I need the cheapest roundtrip train ticket from Frankfurt to Salzburg that I can find. How much should this cost for a 2nd class seat? Where can I purchase them? Do they cost more at the train station than if you buy them online in advance?
Rick Steves is the best: I've traveled Europe with you in my backpack before and always recommend you guys to friends! Will you please write a book for China, where I live now? :-)
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19274 posts
How many are traveling? Just you?
If time is not a consideration, and you are flexible as to dates, you (up to 5 people) can travel from Salzburg to Frankfurt on regional trains on a Sat. or Sun for €35 each way for all five of you on a Schönes-Wochenende-Ticket. The trip takes about 8 hours with regional trains and has 3 or 4 changes.
If the day of the week matters, you can do the same thing, on a weekday on regional trains, starting after 9 AM, with a Bayern-Ticket, for €27 (for up to 5 people, €19 single) to Kahl am Main and €6,75 per person from Kahl to Frankfurt with a local ticket.
Schönes-Wochenende- and Bayern-Tickets are always available and can be purchased up to train time from DB automats, or, for €2 more, from a ticket counter.
You can also purchase Dauer-Spezial tickets for as low as €29 per person, each way, online from Bahn.de. Dauer-Spezial fares have to be purchased 3 days in advance, but the quantities at a given price level are limited, so you should purchase them as soon as you can commit. Dauer-Spezial tickets are for A specific train, and are non-refundable, non-exchangeable, but they can be used on express trains (ICE/IC/EC). Some express trains go from Salzburg to Frankfurt without changes in less than 6 hours.
There is also something called a Spar-Preis fare, which is significantly discounted, but probably not as much as the Dauer-Spezial fare. It is for a half-priced round trip, and co-travelers (Mitfahrer) get 50% off the first fare. These tickets also have to be purchased in advance and can sell out.
The Bayern- and Schöbnes-Wochenende-Tickets are can be purchase at the lowest price from an automat. There is no advantage to pre-purchase. Dauer-Spezial tickets are only available online from the Bahn website. Dauer-Spezial and Sparpreis tickets would not be available from stateside sellers like Rail Europe.
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19274 posts
If you are alone, then a €19 Bayern-Ticket-Single, even on a weekend would be best. €19 for the Bayern-Ticket-Single plus €6,75 for the local ticket from Kahl to Frankfurt = €25,75, each way.
Posted by
dallas, tx, usa
1358 posts
Buy your tickets at the RR station. Most times, buying on the net is costlier than buying at the ticket counter. Remember, the provider must make a profit for handling your order.
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19274 posts
That's terrible advice, Carl!
Although ticket purchased online from domestic dealers like Rail Europe are at a highly inflated price, tickets purchased online from German Rail are the same price as at the station. They do charge about $5 to mail paper tickets (full fare), but tickets can often be self printed at home for no extra charge.
So, if you want to know that you have the tickets in advance, which I think is usually unnecessary, go ahead and buy them online from the Bahn.
However, really big discounts are possible if you purchase tickets online from German Rail. Some tickets have to be purchased online, others should be because they sell out. For my last trip to Germany (November) I purchased Dauer-Spezial tickets online for my Cochem to Bad Harzburg and Walkenried to Karlsruhe legs. The price at the counter, without reservations, would have been $215; I got the tickets online, self-printed, for about $90, with reservations.