peteropny

Thank you for your comments - with a bit further research - we'll probably fly out of FRA since the flight is quite a bit later (where we should be able to make it without spending an additional night) and its a nonstop flight back to CVG. The MUC flight would probably require a 5 AM departure from Nuremberg to even conceivably make the MUC-ATL flight.

clovebs

Wow - this post if outstanding!! Great info - thanks Flying Lawyer! It answers a lot of my questions.

A few additional questions - hopefully someone can help a new train-traveler.

Background - I will be in Garmsich (Southern Germany) and will need to train from there to Venice on 3 July. I will be with my wife and three kids (6, 5, and 1yrs old).

Questions -
- Can we take all of our bags (probably two suitcases, carseat, port-a-crib, and stroller) onboard and is there a fee and is there room for all of that?
- Is there a sleeper car or compartment that we can book? How big/how many does it hold?
- Do I need a ticket for the 1 yr old (she'll actually be 11 months)?
- I've been looking at bahn.de - is there a better site?
- One of the connections I found had a 5 minute 'layover' in Innsbruck between trains; that doesn't seem like enough time to dismebark, transfer a few tracks and reload everything/everyone? How much time should I give myself for a transfer?
- When I try to book something online, the fare says "no advance booking possible yet" - will that become available and any idea when?

Again, awesome post. Thanks for the great info. If anyone can help with the above questions, that would be great! Thanks.

Flying Lawyer

I am not quite sure what train you are aiming at. bahn.de does not propose a connection with a five minute connection time in Insbruck. With three kids I would be reluctant to use a connection like this and would take an earlier train from Garmisch. There is a citynightline service departing Innsbruck at 23.05. This can actually be booked on bahn.de. You do not need a ticket for your little one (kids 0-5 are free).

railways

The daytime connections - every 2 hours, Garmisch dep 08:04, 10:04 etc - all show a 5 minute connecting time in Innsbruck.

To the OP - don't bother with a sleeper. Travel in the daytime - it takes less than five hours from Innsbruck to Venice.

skytrain84

I like that, I think this was a good and hard work, right ?

Xeno

Amazing threat Flying Lawyer, thank you.

ashishbangaari

hi ,
I have my travel booked on ICE 15 ( Brussels -cologne)(2nd class) at 11:59 AM and then train IC 2112 at 3:15 PM (15:11) to Hamburg
I have the ticket and can't make out any head and tail??( its in german)
Few doubts
Von Brussels Agglo ! which station in Bru( there are 3 central/nord and MIDI)
I was told seats arent reserved its only booking!!!. How to reserve it there!!or before journey

lemieux66

The stop at 11:59 for the ICE 15 is at Brussels-Midi station:

Bruxelles-Midi 11:59
Bruxelles-Nord 12:05 12:07

6 min later it will stop at Brussels-Nord, so you could enter here as well.

Normaly you can make a seat reservation without booking a ticket the same time. For this trip it seems it´s not possible, at least online.
Maybe you should call the Bahn-hotline to ask for advise.

SmilingBoy

Make sure you are at Midi in time. As the ICE starts in Brussels, there should be no problem finding a seat even without reservation. Friday might be a bit harder but should still be fine. Just be quick and move to a seat that does not have a seat reservation indicated (shown on the small LED displays above the seats).

trojandude

Great info, I have a few questions about international CNL ticketing

I'd like to buy tickets from Paris to Berlin. However, on the bahn site they will only mail paper tickets and not electronic tix. I was wondering

1. How long would it take to mail tickets? I only have 7 days before I leave so this may not work
2. Is there anyway to arrange ticket pick up?
3. Can I buy them at the station and is it possible to still get the saver discount? This leg of the trip is about 2 weeks away from our first touch down in Frankfurt. Would this be enough time to purchase them at the station at the cheaper cost?

Thanks

Side note, any experience with the sleeper cars 2 person economy sleeper? That's what we're getting on one the nights and wondering what to expect.

mosburger

I think online tickets can be printed out at DB ticket vending machines In Germany but not necessary at SNCF machines in France. Not sure if paper tickets can be picked up anywhere.

First come, first serve for the discounts. If you book later than 72 hours before departure the full fare is payable.

Should be quite ok. I do prepare somewhere to shower and have breakfast after getting off the train. There should be showers against a fee at the main Berlin stations.

Coralreef Lover

Back in the early '90s I remember I took the ICE from Frankfurt to Munich. I used my Eurail ticket I purchased in the states. At the time I spent one month in Europe based in Paris. It was really fun traveling in first class using that ticket. In the Munich station people were drinking lots of beers as if it were Oktoberfest but it was only July.

peteropny

Some more questions:

We've decided to fly back from Frankfurt - so taking the train from Nuremberg to Frankfurt (Mainz) on Monday 8/17/09 leaving midday.

Checking the website - the "discounted" fares are 49 euro for 2nd class and 79 euro for 1st class.

From this sticky what I understand is that purchasing these discounted tickets are only available on the internet (and that the "full" fare will be applicable if purchased at the station) and you are "limited" to the particular time that you purchased. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Would the experts here recommend paying the higher fare for 1st class rather than 2nd class and if seat reservations are critical (and if so what would be recommended)?

Thank you very much for all your help.

mosburger

Yes, discounted fares are tied to a certain train. But I've never missed a train even after arriving at FRA from a longhaul with a 1st class DB ticket. Just leave some room for error and you should be fine. Later than 72 hours before departure the full fare will be charged.

What the 1st fare gets you is a nicer seat with more legroom, socket for laptop/mobile, relatively quiet cabin (if you book into the quiet zones) and the option to have meals delivered to your seat. Nuernberg has a DB lounge but those are normally not especially comfortable nor interesting.

I always reserve a seat regardless of class travelled. What you can for example ask for on the internet reservations is a quiet zone seat with table, but not 11K like on a plane.

foreigner

Hi all,

I am needing directions for a trip in October to Germany.

I am staying in Dusseldorf but the trade fair is in Cologne.

My registration for trade fair says this:

"With your e-ticket, you can use all types of public transport of the Rhein-Sieg transport system for free (only in combination with your identity card)."

Now, I understand Dusseldorf is in Rhein-Ruhr area, outside Rhein-Sieg. How best can I use free travel and minimise costs from Dusseldorf? I expect to travel between Dusseldorf Hbf and Cologne Messe daily over 5 days.

If it makes any difference, there are 3 of us travelling together.

Appreciate advice, tips.