trains from kiel to berlin

tanya, unfortunately, given the time your ship docks it's going to be very challenging to get to Berlin quickly. By the time you disembark and get to the main rail station, it will probably be at least 20:30. The only train available at about that time is a night train with a travel time of over nine hours. ¶ In the same circumstances, I'd probably consider getting a Hotel room in Hamburg and travel to Berlin early the following day. ¶ I don't have any information on the best type of ticket to use for a group of that size and ages, but hopefully someone else here can provide that information for you. Good luck!

According to the Bahn website, http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en, the last fast train (3½ hr) to Berlin leaves Kiel Hbf at 8:21 PM. That is not much time, but according to the map, Kiel Hbf is right next to the harbor. If you had a name or address of the ships landing, you could put that into the Bahn website to see how far (time wise) it is. Will the cruise company arrange for a taxi to meet you? But my major concern would be, is the ship always on time? Might be a lot safer to take Ken's advise.

Can you pretty much count on the cruise ship getting you there that evening? If so, then you could count on using non-refundable, advance purchase ticket first thing in the morning. There are fast (under 4 hr) connections leaving Kiel Hbf as early as 4 AM. With advance purchase you could get tickets (2) for three people for as little as €69 (29+20+20) and the 14 yo (if still under 15 by then) would be free, if included on one of the tickets. The price of these tickets is the same, whether you leave from Kiel or from Hamburg, so you might as well spend the night in Kiel and avoid the cost of the separate trip to Hamburg.

There is one way to stay overnight in Hamburg and still travel for €138 (2 x 69). A little known provision of the discount Sparpreis tickets is something called "Vor- und Nachlauf". Although you are required to use the express train(s) specified (date, time, train number) on the ticket you are allowed to use any regional trains you wish from midnight (morning) one day to 10 AM the following day to get to/from the express trains. So, for instance, you could go to Hamburg by RE that evening and get up the next morning and go by ICE to Berlin as long as you arrive before 10, and it's still just one Sparpreis ticket (for 3)

I knew you could do this with an express train on day one, then regional train(s) before 10 the following day, but I did not know if you could push the express train back to the second day. However, I put in Kiel to Berlin, 3 adults, one child under 15, arriving in Berlin by Monday 10:00, and used the via function to specify a 8 hr stopover in Hamburg, and it gave me some options for the €69 Sparpreis fare

One warning: These Sparpreis tickets are limited in quantity and do sell out, and you have a big group. You might not get everyone on the tickets. Instead of 3 adults plus 1 child on one ticket and 3 adults on the other, I would try for the first ticket at 5 adults (you can only have five people on a ticket. The child, although free, counts as one person). Then if you can't get another Sparpreis for the 6th adult, at least you only need one adult at full fare (and the child is free on his ticket).

hi again.... i am so sorry but i made a mistake in the time.... our ncl cruise liner should dock at kiel at 7:30 a.m. and we have to be back on board by 21:30p.m.

i guess however, the train tickets mentioned would be up and running throughout the day... but are there different times of travel on a sunday??

i gathered from your replies that train takes 3 1/2 hrs from kiel to berlin so i would think i would arrive approx 11:00a.m. and have to catch train back at 6:00p.m.

so thank you all for your help with train tickets...and prices .... much appreciated : )
tanya