Hi all,
I'm planning my trip to Germany in August and will be riding the train.
I see very good prices but can't purchase them at this moment since the purchasing policies prevent any purchases more that 92 days before the actual date travel date.
Being worried that the tickets will be all sold before I can attempt to buy them my question is:
Is there a tip to get those tickets at the best price before they are sold out?
Thanks!
It kind of depends on where you are traveling as to how fast the tickets sell out. Last year I traveled in November (10th & 15th) using Dauer-Spezial (now SparPreis) tickets purchased on the 26th of Sept (less than 1½ mo earlier). For Cochem to Hannover via Koeln I got my choice of trains at €29. For Northeim to Karlsruhe via Frankfurt, I got about the time I wanted but had to take a slightly slower IC in order to get the €29 fare. The lowest fare was sold out for the ICE at about the same time; the next level fare, €39, for that train was still available.
OTOH, I just looked at Bacharach to Berlin for a day in March and there were no more of the lowest fares available. The best I could find was €69 for an ICE.
For April 19 (92 days out) there are still some €29 fares available, but maybe not for the time you want. There are also €39 fares available.
From 8:30 to 11:30 there are 12 connections listed, taking from 5½ to almost 8 hours. Three have €29 fares; five have €39 fares.
Thank you both for your response, one of the fare is Köln to Berlin, we are 2 adults and a 14 year old, so i was hoping to get the SparPreis ticket for 49 euros for all 3 of us. If i try now, for fun, the 19 of April, is sold out. Do the tickets go on sale at midnight German time?
I did find several €49 fares for that date, but they get into Berlin after 10 PM. I also found a €69 fare still available during the day.
By selecting "Kassel" as a via, I found a direct IC connection for €49 leaving Koeln at 9:05. It takes 8 hours. By selecting somewhat circuitous, less popular, albeit longer routes, you might find the less expensive fares still available. Koeln to Berlin direct probably includes the popular Hannover to Berlin section so the lowest fares sell out on that route.
As far as I know, the tickets go on sale at midnight CET.
Mark the day the tickets go on sale in red on the calender. And buy them that day. If they go on sale at midnight think about the time difference and that it would be the day before afternoon/evening in Canada.
