So connecting all of these cities by train, is it even worth while to buy them in advance? Im going from Salzburg to Munich at the height of Oktoberfest, so that could factor in for that one I suppose. Ive bought train tickets in advance before and then never really felt like it made a difference. What do you think?
Berlin -> Prague
Prague -> Vienna
Vienna -> Salzburg
Salzburg -> Munich
If you are committed to your travel dates and times, then you can only gain (save) by booking (90 days) in advance.
This is what the man in seat 61 says for Austrian train travel ...
The ÖBB (Austrian Federal Railways) website is www.oebb.at - for ticket sales use https://tickets.oebb.at and switch it to English.
Seat reservation is optional on most Austrian internal trains, you can always just buy a standard price ticket at the station, hop on the next train and sit where you like. Trains cannot 'sell out'. But if you want to be 100% sure of a reserved seat on a specific train you can make an optional seat reservation on InterCity, EuroCity and Railjet trains for a small additional charge, around €3. And for cheaper tickets, book in advance.
Advance-purchase Sparschiene fares
Until a few years ago there was no price advantage in pre-booking, there was just one fixed standard price. But in 2011 ÖBB introduced yield-managed dynamic pricing which means you can now save money if you book a Sparschiene (saver) fare in advance and commit to a specific train on a limited-refunds, no-changes-to-travel-plans basis. ÖBB's Sparschiene fares between Austrian cities start from just €9 upwards and vary with demand and according to how far ahead you book.
You can book online at https://tickets.oebb.at - it has an English version - and you simply print your own tickets.
The train operator in Germany is DB (Deutsche Bahn).
See www.bahn.de for train times, fares & online tickets within Germany.
Yes, you will save a lot of money buying in advance for certain legs.
Berlin to Prague - 29 Euro (http://www.seat61.com/international-trains/trains-from-Berlin.htm#Berlin-Prague)
Prague to Vienna - 19 Euro (http://www.seat61.com/international-trains/trains-from-Prague.htm#Prague-Vienna)
Vienna to Salzburg - 19 Euro on www.oebb.at bought in advance; or 24.50 Euro bought on the train from Westbahn (https://westbahn.at/en)
Salzburg to Munich - The Bayern ticket is the best deal here. Bought on the day of travel (http://www.toytowngermany.com/wiki/Bayern_ticket)
None of your trains require seat assignments, so none can sell out. Salzburg-Munich is served by hourly Meridian trains (accepting the Bayern Ticket) and hourly faster trains at a higher price, so the route can handle a lot of traffic.
Thanks for the insight everyone!
I guess I'm just trying to figure out if I want to be locked in or not. For instance, for timing reasons, we decided to not stay in Dresden overnight, but if we feel like moving on from Berlin early, we may decide to swing through Dresden on the way to Prague. I know I'll save money if I buy now, but then I give up the freedom of feeling out the vibe. If there's no risk of selling out, it makes me want to lean towards just buying at the station. I was especially worried about the leg from Salzburg to Munich at the height of Oktoberfest.
