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Travel in style with Eurail

First class rail travel is irresistible. There's nothing like watching the beautiful and ever-changing European scenery pass by from a quiet and comfortable train compartment, with the comforting sound of rail cars gliding smoothly over the rail tracks.

You can choose to travel with a first class Pass for optimal comfort, or with a budget-friendly second class Pass. A first class Pass gives you access to both first and second class compartments on every train. 

Common features of 1st vs 2nd class

Individually adjustable seats

More room between the seats sideways

More legroom

Extra wide tables

Electric outlet per seat

Cabin service: menus are served at your seat

Modern seats in open cars

Compartments (6 seats)

Generous luggage racks / luggage compartments

Multifunctional tables

One electric outlet per double seat

Restaurant and bistro car

Wi-Fi (Some cars)

The decision will not only depend on your budget but also on the travel experience you are looking for. In general, first class offers serenity and quietness, whereas second class offers more of a community travel experience.

Traveling first class usually means spacious, comfortable seats, amenities such as USB-ports, free Wi-Fi and – in some cases – complimentary drinks and meals. Sometimes the perks of traveling first class even start before boarding the train, with access to lounges and priority check-in.

However, how luxurious the first class experience will be, differs per country and train company. In some countries first class simply means you have a better chance of finding a seat, whereas in other countries it means you’ll feel like royalty. 

"Highly Recommended"

Purchased a Eurail First class pass and used it for 10 trips within Germany, Austria and Czech republic. Highly recommended way of travelling. very easy to use. Would definitely travel this way again

​ TrustPilot from GCM, United States 

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Train in Germany – A Comprehensive Traveler’s Manual

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Moving to Germany or new in Germany? Check out our Resources Page for all the help you need!

When it comes to exploring the heart of Europe, there’s no better way than hopping on a train in Germany. In this guide, we’ll break down everything you need to know about train travel in Germany. From booking your ticket to understanding the train types and other insider tips , we’ve got your back. So, grab your ticket, and let’s embark on a train adventure in Germany!

Table of Contents

Train companies in Germany

Germany has a diverse railway industry with several train companies operating both domestically and internationally. 

Deutsche Bahn is the national railway company of Germany and one of the largest train operators in Europe. It covers a wide range of train types and routes, from high-speed journeys between major cities to regional travel within different states.

Besides Deutsche Bahn, you can also find private train operators in Germany such as FlixTrain, NordWestBahn, HKX (Hamburg-Köln Express), LEO Express, and others. They offer alternative options for rail travel, fostering competition.

Read also:  Free Credit Card in Germany – Top 5 For Travel and Cashback

Different types of trains in Germany

Regional trains in germany.

Germany has a super well-connected web of regional trains that pretty much covers the entire country. Locals use them for daily commutes, and tourists use them to explore different places. Regional trains are not the flashy high-speed ones but do a fantastic job connecting smaller places. 

Depending on where and when you’re traveling, regional trains can run every half-hour or hour . But in quieter areas, they might not show up as often.

These trains can look different – some are single-deck, while others have two decks. They’re either run by Deutsche Bahn (DB) or sometimes by other companies. But you can usually buy tickets for all of them on the  DB website .

Many regional train stations have ramps and elevators to make it easy for passengers with disabilities. These trains also like to partner with other forms of public transport , like trams, buses, and subways. It’s like a one-ticket-fits-all deal, making it convenient to move around cities and regions.

There are different types of regional trains in Germany:

The S-Bahn is the most frequent type of regional train, and it can show up as often as every few minutes .

Think of S-Bahn trains as the city’s commuter buddies. They can cover quite a distance, but they’re mainly for folks living in big cities . These trains basically connect the downtown hub with the suburbs and nearby spots .

Back when I lived in a big city like Munich or Berlin, I used the S-Bahn all the time. But when I moved to the suburbs , I ditched the S-Bahn (unless I had to travel to the big city from the suburbs). People in the suburbs find it easier to get around on bikes, by car, or just walking inside their smaller towns.

You can also use the S-Bahn for trips between big cities sometimes, but it stops at a lot of places along the way and isn’t the speediest option.

Read also:  Living in Germany – Big City vs. Small Town

Regional Bahn (RB)

This is similar to S-Bahn. They stop a lot and mostly cover short trips within one state or region . They have fewer stations than the S-Bahn.

Regional Express 

There are 2 types of regional express: InterRegio-Express (IRE) or Regional-Express (RE) . IRE is the fastest regional train. They only stop at a few stations and usually travel longer distances. RE trains are slower than IRE and they are stopping at more stations.

If you’re going between big cities in the same region , you can choose to use the regional express. It will be faster than if you do so with a S-Bahn. 

U-bahn is very similar to S-Bahn with the exception that U-bahn mainly operates within the city . S-Bahn connects the city with its suburbs and neighboring towns and it covers longer distances.

U-Bahn trains also have more frequent stops within the city center . They run mainly underground in the city centers and have very frequent service .

IC or ICE trains in Germany

Ice trains in germany.

