Supplemental ticket for German Rail Pass for journey beginning in Strasbourg

you may not be able to get a ticket to the border (Gr. is Grenze = border) but tickets are readily available on the Bahn for Strasbourg > Kehl. They are a SWE ticket for 4,30€.

I expect that that the SNCF would have them, but I know for sure the Bahn has them.

Would that help?

you should be able to get it on the app

Kehl ticket with SWE is invalid on the ICE.

So you think it might be on the app (which I lack.) Will look into that.

THANKS!

I seriously doubt that you can purchase an ICE ticket from Strasbourg to the border or from Strasbourg to Kehl from either SNCF or the Bahn, since the ICE doesn't stop anywhere between Strasbourg and Karlsruhe. So, if you want to do Strasbourg to Karlsruhe with the ICE, you need to buy a ticket for the ICE from Strasbourg to Karlsruhe. An ICE ticket from the Bahn for Strasbourg to Karlsruhe is: advance purchase, non-refundable SuperSparPreis, ala 29€; advance purchase, partially refundable SparPreis, ala 23,90€; fully flexible, standard fare, 29,-€.

Alternatively, since your German Rail Pass will cover travel from Kehl to Offenburg or Kehl to Karlsruhe, all you need is a regional ticket from Strasbourg to Kehl, and use the GRP from there. The regional train (SWE) from Strasbourg to Kehl only goes as far as Offenburg, not to Karlsruhe. In Offenburg, you can either take another regional train to Karlsruhe or catch one of the ICEs coming up from Basel to Karlsruhe, which stop in Offenburg, either way with your GRP.

It was over 30 years ago, but I twice bought a regional ticket for the route from Strasbourg to Offenburg, which goes through Kehl. I feel certain that a ticket from Strasbourg to Kehl would have been available then.

The 8:46 ICE is by for the fastest way to Stuttgart. It is 19 EUR Super Sparpreis to the next stop in Karlsruhe, or 29 EUR all the way to Stuttgart. If moving on to Esslingen and Augsburg later that day, then suck it up and pay the extra 15 EUR to Karlsruhe. If spending the rest of the day in Stuttgart, save the Pass day for another trip and just pay the full 29 EUR to Stuttgart.

The way using the SWE train to Kehl leaves either 1+ hours earlier or later and take almost another hour longer travel time with at least 2 train changes along the way.

Thanks to all for the responses.

My question was asked on behalf of a fellow traveler heading up a group of 4 with a very complex and rushed itinerary that includes several cross-border journeys. The GRP in combo with other options will work best for their circumstances. For this journey she had previously reviewed the SWE option with me and did not want to do the connections required - she wants 5 hours in Esslingen but wants to arrive ASAP in Augsburg that day (without having to heard a teenager or two onto an early-morning departure from Strasbourg.) The saver fare would in fact handle the journey just fine. But subtracting a day from the two GRP 5-day twin passes does not pay for their saver fare, even though its well priced.

Since I have myself bought several similar (Gr.) tickets from DB in the past as supplements to my own German Rail Pass, my failure to find the elusive Strasbourg > Kehl (Gr.) at 8:46 ticket was a surprise. But I have come to realize that my (Gr.) tickets were always bought at a DB ticket counter.

Nigel wrote, "I expect that that the SNCF would have them, but I know for sure the Bahn has them. Would that help?"

I am unsure about SNCF but I have every confidence that you are correct about DB, Nigel. I passed on your advice on the app. - not sure what she has come up with. But she doesn't really need it... this group actually enters Europe at FRA and will be using Day 1 of their GRP on that same day. Strasbourg > Stuttgart > Esslingen > Augsburg will be Day 2 of their GRP. So I've advised my contact to buy the GRP's at the Fernbahnhof counter immediately after arrival AND to buy the Strasbourg > Kehl (Gr.) supplemental ticket for Day 2 at the same time.

Thanks again, Russ