Deals on trains in Germany over Christmas/New Year?

Yes, 350 Euro is the regular price for 2 adults + 2 kids free. It does not include the trip from Leipzig to Berlin as my aunt who lives in Leipzig suggested as an alternative some kind of private train that's cheaper than DB. And since we are visiting my aunt we have to go to Leipzig first as she'll be leaving town after our visit.

I checked for dec 27 departure and jan 2 return. With Sparpreis only 1st class seems to be available, not much savings compared to regular 2nd class and more restrictions and extra travel time ...

On the English site I couldn't find the information but on the German site it says that kids are still free with Sparpreis 25 or 50.

I was really hoping the train would work out for us this time as our oldest daughter would be too old for the "free child" next time we'll make it to Germany. And in the winter streets in Germany can be icy and stressful. We might have one or two smaller train rides on regional trains but that is a very different atmoshphere compared to riding in an "Abteil" of the ICE

"my aunt who lives in Leipzig suggested as an alternative some kind of private train that's cheaper than DB

I believe she is referring to Connex (hope that's the right spelling). They are a privately run company. I don't know if they are leasing the rails from DB and running their own trains, or if they have their own tracks, but unlike the privatized trains operating DB routes, Connex doesn't even show up on the DB website, and DB fares don't apply.

I guess they have Abteile on ICEs, but every car I've been in has been one of the "aircraft style" seating.

"The best I could find was around 350 Euro total."

I assume that takes into account that the 2 kids (under 15) travel for free.

You might consider going to Leipzig via Berlin, then booking Muenster to Berlin and back as a SparPreis 50 fare (if any are available). The first traveler pays half the full fare, each additional Mitfahrer is half that (1/4 full fare). I don't think the kids are free with that fare.

As for Berlin to Leipzig, you can also book that as a SparPreis fare. If you have an alternative way to get back to Berlin, just don't show up for your designated train.

I had forgotten the name, but yes it's Connex. German is my mother tongue so I'll read up on it later on.

As to the "Abteile" in the ICE, here's a pic that we took a few years back. It's 2nd class and you can see, the kids are enjoying it! Defintely more room than in the compact car my father would give us on loan (especially for the kid that has to sit behind her 6'3" father).

€116 for all 4 of you for the Münster to Leipzig leg during peak season doesn't sound too expensive to me. Alternatively check with airberlin.com as FMO airport is a hub for Air Berlin.

Andreas,

how did you get that price? It only shows up for me when I ask for a MS-Leipzig return trip, not with a one-way trip. But as soon as I add the date for the return the price shoots up to 352 Euro minimum. And that would mean going back from Berlin via Leipzig, i.e. extra travel time + the ticket costs for that.

I also calculated the gas costs for us if we choose a car instead: 180 Euro max for the entire trip. No need to pay for parking neither in Leipzig (suburb with my aunt) or Berlin (hotel offers free parking)

Flying to Leipzig doesn't work, my father has checked into that repeatedly. And Berlin-MS on a Sunday doesn't seem to be available.