One more question about Lander tickets in Germany: How does one know where one region ends and another begins? For example, when combining two passes rather than buying a more expensive p2p ticket?
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19092 posts
In the United States, how do you know where one state ends and another begins?
Maybe this interactive map from the Bahn will help a little.
Or maybe this hand-drawn map of my own.
Or just ask me.
Posted by
US Pacific Northwest
10344 posts
Lee, nice map!
Posted by
OP
Kyle, TX, USA
92 posts
That is a great map. Did I miss it in the RS book? But without knowledge of German states and boundaries which you have provided, how does one determine which passes to purchase to get the 5 of us from Rothenburg to Koblenz? I know the Bayern pass would get me to the edge of that region, but then how do I match up their pass names with where I am going? Does DBahn calculate the fare price based on use of a pass if I click on Lander pass on their website? As always, thank you.
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19092 posts
The interactive map on the Bahn website is definitely prettier, but I also thought it was important to know where major cities are relative to the Land (state) boundaries, so I made my own map with some cities shown.
Actually, Laurie, I was considering almost the same thing ealier, how to get from Rothenburg to near Koblenz with five people. I think going from Rothenburg (Bayern) to Würzburg (still Bayern) and taking the RE to Frankfurt Hbf (Hessen) via Aschaffenburg (Bayern), then an S-Bahn or regional train to Mainz (Rheinland-Pfalz) and regional trains from there would probably be the fastest and easiest. That would require a €28 Bayern-Ticket, a €31 Hessen-Ticket, and a €28 Rheinland-Pfalz-Ticket. You could buy the Bayern-Ticket in Rothenburg from an automat. If they have a red DB (touchscreen) automat in Rothenburg, you could buy the other two Länder tickets there. Otherwise stop in Würzburg long enough to get them from a DB automat there.
Posted by
OP
Kyle, TX, USA
92 posts
Since I can still buy SparPreiss tickets for 109euros (today anyway) for Rothenburg to Koblenz, I save only 21 euros by buying separate Lander passes and still have to figure out the schedules when we get to Wurzburg and Fra Hbf, right?
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19092 posts
Yeah, go for it. A few more Euros, but less complicated. And, you get to ride on nicer trains, at least for part of the way.
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19092 posts
I've found a better Länder map, with more significant cities shown.
This map comes from Baedeker, a comprehensive guidebook.
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19092 posts
Rothenburg to Koblenz (there is another, less expensive way)
Go by bus from Rothenburg to Weikersheim. I did this in 2007. At the time it cost €4,70. There is one change of buses, in Creglingen.
In Weikersheim, you buy VRN (Verhkehrsverbund Rhein-Neckar) Single Trip tickets (€8,30 pP) or a "Ticket 24 Plus" (€20), a 24 hr pass for up to 5 people for the entire district, which extends west, past Kaiserslautern. Take the train from Weikersheim to Lauda to Osterburken to Mannheim.
In Mannheim, buy a Rheinland-Pfalz-Ticket (€28 for up to 5 people). With that you can go by regional train from Mannheim to Mainz to Koblenz.
You might be able to buy the bus ticket just from Rothenburg to the border with the VRN for less than €4,70 and then buy, on the bus, the Ticket 24 Plus.