Using the Regional Day (Bayern) ticket

1. The Bayern ticket is only good on regional trains. With the exception of a very few specific trains, reservations are not accepted on regional trains. You board, find an empty seat and sit. If all the seats are already taken you stand. Usually not a problem unless travelling during rush hour . The train originates in Munich, so if you board as soon as it arrives in the station you should have no trouble getting a seat.

2. That would be the workaround if you want to leave before 9 on a weekday. The Bayern ticket will also cover the return to Munich if you return the same day.

3. If taking the 08:40, you will have to change trains at Buchloe. You will have 9 minutes to change platforms. It's a small station.

1a, yes, 1b, yes, 1c, no (just get to the train when it is called), 1d, it isn't. Just get to the train when it is called and if it is still full stand. People will get off at intermediate stations. They will stand up and move to the doors, and you sit before the next group gets on.

2a, yes, 3a, yes. 3b, yes.

Separate but related I want to make sure I can do the following to get around the issue that the Bayern ticket is not valid for travel before 9 AM on weekdays.

In fact, you only need a ticket to Geltendorf (departure 9:07), not to Buchloe. Geltendorf is within the MVV, so the cheapest solution is a MVV group day ticket (area of validity: Zones 1-6, €23,20). If you don't want to buy online, you can buy at one of the service centers.

"I read somewhere that I should purchase tickets (regular published price) for the Munich to Buchloe leg only..."

Some pertinent information on passengers is required here to help you get the right tickets. Let's assume you are four adults.

• Munich > Buchloe DB ticket = €16.50 ea x 4 persons = €66

• If you are 2 adults and 2 kids from age 6-14, you'll pay €33. (With normal-price DB tickets, kids that age travel free with parents)

The other issue is Buchloe. You may be required to change trains in Buchloe, but that doesn't mean you should buy a ticket to Buchloe. The train gets there at 9:22, but on the way, it stopped previously in other towns you've never heard of... meaning that your Bayern Ticket has already kicked in previously at 9:07 when the train stopped in Geltendorf.

So it makes sense to buy the ticket to Geltendorf for the better price.

When you search Munich Hbf > Geltendorf, you will find multiple ticketing options because this trip lies within the MVV (Munich transit authority) zone where the price structure is very different... The following options look good on the surface - depends on the composition of your travel group.

• MVV Group Day Ticket = €23.20 (2 adults + 2 kids; group day ticket for 4 adults not possible.)
• Single ticket (Einzelfahrkarte) = €10.50 (1 adult) x 4 persons = €42

None of these ticket options reserves seating, an option that exists only for long-distance, high-speed trains in Germany.

I am about to purchase nonrefundable castle tickets so missing a
planned train schedule will mean missing the castle entry time. If
this part (Fussen) of the itinerary goes sideways we won’t be able to
go at another time as this will be the last full day that all 4 of us
will be together.

Considering the additional rail costs for your 8:40 departure, the time required for the additional bus rides (which brings your total transit time to nearly 5 hours!) + the long (45 min.) walk (one way) to the N'stein entrance, and the non-refundable nature of your tickets (€15.50/ea.??) it's quite reasonable to ask yourselves whether this outing, for an overcrowded 30-minute tour is worth doing. If you have no plans for Nymphenburg Palace in Munich, where Ludwig II was born and where there's far more to see and do over 2-3 hours, you might go there instead. N'stein may look a little like a real castle, but it is in fact a late 19th-century palace with a faux castle exterior.

Thank you so much everyone for taking time to read and respond. With your feedback, I can move forward with this part of the itinerary.
CJean, Nigel: thanks for answering my specific questions.
Sta019, Russ; thanks for calling out that Galtendorf is the first location we reach after 9 AM (& for the ticket purchase tip). I see that now; I neglected to click on “more information” to see the route details.

Not being familiar with the layout of the station and that perhaps track numbers can change (?),
can I assume that 9 minutes will be enough time to disembark and get on another train?

Here is the station layout for Buchloe. It's a pretty normal through station layout, with track (Gleis) 1 next to the station on it's own platform, 2 & 3 sharing the next platform, 4&5 the next. The schedule shows you train from Munich coming in on track 1, and your train to Füssen leaving on track 5. So you would have a two platform change. That's plenty of time if your train from Munich is on time; if it isn't, they probably will hold the train to Füssen, since most of the passenger on that train will come from the train from Munich.

It's really not a difficult change. Just be ready before the train arrives in Buchloe. Get your things together and go to the door of the car, ready to get off when the train stops. Just stay with the herd. The connecting train isn't going to leave while people are still boarding.

Yes, track numbers can change, but in over 25 years of travel by train in Germany, I only saw that happen once.