I am taking the train from Brussels to Stuttgart in late Sept. Any suggestions re: the best way to do this? DB Bahn or RE? What is the difference between 2nd and 1st Class? How far ahead should I book?
According to the German Rail site (http://www.bahn.de) the fastest connection is from Midi Station at 7:18am Arrives Stuttgart at 12:08pm with a quick connection at in Koln. For this journey it will actually be cheaper to purchase an advance nonrefundable/unchangeable first class ticket at 89 euros. The standard second class fare (refund and changes allowed) is 125 euros. For the advance fare you should book ASAP at the DB site. Never purchase any rail ticket from RE, they overcharge...their fare is around 200 euros.
As Michael says, book on the DB site ASAP. You've waited too long to get the cheapest Savings fare (39 EUR). However, if you're flexible as to what time of the day you leave Bruxelles, you may be able to get a Savings fare somewhere between 39 EUR and 89 EUR.