It’s no secret that the train system in Germany is one of the best in the world. Trains run on time, they are fast, some include bars and restaurants, cabins for families with young kids and altogether the network reaches every corner of Germany (and beyond).
But as a foreigner it’s a bit daunting to a non-German speaker to understand how to get the best out of it. Over the counter tickets can seem a bit… well, expensive frankly! So, we’ve been talking with Deutsche Bahn to find out how you can get the best bang for your buck.
Here are the 3 best deals from Deutsche Bahn for discovering Germany by train.
1. Quer-durchs-Land Ticket
Travel throughout Germany for €44
Whether you are planning a scenic trip along the Rhine, a shopping afternoon in Münster or getting fresh air on the Baltic Sea, the Quer-durchs-Land-Ticket is the right option for you. This ticket offers a one-day unlimited rail travel throughout Germany. No traffic jams, no parking and no stress. Leave your car behind and experience a comfortable journey with Deutsche Bahn.
Travel one day throughout Germany with the Quer-Durchs-Land-Ticket for just €44. And the best news? Up to 4 additional people may join the trip for just €8 extra each. This offer is valid from Mondays to Fridays for one day in DB Bahn’ s regional trains only.
One ticket – many advantages
- One day unlimited rail travel
- Monday to Friday, from 9 a.m. until 3 a.m. the following day
- Valid in all regional trains and participating TOC’s in Germany in second class
- 1st person €44 only
- 2nd to 5th person only €8 supplement each
- Children under 15 accompanied by their parents or grandparents travel for free in many cases
| Travel at great low prices with your Quer-durchs-Land-Ticket: | ||
| Number of passengers | Total price | Price per person |
|
1 |
€44 |
€44 |
|
2 |
€52 |
€26 |
|
3 |
€60 |
€20 |
|
4 |
€68 |
€17 |
|
5 |
€76 |
€15,20 |
Book your Quer-durchs-Land Ticket here
2. Schönes-Wochenende-Ticket
Travel all over Germany at the Weekend for just €44
Travel alone, in a group of up to five people or with your children or grandchildren on local services at particularly great rates on local services at the weekend. For just €44 online or at ticket vending machines. For €46 from the DB Travel Center.
This ticket is valid on all local rail services from DeutscheBahn (S-Bahn, RB, IRE, RE), on services offered by many transport associations, and on non-federal railways and on some sections of line in Denmark, Netherlands, Austria, Poland and Switzerland too! Book the Schönes-Wochenende-Ticket directly from here or from the travel information section by selecting the local services only option. This ticket is not valid on the IC, ICE or EC trains.
Your benefits at a glance:
- Up to 5 people travel for as little as €44 (when purchased online or from ticket vending machines)
- Unlimited travel for one day
- Travel across Germany – 2nd class on all regional trains
- Saturday or Sunday, from 12 a.m. until 3 a.m. the following day
- Benefit for parents and grandparents (1 or 2 adults): Your own children/grandchildren up to the age of 14 travel for free
Book your Schönes-Wochenende-Ticket here.
3. Discover a State with Länder-Tickets
Travel with flexibility for up to 5 people from €39
Would you like to discover a German region for the day? With a Länder-ticket, you are free to discover the German state of your choice, with unlimited travel for one day! You can use all regional trains (Interregio-Express, Regional-Express, Regionalbahn, S-Bahn) and the entire urban/local transport system on the same ticket. Plus you can take four friends with you for the same price.
Advantages:
- for up to 5 travellers
- valid for one day on all regional DB trains and for services provided by scores of transport associations
- monday to friday from 9:00am until 3 a.m. the following day
- on weekends and public holidays from midnight
- available as as a single-or night-ticket
- attractive discounts with many partners
- collection of bahn.bonus-points (except Hessen-Ticket, Schöner-Tag-Ticket NRW and Niedersachsen-Ticket)
Our recommendation is to start within your local state and discover what is right on your doorstep!
Baden-Württemberg Ticket – €39 for a group of 5
Travel through Baden-Württemberg with up to 5 accompanying persons on all local trains! The natural heritage of Black Forest and the Swabian Alb, Neckar Valley and Lake Constance, and the Allgäu Hohenlohe are waiting to be discovered.
Book your Baden-Württemberg Ticket here.
Rheinland-Pfalz Ticket – €39 for a group of 5
Travel through Rhineland Palatinate with up to 5 accompanying persons on all local trains! Discover Rhineland-Palatinate with its amazing castles or in bustling cities such as Trier, Mainz and Koblenz. Rhineland-Palatinate has a lot to offer! Come and convince yourself!
Book your Rheinland-Pfalz ticket here.
You can find plenty of additional information on all of these offers on the Deutsche Bahn website. But if you would like the personal service, give them a call. If the operator doesn’t speak English, they will pass you to an operator that does.Don’t be scared. You live in Germany now. Come and get involved!
Featured Image Photo Credit: © Shutterstock-Pavel L