2 of us a travelling Czech Rep., then Austria, then Germany over 13 days, with a couple of short trips.
Better to purchase the 1st class select pass, or just purchase as we go? Looking for convenience and savings. Thank you, linda
Posted by
Oak Park, Illinois
4535 posts
Linda - you have to do the math yourself. Tally up each trip and look up the costs on the Deutsch Bahn site or on each rail line's website. Compare that to the cost of the various passes. Substaintial discounts can be available for advance purchases of point-to-point tickets but that doesn't always work if people want more flexible schedules. Also, you may save money buying 2nd class tickets over a 1st class pass. And some trips require seat reservations which are an extra cost to the pass. Hope that helps.
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23626 posts
Douglas is absolutely correct. The old days (20 years ago) when rail passes was a nobrainer, good deal are gone. You have to do the home work and math before you know which is better. IMP, there is little reason to go first class.
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19274 posts
In 2000 I traveled in Germany with a German Rail Pass. When I got home I added up full fare for the trains I took and found I just barely paid for the pass. However, there were other trains I could have taken and saved. Since then (7 trips) I have done the math in advance and never bought a pass. I don't know of any advance purchase discount fares in the Czech Rep, but fares there are generally low. Similarly, there are no discount fares for trips between two points IN Austria, but they do have advance purchase, online Savings Fares (as low as €29 pP) for trips beginning or ending outside Austria. They also have an all day, on/off, 2nd cl regional pass called Einfach Raus for €28 for 2 people. The Austrian Rail website is at www.oebb.at. In Germany (or in/out with one end in Germany) they have a variety of online advance purchase tickets. You can find these discount tickets on the German Rail website. Each German state also has an all day regional pass for 2nd class, called a Länder-Ticket, for about €30 for up to 5 people and on weekends there is the Schönes Wochenende-Ticket for anywhere in Germany by regional trains in 2nd class for up to 5 people for €37.