Flexpreis: any train that day?

Posted by riverain (Maryland, USA) on 04/09/19 05:26 PM

Hi, sorry if this question is silly but I want to be sure I am interpreting the Flexpreis ticket correctly: If I buy a flexpreis ticket for an ICE train on a specific date, does that mean I could take an earlier or later ICE train that same day without paying an extra fee? And is there any savings/benefit to buying the flexpreis ticket ahead of time, versus at the train station?

I want to take an ICE from Stuttgart hbf to Frankfurt Hbf to minimize train time on 17 April. My husband and I are visiting the Mercedes Benz museum, then dropping a rental car off at the stufftgart hbf. I’d like flexibility in train times in case we get done early or need extra time. Thanks!

Posted by Laura

Rick Steves' Europe

04/09/19 06:35 PM

16895 posts

Yes, you can use a pre-purchased flexpreis ICE ticket for any train on the date specified. There is no discount online for that; you'd pay the same price at a ticket machine (but 2 euros more to buy from a live agent). Note that there are also a few IC or EC trains in the schedule mix that are not much slower but cost a little less.

Posted by sla019

Bavaria

04/09/19 06:50 PM

2480 posts

you'd pay the same price at a ticket machine (but 2 euros more to buy from a live agent).

That's only true if you buy a cheap laender pass like the Bayern ticket; there is no service charge for flex price tickets.

And yes, using a flex price ticket you can take any train. And if you have reserved a seat and decide on another train, you can change your reservation (once).

Posted by Sam

Green Bay

04/09/19 07:19 PM

21145 posts

On the DB route planner, they are now showing expected demand with the 3 stick figure icon, 1 stick figure = low to medium demand, 2 stick figures = high demand, 3 stick figures = very high demand and seat reservations recommended.

For April 17, all the direct trains from 4:00 pm to 6:51 pm are showing high demand, so keep an eye on it.

Posted by Lee

Lakewood, Colorado

04/09/19 08:23 PM

19274 posts

For April 17, all the direct trains from 4:00 pm to 6:51 pm are showing high demand, so keep an eye on it.

If you try to purchase, just before train time, a ticket for a train that is already booked, they might not sell it to you. If you have a flexpreis ticket purchased in advance, they will let you on, but you might have to stand.

It looks like most, if not all, of those Stuttgart to Frankfurt ICEs originate earlier, so every seat might be filled by the time they get to Stuttgart. That happened to me years ago, on Dec 26 (the 2nd day of Christmas), on a FRA to Karlsruhe ICE. Every seat was occupied, but less than half had the reserved sign lit. Had I reserved seats at FRA, we would have been able to sit. As it was, a lot of people got up at Mannheim to get off, and we were able to take seats before others got on.

That happens a lot a crowded times. Many seats are occupied, but are not reserved. I suggest when you get to the station and know what train you want, try to reserve seats on it.

Posted by riverain OP

Maryland, USA

04/10/19 12:25 AM

141 posts

Thank you for the replies and the extra considerations to take into account! I hadn’t noticed the high occupancy symbols. Ideally we’d be on our way to Frankfurt around 2, so it seems I should be able to keep an eye on things, and buy If it starts looking like everything is filling up. I don’t mind standing on the train, but would hate to be stuck standing on the platform watching the trains go without me! :)