bruce80

A note on seating options: Both options (ICE 1608 and 208) should be served by a class 411 or 415 train (tilting ICE) which has a first class seating layout that's slightly different from the class 401 train which is usually serving the Munich-Berlin route via Stuttgart and Frankfurt.

While the latter has compartments for 6 people (with shared armrests and a large table in front of the window and middle seats, no tables for aisle seats) that are entirely sealed off from the rest of the coach by glass walls, the former have compartments that are more like Emirates' first class suites (the opaque walls are only about 150 cm high), serving only 4 people (with slightly more space between seats, individual armrests for each seat and a large table for all 4 seats). However, there is a number of solo seats opposite to the compartments which really do feel claustrophobic as you are looking at the wall between the aisle and the compartments on one side.

However, the seats and the seat pitch are the same on class 401, 403/406 and 411/415 trains (while they are different, and much less comfortable, on refurbished class 402 and the new class 407 trains which both don't even offer compartments).

linglingfool

How do the seats on the new 407 trains differ from the old ones? Interesting that the newest rolling stock would have the most uncomfortable seating.

bruce80

Well, to be honest, I haven't been on board of one of the trains, but I've had the opportunity to look into one of the trains where the seats looked very much like the refurbished 402 ones.. a weird headrest, and reclining the seat requires you to cut your own knee space (while the people behind you won't be affected by your reclining the seat). I found them (the 402 ones) to be the least comfortable seats in 1st class ICE coaches.

And regarding your last question.. have you flown in economy class in the last few years?

linglingfool

Touché

bl540611

Sorry, I am a total newbie w/ German train travel. But, I was wondering if anyone knew what the difference b/w consecutive and non-consecutive days of travel?

Context: I am trying to purchase a German Rail Pass and it states, "This offer is currently only available for 5 or 10 consecutive days of travel." Does that mean that I cannot choose 5 days in a month for this pass?

Track

5 or 10 consecutive days means 5 or 10 days in a row, e.g., Nov. 5,6,7,8,9 or Nov. 19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28. Some passes are available for any 5 non-consecutive days in a month, e.g., Nov. 5,6,8,11,17. With the pass you have chosen you may choose 5 days in a month, as long as they are all in a row, but you may not choose any 5 days in the month.

Concerto

Somewhere on this forum there was a thread, which I cannot seem to find now, where there was a discussion about the collection of points using a Bahncard 25. I had discovered that I was able to collect points on my account for tickets which include a second person if purchased online or at the ticket machines, if completed in the same transaction. The second person did not possess a Bahncard 25. I was also able to book for someone who did have a Bahncard 25, but who really didn't want to collect points (not everybody is into this points collecting thing) and I was able to receive the points.

Recently, I was able to book a non-reduced Sparpreis in 1st class for someone by using my online account, and received the points for it. If you do this, bear in mind that person must show by means of identification something related to your account, such as your Bahncard or the credit card used for payment. Or a German national ID card, but passports are not accepted.

However, looking in detail at the bahnbonus programme, and in particular to the Sammeln bei der Deutschen Bahn (Collecting with Deutsche Bahn) section, I saw the following note:

Ausnahme: keine Globalpreisangebote, keine Punktegutschrift und Rabattanerkennung bei Erwerb einer Normalpreis-Fahrkarte 1. Klasse bei Einsatz einer BahnCard 2. Klasse.

...which means no points can be collected for the purchase of standard price 1st class tickets. I wonder if that includes Sparpreis tickets, because it certainly worked for me.

Another footnote perhaps worth bearing in mind, which I somehow had tacitly always imagined existed:

- Keine nachträgliche Punktegutschrift möglich.

...which means, no retroactive point crediting is possible.

kexbox

Bahn Bonus Points are credited for almost everything when entering your Bonus#. ;-)

Concerto

I sort of thought that wasn't supposed to be the case. But the whole thing is really not all that clear, is it?

There is currently a promotion for collecting points at the moment. You have to move around with the magnifying glass and click on the two red points, which nets you 2 points. You can play as many times as you like, up to the maximum collection of 500 points. The points will be credited in the coming days. You have to sign up for it with your Bahncard number and postcode, then confirm the link you receive by email.

https://www.bahnbonus-saemmeln.de/#/start

Concerto

Similar promotion currently running up until 31st December, where you have to bust the red baubles on a Christmas tree up to a maximum of 250 points. It's mind-numbing, believe me!

There's also an offer for the Deutsche Bahn credit card until 10th January, where the €19 fee is waived for the first year, thereby making it a free card. Owning the card means your points will never expire, but you do have to have German residency in order to get the card.

bruce80

At the moment, there's a promo for all BahnCard holders which is very similar to several offers in the past, but works differently this time.

All owners of BahnCards for 2nd class have the possibility to upgrade to first class while only paying the fare difference between the two classes (actually upgrading your BahnCard to a BahnCard First Class).

While you used to require a voucher ("SchnupperBahnCard") in former times and you could buy the upgraded ticket in advance, things seem to be different this time: You'll need to buy a regular 2nd class ticket and pay the fare difference with the conductor on board of the train.

The offer is only valid if there are vacant first class seats and only for long-distance trains. This promo will be running through June 13th.

greggarious

Why does bahn.de sometimes list no fares available?

For example, I was searching for sleeper cars from Berlin to Vienna in mid October. Is it just they haven't decided their schedule this far in advance? I find it hard to believe there's no sleeper car with no transfers between those two cities.

Is the issue that it's not entirely within Germany? I booked a Prague -> Berlin train last year, so I don't think that's the issue...

(Sorry if this is the wrong thread)

KQ321

In general, bookings only open 90 days in advance (sometimes less than 90 days, ahead of the early June and early December timetable changes).

The Berlin - Vienna EN60477 Metropol shows in the bahn.de journey planner for October. However, bookings won't open until mid-July.

(I think Citynightline bookings may in fact open 180 days in advance, but a) these don't appear to be available online until 90 days in advance, and b) the Metropol is a Euronight, not a Citynightline service.)

greggarious

Cool, thanks! Do you know if they wake you up to check passports? (Was debating a night train - never done it yet and thought it'd be fun)

KQ321

Germany, Czech and Austria are all in Schengen, so there aren't any official passport checks. There are sometimes 'random' police checks in border areas, but I've only experienced those in the evening/morning. I can't recall ever being woken up during the night for a passport check in the Schengen area. (Entering or exiting Schengen, into say, Ukraine or Serbia, is a different matter - there you will normally get woken up twice, once on each side of the border...)

You may also be asked to leave your ticket with the conductor overnight, to facilitate ticket checks. (However, I think they only ask for this if you have a traditional ticket - if you have an online self-print ticket, then it seems there's no need for them to hold it overnight).

See also the discussion in this thread: Giving passport and tickets to attendant?

Personally, I very much enjoy travelling on overnight trains (always in a couchette or sleeper), and would certainly recommend it if you haven't been on one yet. Go to bed in one country, sleep as travel across another, and wake up in a third. Sadly, very few overnight trains have restaurant cars these days, so if you want a proper meal, you need to buy it before you board (although the sleeper car attendants will normally sell drinks and light snacks).