European Rail Travel - Apeldoorn to Frankfurt via Hamburg

We are wanting to take the train form Apeldoorn to Hamburg for a couple of nights and then head down to Frankfurt to connect with flights back to NZ. I would like some ideas of the times ie Apeldoorn to Hamburg and the hamburg to Frankfurt. Is it better to just purcahse those tickets or buy a rail pass for 2 countries before we head to Europe?

We are wanting to take the train form Apeldoorn to Hamburg for a couple of nights and then head down to Frankfurt to connect with flights back to NZ. I would like some ideas of the times ie Apeldoorn to Hamburg and the hamburg to Frankfurt. Is it better to just purcahse those tickets or buy a rail pass for 2 countries before we head to Europe?

The train from Apeldoorn to Hamburg runs every two hours and takes about four hours with a change in Osnabrück. The standard fare is 75 euro, but savings fares start from 29 euro.

The direct train from Hamburg to Frankfürt runs every hour and takes about 3,5 hours. Here the standard fare is 114 euro with savings fares starting from 59 euro.

If you are only making those two trips, then a rail pass will be too expensive.

The best source of information is the website of German Railways (http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query2.exe/en?country=overseas). It will give you information about the times and prices, and you can also buy your tickets from there.

welcome to flyertalk, Duintje :)

for your convenience, I move this thread into our European Rail forum, where our specialists will take care of you.

best regards,

chrissxb
co-moderator
Germany forum

You can get Hamburg to Frankfurt for EUR 29 if you book well ahead (I've just looked at 1 August - you can't book more than three months ahead - and there is some availability at that fare).

The direct train from Hamburg to Frankfürt runs every hour and takes about 3,5 hours. Here the standard fare is 114 euro with savings fares starting from 59 euro.

As Aviatrix has said, the starting price for savings fares from Hamburg to Frankfurt should be €29 - although depending on how far in advance you book, you could easily find that it's gone up to €59.

As an aside: note that DB's rules for international fares (even Europa-Spezial savings fares*) allow you to make up to 2 stop-overs en route, for up to 48hours each. However, this doesn't help in your case - as Hamburg is not a valid route between Apeldoorn and Frankfurt. However, for suitable routes, it would mean you could book the Netherlands - Germany and Germany - Germany stretches all as one ticket, for one price.

* For Europa-Spezials, the stopover has to be arranged at time of booking, as you're still required to travel on the specific trains on which you are booked.