We're on the Bahn train website looking at tickets and times. (our flight arrives at 9:25 am on 12 June) We noticed that it was 85 euro to purchase the tickets 2nd class tickets online, and there was also a discounted rate of 39 euro for second class tickets, these were non-refundable. When we went to Italy last year we just bought tickets when we arrived at the station- we were hesitant to purchase in advance because of flight delays etc. Any thoughts on this? Are the tickets half the cost just because they are non-refundable?
Posted by
Ventura, CA
65 posts
I just booked on bahn.de in advance. We're going over a holiday weekend in Germany (May 11), so I thought I should book in advance. I booked the cheaper 2nd class tickets. According to the website, the change in price is due to the restrictions. With the more expensive tickets you can take any train at the approximate time of your booking. With the cheaper tickets, you have to take that exact train at that time.
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19274 posts
Amanda, yes, those €39 (Dauer Spezial) tickets are train-specific and non-refundable. They are, IMO, a very poor choice if you are coming in on a trans-atlantic flight. You never know when you might arrive. I was flying to Munich last October, so I started tracking the arrival times on the airlines website. One day it was 10 hrs late!!
Instead of waiting around for several hours because you didn't want to miss the train, take regional trains. That way you can purchase €6,75 per person local tickets to Kahl, the first stop in Bavaria, and use a Bayern-Ticket at €27 for both of you from there to Munich. It'll take a couple of hours longer, but you can leave when you arrive, so you might get to Munich at about the same time.
Alternatively, spend the first night somewhere close, like Bacharach or St. Goar. There is plenty to see there and you can still use a Dauer-Spezial from there to Munich a day later.
Posted by
OP
New Brunswick, NJ, USA
59 posts
Thanks Lee!
We are actually making a giant loop and ending up in bacharach and st. goar at the end of our trip. So we do need to go from Frankfurt to Munich- we're up for the long journey. :)
The local trains you were referencing--- were you on a website? Would you book those in advance, or at the station? I'm completely comforatable booking them at the station, like I said we did that last year and didn't have complications.