Discount Railway Travel and Savings on Deutsche Bahn Trains in Germany
The German Rail Pass allows unlimited travel on Deutsche Bahn trains, including ICE. It is a great savings deal and cheaper than most railway tickets for exploring Germany.
photo credit: Skype Nomad
The German Rail Pass offers international travelers a great deal to explore Germany by train cheaply. The German Rail Pass is a flexi-pass that allows for unlimited travel on Deutsche Bahn (German Railways) trains, including the usually fairly expensive high-speed Inter-City-Express (ICE) trains.
The German Rail Pass
In contrast to for example the Eurail Pass, the German Rail Pass is always a flexi-pass. The German Rail Pass is valid for any four to ten days in a given four-week period. It is available in five versions:
- First Class adults
- Second Class adults
- First Class twin
- Second Class twin
- Youth Pass
The twin pass can be used by two adults traveling together while the youth pass is available only to young travelers aged between 12 and 25 traveling in second class. Children between 6 and 11 pay half the adult fee for either the first or second class rail pass. Children under 6 always travel for free on Deutsche Bahn trains when accompanied by their parents or grandparents.
Buying the German Rail Pass
The German Rail Pass may only be used by non-German residents. It is mostly sold overseas through both traditional or internet travel agents that sell European railway tickets. Virtually all outlets selling the more famous Eurail Pass, will also sell the German Rail Pass.
The German Rail Pass is also available from the various Rail Europe offices including Rail Europe USA, Canada & Americas, Rail Europe UK, Australia, Hong Kong, India, and Japan
In Germany, the German Rail Pass can only be bought at major railway stations. When bought in Germany, the pass is slightly more expensive and not all versions are available.
Using the German Rail Pass on Deutsche Bahn Trains
Before first use, the German Rail Pass must be validated. This can be done at any major German railway station including at airports. On subsequent days, the date must be entered in ink prior to commencement of railway journeys.
- The German Rail Pass is not transferable – names are entered on the pass and inspectors frequently check passports when controlling tickets.
Saving with the German Rail Pass
The German Rail Pass can be a great savings deal for travelers using long-distance trains or taking one-way journeys for which German Railways other discount fares are not available. Travelers will save most by using the pass on the days that long, inter-city journeys are taken and try to use other savings fares on days in between when regional discounts are available.
A tourist in Germany is unlikely planning to travel from say Frankfurt to Cologne and back before going to Berlin and then back to Frankfurt before going to Munich. For one-way, triangular, or circular journeys, Sparpreise are not available. As calculated on the Deutsche Bahn website, an adult traveling solo in second class will pay at 2008 prices for the following journey:
- Frankfurt to Cologne – €58
- Cologne to Berlin – €102
- Berlin to Munich – €109
- Munich to Frankfurt – €85
The total of €354 is much more expensive than the €174 for a four-day second-class pass (even a four-day first class pass will be cheaper at €225).
Validity of the German Rail Pass
The German Rail Pass is valid on all Deutsche Bahn trains and many countryside buses operated by or on behalf of Deutsche Bahn (look for the red DB signs). It also allows free day cruises on the K-D line on the Rhine River, small discounts for the Europabus on the Romantic Road route, and discounts for ascending Zugspitze. The German Rail Pass are generally not valid on municipal buses or U-Bahn trains in cities (but S-Bahn trains are covered).
Seat reservations are generally not required on German trains but a good idea on longer journeys. Reservations are currently €4 per seat (€5 in first class) and may also be made for children under 6 traveling without an own ticket..
German residents, irrespective of nationality, do not qualify for the German Rail Pass. However, German residents as well as foreign travelers can benefit from the wide range of standard discounts and cheap internet fares available for traveling on Deutsche Bahn trains.
Based on Travel on the German Rail Pass first published on suite101.com.
