DB Ticket Purchasing Question

I'm guessing that the "Online-Ticket ID Number" and the "Expiry Date" below the "Credit Card" radio button is asking you to enter you Credit Card number and expiration date. I'm assuming that your CC number will be your Identification number. Then I would enter you CC info in the next section for payment.

These are just guesses. I just booked, but had the tickets mailed to me, and I didn't come across this. (They come in less than a week if they're mailed).

Someone will post who knows for sure.

Good luck.

I have the same trouble with the SNCF site and worry about proceeding when I don't understand the French. Now I use Google translator and it's really easy to get at least the gist of what they are saying. Hope this helps and good luck
Mary

RailEurope?

I would list them, and other stateside resellers, as a ticket seller of last resort. For the most part, their selection is limited to a few, more expensive trains, and then their fares are more than the same ticket bought from the counter over there or the national railroads' online service. Also, they don't usually sell the cost saving promotional tickets.

No worries, we will still buy from DB Lee! Actually, bought our Swiss Card today when we were down at Rick Steves store in Edmonds today (plus a few other goodies with our 20% off coupon we got!).

Am I to assume right then, when I'm on the page on DB where I enter persona data and payment info that I can just skip over all the other parts under Bhan Card, ec-Karte, Credit Card and just enter my credit card info? If I have trouble booking I'll post for help!

Jed, sorry, I really don't know what your problem is. I never buy tickets online because my travel tends to be very regional, and point-point and Länder tickets are all I need; I buy them the day I travel.

However, I know of a lot of people who have bought tickets online without problem. I am just surprised that more of them have not come forward to help you.

No problem Lee! It's hard to explain...not sure if it's really a problem. Walking through on the DB site for when I have to buy tickets in a few weeks, just to see if there's a sticky spot that I run into.

Typically, on web pages when info is required there's those little red stars next to everything that HAS TO be filled in. On the DB site when I get to the page where you enter your personal and payment info, there are spots that ask for "Bahn Card", "Credit Card", and "ec-Karte" info and right below that the online ticket #'s, account #'s, etc. All of these have the red stars next to them. Since I'm not purchasing tickets right now, I haven't tried to enter any of the info (I'm assuming I'll be okay just entering my credit card payment info and leaving all the others blank). I was just wondering if the collective wisdom on the site could answer if all the other spots needed to be filled or not. I'll know in a few weeks when I start purchasing, but thought I'd ask!

Jed, "book without reservations" means you book the train but not an assiged seat. That usually works perfectly well during non-peak hours. For travels during peak hours and all-day friday I'd add a seat reservation. "Bahnbuchung ohne Hotel fortzsetzen" does mean "continue rail booking without hotel". You're right on your assumption. The next button where you need to chose between Bahn Card, Credit or ec-Card asks you for your prefered form of ID card which the conductor needs to verify your self-printed ticket is valid and is yours. It's not yet the means of payment. But since you'll be carrying your credit card anyway it might make most sense to also use it as form of ID.

Andreas, I'm sure you are right about the ID. For self-print, train specific tickets they require ID so that you can't print the ticket two times and give one to a friend. For "open" tickets, that could be used on any train between those stations, they usually mail them. Then there is just one copy.

Andreas-Thanks, that makes sense! When I book I'll just use my credit card info and use that as my ID means for verification on the train. Clarification on the "book without reservations" that referred to the link to book without hotel reservations. I think just for sake of peace of mind since it's our first trip, if it gives us the option of seat reservations we'll go ahead and spend the small extra to do it. Thanks!