Wondering if we need (or should) buy train tickets from Munich to Salzburg in advance (my wife and I). We're arriving at the Munich airport on a Saturday at 8:30 a.m. and intend to clear customs, take the S-Bahn to the Muenchen Hauptbahnhof, and then buy a ticket and board the train for Salzburg. ... Then, once we're in Salzburg, we've got at least 3-4 hours (if all goes as scheduled) before friends meet us at the train station with a rental car and we head to our accommodations outside Salzburg. Suggestions?
Posted by
Green Bay
20087 posts
No, buy a Bayern ticket out of a vending machine for 31 EUR, write both your names on the back, take the first S-8 to Munich Ostbahnhof and change to the Meridian train to Salzburg. One ticket and you're done. You might make the 9:24 departure with a 7 minute connection time at Ostbahnhof to get you to Salzburg by 11:41. If you miss that one, just take the next S-8 to Ostbahnhof and hang out there until the 11:04 train to Salzburg. You'll be in Salzburg by 12:41.
Posted by
Basel, Switzerland
8889 posts
What Sam is saying is that a Bayern ticket covers you for BOTH the S-Bahn and The Munich-Salzburg Meridian train, and for two people, and all for €31.
Just buy it from the machine at Munich airport, it costs more if you buy it from a person.
Or you can buy it online (print-at-home ticket), here: https://fahrkarten.bahn.de/privatkunde/pauschalpreisbuchen/pauschalpreis_start.post?lang=en&country=GBR&redirected=1&dbkanal_007=L04_S02_D002_KIN0060_REGIO-LAENDERTICKETS-BUCHUNGSBUTTON-BAYERN_LZ03#stay
Posted by
London, United Kingdom
4684 posts
The Bayern ticket is good value for money and doesn't limit you to a specific train like an advance fare will.
Note though that you can only use it on the local Meridian trains - it is not valid on the long-distance InterCity or Railjet trains on the same route, although the Meridian express trains are just as fast.
Posted by
OP
21 posts
Thanks, gentlemen, for your responses. Very helpful!
Karl
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19092 posts
The long distance trains will cost a lot more than the regional Meridian train unless you get an advance purchase Saving Fare ticket, but then you will be locked in to a specific train which might leave before your (delayed) flight arrives. Take the regional route.