I was planning on buying the Europa-Spezial ticket for Innsbruck to Munich in early May. The tickets won't be available for purchase for another week but I was looking at the week ahead to get price ideas, and they weren't offering the Europa-Spezial any more.
When I checked a month ago, they were 18 Euros, but now they are much more. Does anyone know why or if I am doing something wrong? Thanks!
Not sure I understand the question. The lowest Europa-Spezial fare from Innsbruck to Munich should be €19. Maybe that's what you meant.
I just checked for April 28, as far out as they are currently selling tickets. The ECs at 10:36 and 12:36 are already sold out for the least expensive tier, but there were still tickets at €19 for the 14:36 EC, from Innsbruck.
The Europa-Spezial fare is only available for a few ECs going between Munich and Italy, stopping in Innsbruck.
A lot of people take those ECs to Italy, so that might be the reason for the popularity of the Europa-Spezial tickets.
If you can't get the Spezial fare at a low price, you might try a P2P ticket from Innsbruck to Kufstein (€13,90) and a Bayern-Ticket from there to Munich (Single, €20). Of course that means regional trains, not the EC, but you will have more choice, no advance purchase or specific train, and it will also cover your transportation in Munich when you get there.
A slightly slower, more scenic route would be P2P to Mittenwald (maybe about €9. To Scharnitz, the border, is €7,20) and the Bayern-Ticket from there.
oh yes, I did mean 19 euros. I was more shocked by how quickly they sell out, if that is why the price wasn't being offered for the latest date available.
Does that mean I should make sure to order my tickets for May 4th the day they become available?
You could purchase the Bayern-Ticket online in advance from the Bahn website, but it's only in German. You could also stop in Kufstein for an hour or in Mittenwald for two to purchase the Bayern-Ticket. If you did that, I think Mittenwald would be more interesting and would therefore prefer that route (about 4½ hr).
