I thought that it would be cheaper for me to buy each individual train ticket for our travel in Germany, than to buy rail passes, but now I am thinking maybe rail passes are the way to go??? There will be 2 of us travelling from Poznan, Poland to Berlin (already have Poland rail passes), on another day, from Berlin to Munich, (though we may do a stopover the same day in Nurnberg). Then we will Be travelling each day for 3 days to Salzburg, Fussen, and around Munich. I know we can get Bavaria-Bayern tickets for those 3 days, inexpensively. Here's where I thought rail passes might end up being cheaper: I was on the DB website and tickets from Berlin to Munich alone are 218 euros. There are a few trains with a discount fare of 98 euros, but it really reduces our flexibility. I realize this is my fault for not getting good discount tickets earlier, but that appears to be our options for the day we travel that route in the end of July. We can get a German twin pass that will cover 4 days travel for the 2 of us together for $430 USD total, and now that I looked up individual tickets, that is looking like our best option. What would you do? Please give input. Thank you.
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19156 posts
First thing, what is "around Munich"? Most of the interesting things in Munich are in the inner zone (Innenraum), and an Innenraum Partner Tageskarte gives you (2-5 PP) unlimited travel in the inner zone for only €9. If you want to go to Dachau, an MVV XXL Partner Tageskarte is only €11,80 and covers the bus, which a railpass won't do.
So, for going to Salzburg, Füssen, and around Munich, you will need two €27 Bayern Tickets and a MVV Tageskarte - around $100. Can you do Berlin to Munich for less than $330 (~€210)?
Of course you didn't tell us what day, so it is a little hard to say for sure. Since you want to stop in Nürnberg anyway, you have a few more options.
For a day about a month from today, I found Dauer-Spezial fares for an ICE to Nürnberg for €138 for two people. After seeing Nürnberg, you can take an RE (just a little slower) to Munich with a Bayern-Ticket - total €165, about $260 for Berlin to Munich.
An ICE to Nürnberg takes about 4-1/2 hours. You can also do it via Intercity train (IC, select w/o ICE under "Means of transport"). For the same date, I found an IC connection in 6-1/2 hours for a €78 Dauer-Spezial fare for 2 PP. Add the Bayern-Ticket for an RE to Munich afterwards and it comes to €105, about $165.
Lastly, there are purely regional connections in just under 8 hours. If you are traveling on a weekend, that would only cost €35 (~$55) with a Schönes-Wochenende-Ticket. During the week you could do it for €80 (about $125) with Länder tickets on regional trains.
I didn't even try Sparpreis tickets. The first person would break even with half price for a round trip, but the second person is half that.
Be creative. Check some alternate routing. I found a Dauer-Spezial fare for two people of €98 (~$153) from Berlin to Munich with a scheduled stopover (that's what you wanted, right) in Nürnberg.
Posted by
dallas, tx, usa
1358 posts
I always compare costs by researching the point-to-point fares verses the RR pass cost. Usually I have settled on point-to-point because for me it has been cheaper.
Others can't advise your because your travel needs are different. Always do your own research to determine which is best.
Friends who live in Switzerland told me last time I was there that they always buy point-to-point and save. They asked what I had paid for my tickets and told me that I could have saved by buying them in Switzerland after I arrived.
Posted by
OP
Fresno, CA
30 posts
This is very helpful! Thank you! I feel like I have been looking at trains for hours and still didn't come up with this information. Lee, we are traveling to Munich on July 25th. I will research your suggestions. The special fares I will have to buy online, right? If I showed up at the train station to buy tickets, I would be paying the standard fare?
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19156 posts
First, make sure you are using the German Rail query page. For July 25, I see €118 for 2 Dauer-Spezial fares still available for online purchase. The ticket can be printed at home. That's ICE all the way, dep Berlin at 11:00, 2hr 37min in Nürnberg . That's the last Dauer-Spezial fare I see for that day.
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19156 posts
For that same day, I also see a slightly slower Dauer-Spezial connection for €78 for 2, via EC to Dresden, then RE to Nürnberg, and RE to Munich.
Posted by
OP
Fresno, CA
30 posts
Thanks! I snatched up that last Dauer-spezial fare for the ICE train leaving at 11:00.