outside the terminal [€2.40 last time I used it] which runs to Freising station that is on the line from Munich to Passau. The Lander ticket will be the cheapest option for the rail journey although last year there were 9 of us and we got a group ticket that was even cheaper and used the ICE rather than being restricted to the RE trains - we were picking up hire bikes in Passau and cycling to Vienna.
pga
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Re: Booking German train tickets on-line

Post by pga »

I have used DB online to book tickets - an excellent and recommended site. If you are sure of times you get cheaper tickets but with air travel sometimes unpredictable it is better to book all trains tickets which are dearer. The downloaded tickets are very detailed with timings and details of changes with platform details. DB railcards are available but no discount for UK cards. A pity there are no EEC wide cards.

Plenty of room for bikes on the trains I have travelled on and generally very easy to get a seat. Rail trips are a pleasure.

In the old East Germany I found less English spoken than in the West. This sometimes make it difficult for non German speakers to work out the best value tickets. I recommend the Harz Mountain Railway for steam train fans.
Cyril Haearn
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Joined: 30 Nov 2013, 11:26am

Re: Booking German train tickets on-line

Post by Cyril Haearn »

pga wrote:I have used DB online to book tickets - an excellent and recommended site. If you are sure of times you get cheaper tickets but with air travel sometimes unpredictable it is better to book all trains tickets which are dearer. The downloaded tickets are very detailed with timings and details of changes with platform details. DB railcards are available but no discount for UK cards. A pity there are no EEC wide cards.

Plenty of room for bikes on the trains I have travelled on and generally very easy to get a seat. Rail trips are a pleasure.

In the old East Germany I found less English spoken than in the West. This sometimes make it difficult for non German speakers to work out the best value tickets. I recommend the Harz Mountain Railway for steam train fans.

For middle-distance trips the Laendertickets or Quer-durchs-land tickets are good
We call the East Neufuenfland, new five land, it is not so new now mind
The Selketalbahn (part of the Harz Network) is good, not so busy, a rover ticket is very cheap, a steam loco goes up and down the line, up a branch, up and down a big hill. Many trains are diesel
Quedlinburg is the terminus, one of the most beautiful little towns in Germany (there are scores on my list)
Younger people in the East should be able to speak English
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foxyrider
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Re: Booking German train tickets on-line

Post by foxyrider »

Cyril Haearn wrote:
pga wrote:I have used DB online to book tickets - an excellent and recommended site. If you are sure of times you get cheaper tickets but with air travel sometimes unpredictable it is better to book all trains tickets which are dearer. The downloaded tickets are very detailed with timings and details of changes with platform details. DB railcards are available but no discount for UK cards. A pity there are no EEC wide cards.

Plenty of room for bikes on the trains I have travelled on and generally very easy to get a seat. Rail trips are a pleasure.

In the old East Germany I found less English spoken than in the West. This sometimes make it difficult for non German speakers to work out the best value tickets. I recommend the Harz Mountain Railway for steam train fans.

For middle-distance trips the Laendertickets or Quer-durchs-land tickets are good
We call the East Neufuenfland, new five land, it is not so new now mind
The Selketalbahn (part of the Harz Network) is good, not so busy, a rover ticket is very cheap, a steam loco goes up and down the line, up a branch, up and down a big hill. Many trains are diesel
Quedlinburg is the terminus, one of the most beautiful little towns in Germany (there are scores on my list)
Younger people in the East should be able to speak English

I've been going to East Germany for many years now and compared to the west English is less well known even amongst the young. Never been much of a problem - i'll be out in the Spreewald next week for an RTF and I get. By with my pidgin German!

