DB German Rail Pass Discrepancy

To answer part of the question.
If you buy a standard ticket, reservations are recommended on ICE and IC trains. This means you do not have to have one, but if you don't, you have to find a free seat yourself and run a small risk of having to stand or not sitting together. If you get a reservation, it will give a coach and seat number on it "Wagon x Platz y", and that seat will be marked as reserved. You can make a reservation just before boarding, but if you leave it that late it is probably just as easy to find an unreserved seat when you get on the train.

On lesser trains (IRE, RE, R and the S-Bahn and U-Bahn in and around big cities) it is not even possible to reserve a seat.

I cannot comment on the validity of your ticket or if there are extra restrictions on this type of ticket.

"The promotion online does not say reservations are required for ICE"

Yes it does. That's the whole point of the promotion. They are trying to get people to make reservations during the busy summer months so they are giving you 25% off on a pass that requires reservations.

"Over summer our high-speed ICE trains are in popular demand and therefore can be overbooked and crowded. The Sit'n'Save ticket requires you to make a reservation ...". "If a reservation is not made or you cannot show proof of your reservation when the ticket is checked, the pass is considered invalid and you will be fined accordingly."

I'm not sure I've known about this promotion since day 1, but I have known about it for quite a while, and since the first day I saw it, reservations HAVE been required on all express trains used with the pass.

BUT, that page also specifies that the travel period is until 31 October 2014.

Looking at your schedule, you probably want to use ICEs, with reservations, for FRA to Würzburg and Munich to Köln. For Würzburg to Nürnberg, the no-reservation RE runs hourly and is only 20 minutes slower than the ICE. You might want to take a reservable IC from Köln to Koblenz and change for the no-reservation MRB to Bacharach, but there is also a direct MRB from Köln to Bacharach. So you might only need to reservations.

The first part of the question, "reservations are required". I think the promotion is very clear that in order to get the 25% discount, reservations are required, at least for ICE, IC, EC trains. Its in bold face type on the main page. That is the trade off. The price difference of the 5 day twin with the discount is 89 euro. 10 train reservations at 4.50 each is 45 euro, so it is still a good deal. The 5 day 2nd class twin is 267 euro with the discount. You state 279 euro, but I assume you are including the $12 standard "trace and track" shipping". That is in USD not in euros.
The second part is interesting. All through the promotion, they state "travel in one month". I hope they do not mean a calendar month, but that looks like what you got.
You may want to try email: [email protected]. That can get a quick email answer in English.
Please let us know the results.

Thanks Lee. I see the sit n' save promotion on the website now, but I did not when I booked. I literally went to the Bahn homepage. clicked Offers > German Rail Pass link. I read everything there (terms and conditions etc) and then clicked Book Now > Twin Rail Pass > Traveling in 2nd Class > 5 day promo > Buy. NEVER during that flow do you get a details message that says the promotion requires reservations. The "details" link under the promotion does not specify this. I assumed the promotion was to get people to buy the pass instead of booking individual trains to encourage travel for longer periods of time instead of short trips. I have been researching this pass for months and have always gotten to the details via the above path. To me, the promotion details should make this claim. It is also never referred to in any literature/page as "sit n save" except on the home screen.

Sorry, additionally, the promo has restricted purchase and travel dates, so that to me is also a restriction that justified the discount. I went for it because it worked for my dates. Yes I meant 267 euro, my typo.

As for the "1 month", in multiple places on the website this is not defined, but on this page: http://www.bahn.com/i/view/GBR/en/prices/germany/germanrailpass.shtml it is states "This special offer from DB Bahn enables visitors to travel on all scheduled trains operated by DB Bahn for 3,4,5,6,7, or 10 days within a four week period"

I think this may be a clerical error. Try email contact as well. That can be more reliable than telephone. Because of the time difference, send your inquiry now and you should have an answer when you get up tomorrow.
As for reservations, yes, you can buy them just before departure (if there are empty seats).

Reservations are not normally required with a rail pass on those trains, but they are with this particular promotion (also described here). There is no deadline to make the reservations, so you can do it on short notice at a ticket window, ticket machine, or online (check the box to book reservation only).

I don't see that Rail Europe is issuing these passes as pre-validated for a particular one-month window, but when you order them through DB and start to enter your personal info, the first question is "first validity date." Are you sure you entered 27/09? Online orders would usually be printed and posted without any human "interference" by the DB agent.

The other unusual restriction of the promotion is that it is not refundable or exchangeable. So while they probably will reply to an email or call, it may not be the answer you want.

Hopefully you will get a call back from an english speaking rep & can clear this up. It is odd - still on the website if you click directly to the GRP page there is NO mention of the Sit & Save program - it just says promotion. There is also no mention of the requirement for reservations.

Seems like the web developers forgot to add some content to the GRP pages.

Hi Laura,
As for the 27.09 start date, yes I'm certain I entered that. My receipt, which they sent back with the pass, shows that as well. Could you provide a proper email contact address for Bahn online ticket purchases? The link on the Bahn site takes me to euroaide office listings and other retailers. It only provides a German phone number to call and no email for online purchases.

If I make a reservation for a train (in days or minutes prior to boarding) at a kiosk do I still pay the 4,5 euro fee? Or is that for only online reservations?

I noticed the site you provided above with requirements for reservations when doing research. However, when I went onto Bahn's site and navigated using the click path i mentioned above, the details of the promotion do not describe the reservation or refer to sit and save so clearly I assumed (clearly incorrectly) that the Bahn site one was a better and different offer.
I have little choice but hope for a last minute FRA to Wurzburg reservation when landing (can't plan for the best time, only ICE options). Wurzburg to Nuremberg has an RE option. I'm fine with reserving IC/ICE for the other 3 legs as the times are rather known.
At this point priority number 1 is getting a pass that reflects the proper travel dates; I will then work with the reservation requirement. Ideally, someone from Bahn would allow me to switch from the promo to full price pass to remedy their clerical error, but that would obviously be a one off solution possible only if they actually respond.

