European Rail Travel - Rail from Munich to Rome

I need a day-time train from Munich to Rome in July. What's the easiest way to book it? Is it possible to book a train with miles?

I have some Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou points, and AAdvantage Miles to spare.

Thanks!

I need a day-time train from Munich to Rome in July. What's the easiest way to book it?

It seems the only direct change between Munich and Rome is the Citynightline (CNL) sleeper - bookable at bahn.de (http://bahn.de) . Personally, I would use this option if I had to travel between these two cities.

If you want day-time trains, then it seems you'll have to make at least one change. eg:
EC85 dep Munich 09:31, arr Bologna 16:20
ES9596 dep Bologna 16:53, arr Rome 19:05
(Although you might not want to risk a 33min connection, if you're travelling on separate, and non-changeable tickets...)

or:
EC87 dep Munich 11:31, arr Verona Porta Nuova 16:57
ES9483 dep Verona Porta Nuova 17:55, arr Rome 20:50

It should be possible to check journey times on bahn.de (http://bahn.de) . It seems that you can't book the whole journey on bahn.de (http://bahn.de), but you should be able to book Munich to Bologna/Verona, and then make the onward booking at www.trenitalia.com See www.seat61.com/Italy.htm for further advice on this.

www.voyages-sncf.com or www.raileurope.com might be able to sell a through ticket for this journey, but I suspect it would work out more expensive (although I haven't checked).

Is it possible to book a train with miles?
I have some Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou points, and AAdvantage Miles to spare.
Not as far as I know. Deutsche Bahn run their own 'bahn.bonus' loyalty programme, but I am not aware of any option to convert airline miles into bahnpoints.

As far as I know its only possilbe to book trains connecting to flights with miles and using Miles and More on Westbahn. So that looks bleak.

Through booking isn't availible online because the Germany-Austria-Itay EC trains are being run in compition* to Trenitalia by DB (http://www.bahn.de), ÖBB Italia, and LeNord. You should be able to book through DB.



If you want day-time trains, then it seems you'll have to make at least one change. eg:
EC85 dep Munich 09:31, arr Bologna 16:20
ES9596 dep Bologna 16:53, arr Rome 19:05
(Although you might not want to risk a 33min connection, if you're travelling on separate, and non-changeable tickets...)


There is competiton on the Bologna-Rome route so prices are low if booked online. A half-hour connection isn't a huge risk IMHO, though I don't know how strick the Italians are about getting on the next train if you missed yours. You can always just plan in time in Bologna and book a later service.
EC85 dep Munich 09:31, arr Bologna 16:20 (ÖBB Italia €49 (http://www.obb-italia.com/)[english] (http://www.oebb.at/en/index.jsp) or DB €59 (http://www.bahn.de/) )
and
9943 dep Bologna 16:38, arr Rome 18:48 (Italo €20 (http://www.italotreno.it/EN/))
or
ES9596 dep Bologna 16:53, arr Rome 19:05 (Trenitalia €19 (http://www.trenitalia.it/))



EC87 dep Munich 11:31, arr Verona Porta Nuova 16:57
ES9483 dep Verona Porta Nuova 17:55, arr Rome 20:50
Same deal, booking sites and prices, but only Trenitalia (http://www.trenitalia.it/) is offering the second leg on this one, from €29.

*This compition is only theoretical except between South Tyrol and Verona and Bologna.

I would take the day train, personally, if it’s your first time. The scenery from Innsbruck down through the Brenner pass is great – without the clinical alpine-ness found in Switzerland. I love this part of Europe and recommend you to stop off if you can (for example, at Bolzano and take the branch line to Merano; otherwise at Fortezza for Brunico).

For the direct daytime journey from Munich to Rome, you will need to buy two tickets if you want to buy on-line. Note that DB/OeBB is streetwise enough to build in plenty of leeway into the schedules, so whether you take the 09:31 from Munich (changing at Bologna) or the 11:31 (changing at Verona) you should be fine. The critical points on these schedules are the border crossing at Brennero, and the locomotive change at Verona (for the Bologna train). If you are doing the transfer at Bologna for Rome, you can always book a later train (there are plenty) to be on the safe side.

However, I have missed a connection at Bologna on this journey and approached the “Frecciarossa” desk (completely separate from the main ticket office). They rebooked me without question on the next train. YMMV, but if you don’t speak Italian, and are undemanding and polite with your English, you may be sorted without too much of a problem.

