European Rail Travel - Buying a Deutsche Bahn ticket

We decided to go to Amsterdam tomorrow and wanted to know if there is a price difference if we buy the ticket online tonight from the DB website or whether we buy it from the ticket machine tomorrow. We are not sure how early we want to go so it would be more convenient to buy at the train station. But if there is a price difference, we will pick a train tonight.

Please advise. Thanks.

What is your point of departure?

What is your point of departure?DUS flughafen. A friend is flying in and wants to see Amsterdam with us.

I think your only option will be the "normal" price. Most "Sparpreis" (discount) options on DB require a 3 day advance purchase. So, you should get the same price from the ticket machine as online. (Actually, the discount fares are also usually available from the ticket machines, although the online system occasionally finds connections which the machines don't find...)

You'll save a few Euro buying from the machine instead of at the ticket counter, but that's about it. You're too close to your departure time to get a discount online.

No, you don't even safe some money if you buy from a machine. The regular full-price-ticket costs between 52,70 EUR and 38,50 EUR depending on the exact train.

Standard fares are the same whereever you buy them. The only advantages of online booking are: a) you don't have to bother with the ticket machine, b) a better chance to get hold of seat reservations if you want them.

Thanks everybody.

The only advantages of online booking are: a) you don't have to bother with the ticket machine, b) a better chance to get hold of seat reservations if you want them.

Well, online tickets usually only bother other people (because the ticket check takes longer, the ticket and your credit card both must be scanned).

But b) doesn't necessarily hold true, as there are last-minute reservation contingents which only become available about one hour before the train's departure (the seats are usually located in coaches 21/31 for second and 28/38 for first class and marked by "ggf. freigeben"). So, if a train is heavily booked, chances may even be better if you only purchase a reservation 10 minutes before departure.

Standard fares are the same whereever you buy them. The only advantages of online booking are: a) you don't have to bother with the ticket machine, b) a better chance to get hold of seat reservations if you want them.The ticket machine was fast and easy. As for seat reservations, I need to sit facing forward and the reservations don't guarantee that at all. I haven't found a train in which I could not find my own seat easily. To pay nearly an extra ~$3.60 for a seat assignment? Not worth it IMHO.

[...] To pay nearly an extra ~$3.60 for a seat assignment? Not worth it IMHO.

Take an ICE train from Frankfurt to Hamburg on a Friday evening and you might think otherwise... ;)

The ticket machine was fast and easy. As for seat reservations, I need to sit facing forward and the reservations don't guarantee that at all. I haven't found a train in which I could not find my own seat easily. To pay nearly an extra ~$3.60 for a seat assignment? Not worth it IMHO.

Depends on the time and day of travel. I would never take an 8 or 9 am or 5 or 6 pm service without reservation. You might yourself find standing. And even the seats especially reserved for top tier customers are taken, either by top tier customers or by foreigners trying to safe the money for the seat reservation (and be sure, the conductor will kick you out of these seats). And the reservations certainly does not guarantee a seat facing forwards because en route between eg Munich and Hamburg the trains will/might change direction in Stuttgart, Frankfurt and Cologne.

Even if the thread-opener may have taken his tour-ride, here is a hint for all people who wanna take a train from Germany to the Netherlands:

www.nshispeed.nl
This is the Dutch High Speed Rail System. Often tickets for the same train from Germany can be found cheaper here. Can be bought with normal CC.

Even if the thread-opener may have taken his tour-ride, here is a hint for all people who wanna take a train from Germany to the Netherlands:

www.nshispeed.nl
This is the Dutch High Speed Rail System. Often tickets for the same train from Germany can be found cheaper here. Can be bought with normal CC.The prices are indeed cheaper. But let me ask this question: if I buy a ticket from this Dutch website from let's say Hagen to Schiphol, will I be able to print my tickets using the Deutche Bahn machines in Hagen? Will the DB machines even recognize that I made the purchase already?

