Help with train on arrival day

For high-speed, long-distance train travel, the full-fare, Flex-price tickets are advisable for first-day journeys like yours for the reason you discussed. For €110 or so, the two of you can use those tickets at any hour that same day to reach Stuttgart. There's no need to pre-purchase these tickets online - they will be available at the MUC airport train station for the same price. (If you pre-purchase and your flight is cancelled, you'd need to refund them and repurchase for another day.)

Of course, you can always build in a time "cushion". If you arrive in the early morning, plan to spend several hours in Munich and travel to Stuttgart in the evening. It's only around 2.5 hours to Stuttgart. Or you can change your plans - plan to overnight in Munich and travel to your family after breakfast on Day 2.

A final option is probably the one that I'd use. Don't pre-purchase any ticket at all - just buy a day pass for two from a ticket machine for the REGIONAL trains once you reach the station at MUC airport. That would cost €44 for a Sat or Sun, €52 for a weekday. The journey takes 3.3 hours with one change of train. The day pass allows you to use regional trains anytime you like that day. If your trip is cancelled and you get on another flight a day or two later, no problem. Again, just buy the ticket once you arrive.

https://www.bahn.com/en/view/offers/regional/weekend-ticket-for-germany.shtml?dbkanal_007=L04_S02_D002_KIN0060_NAVIGATION-LINKS-SWT_LZ01

https://www.bahn.com/en/view/offers/regional/day-ticket-for-germany.shtml?dbkanal_007=L04_S02_D002_KIN0060_NAVIGATION-LINKS-QDL_LZ01

To find regional train journeys, just specify "only local transport" when you do your search at the DB website.

http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en

If you were doing the rest of your trip by train - and there's probably a very good case for that option - then a multi-day German Rail pass could be used at any hour on the day you arrive, no matter what day you arrive.

Jessica, this is the big dilemma for buying train tickets after an intercontinental flight. If you buy one of the advance-purchase cheap tickets, it is only valid on the train you pick (it will have date, time, train number, coach and seat number on the ticket). If you miss the train, you cannot get your money back (just like planes). If you book a train 2 hours after your scheduled landing time, you should be OK. (20-30 minutes, taxing, de-planning, and walk through terminal; 20-30 minutes for immigration, 5-10 minutes for picking up bags and customs, 10-20 minutes to find train = 1h to 1h30). But then, on a bad day, immigration takes 1 hour, or your plane is 1-2 hours late landing.

Plenty of people do buy tickets at the station on the day (businessmen with last minute changes of plan), but you pay for the privilege.

You choice, pay full price on the day, or buy in advance. If you are lucky you save money, if not your money is lost and you still have to pay full price for a new ticket.

I just happened upon this forum. I am in the same boat but different lake. I will be flying to Amsterdam and then need to take the train to Osnabruck. I am a college student studying a semester abroad and my orientation starts the next day.

I arrive in Amsterdam in the morning on February 9. I had previously decided to wait till I arrive to purchase my train ticket. However I am curious how much cheaper it would be the buy it now vs waiting? Any ideas?

The IC train goes from Amsterdam Centraal to Osnabrück Hbf direct.. Amsterdam is the terminus for the IC trains from Germany to Holland I would get the ticket at full fare for this connection, unless you decide to factor in 2 hrs just in case the plane is late and then you wind up waiting at Amsterdam Centraal to use the train and time specific train according to the discount ticket. I'll be going to Osnabrück in June, either from Hamburg or Berlin, on the IC train.

Back to the OQ, I think the chances of the flight being cancelled in April are pretty small, but it could be delayed. In 10 flights to Europe since 2000, my arrival has been delay an hour 2, maybe 3, times. However, if you advance purchase a Saving Fare ticket for two for 58,90€ and the plane arrives that day but too late to make the train, you don't just lose your money. You can apply what you paid less a penalty of 17,50€ to a voucher for a later train that day (has to be the same type, number of people. and route) at the full fare of either 118€ for the S-IC/EC connection (three every two hours) or the hourly S-ICE connection for 126€. If you spend 58,90€ for the advance purchase ticket for the ICE, and you arrive too late for your train, it will cost you 143,50€ with the penalty. For a difference of over 65€, I think I would bet on the advance purchase fare.

If you schedule your train for later in the day, you can drop your bags at a luggage checkpoint and have a look around Munich once you get to the train station, very conveniently located to some of the main streets. It will give you a chance to get some fresh air and a little walking, too, if your plane is on time.

I have had plane delays 7 of the last 10 trips.

An excellent suggestion. The best "cure" for jet lag is to get out in the sunlight in the morning as soon as you get to Europe, while it is still dark back home. This starts to reset you circadian clock.

Go into Munich Hbf on the S-Bahn and store your luggage in a locker there (they are just to your left, opposite track 15, as you come out of the S-Bahn station into the open shed area of the Hbf. Then walk in the sunlight to Marienplatz. Marienplatz, BTW, does not have lockers.

Thank you all for the advice and suggestions. I will have to sit down with my husband and weigh the options. Now we need to start planning out our visit too.