Train ticket purchase

We don't recommend buying insurance for a train ticket. The maximum you could lose is the price of that ticket and possibly the price of a new ticket. I also would not book now unless you are ready to accept the restrictions of the lowest fares. If you want to stay flexible, you can purchase later. The German Rail site currently has the best ticket prices on this route; How to Look Up Train Schedules and Routes Online gives you the DB train schedule link and tips for using it.

Should you purchase the semi-flexible option? I didn't know there was a "semi-flexible" option.

Oh, now I see, it's a RailEurope term. It's basically what German Rail sells as a fully-flexible fare, meaning free change or cancellation up to the date of travel, a 17,50€ fee to exchange or cancel starting the day of travel, but they add their own cancellation/exchange restrictions and charge more for the ticket.

I don't think any trip insurance or Rail Protection plan will compensate you if you just change you plans. Most will if you legitimately get sick or have an accident that prevents you from traveling. Buy the full fare ticket from the German Rail website. Depending on the exchange rate, it will probably cost less than the semi-flexible fare from RailEurope, and the exchange/refund conditions are better.

If you think you would only change the trip due to a condition covered by the trip insurance, purchase a Savings Fare ticket from the Bahn for 99€.

Whether you call it "semi flexible," Rail Protection, or trip insurance, all of these are some form of insurance - paying more to have some form of "coverage" for needing to change tickets. Like any insurance, if you end up needing it, it was a worthwhile purchase, and if you don't end up needing it, it was money you didn't need to spend.

So, like with all insurance, you have to look at the costs for obtaining it, the likelihood you will need to use it, and the consequences of not having it.

Speaking for myself: the only reason I would have an "emergency trip change" would be a totally unanticipated health emergency; if that happens, the last thing I'm worried about is a single train ticket. But if I had a chronic health condition that could flare anytime and would cause me to need to change plans, that would be very different. So, I basically agree with Lee's advice: if you know your plans and don't anticipate any changes, get the Saver fare. If you don't know your plans and/or anticipate a moderate to high likelihood of last minute changes, wait until you get there and buy full fare for the train you actually end up taking.

Thanks for all the advice. I am going with two children and that is always a gamble. I would lose more than one ticket if for some reason I had to change plans. I am going to pray that we have no surprises!