The prices are indeed cheaper. But let me ask this question: if I buy a ticket from this Dutch website from let's say Hagen to Schiphol, will I be able to print my tickets using the Deutche Bahn machines in Hagen? Will the DB machines even recognize that I made the purchase already?

Unlikely. You'll need a printer and a piece of paper to print that ticket.

from now on, please continue to follow this thread in our european rail travel forum :)

regards,

chrissxb
co-moderator
germany forum

I'm pondering a journey from Munich to Salzburg. I fly into Munich and presume the luggage can come out efficiently and immigration to be smooth - all done in an hour. Is 1 hour too tight a connection? What if there are delays and I end up missing my train. Would the ticket checkers balk if I take the next train instead with my existing ticket?

IWould the ticket checkers balk if I take the next train instead with my existing ticket?

This depends on your ticket. The normal tickets are fully flexible. Reservations are of course linked to a certain train but the ticket itself remains valid also for other trains (exact date is printed on your ticked).

If you have a discounted ticket they are most of the time only valid for a certain train. Then will you will have to pay the full rpice in the worst case. Maybe you are lucky as a foreigner but remember: We Germans tend to be very correct ;)

I'm pondering a journey from Munich to Salzburg. I fly into Munich and presume the luggage can come out efficiently and immigration to be smooth - all done in an hour. Is 1 hour too tight a connection? What if there are delays and I end up missing my train. Would the ticket checkers balk if I take the next train instead with my existing ticket?

I can almost guarantee you will miss your train in one hour. The train leaves from Munich main station (HBF). You will take a local train (almost like a metro) from the airport to the HBF. This train takes 40 minutes. Walking to the station at the airport and walking from the arrival beneath HBF to the track where your train leaves will take care of the other 20 minutes, so it will be almost impossible to get a train that leaves one hour after you arrive.

I can almost guarantee you will miss your train in one hour. The train leaves from Munich main station (HBF). You will take a local train (almost like a metro) from the airport to the HBF. This train takes 40 minutes. Walking to the station at the airport and walking from the arrival beneath HBF to the track where your train leaves will take care of the other 20 minutes, so it will be almost impossible to get a train that leaves one hour after you arrive.
Sorry, to clarify - the departure is from the airport 1 hour after my landing. The DB website says I take the S-bahn and then transfer to the Salzburg train once I reach the city. Yes, it's also a discounted ticket as I see prices varying from 19-21 euros OW, which should include the airport -> city + city -> Salzburg runs.

Sorry, to clarify - the departure is from the airport 1 hour after my landing. The DB website says I take the S-bahn and then transfer to the Salzburg train once I reach the city. Yes, it's also a discounted ticket as I see prices varying from 19-21 euros OW, which should include the airport -> city + city -> Salzburg runs.

The full-flex ticket is about 29.70 - 37.00 €. Most likely you have bought the "Bayern Ticket Single" which is restricted for travel between 9 am and 3 am the following day on weekdays. Also you can only take regional trains (Regionalexpress) and not the fast ones. It is NOT limited to a certain connection on that day.

Basically if your flight is late or luggage arrives too late worst case is waiting another hour and take the next RE train to Salzburg. So nothing to worry about :)

Hmm .. going back to the DB website for more details, the fare is Sparpreis , leaving Munich airport on the S-bahn an hour after my scheduled arrival time and then connecting to an RJ train. I suppose if I arrive late and miss my RJ train, I'll need to buy a new ticket for the next train?

Hmm .. going back to the DB website for more details, the fare is Sparpreis , leaving Munich airport on the S-bahn an hour after my scheduled arrival time and then connecting to an RJ train. I suppose if I arrive late and miss my RJ train, I'll need to buy a new ticket for the next train?

you're assuming right. I am afraid, that's how it works.

Hmm .. going back to the DB website for more details, the fare is Sparpreis , leaving Munich airport on the S-bahn an hour after my scheduled arrival time and then connecting to an RJ train. I suppose if I arrive late and miss my RJ train, I'll need to buy a new ticket for the next train?