Try this:
Here you can contact the online-service:: [email protected]

"Ideally, someone from Bahn would allow me to switch from the promo to full price pass"

Keep the promo, just make sure they make it one month from when you validate the pass, not 30.9.2014. Other than FRA to Würzburg and Munich to Köln, taking reservation required trains on the other routes is not that important.

1. Taking the RE from Würzburg to Nürnberg is only slightly slower and doesn't need a reservation.

2. Getting from Köln to Bacharach by no-reservation MRB take less than an hour longer. Koblenz to Bacharach is by MRB anyway. You can save some time with an IC from Köln to Koblenz, but that's optional.

3. For the day on the Rhein, neither the KD boat or the Braubach to Bacharach would need a reservation with the railpass.

4. Bacharach to FRA would be best by regional train. That's about all there is from Bacharach and any ICE will come into the Fern Bahnhof, which is a longer walk to the terminals.

BTW, when you were comparing cost of the railpass to point-point, did you consider this. The ICE to Würzburg (expensive point-point or non-refundable, train specific) take an hour 25 minutes. For 28,80€ (1 pers) or 42,60 (2 pp), you can go from FRA to the Frankfurt Hbf, then take an RE to Würzburg. That takes 2 hour 22 min but doesn't require specific train commitment.

I just checked their website (http://www.bahn.com/i/view/overseas/en/prices/germany/german-rail-pass-promotion.shtml). It prominently displays sales date up to Sep 30th and travel date up to Oct. 31st. Maybe something got lost when speaking with the representative, but the terms are clearly displayed on their website. It just means you cannot buy this pass after Sep. 30th, not that you cannot travel after that date.

Thanks to all who replied. I wanted to provide an update and possibly seek more advice? Yesterday, a representative from the DB phoned and we spoke for 42 minutes. He said he has reviewed my ticket and it is 100% printed incorrectly. He says he sees everything I entered on the site and says the fault is theirs, that everything I expected is correct. However, they are unable to print and send me a new ticket under any circumstances. I did not even bother getting into the misleading information about reservations I discuss above.
Here are my options:
1) He has provided me an email in both English and German which explains that the ticket travel validity dates are printed incorrectly and should read "until 31/10". He says I can show this email to any conductor upon request and they will (hopefully) allow me to proceed on the train. He also said conductors should have access to the online ticketing system where he has entered notes into my ticket profile that explain the issue. I mentioned that I'm also using the KD liner in Oct, so there is a boat captain not associated with DB that has to be ok with this too. He agreed that was difficult. I plan on using 5 legs of train travel (7 trains) in Oct plus the KD. I explained that opened me to a lot of risk and potential frustrating encounters - some regional trains where conductors likely won't speak English. I would also have to follow the reservation rules, which as Lee points out, aren't really so bad. The agent said the worst case was the conductor would make me buy a full fair and I could also submit that to DB for a refund. My Munich to Koln trip is over 200e, so that's a big risk.
2) I can mail the ticket back to them right now and they will process a refund, despite the ticket being non-refundable, as he has noted the situation on the account. He provided me an email in English with instructions to do so. He assured me that they would process the refund and it would take 3-4 weeks. I expressed my doubts this would work since it involves whoever opens the envelope to look up the ticket and understand the situation as opposed to just discarding it as a non-refundable. Then I could buy whatever ticket I wanted before traveling to Germany, either from DB online - maybe I should roll the dice on another promo pass ? :) or another US re-seller (more expensive).
3) I can bring the ticket with me to Germany, and give it to an agent at the DB counter at the Frankfurt airport (where there "will be a high likelihood of an English speaking agent"). They cannot issue an exchange, but they will mail it to the DB office for the same full refund of option 2 and I can purchase a new (non-promotional) pass from the counter. This removes the risk of mailing it from the US but doesn't increase the likelihood the refund will be processed. In this scenario though, he says I can mail them my full price pass after I conclude travel and they will refund the difference in the promotional price to full price (89e). The benefit here is I don't have to worry with reservations but theoretically get the best price. This also involves 2 rounds of refund luck.
The agent was very nice through the whole thing and spoke excellent English. He understands my frustration but never budged on letting me speak to a manager/leader or getting a new ticket issued. He says its just not possible. So what do you all recommend I do? In option 1, how much difficulty will I face from conductors - how much do they check tickets? In option 2 I would at least have the next 2 months to know if the refund happened and follow up with them. In option 3 I stand the best chance at lowest cost. I'm just so disappointed that none of this is easy. I'm suppose to be on vacation, not worried about refunds or looking over my shoulder for unreasonable conductors. I think DB is really dropping the ball on customer service, but the agent explained this happens and this is the normal proceedings.

I'll take the curtain Monty!

Anyway - try option 4 - once you receive the email where DB takes full responsibility for the mistake call your credit card company and explain the situation to them and your fears. Perhaps they can can reverse the charge using a dispute process - at least that way you will not have to worry about a mail handler at DB just throwing it away.

If that fails then option 2 is probably your best bet - be sure to include a letter in both English & German (start with a free translator then perhaps a kind German speaking RS helpline would be able to help polish the German). Include the name of the agent you spoke with in the letter as well.

Keep us posted.

I would choose option 3: go the DB counter at Frankfurt airport (FRA). I've been there, had my rail Pass activated by a DB staff member.