Train travel

There is a site that used to be called CaptainTrain, but it is inferior for finding schedules in Germany. It does, however, include more connections outside Germany.

Don't use RailEurope for this purpose. They don't have all train connections, just the ones they want to sell you (usually the most expensive ones).

Try German Rail first.

DB is it. Are you having troubles with the site? If so, let us know what they are.

Station names are often a point of confusion. Sometimes the absence of pricing is confusing - DB doesn't provide pricing for certain itineraries that lie within small transit regions - the local transport authorities sell those tickets. There are dozens and dozens of those entities, most with websites, but often only in German.

plan train times in Germany

But German Rail will show you the schedule for trains in Verkehrsverbünden, just not prices.

BTW, German Rail also includes most scheduled buses.

Thank you all so much. The site I can't seem to remember wasn't just for Germany. It was something like 2RailEurope. ??? I found it super easy to use.

CaptainTrain is now TrainLine.eu.

What are the best sites to plan train times in Germany?

Easy, www.bahn.de

The site I can't seem to remember wasn't just for Germany. It was something like 2RailEurope. ??? I found it super easy to use.

Was it Rome2Rio.com? That is also often recommended on this forum.

DJ

Yes! Rome2Rio! Thank you so much!

I compared a route I took in 2012 on TrainLine and Rome2Rio. With all due respect, Rome2Rio did better. Both showed prices that were too high, mainly because they did not take into consideration regional passes (in this case, the Bayern-Ticket). TrainLine would have just sold me (full fare) tickets at the price they showed. Rome2Rio, on the other hand, linked me to the Bahn website, where I would have gotten the correct cheapest fare.

So, if you get your ticket in German from TrainLine, you could pay more than from the Bahn. With Rome2Rio, you get sent to the Bahn site. Why not start there?

Excellent. Thank you so much for your help. Because I have so few tickets to purchase, I will purchase once I arrive and make a decision about where I will be traveling to. I mostly wanted to see what the different times and stops were. I like the Rome2Rio site alot. That is if the current Lufthansa strike prevents my arrival there. Ugh.

The German site is the best for planning train times for all of Europe. For travel within Germany, it also has the advantage of selling tickets. I only use Rome2rio for non-train alternatives like private bus companies (DB also operates some buses). We have more tips at https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/transportation/trains/online-schedules.

In defense of Rail Europe: We used it this past summer for train travel from France to Spain and within Spain. The prices were comparable or a few Euro more. When we hit a snag just before our travel (strike) their customer service was superb.

Mari,

In my experience, the bahn.de website is the best site for planning rail trips all over Europe, and especially in Germany. For buying tickets, I normally use Trainline (formerly Captain Train) as they sell tickets for not only Germany but also France, Italy and other countries (one stop shopping). Prices are the same as charged by the rail networks.

Prices are the same as charged by the rail networks.

In 2012, I went from Frasdorf to Zwiesel via Rosenheim. I used a Bayern-Ticket, which today today would cost me 28€ for two people.

[Edit: Neither TrainLine nor Rome2Rio addressed the bus from Frasdorf to Rosenheim.] TrainLine would sell me a ticket from Rosenheim to Zwiesel for two for 89,90€. If I used Rome2Rio, or just started with the Bahn, they would offer me a Bayern-Ticket.

To be truthful, even the Bahn website didn't recognize that the bus trip on RVO from Frasdorf to Rosenheim would have been covered by the Bayern-Ticket, but some of those of us on this forum would have. So, better than using the Bahn website, ask here.

Alan - RailEurope's prices were comparable with prices from what other source?

To be truthful, even the Bahn website didn't recognize that the bus trip on RVO from Frasdorf to Rosenheim would have been covered by the Bayern-Ticket,

The reliability of DB info system on prices of non-DB companies depends on regular reconfirmations from those whether they will honour a Bayern Ticket or not. In most cases they do but simply have missed the deadline. This happens mostly with bureaucratic monsters like RVO and with small familiy run bus companies operating a single line or two in the deserts of Oberpfalz or western Franconia. Always just ask when boarding the bus. In desperate cases, i.e. when the bus drivers is a backwoodsman who even doesn't speak Standard German, just show him your ticket; mostly he will give a quick nod.

At the time I was shopping RailEurope, RENFE, Captain Train.

RVO (Regionalverkehr Oberbayern) is a subsidiary of the Bahn and the Bayern-Ticket is recognized on RVO except for segments of lines outside Germany. However, on the Watzmann Express, RVO 840, outside Germany between Salzburg Hbf and Berchtesgaden Hbf, a Bayern-Ticket can be used. Here is a schematic plan of the RVO system.

There is also a less expensive RVO Tagesticket, a day pass covering most RVO lines.

In 2009, I was familiar with the RVO system and already knew that the RVO segment from Frasdorf to Rosenheim was covered by the Bayern-Ticket. The day before I used the RVO BGL-TagesTicket Bus & Bahn for the train from Berchtesgaden to Bad Reichenhall, then a multibus connection from Bad Reichenhall along the Alpenstrasse to Reit im Winkl, Bernau, and Frasdorf.