Deutsche Bahn Train Help

Posted by Shanon (Ohio) on 10/19/24 05:21 PM

I'll be taking a Christmas vacation this year. My routes will be Munich-Zurich (4 hour break)-Basel, Basel-Mulhouse (short break)-Colmar (longer break)-Strasbourg, Strasbourg-Mainz (4 hour break)-Bacharach (no break, just want to go down the Rhine)-Cologne, and then Cologne-Amsterdam. There will be 2 adults, 2 teens 17 and 16.

From what I understand, I can buy the Basel-Strasbourg tickets when I get to Basel since there is no saving purchasing in advance. Also, I can get on and get off at Mulhouse and Colmar with no penalty. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

I should purchase 4 Trial Bahncard 25s for 19,90 euro each.

Fare costs are then Munich-Basel (229,92 euro), Strasbourg-Cologne (192.84 euro), and Cologne-Amsterdam (126,52 euro). Does this all seem correct? Is this really the cheapest train options? These are super saver fares with the Bahn 25 applied to all four tickets, saving me 57 euro from the normal super saver fare.

I just don't want to overpay. Thanks so much for those willing to help out.

Posted by Philip

London, England

10/21/24 12:39 PM

221 posts

If those fares are the total for the four people, I'm afraid that's more or less the going rate.

Posted by sla019

Bavaria

10/21/24 08:52 PM

2476 posts

Fare costs are then Munich-Basel (229,92 euro)

Which date? Non-refundable saver tickets for Munich to Basel SBB are €40 (+/- 2€) pp on dec. 12, without BahnCard reduction.

Posted by Shanon OP

Ohio

10/21/24 09:29 PM

4 posts

Thanks for the replies. I see now that there are very cheap fares if you want to travel through the night. Unfortunately, time is not on my side.

18/12 Munich-Basel
20/12 Basel-Strasbourg
22/12 Strasbourg-Cologne
24/12 Cologne-Amsterdam

I would just hate to have somebody say, you should have bought this to save this after I make this purchase.

Posted by KGC

Alsenborn, Germany

10/22/24 09:30 AM

1410 posts

Strasbourg - Koln (along the Rhine) may be best if you book it like this:

Strasbourg to Karlsruhe (ICE9571) 0845-0926
Karlsruhe to Mainz (RE4) 1008-1147
Mainz to Cologne (RB26) either the 1202 or the 1302

The RB 26 is the regional which runs every hour Mainz to Cologne. It's slower than the ICE, but it runs along the Rhine from Bingen to Koblenz. You have the option with this train to get off and spend an hour, or two, along the way if you want to. But, you need to consider that it will be dark at 1630 in your timeframe. And there's a view, but only in places, as it runs along the river.

But, if you do this you can save some money using the Deutsches ticket for both the RE4 and the RB26, which is 49 euro per person, and it covers all this travel. the issue is you need to buy it, and then cancel it, before 10 DEC.

However, it would also cover a good portion of the trip from Munich to Basel, depending on how fast you want to travel.

Still, the route from Strasbourg to Cologne is a lot quicker if you just take the ICE the whole way (4.5 hours vs. 10+ just to travel along the Rhine) and it's cheaper.