Offers of German Rail
Offers for Express Trains (ICE, IC, EC
Standard- (or Flexi-) fare
There are several things you should know about these tickets.
- Children under 15, traveling alone, get a 50% discount.
- Children under 15, traveling with a parent or grandparent, are free, if included on your ticket.
- Children under 6 are free and do not have to have a ticket.
- For trips under 100km, you have until the end of the day to complete your travel. That is, you can get off the train to see towns along the way, and reboard, as long as you complete the trip by the end of the day.
- For trips over 100km, you have until the end of the following day to complete your travel. I don't think you have to indicate your intentions when purchasing your ticket.
Reservations
- Reservations are for all reservable trains in the connection.
- Reservations for trains with mandatory reservations are not included.
- When purchased as an individual ticket, 1st class tickets include a reservation. With a rail pass or BahnCard, you must purchase an add-on reservation, if desired.
| Cost of reservation(s), 1st or 2nd class |
|---|
| Type of reservation | Single | Family |
|---|
| 2nd class ticket, w/ ticket purchase or as add-on | €4,00 | €8,00 |
| 1st class ticket, as add-on | €5,30 | €10,30 |
Discount fares
Sparpreis Sparpreis and Super-Sparpreis
- Due to the advance purchase and specific train requirements, SparPreis and Super-Sparpreis tickets are the least expensive express train tickets.
- This offer is for specific dates, times, and train numbers for the express trains, and requires an advance purchase. The number of these tickets sold is limited and goes up as the less expensive ticket are sold, so as much advance purchase as you can commit to is recommended.
- At least one leg of the travel must be on an express train (ICE/IC/EC). Travel on regional trains can be included on the ticket to get to/from the express trains, but these trains are not specific. Any regional train on the same route, on the day of the ticket or until 10 AM the following day can be used.
- Tickets may be purchased online and printed on your home printer or purchased at a ticket counter.
- Sparpreis tickets are refundable up to the day before travel, for a €10 fee; you get the refund, less fee, in the form of a voucher. Super Sparpreis tickets are non-refundable.
- Super-SparPreis ticket prices start at €17,90 per person. SparPreis tickets start at €21,50 and increase as tickets at the lower prices are sold.
- Children under 15 are free if included at time of booking.
- Tickets may be purchased online and printed on your home printer or purchased at a ticket counter for a €5 surcharge. Ticket can also be mailed for €3,50.
- SparPreis and Super-SparPreis tickets are only valid on the specified express train(s) designated on the ticket. In case of a delay caused by the Bahn, the ticket is valid for the next possible train.
More on SparPreis and Super-SparPreis tickets (in German) at
Bahn.de.
Offers for Regional trains
Quer-durchs-Land-Ticket
Valid for regional trains (RE/RB/S) all across Germany after 9 AM weekdays, all day on weekends and holidays. First person pays €42, €7 for each additional person up to 5, total. Up to 3 children between 6 and 14 can also travel with you on the ticket, independent on whether they are your children on not.
Group discounts
For six or more people traveling together.
- Long distance trains
- The group discounts (60% and 70%) for long distance trains used to depend on how long in advance you purchased the tickets. Now the discount starts with a limited number at 70% and drops to 60%, all the way down to 30%, when the tickets at the biggest discount sell out.
- Regional trains
- For regional trains the group discount is 50%. You can get this discount up until 1 hour in advance of train time.
Travel to the Czech Republic
German Rail and the state of Bavaria offer several promotons for travel in the Czech Repubic. (more)