ICE stands for “ InterCityExpress .” These are very fast trains run by Deutsche Bahn (DB). People love them because they’re fast, comfy, and have cool stuff on board. 

ICE can run  up to 300 kilometers  per hour on some routes. That means you can cover big distances between major cities in no time .

When you hop on an ICE train, you’re in for a comfy ride . The seats are roomy, there are power outlets to charge your gadgets, and some even have Wi-Fi. Plus, there’s usually a restaurant or a bistro car where you can grab a bite to eat.

You can use ICE trains to travel between big cities in Germany. But ICE trains don’t just stick to Germany. You can use them to explore other neighboring countries too. 

 ICE trains are also user-friendly to people with disabilities . There are spots for wheelchairs, accessible restrooms, and staff who can lend a hand.

ICE Sprinter

The ICE Sprinter is a premium high-speed train service operated by Deutsche Bahn. It is similar to ICE and can reach speeds of up to 300 kilometers per hour, covering long distances between major cities within Germany and internationally .

The difference between ICE and ICE Sprinter trains is that ICE Sprinter trains make fewer stops compared to the regular ICE services. This allows passengers to reach their destinations more quickly, making it a preferred choice for business travelers and those seeking shorter travel times.

IC trains in Germany

IC means InterCity and it is also run by Deutsche Bahn. IC trains are very similar to ICE trains but they are not as fast (up to 200km/ h) . Similar to ICE, they often have amenities like power outlets, restrooms, and sometimes dining or bistro cars, depending on the route. IC trains primarily connect major cities within Germany .

The primary difference between IC and ICE trains is their speed. ICE trains are high-speed trains that can travel significantly faster than IC trains. ICE trains usually provide more frequent service between major cities. And they offer more modern amenities and a higher level of comfort compared to IC trains.

IC trains are often used for regional and domestic travel within Germany , while ICE trains are favored for both domestic and international journeys, including connections to neighboring countries.

EC trains in Germany

EuroCity , often shortened to EC, is your way to smoothly travel between different countries in Europe . 

When you step into an EC train, you’ll find it quite cozy. On some routes, you might even get dining cars or onboard food service , adding a touch of convenience to your journey.

EuroCity trains run at a speed of up to 200km/h . They connect you to a bunch of fantastic European cities, from Germany to Italy, Austria, and beyond. 

Night trains in Germany

Night trains in Germany offer a unique and convenient way to travel long distances while combining rest and transportation . Deutsche Bahn used to offer night train services called City Night Line (CNL). But it has been discontinued since 2016.

However, you can find other night train providers in Germany. For example, ÖBB Nightjet or EuroNight (EN) connects Germany with various European destinations.

Many modern night trains offer comfortable sleeper compartments with beds, private bathrooms, and other amenities. Some also have dining cars or onboard catering services. 

A few years back, I hopped on the night trains. It was pretty awesome. I could catch some sleep during the ride. And by the time I woke up, bam, I was at my destination. No time was wasted, and it was way comfier than taking a plane too.

Other privately run trains

In addition to the trains operated by the national railway company Deutsche Bahn, there are also privately run train services in Germany. 

For example, FlixTrain, NordWestBahn, HKX (Hamburg-Köln Express), LEO Express, etc. These services may connect major cities and offer alternative options for travelers.

Price of train tickets in Germany

There are different types of train tickets in Germany. If you go to the  Deutsche Bahn website , you will find the different types below.

Super Sparpreis

This means super saver . You can save a lot of money by choosing this type of ticket. However, no cancellation is allowed and the ticket is only valid on your selected train . City ticket is not included in this type of ticket, meaning that you cannot travel free of charge on public transportation to get to your departure station or from your destination station.

There are also Super Sparpreis Young and Super Sparpreis Senior . These are discounted tickets for people under 27 years old and over 65 . 

This is saver fare . You can cancel with a 10 EUR cancellation fee . The ticket is only valid on your selected train but a city ticket is included .

These are flexible tickets and you can cancel free of charge . It is not limited to specific trains and city ticket is also included.

Group saver fares

If you are traveling in a group of 6 people or more , you can get this discounted ticket . It is only valid on your selected train with seat reservation included.

Regional offers

You can use this in local transport like IRE, RE, RB, and S-Bahn. You can get a day ticket for 1 to 5 people .

How to Buy Train Tickets in Germany

When it comes to buying train tickets in Germany, you’ve got some different options.

Different ways to buy train tickets in Germany

Mobile app:.

Grab tickets using the  DB Navigator app . It’s like your travel sidekick, letting you manage your trip and even flash your ticket as a mobile PDF . Super handy for your train travels on the move.

Hop onto the  Deutsche Bahn website   to peek at train schedules and prices, and secure your tickets well ahead. It’s mobile-friendly. Plus, you can also use online booking services like Omio or Trainline to buy your tickets.

Vending Machine:

Find a touchscreen ticket machine at the station. They’re usually card-friendly and make ticket-buying a breeze.

Staffed Ticket Counter:

If there’s a ticket counter hanging out at the station, you can swing by and grab your tickets there. They’re usually cool with credit cards . Just watch out for queues during rush hours .

