Rothenburg ob der Tauber to Munich

Yes, selecting the "local trains" option on bahn.de will restrict you to trains available on the Bayern Ticket (no ICE, IC, EC, or RJ).

As far as changes go, the specific number and location of changes may vary with the departure time, but here are some general rules:

Most of the changes you have to make will be at smallish stations with 4-6 tracks and subways or bridges between the platforms. The journey plan you get from bahn.de will usually indicate the platforms for each train. If it doesn't, each platform on the station will have a notice on yellow paper (the one on white paper is arrivals) that lists all of the trains departing from the station each day in time order, with their usual platform. Occasionally a platform may be changed, so do a final check on the electronic notices on the platform.

Many medium to large stations have elevators between each platform and the bridge/subway, but you can't rely on it. If you have heavy luggage and a short connection time, make sure you're ready to be off the train as soon as the doors open.

You can lengthen the change time on the advanced search menu (same one that lets you specify local transport only) by increasing the minimum change time (say 15 minutes). This will often show a different route, or even a bus connection. It will take longer than the fast changes, but not as long as missing a connection, then waiting another hour for the next train. Also, for the connection at Steinach, the Rothenburg train will be waiting at the station and give you an extra minute or so if needed. Just let the conductor know you are on the way over. It is really just a shuttle for the last few kilometers to Rothenburg.

No matter what you do, you are going to have that quick change at Steinach, but it is a small station. Just stay with the herd. The conductor is standing on the platform and is not going to release the train if people are in the act of boarding.

It looks like connections that use trains of the Bahn (ICE/IC/EC) have an additional connection, and few save any time. I would use the Bayern-Ticket connection. It will also give you use of the conveyance of the MVV (Munich metro) once you get to Munich. Most of the connections in Treuchtlingen are cross-platform (e.g., platform 6 to 7) and won't be difficult at all.

Saving Fare discounted fares might be a little less (23€ for a 1 person Bayern-Ticket vs 19€, minimum, for a Saving Fare ticket, but 27€ for 2 people vs 29€ for Savings Fare), but are train specific. Miss the assigned train and you have lost the price of the ticket. Bayern-Tickets are valid for any regional train all day long.

Hello Lee-

Like VS, I am looking at the train schedule but from Munich to Rothenburg OBT. I saw in bahn.com that the transfer times in Treuchtlingen and Steinach are 5 and 4 minutes respectively. This is the standard transfer time assigned by bahn.com. Is this reasonable? Would I make it in time? I hoping that these two train stations are very small that I won't be missing my tranfers.

I tried choosing duration of transfer = 15 mintues but the site gave me transfer time of more than an hour long. That is too long for me to wait in a train station. Your advice? Thanks.

We made the trip with no problem. The times seem short but you should make them with no difficulty. If you want, you can check later schedules in case you miss one connection.

Steinach's station is very small, 5 tracks, 3 platforms. The train from Rothenburg comes in on track 5, which shares a platform with track 4. Most of the through trains use tracks 2 and 3. Their platform is one stairway away in the tunnel. It's not that long a walk, and a lot of people will be making the change with you. Just be ready to get off, with your luggage, when the train comes to a stop. Stay with the herd. If you sit near the back of the train, you'll have a shorter walk to the stairs when you get off.

If you are leaving Rothenburg on the 9:06 or 11:06 train, the change in Treuchtlingen is a cross-platform change - ten or so feet in 4 minutes. If you leave at 11:06, you'll have a little bit longer walk - a 3 platform change - but it's still doable.

Got it. Thanks!