If you have bought the ticket already, yes, this will be the consequence. If you haven't bought it yet I would put it the 10 € extra for "Normalpreis" and then you are fully flexible.

If you want the flexibility, buy the Bayern Ticket Single at €21 for 1 person (assuming you do not start your journey before 9am Mon-Fri). You have a train (with one transfer) approximately every hour. These are the connections showing up at €21 on your search (there are no €21 Sparpreis fares).

Although you can only travel on local trains (so no RJ nor EC), the overall journey is only about 15 minutes longer than on the fast trains, because you can change at Munich Ost (take the S8 from the airport, not the S1), and do not have to go to the Hauptbahnhof.

if I buy a ticket from this Dutch website from let's say Hagen to Schiphol, will I be able to print my tickets using the Deutche Bahn machines in Hagen? Will the DB machines even recognize that I made the purchase already?

no - you have to print the PDF you get after booking the ticket. They won't accept it if you, say, show the PDF on your laptop screen.

I suppose if I arrive late and miss my RJ train, I'll need to buy a new ticket for the next train?

As far as I know, there's the option of making your ticket flexible by paying the fare difference plus 15 EUR. I've never needed to do so, but at least in the early days of "Sparpreis", this was an option. But even if this possibility is still available, this will hardly be an option if you are likely to miss the connection (and I would NEVER buy a Sparpreis ticket if I'm to arrive by plane, unless I have several hours of layover) and if ticket prices are low. As far as I understand, the fare difference to Normalpreis will be less than those 15 EUR of penalty for upgrading your ticket from Sparpreis to Normalpreis.

Thanks for all your suggestions! I probably won't be buying the discounted Sparpreis ticket, although Bayern may not yet apply for me as I land around 6am. Probably full-flex then ...

If you want the flexibility, buy the Bayern Ticket Single at €21 for 1 person

Bayern Ticket should also include the S-Bahn from the airport to downtown Munich, if I am not mistaken. Is it not valid for up to 5 people to travel on the same ticket?

Concerning missed Sparpreis tickets due to a flight delay, I asked about this recently, and apparently it would be possible to go to the counter and pay the fare difference, if the train is missed. So that way the ticket is not completely lost. But it would be good to know someone else's feedback about this.

Bayern Ticket should also include the S-Bahn from the airport to downtown Munich, if I am not mistaken. Is it not valid for up to 5 people to travel on the same ticket?

Yes it is valid on the S-bahn.

Bayern Ticket Single - €21
Bayern Ticket (2-5 people) - €29.

Even if the thread-opener may have taken his tour-ride, here is a hint for all people who wanna take a train from Germany to the Netherlands:

www.nshispeed.nl
This is the Dutch High Speed Rail System. Often tickets for the same train from Germany can be found cheaper here. Can be bought with normal CC.I am thinking about taking the train from AMS to Stuttgart this summer. For high speed rails, the Dutch website is actually more expensive than the Deutche Bahn website.

If I buy my ticket from the DB website, will I be able print the ticket at the rail station at AMS from their machines when I arrive? Am I right to assume that I can buy the from the Deutsche Bahn website instead of the Dutch Rail website since the DB is much cheaper even though my journey starts in the Netherlands? Thanks.

If I buy my ticket from the DB website, will I be able print the ticket at the rail station at AMS from their machines when I arrive? Am I right to assume that I can buy the from the Deutsche Bahn website instead of the Dutch Rail website since the DB is much cheaper even though my journey starts in the Netherlands? Thanks.

DB tickets are print-at-home (or you can have them posted to you, for a surcharge). I don't think there is any option of printing them at a station.

I regularly travel from the Netherlands to Germany and always buy my tickets from bahn.de. As long as you are able to print your own ticket you should have no problems whatsoever.

DB tickets are print-at-home (or you can have them posted to you, for a surcharge). I don't think there is any option of printing them at a station.

