Hi
I will be travelling to Germany and from Munich will go to Salzburg, Innsbruck and Vienna.
Can some one give me authentic information whether or how effectively I can use my 1st Class German Rail Pass to travel to these cities.
Is this pass valid on Railjet?
Posted by
Green Bay
20145 posts
A GRP is valid on trains in Germany, as well as to Salzburg (Railjet or any other). It is valid between Munich and Innsbruck on EC trains. Not valid Salzburg to Vienna. But to go from Innsbruck to Salzburg, you would have to go back at least as far as Rosenheim on an EC train and connect to Salzburg. You can't take the direct Railjet from Innsbruck to Salzburg as it is operated by OEBB.
The Railjet between Munich and Salzburg is still operated by DB, so it is valid on those. Once the Railjet departs Salzburg to Vienna, it is operated by OEBB.
Posted by
Paradise
6652 posts
Are you still traveling with a group of 5 people (as you were according to your Sept. 27 post)??
You might want to set aside the German rail pass day for a Munich > Salzburg or Munich > Innsbruck journey.
The price for 5 to Salzburg is €53 on a Bavaria Ticket day pass (about €11 each.) In first class, €115 (€23 each.)
The price for 5 to Innsbruck is €75 on a "Regio-ticket Werdenfels" day pass (€15 each, 2nd class optiononly, via Garmisch-Partenkirchen.)
Compare these per person costs to the cost of one rail pass day of your multi-day GRP.
Maybe you just buy the above day passes out of pocket - and save the GRP travel day for some OTHER journey within Germany. OR - if your GRP hasn't yet been purchased - buy a GRP for fewer days (and less €) to cover the other trips you have planned.
Posted by
OP
9 posts
Thanks Russ
We are now 6 pax travelling. I calculated the cost of buying other ticket options but GRP works out to be economical and moreover We have a day to spare in GRP.
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19099 posts
We have a day to spare in GRP.
I assume that means you have already bought the GRP; pity. I can't quibble with using a day of an already-purchased rail pass rather than an inexpensive regional pass.
But, I would advise anyone else - before buying a rail pass, carefully and knowingly compare the options.
In 1988, I spent 14 days in Germany with a 16 day GRP that cost $160. I know I more than got my money's worth. Twelve years later, I returned to Germany for my first of 11 trips in this century. I bought another GRP (again, $160. This time for only 5 random days). I don't think I lost money on that rail pass, but I don't think I saved any money, either. Since that trip, things have changed a lot in Germany vis-a-vis ticket pricing (advance purchase discount tickets and regional passes). For each of the 10 trips since, I compared what I actually paid for tickets with what I would have paid for a rail pass, and the rail pass didn't even come close to being cost effective.