Train Travel Cost in Germany

There are a lot of fare options from Frankfurt Flughafen to Berlin. Find the one you want on the German Rail website.

Basically, you can go by ICE, usually with one change in Hannover, for 125€/person (full fare). I did see a slightly slower connection through Naumburg, for only 110€/person.

There are slightly slower connections, one with no change, by Intercity (IC) trains for around 102-108€.

If you will need additional train travel within that country, you can buy a German Rail Pass either in Australia or at the Frankfurt Airport train station. Prices start at $174 US dollars (142 euros) per person (based on two traveling together) for 3 days of travel within a month and advance reservations are rarely necessary. 5- and 10-day versions are currently on sale, for travel/use completed by May 31.

My approach is one of a person who occasionally plays poker and dabbles in turf speculation.

What is the cheapest advance purchase nonrefundable ticket available for my arrival date that I can make comfortably if my flight lands reasonably on time? Lets just use 2 hours from scheduled arrival time.
What is the full fare walk up price?

I am looking at April 29, far enough out to show the rock bottom fares without being immediately next to a holiday (May 1). There are Sparpreis fares available for 49 euro for 2 using ICE trains with single connections. The previously mentioned Hanover route looks the best at 10:42, taking 4 1/2 hours. That's really the fastest available.

The full fare price is 250 euro for 2.

In this case, I would buy the advance fare and hope I was on time. If I win, I save 201 euro, nothing to sneeze at. If I loose, it cost me 49 euro, but not really, because I can exchange my Sparpreis ticket for a fee of 17.50 euro and use the balance toward the full fare ticket on the same day. So I only lose the 17.50 exchange fee.

See the discussion thread on Sparpreis tickets where Lee did extensive research on the Sparpreis terms and conditions. https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/germany/german-train-fare-conditions

Alternatively Air Berlin (www.airberlin.com) offer the roundtrip Frankfurt to Berlin for €89 at the moment...

"We arrive in Frankfurt in the morning from Australia and want to go by train immediately to Berlin."

What would be so terrible about taking a 10-minute train to Frankfurt Central station, checking into a hotel near the station (there are lots of choices,) having a hot shower, assessing your viability for the day, maybe taking a nap, or not, and maybe seeing a little something in Frankfurt and/or having a decent meal somewhere in Frankfurt once you've gathered yourselves? Leave for Berlin early the next morning about 7, get there at 11. Most of the day is still in front of you, and you're more ready for doing something. That way your €49 fare for two (or other bargain fare) is almost a slam dunk.

You have to get a hotel room on arrival day anyway. And Day 1 is NOT going to be a very productive day in Berlin either if you are jet-lagged.

David,

Especially as you'll be on a long flight with potential for delays, pre-booking rail tickets could be risky as a few of the trains list "subject to reservation". Which train you'll connect with will depend on what time your flight arrives. However, given the price differences, I might take a chance. Current schedules show pre-purchase prices ranging from €55-89 PP and regular fare from €102-125 PP. If you do decide to purchase tickets online, you might try the Capitaine Train website.

There are two stations in the Frankfurt airport, a Regionalbahnhof and a Fernbahnhof (you'll likely be using the latter). Travel time from the airport to Berlin Hbf seems to range from ~4H:29M to 5H:08M, with one train being direct and the others having one or two changes at various stations.

That trip is going to be a bit of an ordeal after a 24 hour flight, but if you think you can manage that, go for it. I've done similar trips after a series of three flights totalling 22 hours, and it's certainly possible. If you think it might be too much of an ordeal, as another reply suggested you could stop in Frankfurt for one night and get a good nights sleep.

Gute Reise!

Andreas, what date did you use to find the 89€ fare on AirBerlin. I could only find fares of around 135-140€, and that was for FlyDeal, which is non-refundable, non-exchangeable: that's exactly what he is trying to avoid. If he hasn't already bought his ticket, he should try to get a ticket (open jaw or multi-stop) through to Berlin, either direct or connect in Frankfurt on one ticket. That way if the flight from Australia is late arriving, the airlines will take care of him, and it won't cost more to get to Berlin.

Expanding on what Laura said, with the current German Rail pass deal, a five day Twin pass is $330. Since the full fare to Berlin for two is 250€, or $285, you wouldn't have to do too much traveling for the next 4 travel days to get your money's worth on the pass.

As far as staying around until the next day, I'd take the train down to Bacharach (23,20€) for two, spend the night there. You'd probably save enough on accommodations in Bacharach vs Frankfurt to pay for the train to Bacharach, and you'd stay in much nicer surroundings. Then use a Savings Fare from Bacharach to Berlin (probably the same as FRA to Berlin).

Oof, I'm with Russ on this one. Unless you are absolutely positive that you will get a full night's rest on that flight, I would stay a night and get my body clock rested and adjusted to the new time zone. Been there several times, done that. My new rule is to stay put! By the time you get to Berlin, it will already be early to mid afternoon...I would stay in Frankfurt: get checked-in to my hotel (or if too early to check-in, have them hold my luggage), freshen up - maybe change clothes, walk around and see the beautiful town, have a nice lunch, take a nap if I absolutely had to, then stroll a bit more before an early dinner. Then leave as early as you'd like for your train to Berlin...with a functioning brain ;-)

Alternately, I'm also a gambler. If I absolutely had to be in Berlin that night, I'd buy the 49€ train tkt, but allow plenty of time for a late-arriving flight, long passport control lines, the trip to the luggage carousel (?), and time for a breakfast/lunch/brunch.

But that's me.