Germain Rail Pass

Posted by kuoandy on 07/08/14 05:54 AM

Hi,

I bought a twin Germain Rail Pass as there is currently 25% discount, and I plan to travel before end of August.

I bought it directly on DB site. On the site, it does not say anything about whether reservation is necessary. Then when I checked the website germainrailpasses.com or raileurope, both of them say:

When using a discounted pass, reservations are mandatory for the following trains:
ICE, IC, EC, RJ, TGV, CNL, EN, DB trains and on IC bus services on routes in Germany.

I cannot find anywhere that says that reservation is required on DB site (bahn.com) for twin Germain Rail Pass.

Do I really need reservation?

Posted by Sam

Green Bay

07/08/14 06:21 AM

21163 posts

If you bought the "Sit'nStay" pass then yes, you need to reserve the ICE and IC trains.
Example: Regular 5 day 2nd class twin pass is 356 euro and if you got a 25% discount it would be 267 euro.
The Sit'n'Stay 5 day 2nd class twin pass is 267 euro. It would appear that your 25% discount would make it a Sit'n'Stay Pass and you must have a reservation on the ICE, IC, EC, etc. You say DB trains but that is actually D trains. You will not need a reservation on RE, RB, SE and S trains as these are all unreserved trains.
The reservation requirement is why you were able to get a 25% discount. Hey, its called marketing.
No big deal, you'll just need to pay the res fee before boarding the big trains. I think its 4.50 euro pp.

Posted by Russ

Paradise

07/08/14 12:36 PM

7072 posts

"I bought a twin Germain Rail Pass as there is currently 25% discount...I bought it directly on DB site. On the site, it does not say anything about whether reservation is necessary... Do I really need reservation?"

The DB Sit'n'Save promo page, which you may have overlooked, says this:

This summer you pay for the seat you sit in. 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 in order to ensure that you enjoy your journey to the fullest.
The Sit'n'Save ticket can still be used on all other DB Bahn operated product's without making a reservation.
Please note: Reservations are mandatory on all ICE, IC, EC, RJ, TGV, CNL, DEN and D trains and on IC bus services on routes in Germany.
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.

Sit'n'Save promo link

Posted by Laura

Rick Steves' Europe

07/08/14 07:32 PM

16895 posts

It's a strange promotion - first time it's been tried this way. You do spend some money for the reservations, but also get the peace of mind that comes with them. There's no deadline to reserve, so you can buy the reservation in a train station, or even on short notice through DB online when you check the box for "Reservation only." Online tickets/reservations can be printed from any computer, or some may be offer the choice to display on your phone using the free DB Navigator app.