The majority of rail services throughout Germany are run by Deutsche Bahn (DB). There is nothing the Germans like more than a good complain about Deutsche Bahn’s train delays, strikes and technical problems. But, trains are still generally fairly efficient and offer a good experience for travelling throughout Germany.Â
SEE ALSO: How Deutsche Bahn plans to improve its service and routes
What types of trains are there in Germany?
The fast ICE (Intercity Express) trains connect most major German cities. They usually run every hour or sometimes even more frequently.
The InterCity (IC) and EuroCity (EC) and trains are slightly cheaper and only slightly slower than the ICE trains and run every hour or two.
Regional trains such as the IRE, RE, and RB connect cities and towns within regions. They are less efficient as they stop at multiple stations, but they are also more affordable. Â
There are also some overnight sleeper trains run by Ă–BB (the Austrian Railways) covering international routes such as Berlin to Vienna and Munich to Rome.
SEE ALSO: Beloved overnight trains to come back on track in Germany
Trains always have first and second class tickets and the class of a carriage is normally written on the outside by the doors.
How do you buy a ticket?
Online: You can buy a ticket in advance online on websites or apps such as TrainLine or Rail Europe. Deutsche Bahn also sells tickets through their website and their app. You can either print the tickets off at home, carry them electronically on your phone, or have them sent to you (although you have to pay €4.90 this).
At the Station: You can buy tickets at the station at ticket machines (which are in English and in German) and at ticket offices. This is easy to do for regional train services, but for long distance travel such as ICE, IC and EC trains it is better to buy your tickets in advance as you will save money - a ticket purchased day of travel can cost up to 4 times the price as one bought a month or two in advance (you can buy tickets up to 6 months in advance).
An ICE train at Berlin's Hauptbahnhof. Photo: DPA
What types of tickets are available?
There are two standard ticket types: Sparpreis and Flexpreis.
Sparpreis (saver ticket) is a cheaper ticket with no flexibility, whereas Flexpreis is a much more expensive ticket which is valid for any train on the day of travel and you can cancel the ticket for free. Deutsche Bahn has a Sparpreis finder tool on their website so that you can find cheaper tickets for your journey. Â
How can you reserve a seat?
Intercity trains offer optional seat reservations which cost €4.50 and for travelling at busy times, especially weekends, and are normally worth it. It only costs €9 to make a family reservation
if you are travelling with children, and if you use the same train to commute everyday you can make a permanent reservation which costs €46 per month.
Seat reservations are also available on some regional trains and cost €1.
How can you save money on train travel in Germany?
If you use regional trains rather than the faster intercity trains you are more likely to be able to find a discount:
A regional day ticket (Länder-Ticket) allows unlimited travel in one state over one day. It costs from €23 and additional passengers (up to 5) can be added for as little as €3 each.
A Germany wide day ticket (Quer-durchs-Land-Ticket) allows unlimited travel throughout Germany on one day using regional trains. It costs from €44 and additional passengers can be added for as little as €8 each. A weekend version of this ticket is also available (Schönes-Wochenende-Ticket).
There are also some discounts which are available on all of Germany’s train services:
Group tickets: If you are travelling in a group of 6 or more you can get a group ticket. It comes with free seat reservations and can save you a significant amount of money, particularly on really long journeys.
BahnCard: This offers various discounts on train tickets and is a good option you are living in Germany or here for an extended period of time. There are various cards available at different prices which give you a discount from 25 percent up to 100 percent. It is only available for German residents and is not suitable for tourists. Normally it is purchased annually, but you can buy a card for 3 months for €19.90 to test it out and see if it is for you.
German Rail Pass: Only valid for those who live outside of Europe, but is still a good option which allows you to save money and explore Germany by train. You can either buy a consecutive day ticket for up to a week, or a flexible ticket which can be used a certain number of days of your choosing within a month.
The Berlin Hauptbahnhof (main train station). Photo: DPA
What other tips are there for German rail travel?
The Departures Board: You’ll find your train platform via the departure board at the train station. Don’t worry if you don’t see your train because they often only display trains departing within the next 10-20 minutes. Most trains have letters and numbers ( e.g. ICE 802, RE 3) as well as destination names, and sometimes this is the easiest way to identify your train and which platform it is on.
Self-Service Machines: Don’t worry if you don’t speak German because the ticket machines (and train station signs) are all in English.
Most large cities have multiple train stations which can be confusing. It is worth double checking you have the right station.
On the platform you can find a practical chart called a Wagenstandsanzeiger. This shows the composition of major trains and where different carriages will stop on the platform - this is particularly useful to help you find a reserved seat.
Here are some useful phrases and vocabulary for train travel in Germany:
Der Bahnhof - train station
Die Fahrkarte/der Fahrausweis - ticket
Das Gleis - track (but actually used how we would use 'platform' in English - Gleis 3 means platform 3)
Der Fahrplan - timetable
Die Abfahrt - departure
Die Ankunft - arrival
Wann fährt der Zug nach Berlin ab? - When does the train to Berlin leave?
Wann kommt der Zug in Stuttgart an? - When does the train arrive in Stuttgart?
Muss ich umsteigen? - Do I have to change trains?
Entschuldigen Sie, ich glaube das ist mein Platz. - Sorry, I think that is my seat.
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