Planning for Christmas Markets in late November/early December. I have the Eurail app and have looked on the website. I think I'm understanding the pass purchase, what if I want to purchase tickets individually? Will the Eurail app show me seat reservations once I've purchased a pass?
Any other helpful information on the trains would be great!
Posted by
Ontario, Canada
5322 posts
Before buying anything, look at trains on the German train website- Deutche Bahn: https://int.bahn.de/en
And if you aren't familiar with European trains and ticketing options, familiarize yourself with the Man in Seat 61 website: https://www.seat61.com/
Depending on what cities you are visiting, regional tickets or advance purchases for high speed trains may be cheaper than a Eurail pass.
Posted by
OP
17 posts
Thank you!! I did look up the Man in Seat 61-it's awesome!
Posted by
Freedonia
16024 posts
Unless you are buying a rail pass, I would stay away from the Eurail app for purchases. (Yes, we know RS still recommends them but that goes back to the days when he was the largest seller of Eurail passes in the US. But times have changed.)
If you are sticking mostly to Germany, it may be a lot cheaper to buy individual tickets than a pass. Also look into D tickets.
It is best to buy directly from the train operating company. and since you will be in Germany, more than likely it's Deutsche Bahn
Yes, they too have an app.
Posted by
SoCal
934 posts
For those traveling with Eurail passes, you might find that railways limit the availability of seat reservations to Eurail pass holders for the routes you wish to take. But you'll probably also find that, after you get your reservations for an inconvenient schedule, you can change your schedule to a more convenient one at the local station. This has happened to us three times on our trip. One time we needed to pay twice for the reservation, the other two times we didn't. YMMV.
Posted by
Alsenborn, Germany
1312 posts
If you plan to stay inside Germany the Deutschland Pass can be a great value. It covers all the regional trains, but not the IC/ICE. For ICE you want to buy your ticket 2+ weeks in advance or expect to pay higher prices.
The Deutschland Pass needs to be purchase through an app, and it is a subscription service. You must cancel the service before the 10th of the month to avoid paying for the following month. And unless you have a European bank with an IBIN numbered account it's a PIA to purchase. Try using the MVV app.
If you go over the borders, say from France to Germany, check both countries train sites, as they can vary on routes and costs. Using an app like Rome2Rio can help.
Posted by
OP
17 posts
Thanks everyone! So helpful!