Regensburg to Munich - train questions

Q2: Yes. https://int.bahn.de/en/

Q3: Yes, overhead compartments and between the back-to-back seat rows

Q4: Depends on preferences. On regional trains you cannot reserve seats.

Should I get 1st class or 2nd class? The 2Kl. Bayern-Ticket seems to be the least expensive.

Between Regensburg and Munich there are only regional trains. The difference between 1st and 2nd class is minimal and imho not worth the hefty fare difference. I'd, if possible, take the ALEX train (line RE 25), whose second-class cars are partly downgraded Italian first-class express train cars (the gray/white ones with the inscription “Alex”).

Those ALEX trains are also listed on DB as RE25. They depart Regensburg at 51 past the odd hour (9:51, 11:51, etc). These trains are coming from Prague on the way to Munich.

I had my cruise ship call for a taxi to take me to the Regensburg train station. I had bought 1st class tickets and was glad because the train was so full they brought in more cars. First class had small rooms so it was easy to keep an eye on our luggage that we brought into the room.

When you go to the DB site to purchase your ticket, note that DB predictes the demand level for each train. If your train is noted as high demand the extra cost of the 1st class ticket may be worth the price.

The walk from the river area to the train station is very flat, we walked it both ways, but there are lots of taxis in the area, Freenow worked well for us in Germany

We have taken a few Viking Cruises including a stop in Regensburg. I would not assume that your docking will actually be in Regensburg. I believe most stops are in a suburb. You would not be able to walk to the train station. We were in a similar situation in Passau and caught a taxi to the train station. Ship help desk arranged one for us; it is a common solution that Viking handled very well.

Viking will probably have buses to the Munich Airport. It might be best to catch one of those to airport and then the Sbahn into town. Check with Viking or the help desk on the ship.

Large luggage sometimes can only be accommodated on trains in a large bay area with jump seats. This area is sometimes partially reserved for bikes, strollers, etc. The answer is to pack light in smaller luggage.

Fritz has helped us with recommendations several times but I will disagree about ALEX trains. They were packed the few times that we times we took them. Seating and luggage was an issue.

You’ll get a mix of experiences here, but generally:

Viking doesn’t always dock right in Regensburg, so most people just ask the ship to call a taxi. It’s the easiest option, especially with luggage.

DB (bahn.de or the DB Navigator app) is the right place to check times and buy tickets.

Luggage isn’t a problem, but on busy regional trains it’s easier if your bags aren’t huge.

Between Regensburg and Munich it’s all regional trains, so 2nd class is usually fine. The Bayern Ticket is the cheapest if you’re travelling after 9am on a weekday or anytime on weekends.

Some people love the ALEX/RE25 trains, some find them crowded — depends on the day. If DB shows “high demand,” then paying extra for 1st class might be worth it.

Overall, keep it simple: taxi to the station, get your ticket on DB, and 2nd class works for most travellers.

We took a Danube cruise from Regensburg last year with Gate 1 Travel and they provided transport from the Munich
Airport to the cruise ship.

If you cruise line don't provide transport, take the train using a Bavaria pass or up to 5 or 6 persons all day within Bavaria. At least compare it with the one way tickets. No need to use first class.

If DB shows “high demand,” then paying extra for 1st class might be worth it.

The ALEX is not run by the DB, so the DB won't normally provide forecasts regarding occupancy rates.
Secondly, the Alex has either 32 or only 16 first-class seats. So, there you can find out what “overcrowded” means, especially during the peak season, when first class is full of Americans who are afraid of being infected by the indigenous peoples. ;)

Fritz,
We lived in Germany from 87-91 and have been back to visit the country that we like very much.
We rarely ever booked first class. However, on a trip last Summer, we purchased a Bavaria pass, which was a great deal.
We traveled on regional trains that were way overcrowded. Most of the time we had to stand up.

Standing up wasn't so bad, even for us, we are in our late 70s and both have back issues. I had a hip replacement 6 months prior to our trip. Didn't mind rubbing elbows with the locals and other tourists.

What I disagree with is the condescending tone of your remarks implying that Americans don't wish to travel with the locals.
It could be that many travelers that are up in age, want to sit down during their travel.

Also, sad that the German rail system has deteriorated since we lived there over 30 years ago.

@geovagriffith

I'm sorry that you feel offended by my wording, which was certainly not directed at you. However, I regret to say that it was a paraphrase of an attitude that I have encountered here time and again over the years (and which some Germans also cultivate when they go abroad).

To the point: It is indeed not a good idea to buy a first-class ticket for a regional train where you cannot reserve a seat and which only has a very small number of first-class seats. First class is often empty on suburban trains, but less so on regional express trains which are set up by the federal states as a replacement for long-distance trains that DB simply no longer operates. As for the ALEX mentioned above, its few first-class compartments are always well filled with passengers traveling from Prague to Munich during the travel season, so personally, I would consider the risk of having to stand in first class when boarding in Regensburg to be too great.

Also, sad that the German rail system has deteriorated since we lived there over 30 years ago.

It's actually not that simple, or rather, it's a paradox: the decline of the railways is due in no small part to it's improvement, i.e. the excessive expansion of local train traffic. Here in the Augsburg area, we nowadays have at least three times as many local trains as we did thirty years ago, and that's on the same rail network. The reason for this is that responsibility for regional transport has been transferred from the DB to the federal states, which, under political pressure, always order as many trains as they can just about afford. According to a recent study by the University of Stuttgart, overcrowding and management errors at DB (where the majority of people now come from outside the railway industry) are a much more important cause of poor operational quality than damage to the rail network, which is "only" responsible for 15% of delays. The fact that problems with the network are so strongly emphasized is due to the press work of DB, which has a great interest in presenting things in this way. This is because when a line needs to be renovated, the federal government pays, whereas normal maintenance has to be paid for by DB itself.

I'm sorry you had to stand so much on the train. But I think the steady increase in the price of the Deutschlandticket, which is to be expected, will ensure that the situation eases.

My advice is to take a taxi from the dock to Regensburg Hbf station and choose 2nd class on ALEX (RE 25). 1st was small and crowded for me. Also, large luggage is free.