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Europe Rail Pass Options for France & Germany

Posted by (San Diego, California) on

Thanks to you all, I have what I expect to be a great Christmas Markets trip planned/booked this Nov/Dec. I have learned so much on this Forum.
I have figured out that a Four-Day Swiss pass will meet our needs while in Switzerland, especially since we also plan to access the museums.
I have learned that the day we leave Switzerland, to travel to Strasbourg, that there will be no benefits from a Swiss Pass.

So-
What is our best option for:
Basel to Strasbourg,
Strasbourg to Stuttgart,
Stuttgart to Rothenburg ob der Tauber,
Rothenburg to Frankfurt???

Obviously, I have no experience with rail passes that cross borders, so pls point me in the right direction here. I am a senior, so may qualify for discounts???
Thanks so much.
Safe travels!

Posted by
7291 posts

These are all fairly short journeys, I recommend not to buy a pass which will be more expensive even with discoint. Buy tickets in advance instead (except Basel to Strasbourg, no need).

Posted by
5530 posts

Thanks for such a quick answer. What is the advance purchase requirements- how far in advance?
Thanks so much again!

Posted by
7291 posts

For the routes you list, tickets are available 6 months in advance for the cheapest fares. Sometimes less for travel in December-January due to timetable changes. You can book on the DB (Deutsche Bahn, German Railways) website, it is quite easy to use.
Of course, if you can't commit that early, you can still buy tickets up to departure (trains rarely sell out outside of peak dates, and some trains can't sell out), but prices rise accordingly for all long-distance trains.

Posted by
7209 posts

Rail Travelers do not always need a pass even though unfortunately that’s the first knee-jerk reaction (to buy a pass). Glad you came here and asked the question first.

Posted by
5530 posts

When you purchase in advance, are you committing to a specific time, or is the ticket good to ride all day? Thx for answering such simple, but important, questions .
Safe travels!

Posted by
5491 posts

Yes, you commit to a specific train for the best fares. It’s like buying a plane ticket two months in advance vs. buying a plane ticket the day you fly.

That said, a pass is never a bargain. Even the walk up train fares purchased on the day of travel will often be cheaper than the daily cost of a pass. Please do not waste your money on a pass.

Posted by
5530 posts

Ashley, thanks for your incredibly helpful advice. It's much appreciated and will be followed. I do like the suggestion about breaking up the trip to Frankfurt. Our original plan was to get to Frankfurt, drop off the luggage, and train to ONE of the small towns around Frankfurt, for our last day of Christmas Markets [maybe Seligenstadt, Mainz, Budingen, Idstein, OR Weisbaden.]
If we go to Wurzburg, are there lockers at the station for luggage storage?
Thanks again for taking the time to share such detailed info.
Safe travels!

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