I regularly travel from the Netherlands to Germany and always buy my tickets from bahn.de. As long as you are able to print your own ticket you should have no problems whatsoever.I didn't remember that, thank you. I can certainly print them at home. As long as DB tickets are accepted starting on an AMS regional train (an IC) heading to an ICE train, I'm all set. Thanks.

Thinking about buying 1st class DB tickets b/w AMS and Stuttgart. Does the higher price include drinks and snacks/meals? Or is there an extra charge? Also, is wifi free in 1st class on ICE and IC? What is the cost of Wifi in 2nd class?

Thinking about buying 1st class DB tickets b/w AMS and Stuttgart. Does the higher price include drinks and snacks/meals? Or is there an extra charge?
There is at-seat service in 1st class, but I don't think it is complementary. See
Die Angebote der Bordgastronomie (https://www.bahn.de/p/view/service/zug/bordgastronomie/monatsaktion.shtml) for more details (in German; the English version of the site doesn't have so much detail, but you can use Google Translate or similar on the German).

If you're travelling 1st class on the ICE/IC you should have access to the 1st class lounge in both Amsterdam Centraal and Stuttgart Hbf. The DB lounges have complimentary drinks, but not food (unless they have a dedicated 1st class area, which Stuttgart doesn't) - details at DB Lounge: Die 1. Klasse im Bahnhof (https://www.bahn.de/p/view/service/1klasse/lounge.shtml) (again, in German). I'm not sure what the Amsterdam lounge offers. (EDIT: However, bruce80 has provided a review here: Amsterdam C Railteam Lounge (NS Hispeed Lounge) (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/european-rail-travel/1400909-amsterdam-c-railteam-lounge-ns-hispeed-lounge.html). That said, if the OP is starting from AMS Schiphol, they won't need to pass through Centraal...)

Also, is wifi free in 1st class on ICE and IC? What is the cost of Wifi in 2nd class?
DB has wifi on some of its ICE trains/routes, but not on the ICs. The bahn.de (http://www.bahn.de) journey planner should indicate which trains are equipped with wifi. Coming from Amsterdam, you might get wifi from Frankfurt Flughafen or Duisburg to Stuttgart, but I don't think you'll get it in the Netherlands.

More details at Hotspot im ICE (https://www.bahn.de/p/view/service/zug/railnet_ice_bahnhof.shtml) (also in German).

I thought wifi was free in 1st class - but I can't find confirmation of that on the DB site. It directs to www.HotSpot.de for regular prices - which appear to be €4.95 for 24hrs (I thought it was significantly more than that, but maybe they've dropped their prices recently; or perhaps it's more expensive on the train than at static hotspots).

Wifi in the DB lounges is free.

1st class also gets you more space (1+2 seating, rather than 2+2) and is generally less likely to be crowded.

DB has wifi on some of its ICE trains/routes, but not on the ICs. The bahn.de (http://www.bahn.de) journey planner should indicate which trains are equipped with wifi. Coming from Amsterdam, you might get wifi from Frankfurt Flughafen or Duisburg to Stuttgart, but I don't think you'll get it in the Netherlands.

Dutch Intercity trains have free wifi in both first and second class - but this only applies to Dutch rolling stock. A lot of cross-border services use German rolling stock.

Dutch Intercity trains have free wifi in both first and second class - but this only applies to Dutch rolling stock.

Not all of them; on several routes (like Heerlen-Schagen) it's a matter of luck whether you'll get wifi or not.

Regarding the AMS lounge: It'a a bit hard to find (go upstairs to platform 1), but it's quite nice (although the seating is not too comfortable). I've posted something about the lounge in this forum a few weeks ago, maybe you want to do a search for it.

On the DB part, wifi on the trains is definitely not free (nor is the 1st class at-seat service, except for newspapers and, if you're lucky, a tiny piece of chocolate/crackers/etc.), and it's probably not woth paying for. The network is really weak and it's only offered between Dortmund, Frankfurt and Stuttgart (high-speed routes only) and between Frankfurt and Hamburg (via Hannover).

