Train from Munich to Berlin

Actually, Tim, the €29 Bahn fares are gone for Wed, Oct 13, but the remaining Sparpreis fares range from €69 to €99. This compares with the AirBerlin Savings fares of €126 to €138, which includes all surcharges (but doesn't include fares to/from airports). Full fare on the Bahn ranges from €116 to €129 vs €348 for Air Berlin. And, why is it that people who promote using air travel seem oblivious to the fact that airplanes don't fly from downtown to downtown. A "one hour flight" is more like 4-5 hrs when all time is accounted for.

Double-check your information: If Thursday, October 13 is the travel date, Air Berlin has a one-way Saver fare MUC to TXL for 62.99€ base or 79.99€ total fare, taxes, fees, and other charges. And there's no need to be such a crank...a simple change in medication or picking up a new hobby might help you feel better.

Yes, it goes through the countryside. I found the scenery pretty boring and unmemorable.

It depends on what you term as scenery. Lot of farm land, small villages, etc. which I personally like having grown up in the ranching areas in western Nebraska but it is not the save as the mountains of Switzerland.

It's a long ride though...six plus hours. Flying on a discounter, such as Air Berlin, is cheap enough and takes just over an hour. Maybe it's something you can consider.

For rides up to six hours or so, I'll take the train every time. No time and expense getting to and from airports, no waiting in security lines, a comfortable and relaxing ride, and a lower carbon footprint. If you book today on the German Rail site, you should still be able to get a Sparpreis discount fare. The cheapest tickets (€29) are probably gone, but you shouldn't have to pay full fare.

If you are constrained for time, we took the night train between the two cities two years ago. The cars were a strange design though, they were 2 bunks on top of eachother, and had a curtain dividing your space from the aisle of the train. It was actually very quiet and we slept really good.

I kind of like the train ride from Berlin to Frankfurt, and imagine going further down to Munich, would also be enjoyabe. Perhaps there isn't stunning, magnificent scenery, but so what, you will still see enough pretty scenery to be worth riding the train rather than flying. I like seeing the towns, the farms, the forests, and even the wind-mill farms. It is seeing Germany. Plus, I just enjoy riding the train. Early October should be beautiful, with the trees changing color.

Maybe you can explain why the change in fares, but when I check it a noon today, that flight from Munich showed a Price: €133 (rounded). That was the number shown in the grey box in the bottom middle of the screen. I used the lowest possible service charge (for direct debit), €10, to get €126. That was for 6:20 flight out of Munich, for which you would have to leave downtown Munich at about 4 AM. A more reasonable time of 7:20 or 12:10 displayed €138. For a more reasonable time of 8:20, it was showing over €155. I did notice that the base fare was shown as €62.99 (for 6:20) and the surcharges, which are now included, were shown as extra. Even at 6:20, the fare is €79.99. With €10 to the airport, that's €90, more than some of the Savings fares that are still available. Considering that, for a 6:20 flight from MUC, you probably need to be at the airport around 4 AM, note that there are still Bahn Sparpreis fares available for 4:34, 4:54, and 5:15 departures for €29.

Maybe you can explain why the change in fares, but when I checked it a noon today, that flight from Munich showed a Price: €133 (rounded). That was the number shown in the grey box in the bottom middle of the screen. I used the lowest possible service charge €10 (for direct debit), to get €126. That was for 6:20 flight out of Munich, for which you would have to leave downtown Munich at about 4 AM. A more reasonable time of 7:20 or 12:10 displayed €138. For 8:20, it was showing over €155. I did notice that the base fare was shown as €62.99 (for 6:20) and the surcharges, which are now included, were shown as extra. Computer error or revised fares, ? Even at 6:20, the complete fare is €79.99. With €10 to the airport, that's €90, more than most of the Savings fares that are still available. Considering that, for a 6:20 flight from MUC, you probably need to leave the Hbf around 4 AM, note that there are still Bahn Sparpreis fares available for 4:34, 4:54, and 5:15 departures for €29.

I'm with Jo all the way on this - It would be exhausting for me if the scenery was absolutely spectacular the entire journey! I want something pretty to look at if at all possible, but 1) I want a little downtime/staring into space time/writing in my journal time/conversation time/checking my eyelids for holes time on my rail journeys, and 2) It's Germany!!! (or Italy!!! or France!!!) I vote for the trains, if at all possible. There are practically speaking no trains in the USA for most of us to ride, and to me that's a huge part of my European travel priorities! The Eiffel Tower, ride a train. Mont Blanc, ride a train. Oktoberfest, ride a train. Michaelangelo, ride a train. It's the journey, not the destination. You may barf now ;-)

Actually, I'm in favor of traveling such long distances via matter transporter. I mean, that disintegrator-integrator that Vincent Price and his brother were working on way back in 1958 surely has been perfected by now. As long as they got the kinks worked out with the mix-up of fly atoms, it should be fine. Who cares about Bahn Sparpreis fares when you can be there in mere seconds with the disintegrator-integrator. :)

Well duh, Michael - I think the Price Integrator-Disintegrator is assumed as a given by everyone...;-) Some of us prefer the 'quaint' while vacationing...not that horrible buzzing sound you get with the P.I.D. (besides, remember what happened to that poor cat?) Ditto, of course, with the Transporter; one likes to leave behind any tiring thoughts of the United Federation of Planets while enjoying leisure time in Europe. Or maybe that's just me...I do love those old-timey trains...