My itinerary: train from Frankfurt airport to Bacharach (2nights) train to Nuremberg (1 night) train to Fussen (2 nights) train to Munich (3 nights) day trip to and from Salzburg train to Cologne (1 night) train to Frankfort airport. Appears you can buy five or seven flexible days. Dont know if we could save much money using regional trains while not increasing time spent traveling.
Rail pass for three first class for seven days is approx $1200.
Do you need or is there a reason for first class?
Since my two adult grandchildren and I are traveling in mid June, I would expect the trains to be crowded and since I am a little more than 80 years old , I didn’t feel like being concerned whether or not I would have a seat.. I guess thats kind of why the first class route sounded as the way to go.
Was thinking that a few regional trains might reduce the seven day pass to five if not a big deal.
Thank you for asking.
The cost at DB for 3 adult 1st-class passes @ €380 = €1140 = $1355. I believe most other vendors are charging over $1400 right now. So $1200 looks like an underestimation unless I'm missing something.
"I didn’t feel like being concerned whether or not I would have a seat.. I guess thats kind of why the first class route sounded as the way to go."
The way to ensure you have a seat is to purchase seat reservations (still €4.50 I think.)
Plan B:
Three adult passengers using 7-day 2nd-class flexi-passes... two travel on one 2nd class German Rail twin pass (€416, 2nd class) and one travels on his/her own 2nd class pass (€280) for a total of €696 (not including reservations)
"Dont know if we could save much money using regional trains..."
(FYI two of your seven journeys - the one to Nuremberg and the one to Füssen - will include regional trains as part of the journey in addition to long-distance trains - the rail pass doesn't make long-distance trains available on local train routes.)
Plan C:
Three of your seven journeys are normally done by regional trains only. Costs for 3 adults by trip:
From FRA to Bacharach: €35 (RMV group day pass fare)
Füssen to Munich: €37 (Bavaria Ticket)
From Munich to Salzburg to Munich by regional train: €37 (Bavaria Ticket)
If you have 2nd class flexi-passes for the other 4 journeys...
1 twin pass for two = €314/ 4 days
1 adult pass for one = €215 / 4 days
Plan C total train expenses = €638 (not including reservations)
Seat reservation expenses, if you all reserve every possible long-distance train trip... 3 persons x €4.50/pp/day x 4 days = €54.
So... to sum it up...
It's $1355 with your 7-day, 1st-class passes (no seat reservations.)
It's €750 total with plan B (7-day 2nd-class passes + reservations) = $892
It's €692 total with Plan C (4-day 2nd-class passes + reservations + day passes for regional-train-only journeys) = $823
Thanks for the info. Plan B and C sound pretty good. Question: when you purchase regional tickets. Do you buy them on the same day you travel. Are they ever sold out..At that time do u make the seat reservations. Can you buy them ahead of time..
If I buy the second class tickets on line from Rail Europe, wd I make reservations then or wait until my travel day.?
Appreciate your input.
The regional day passes and tickets that I specified are available at the station from ticket machines. Buy them prior to boarding. They CAN be bought in advance but if you do that you cannot refund the tickets if you have a change in plans. They do not sell out. Regional trains have no seat reservations.
"If I buy the second class tickets on line from Rail Europe..."
I THINK you mean rail passes, not tickets.
Maybe someone else can advise you on RE. I am not familiar with RE's prices or procedures for passes, tickets or reservations. I normally buy tickets and passes from DB or from germanrailpasses.com (Eurail.) Reservations for any days you wish to reserve can be made online now at DB (without buying passes or tickets.) June travel is not a month I worry about much at all when it comes to reservations, and I am not making any at all for our travels this June in Germany. I've traveled often with my wife and daughter on long-distance German trains and always found seats. For me, it's more trouble to find the correct carriage and track down my reserved seats than it is to get on and just find an unreserved seat and drop my bag.
I would delay purchase of rail passes until around 2 weeks prior to your departure. They are not cheap to refund if you have an unforeseen change of plans.
Please do not use Rail Europe for anything - purchasing tickets or schedules. They are a third party reseller. Buy your tickets only from Deutsch Bahn, the national rail carrier of Germany. Here’s the link in English - https://www.bahn.com/en/view/index.shtml
Regional trains do not sell out.
I actually think first class can make sense; it is a little more quiet and relaxed, so if you can get a good deal, I would go for it (for the longer trips).
Have you checked the prices of saver fare tickets for the longer journeys? They might be even cheaper than the pass.
No trains in Germany "sell out" in the sense of having compulsory seat reservations. Even ICE services let people get on and stand if all seats are occupied.