The lounges use the same t-mobile sevice, but it's free (you just have to accept the TOS).

There is at-seat service in 1st class, but I don't think it is complementary. See
Die Angebote der Bordgastronomie (https://www.bahn.de/p/view/service/zug/bordgastronomie/monatsaktion.shtml) for more details (in German; the English version of the site doesn't have so much detail, but you can use Google Translate or similar on the German).I'm not a fan of Google Translate which is why I asked here. I'll try it though.

If you're travelling 1st class on the ICE/IC you should have access to the 1st class lounge in both Amsterdam Centraal and Stuttgart Hbf. The DB lounges have complimentary drinks, but not food (unless they have a dedicated 1st class area, which Stuttgart doesn't) - details at DB Lounge: Die 1. Klasse im Bahnhof (https://www.bahn.de/p/view/service/1klasse/lounge.shtml) (again, in German). I'm not sure what the Amsterdam lounge offers. (EDIT: However, bruce80 has provided a review here: Amsterdam C Railteam Lounge (NS Hispeed Lounge) (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/european-rail-travel/1400909-amsterdam-c-railteam-lounge-ns-hispeed-lounge.html). That said, if the OP is starting from AMS Schiphol, they won't need to pass through Centraal...)Yes, I'm starting from AMS not Amsterdam Centraal. Good to know in advance that food/meals aren't complimentary.

Regarding the AMS lounge: It'a a bit hard to find (go upstairs to platform 1), but it's quite nice (although the seating is not too comfortable). I've posted something about the lounge in this forum a few weeks ago, maybe you want to do a search for it.I'll do the search. If there is an AMS lounge for 1st class rail passengers that will allow me to get drinks, that will be nice. My wait may be 2-3 hours so having a lounge to enjoy is a nice perk which is further making me lean toward 1st class.

More details at Hotspot im ICE (https://www.bahn.de/p/view/service/zug/railnet_ice_bahnhof.shtml) (also in German).

I thought wifi was free in 1st class - but I can't find confirmation of that on the DB site. It directs to www.HotSpot.de for regular prices - which appear to be €4.95 for 24hrs (I thought it was significantly more than that, but maybe they've dropped their prices recently; or perhaps it's more expensive on the train than at static hotspots).

Wifi in the DB lounges is free.

1st class also gets you more space (1+2 seating, rather than 2+2) and is generally less likely to be crowded.Thanks.

On the DB part, wifi on the trains is definitely not free (nor is the 1st class at-seat service, except for newspapers and, if you're lucky, a tiny piece of chocolate/crackers/etc.), and it's probably not woth paying for. The network is really weak and it's only offered between Dortmund, Frankfurt and Stuttgart (high-speed routes only) and between Frankfurt and Hamburg (via Hannover).Wifi isn't worth the price or did you mean 1st Class?

The lounges use the same t-mobile sevice, but it's free (you just have to accept the TOS).I don't have t-mobile. But its wifi is free?

I'll do the search. If there is an AMS lounge for 1st class rail passengers that will allow me to get drinks, that will be nice. My wait may be 2-3 hours so having a lounge to enjoy is a nice perk which is further making me lean toward 1st class.
Bruce80's review was of the lounge in Amsterdam Centraal (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/european-rail-travel/1400909-amsterdam-c-railteam-lounge-ns-hispeed-lounge.html), not Schiphol. However, there is also a NS Hispeed Lounge (http://www.nshispeed.nl/en/stations/ns-hispeed-lounge) at Schiphol, which you should have access to (with a 1st class international rail ticket).

Bruce80's review was of the lounge in Amsterdam Centraal (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/european-rail-travel/1400909-amsterdam-c-railteam-lounge-ns-hispeed-lounge.html), not Schiphol. However, there is also a NS Hispeed Lounge (http://www.nshispeed.nl/en/stations/ns-hispeed-lounge) at Schiphol, which you should have access to (with a 1st class international rail ticket).Thanks. The flight I'll probably take from JFK arrives around 6am. The lounge opens at 8. Oh well!