Would you recommend booking these trains in advance? Would it be easy to ask the concierge at our hotels for help booking the trains once we are there?


We will be traveling from Munich to Rome on July 10, and from Zurich to Munich on July 7.

Thanks,

Would you recommend booking these trains in advance? Would it be easy to ask the concierge at our hotels for help booking the trains once we are there?


We will be traveling from Munich to Rome on July 10, and from Zurich to Munich on July 7.

Thanks,

Buying tickets in advance is cheaper in this case.

You can buy both Zurich to Munich and Munich to Bologna tickets on the DB site (http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en?newrequest=yes&protocol=http:&). (Currently, there are fares for each of these journeys for €49 on the days you want to travel). Tickets can be printed off.

For Bologna to Rome, as ofto said, try trenitalia (http://www.trenitalia.com/cms/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=c79686605528a110VgnVCM1000003f 16f90aRCRD) (the main Italian train operator) or italo (https://biglietti.italotreno.it/Booking_Acquisto_Ricerca.aspx?Culture=en-US) (a new venture). I haven't had a problem with trenitalia, but there have been reports of US credit cards not being accepted - this may or may not have been resolved.

Would you recommend booking these trains in advance?

If you buy at the last minute (or want to have a fully-flexible ticket) you will end up paying 'full fare', which will be significantly more expensive than the prices quoted above.

However, if you already know which trains you want to be on (and presumably you do, as you have specific dates, and there are only a handful of connections each day), and you are willing to accept less-flexible fare conditions in exchange for a lower price, then you should book ASAP. This should be easy to do, on the websites mentioned.

I tried to book my train from Zurich to Munich this evening, and am left a bit confused.

I went through the entire process and never got to see the fare. I provided my credit card number and submitted my order request, and was told I'd receive an offer by e-mail that I then had to confirm by phone.

I've since received an e-mail confirmation, but still don't know how I am going to get my tickets and how much they cost. The only option on the order page was tickets by mail, but how are they going to arrive by "Mail" before July 3 when I leave for Zurich?

Help!!

I tried to book my train from Zurich to Munich this evening, and am left a bit confused.

I went through the entire process and never got to see the fare. I provided my credit card number and submitted my order request, and was told I'd receive an offer by e-mail that I then had to confirm by phone.

I've since received an e-mail confirmation, but still don't know how I am going to get my tickets and how much they cost. The only option on the order page was tickets by mail, but how are they going to arrive by "Mail" before July 3 when I leave for Zurich?


Which website are you using, and which connection are you trying to book? It sounds like you are using sbb.ch (http://sbb.ch) - they should get in contact with you by email, and then, if you need a paper-ticket (as opposed to an self-print online ticket) it should be possible to arrange to collect it at the station in Switzerland.

However, if you book one of the direct Zurich-Munich trains on bahn.de (http://bahn.de), then it should offer you an online, self-print ticket.

It certainly doesn't sound like DB.

MilesDavis11 - if you use the DB site for the Zurich - Munich and Munich - Bologna tickets, the fares available will be clearly displayed throughout, the process is fairly straightforward, and as KQ321 says, you should be given the option to print off online tickets.

I know I'm using the DB Bahn web site - I clicked the link in railways' post above.

Is the problem that I'm searching using street address of my hotels in Zurich and Munich? I'm not finding any direct trains. The best option I found had 1 transfer, using products S and EC from Zürich Hardbrücke Winterthur to Winterthur München Hbf. Throughout the entire process, it says, "Information about fares not possible."

What do I do?

I know I'm using the DB Bahn web site - I clicked the link in railways' post above.

Is the problem that I'm searching using street address of my hotels in Zurich and Munich? I'm not finding any direct trains. The best option I found had 1 transfer, using products S and EC from Zürich Hardbrücke Winterthur to Winterthur München Hbf. Throughout the entire process, it says, "Information about fares not possible."

What do I do?

Yeah, that's likely the issue. Ticekting both local (S-Bahn) and international trains in one ticket can get hairy.

DB will contact you very soon with the price, I bet. I doubt the offer will be as cheap buying the direct ticket from Zurich or Winterthur, since it likely won't include a discount ticket. You can always just go ahead and buy the direct train (don't use the hotel address) and decline (or ignore) the offer once you get it.

