Train connection help

If you leave at 7:06 on the ICE, it has a 13 minute connection at Mannheim, transfer is from 3 to 5, although you will need to go up and down a flight of stairs, (they have escalators between sections C and D, and elevators between A and B). Gets to Salzburg in exactly the same amount of time at the same low price.
http://www.bahnhof.de/file/6505740/data/Mannheim%20Hbf_de_PDF.pdf

If you leave at 7:06 on the ICE, it has a 13 minute connection at
Mannheim, transfer is from 3 to 5, although you will need to go up and
down a flight of stairs, (they have escalators between sections C and
D, and elevators between A and B). Gets to Salzburg in exactly the
same amount of time at the same low price.
http://www.bahnhof.de/file/6505740/data/Mannheim%20Hbf_de_PDF.pdf

I'm not seeing this for some reason. Did you find this through bahn.de? The earliest train on this date that I'm seeing is 7:25 for 59EUR.

Checking www.capitainetrain.com I also found a great fare on your 7:25
train of €59.00* with that 8 minute connection. Stuttgart is a
relatively smaller train station and eight minute changes on DB are
common. Remember you also change in Munich with a leisurely 28 minute
change.

*Europa-Spezial Frankreich: Exchange and refund only available until the eve of departure for a fee of €15.

Thanks, I hadn't heard of that site. I'm mostly concerned about missing the next train. I'm not sure what would happen if we missed it, would we be able to catch the next train for free? Or would we be required to purchase another ticket? I would imagine the trains are generally on time right?

The 7:06 am train shows up on bahn.de when you adjust the minimum transfer time to at least 10 minutes.
I am seeing this as 59 euro plus reservation fee pp. This requires a change at Mannheim and at Munich. The Munich connection is a comfortable 28 minutes.

I just looked at the Bahn website, and they are offering the same 59€ Savings Fare ticket price for that connection that Captaine offers.

I think that 8 minutes is enough time to make the connection. Stuttgart is a "stub" station, that is, the trains come in to the end of the track with a connecting platform at the end. Before you get into the station, work you way to the front car with your luggage and be ready to get off when the train comes to a stop. It's a short walk to the connecting platform (no stairs) and then only three platforms between the platform with track 7 and the platform with track 16.

If the incoming train is late, a lot of people will be making the change, and they will probably hold the second train until everyone gets on board. Just stay with the herd. Don't dally. And if the train is one minute late and you miss you connection, you should be able to get on the next train to Munich because your missing the connection was a fault of the Bahn. Just go to the ticket office and show them your ticket. If the incoming train was late, it will show on their computer and they will assign you to the next train.

As I tell everyone, a train is not an airplane. You don't have to remain seated until the train has stopped. Get up before and go to the end of the car, ready to get off when the train stops. If you stay in your seat until they open the doors, the flow of people coming into the train will make it difficult to get to the door to get off.

But that shouldn't be a problem here. That TGV terminates in Stuttgart and the next train from that track is an ICE. There is a TGV (probably the same train) leaving Stuttgart an hour and a half later from a different track, so there probably won't be anyone getting on when you get off.

The Mannheim connection puts you on the same ICE you would get on in Stuttgart.

You can also do a lot with the Bahn website by using the "stopover" function.

Hello all,
I know my question is for a completely different train route, but since you all obviously know your stuff, I would like to ask..... We are taking the train from Salzburg to Munich airport. The transfer time at Munchen Ost is 13 minutes, from Platform 6 to Platform 5. Does this sound like it would work?
I have not traveled by train in Europe yet, so wasn't sure.
Thanks so much for letting me jump in.
Linda

Linda, We took the train from Salzburg to Munich Airport last year 2013 in May. If I recall correctly, the platform was right next to each other: You get off the first train and just walk a few steps and you will be facing the other connecting train track on the same platform. If I am wrong, someone please correct me.

Great, thanks so much. I figured it shouldn't be too far, but you never know. Appreciate it.
Linda

Here is the station layout map of München Ostbahnhof. Tracks 5 & 6 are indeed on opposite sides of the same platform. Should you take a different train and come in on a different platform (which doesn't look likely), 13 minutes would be plenty of time for München Ost. Just go down into the tunnel and look for the sign for track 5. Then make sure the S-Bahn you get on says S8 "Flughafen" (there will be an S-Bahn every few minutes on that track, but only the S8, which comes every 20 minutes, goes to the airport).

Just as a note. There is major construction going on at the Stuttgart station. I was just there a few weeks ago. Trains are stopping back at each platform from the main station, about half way. Don't dally.

Thanks everyone! We went ahead and booked the one with a stop at Stuttgart.

I just looked at the Bahn website, and they are offering the same 59€ Savings Fare ticket price for that connection that Captaine offers.

I think that 8 minutes is enough time to make the connection. Stuttgart is a "stub" station, that is, the trains come in to the end of the track with a connecting platform at the end. Before you get into the station, work you way to the front car with your luggage and be ready to get off when the train comes to a stop. It's a short walk to the connecting platform (no stairs) and then only three platforms between the platform with track 7 and the platform with track 16.

If the incoming train is late, a lot of people will be making the change, and they will probably hold the second train until everyone gets on board. Just stay with the herd. Don't dally. And if the train is one minute late and you miss you connection, you should be able to get on the next train to Munich because your missing the connection was a fault of the Bahn. Just go to the ticket office and show them your ticket. If the incoming train was late, it will show on their computer and they will assign you to the next train.

As I tell everyone, a train is not an airplane. You don't have to remain seated until the train has stopped. Get up before and go to the end of the car, ready to get off when the train stops. If you stay in your seat until they open the doors, the flow of people coming into the train will make it difficult to get to the door to get off.

But that shouldn't be a problem here. That TGV terminates in Stuttgart and the next train from that track is an ICE. There is a TGV (probably the same train) leaving Stuttgart an hour and a half later from a different track, so there probably won't be anyone getting on when you get off.

The Mannheim connection puts you on the same ICE you would get on in Stuttgart.

You can also do a lot with the Bahn website by using the "stopover" function.

Thanks Lee, your info was extremely helpful! You helped convince my wife and I to go for it. We'll be sure to head to the front as it comes to a stop. Do you know if 2nd class passengers are allowed to pass through 1st class (assuming 1st class is located at the front)?

Just as a note. There is major construction going on at the Stuttgart station. I was just there a few weeks ago. Trains are stopping back at each platform from the main station, about half way. Don't dally.

Thanks for the heads up! We'll be sure to walk quickly. Do the trains have signs on them indicating their destination? I assume they check tickets as you board correct? I just want to be sure we board the correct train.

1. At the very least, you can move to the Bordbistro car located between the 1st and 2nd class section of the train.
2. They do not check your ticket before boarding, but the uniformed conductors will be standing on the platform. You can simply ask them. I'd just point to the train and ask "Nach Muenchen?" as I walked by.
3. If you have a through ticket, and a delay of the inbound train causes you to miss your connection, there is a direct EC train to Salzburg 45 minutes later. Go to the Reisezentrum and they'll change your ticket for you. You'll get to Salzburg 20 minutes later than planned.
   

Here is a layout of the Stuttgart station. You can see that Gleis (Track) 16 is at the far end. You'll be turning to your left when you reach the end of Gleis 7.
http://www.bahnhof.de/file/6745348/data/Stuutgart_Hbf_Lageplan_PDF.pdf