Can you take bikes on the Harzbahn? Didn't seem to be any facilities when I was there 2 years ago.
Convention? what's that then?
Airnimal Chameleon touring, Orbit Pro hack, Orbit Photon audax, Focus Mares AX tour, Peugeot Carbon sportive, Owen Blower vintage race - all running Tulio's finest!
Cyril Haearn
Posts: 15215
Joined: 30 Nov 2013, 11:26am

Re: Booking German train tickets on-line

Post by Cyril Haearn »

foxyrider wrote:
Cyril Haearn wrote:
pga wrote:I have used DB online to book tickets - an excellent and recommended site. If you are sure of times you get cheaper tickets but with air travel sometimes unpredictable it is better to book all trains tickets which are dearer. The downloaded tickets are very detailed with timings and details of changes with platform details. DB railcards are available but no discount for UK cards. A pity there are no EEC wide cards.

Plenty of room for bikes on the trains I have travelled on and generally very easy to get a seat. Rail trips are a pleasure.

In the old East Germany I found less English spoken than in the West. This sometimes make it difficult for non German speakers to work out the best value tickets. I recommend the Harz Mountain Railway for steam train fans.

For middle-distance trips the Laendertickets or Quer-durchs-land tickets are good
We call the East Neufuenfland, new five land, it is not so new now mind
The Selketalbahn (part of the Harz Network) is good, not so busy, a rover ticket is very cheap, a steam loco goes up and down the line, up a branch, up and down a big hill. Many trains are diesel
Quedlinburg is the terminus, one of the most beautiful little towns in Germany (there are scores on my list)
Younger people in the East should be able to speak English

I've been going to East Germany for many years now and compared to the west English is less well known even amongst the young. Never been much of a problem - i'll be out in the Spreewald next week for an RTF and I get. By with my pidgin German!

Can you take bikes on the Harzbahn? Didn't seem to be any facilities when I was there 2 years ago.

The diesel railcars on the Selketalbahn are tiny, not much space for bikes
True the people in the West and East are still different even those born after 1990, but now many cities in the East are in better condition than in the West
You *must* visit Calau, a town with a tradition of fun with language ('Calauer' are clever/funny sayings), in the Spreewald one may go on a punt, you could try to get a flight on a 'Gurkenflieger' :wink:
Entertainer, juvenile, curmudgeon, PoB, 30120
Cycling-of course, but it is far better on a Gillott
We love safety cameras, we hate bullies
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foxyrider
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Location: Sheffield, South Yorkshire

Re: Booking German train tickets on-line

Post by foxyrider »

Cyril Haearn wrote:
foxyrider wrote:
Cyril Haearn wrote:For middle-distance trips the Laendertickets or Quer-durchs-land tickets are good
We call the East Neufuenfland, new five land, it is not so new now mind
The Selketalbahn (part of the Harz Network) is good, not so busy, a rover ticket is very cheap, a steam loco goes up and down the line, up a branch, up and down a big hill. Many trains are diesel
Quedlinburg is the terminus, one of the most beautiful little towns in Germany (there are scores on my list)
Younger people in the East should be able to speak English


I've been going to East Germany for many years now and compared to the west English is less well known even amongst the young. Never been much of a problem - i'll be out in the Spreewald next week for an RTF and I get. By with my pidgin German!

Can you take bikes on the Harzbahn? Didn't seem to be any facilities when I was there 2 years ago.

The diesel railcars on the Selketalbahn are tiny, not much space for bikes
True the people in the West and East are still different even those born after 1990, but now many cities in the East are in better condition than in the West
You *must* visit Calau, a town with a tradition of fun with language ('Calauer' are clever/funny sayings), in the Spreewald one may go on a punt, you could try to get a flight on a 'Gurkenflieger' :wink:


Been going there for @ 15 years, ridden all around the area and the big tourist thing is of course the F95 excavator - truly a unique experience. But there is hardly any work, it is a very poor area despite the input of western money.
Convention? what's that then?
Airnimal Chameleon touring, Orbit Pro hack, Orbit Photon audax, Focus Mares AX tour, Peugeot Carbon sportive, Owen Blower vintage race - all running Tulio's finest!
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