I know I'm using the DB Bahn web site - I clicked the link in railways' post above.

Is the problem that I'm searching using street address of my hotels in Zurich and Munich? I'm not finding any direct trains. The best option I found had 1 transfer, using products S and EC from Zürich Hardbrücke Winterthur to Winterthur München Hbf. Throughout the entire process, it says, "Information about fares not possible."

What do I do?

I would buy the ticket from your hotel in Zurich, to Zurich HB, locally. Then on DB book the connection from Zurich to Munich Hbf, or to the local station nearest your hotel (U-bahn or S-bahn) - it should be same price. You can still print off the ticket.

Direct Zurich - Munich trains leave at 07:16, 09:16, 13:16 and 18:16. You can get advance fares on these trains. (There are also indirect connections which take longer).

Currently, on July 7th, all four direct trains are showing €49 fares in 2nd class. If you can, find out the name of the nearest U-bahn (subway) or S-bahn (local train) station to your hotel. Plug this in as your destination. You should still get the €49 fare.

If it doesn't work, just shout.

I know I'm using the DB Bahn web site - I clicked the link in railways' post above.

Is the problem that I'm searching using street address of my hotels in Zurich and Munich? I'm not finding any direct trains. The best option I found had 1 transfer, using products S and EC from Zürich Hardbrücke Winterthur to Winterthur München Hbf. Throughout the entire process, it says, "Information about fares not possible."

What do I do?

A peculiarity of the Deutsche Bahn schedule search it that it displays a connection via Winterthur (using S-Bahn to get to Winterthur and connecting to the EuroCity train there) as faster than the direct train from Zürich Hbf to München Hbf. It is nominally a few minutes faster (because of the time the train requires to navigate out of, or into, the Hauptbahnhof in Zürich), but not enough to use it if the Hauptbahnhof is your real starting point.

On the other hand, if you would be using the S-Bahn to get to the Hauptbahnhof, then taking the S-Bahn to Winterthur and connecting to the EC train there might make sense.

I booked the Zurich to Munich trip, so thanks for the help. Since I booked straight from the main train station it showed me the price and allowed me to print my tickets at home.

Now I need to book Munich to Rome on July 10. It sounds like Munich - Bologna, Bologna - Rome is the way to go, but which Bologna station should I look up? there appears to be 5 different ones: Centrale, Moskovkoe, S. Ruffillo, Borgo Panig, and Corticella...

Which is the best station to go through to connect to Rome? We'll stay and the St. Regis in Rome, so a destination in the city center would be best.

thanks!

There is a City Night Line train from Munich to Rome that requires no changes. As far as I can see, all daytime trains require a connection somewhere in Italy.

If you're using bahn.de to look up schedules, you can see where they connect (including the name of the station, where there's more than one) by clicking on the red (orange) square to the left where there is a > symbol. Bologna is not the only possible connecting point and you'll see that the station is Bologna Centrale. A connection through Verona Porta Nuova appears to be slightly faster.

You'll also see that trains arrive at two different stations in Rome: Termini and Tiburtina. The Verona train goes to Termini, while the Bologna train arrives at Tiburtina.

I booked the Zurich to Munich trip, so thanks for the help. Since I booked straight from the main train station it showed me the price and allowed me to print my tickets at home.

Now I need to book Munich to Rome on July 10. It sounds like Munich - Bologna, Bologna - Rome is the way to go, but which Bologna station should I look up? there appears to be 5 different ones: Centrale, Moskovkoe, S. Ruffillo, Borgo Panig, and Corticella...

Which is the best station to go through to connect to Rome? We'll stay and the St. Regis in Rome, so a destination in the city center would be best.

thanks!

Bologna is Bologna Centrale. The others are suburban stations.

For the Munich to Bologna Centrale ticket, go through the same process as you went through above on the DB site. Currently, there is an advance fare of €49 on the 09:31 Munich - Bologna train on July 10th.

For the St Regis hotel, Termini station is only a short distance away. In this case, you should use trenitalia (http://www.trenitalia.com/cms/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=ad1ce14114bc9110VgnVCM10000080 a3e90aRCRD) for the Bologna Centrale - Roma Termini train.