The ICE between Duisburg and Stuttgart goes through Köln. If I reserve a seat which faces forward leaving Duisburg, will the train change direction in Köln as I remember it sometimes doing?

T

The ICE between Duisburg and Stuttgart goes through Köln. If I reserve a seat which faces forward leaving Duisburg, will the train change direction in Köln as I remember it sometimes doing?

It should not. Cologne is a through train station. Does your train stop at Frankfurt central station? If yes, it will change directions there because Frankfurt central station is a terminus.

It should not. Cologne is a through train station. Does your train stop at Frankfurt central station? If yes, it will change directions there because Frankfurt central station is a terminus.

It seems that all the Duisburg - Stuttgart direct ICEs (which in fact run Dortmund - Duisburg - Stuttgart - Munich) go via Frankfurt Flughafen (which is also a through station), not Frankfurt Hbf.

Although Cologne is a through station, I thought a few trains reversed there - but I might be entirely wrong. However, the Duisburg - Stuttgart ICEs only have a 6 minute stop there, and I think DB schedules generally allow a bit longer than that, if a train is reversing.

The train definitely reverses directions in Cologne Central station. There have been a few trains from Frankfurt to Amsterdam vv which took the southern route via Cologne South (thus not reversing direction in Cologne Central), but I'm not sure whether they still take this route.
However, the direct trains between Dortmund and Munich (via Cologne, Frankfurt Airport and Stuttgart) definitely reverse directions in Cologne and Stuttgart (and only there).

Another hint: If you are using the ICE service from Amsterdam to Duisburg, you should actually stay on board of this train until Frankfurt Airport. Changing there is much more convenient (you'll only have to walk across the platform from track 4 to track 5, and if travelling first class you may also use the DB Lounge in Frankfurt Airport) and you'll avoid the usually pretty crowded section between Cologne and Frankfurt Airport on the Dortmund-Munich trains.

Some clarification on wifi: the wifi on the train and in the general areas of the station is not free (and it's not worth paying for, some also say that paying for first class isn't worth it, but as I'm usually travelling first class I would say that it's worth it for me) while wifi in the lounges is usually free. All of these services use t-mobile as their provider, but once in the lounge (or near the lounge) you don't have to provide login credentials, just tick the "accept TOS" checkbox and there you go.

Although Cologne is a through station, I thought a few trains reversed there - but I might be entirely wrong. However, the Duisburg - Stuttgart ICEs only have a 6 minute stop there, and I think DB schedules generally allow a bit longer than that, if a train is reversing.

Yep, you are entirely wrong ;) Sometimes, they even couple a second unit there which will be readily waiting at the platform when the train from Dortmund arrives.

1st class also gets you more space (1+2 seating, rather than 2+2) and is generally less likely to be crowded.

I have some first class photos from last month. I was with two friends and the additional fare to F was only about $10 each for these 4-5 hour trips--very worthwhile for the extra space. Can't recall seeing that minimal difference before when I booked solo.

ICE Second Class Berlin-Leipzig

http://tom911.smugmug.com/Travel-Europe/Germany/2013-Leipzig-part-of-an-11-day/i-72RZQr6/0/M/P1340954-M.jpg

ICE First Class Leipzig-Munich

http://tom911.smugmug.com/Travel-Europe/Germany/2013-Munich/i-kxr7SQz/0/M/P1350031-M.jpg

http://tom911.smugmug.com/Travel-Europe/Germany/2013-Munich/i-HT2CKfx/0/M/P1350012-M.jpg

EC First Class Salzburg-Frankfurt

http://tom911.smugmug.com/Travel-Europe/Austria/2013-Salzburg-Austria/i-pD4gcPF/0/M/P1350424-M.jpg

Great pictures, tom911!