Here you need to decide how much time to leave to connect between trains. You are due to arrive at Bologna Centrale at 16:31. The first do-able train to Rome (Frecciarossa or Frecciargento - ignore the Inter-City trains because they are much slower) is at 16:53. However, if you buy an inflexible (Economy) ticket you run the risk if the train from Munich is delayed. I would choose a later train for more security. There are several €19 or €29 fares on July 10th at the moment - the 17:28 train, for example, is showing €29.

It seems the only direct change between Munich and Rome is the Citynightline (CNL) sleeper - bookable at bahn.de (http://bahn.de) . Personally, I would use this option if I had to travel between these two cities.

If you want day-time trains, then it seems you'll have to make at least one change. eg:
EC85 dep Munich 09:31, arr Bologna 16:20
ES9596 dep Bologna 16:53, arr Rome 19:05
(Although you might not want to risk a 33min connection, if you're travelling on separate, and non-changeable tickets...)

or:
EC87 dep Munich 11:31, arr Verona Porta Nuova 16:57
ES9483 dep Verona Porta Nuova 17:55, arr Rome 20:50

It should be possible to check journey times on bahn.de (http://bahn.de) . It seems that you can't book the whole journey on bahn.de (http://bahn.de), but you should be able to book Munich to Bologna/Verona, and then make the onward booking at www.trenitalia.com See www.seat61.com/Italy.htm for further advice on this.

www.voyages-sncf.com or www.raileurope.com might be able to sell a through ticket for this journey, but I suspect it would work out more expensive (although I haven't checked).


Not as far as I know. Deutsche Bahn run their own 'bahn.bonus' loyalty programme, but I am not aware of any option to convert airline miles into bahnpoints.

Having been thru the Bologna and Verona stations within the last year, 37 minutes in Bologna is MUCH better than the nearly hour in Verona. The Verona station was under renovation last year and there really is no place to sit other than the platform benches. And the Verona station area is very seedy.

Having been thru the Bologna and Verona stations within the last year, 37 minutes in Bologna is MUCH better than the nearly hour in Verona. The Verona station was under renovation last year and there really is no place to sit other than the platform benches. And the Verona station area is very seedy.

Are you sure you've got this the right way around? Bologna Centrale station - always chaotic and crowded anyway - is being completely rebuilt (hopefully, nearly complete). Verona Porta Nuova is a relative haven of peace.

Anyway, IME, the issue isn't really about the comfort or otherwise of spending 37 minutes or 1 hour at a railway station, it's more about where you are least likely to miss your onward connection. In this context, Verona may be the preferable transfer point. But in Bologna you can choose from several later trains to connect to - in Verona, there is one later train, but it would mean waiting two hours in total.

Are you sure you've got this the right way around? Bologna Centrale station - always chaotic and crowded anyway - is being completely rebuilt (hopefully, nearly complete). Verona Porta Nuova is a relative haven of peace.

Anyway, IME, the issue isn't really about the comfort or otherwise of spending 37 minutes or 1 hour at a railway station, it's more about where you are least likely to miss your onward connection. In this context, Verona may be the preferable transfer point. But in Bologna you can choose from several later trains to connect to - in Verona, there is one later train, but it would mean waiting two hours in total.

Verona was under renovation as well (we were there July 6 and 7), however, I would classify it as slow. Four or five zones under construction but it seemed like there was only two crews working the two days we were there. We stayed overnight to see the Arena opera (sorry off topic). Although not in my post, I agree with you about the number of trains available if a connection is missed in Bologna Centrale. And since you point out, it's only an hour, why not build some insurance into your schedule?

And since you point out, it's only an hour, why not build some insurance into your schedule?

I would say an hour is about right for this connection, to give a reasonable buffer if your first train is late.

If I were to choose between the two - Bologna or Verona - I would probably choose Bologna, solely because it will get you to Rome about two hours earlier.

However - a head's up for anyone doing this journey this summer (including most of August) - there will be some significant track works between Innsbruck and Brenner. This will mean a bus substitution between these two stations on certain dates, and therefore possible onward delays.

Currently, DB shows the affected dates as:
July 14/15/16
Aug 6 - Sept 10
Sept 15/16/17 and 22/23/24.

If you are connecting onwards at Bologna or Verona on these dates, it would be wise to build in a longer connection time into your journey.

Detailed info (http://www.obb-italia.com/de/Fahrplan/__Download574/Bauinfoflyer-Brenner.pdf) about the closure of the Brenner-Innsbruck line.