When you’re buying your ticket, you can choose between riding first class or second class . You can also decide if you want to pay extra for a seat reservation. 

Most online tickets pop up as mobile tickets, which you can show to the conductor on your phone . But if you go old-school and buy a physical ticket at the station, remember to validate it unless there’s already a specific time printed on it.

Can I buy a train ticket on the train in Germany?

Starting from January 1st, 2022, buying tickets from train attendants on long-distance trains is a no-go .

But no worries!

For those long-distance trips, like ICE and IC/EC trains, you can use the DB Navigator app and book a ticket up to 10 minutes after the train has departed. Just make sure there’s more than a 10-minute gap between your boarding station and the next train station.

Do I need to buy train tickets for my children?

Good news for parents! Small children aged 5 and under can ride Deutsche Bahn trains for free. But if you want them to have their own seat, you’ll need to pay for that.

Children aged 6 to 14 can also ride for free, but they’ve got to ride with someone who is 15 or older. Don’t forget to reserve extra seats if you need them. Once they turn 15 years old , it’s the regular adult fare.

Should you buy train tickets in Germany in advance?

In Germany, booking train tickets ahead of time isn’t always a must, especially for local and regional trains. Here’s a simple guide:

Local and regional trains:

Usually, you don’t have to book tickets in advance for these trains. You can buy them at the train station just before your trip. These trains run frequently in specific areas and usually don’t fill up.

Long-distance/ high-speed/ international travel:

If you’re taking long-distance or high-speed trains like ICE (InterCity Express) or IC (InterCity), especially during busy times, it’s a good idea to book ahead. These trains can get crowded , and booking early often gets you cheaper tickets . Plus, it’s smart if you want a specific seat.

In a nutshell, while it’s a good idea to book ahead for certain train trips in Germany, it’s not a must for local and regional travel. Germany’s railway system often has special deals, discounts, and saver fares for early birds. These can save you money, so it’s worth checking for these if you have a fixed travel date.

Getting a BahnCard in Germany

A  BahnCard is a popular subscription-based discount card offered by Deutsche Bahn. It offers two main types with varying discounts:

BahnCard 25 :

• Provides a 25% discount on flexible fares and saver offers for long-distance travel.
• Available for both second class and first class.

BahnCard 50 :

• Offers a 50% discount on flexible fares and 25% on saver offers for long-distance travel.

Additionally, there are Trial BahnCards available for a three-month trial period , providing immediate savings.

For younger travelers between 6 to 26 years old , there are also My BahnCards available, which are cheaper than the regular BahnCards.

BahnCards can be ordered online and provide discounts on train travel in Germany. You can cancel a BahnCard up to six weeks before the end of the validity period.

Please note that prices and conditions may change, so it’s a good idea to check the  Deutsche Bahn website  for the most up-to-date information on BahnCards and their benefits.

Rail pass for trains in Germany or Europe

The Interrail Pass is like a magic ticket that lets you travel around Europe by train. You can either really get to know one country or explore several countries by train (choose from 33 different countries!).

There are two types of passes: the  Interrail One Country Pass and the  Interrail Global Pass . 

The One Country Pass lets you travel around just one country for 3 to 8 days within a month . Prices start at EUR 54. The Global Pass, on the other hand, allows you to explore 33 European countries from 4 days to 3 months . Prices start at EUR 194.

You can use the Interrail pass if you are a resident of Europe, Turkey, or Russia. Remember, though, that some fast trains and night trains need reservations , and these aren’t included in your pass.

If you are residing outside of Germany and want to explore the entire country by train? In that case, you can use the German Rail Pass as it offers unlimited travel on German trains and select routes in Italy, Belgium, and Austria. Check more details  here .

Regional offer to travel by train in Germany

Germany offers various  regional travel options  for exploring its beautiful regions using local transport. Here are some of the key regional offers:

Regional Day Ticket for Bavaria

• Also called Bayern-Ticket
• Travel throughout Bavaria for one day
• Valid on all local and regional trains, transport association services , and nearly all buses in Bavaria.
• Not valid on long-distance trains (ICE, IC)
• Available for up to 5 people.
• Prices start from EUR 27.
• No exchange or cancellation is possible
• Ideal for exploring Bavaria’s attractions

Day Ticket for Germany

• Also called Quer-durchs-Land-Ticket 
• Travel across Germany on regional services for a day.
• Suitable for groups of up to 5 people .
• Prices start from EUR 44 .
• Perfect for day trips across the country.

 Deutschland-Ticket

• Also called D-Ticket
• Conveniently travel throughout Germany with a single ticket.
• Available for just EUR 49 per month by subscription.
• Provides access to local transport networks . (not valid in ICE, IC/EC)
• Monthly cancellable

These regional offers make it easy and affordable to explore Germany’s diverse regions and enjoy its cultural events and attractions.

Train in Germany – seating class

Wondering if you should buy a First Class ticket on DB trains? Well, whether you’re headed to Berlin, Munich, or Cologne, First Class is where the magic happens. 

It’s got ample luggage storage, quiet spaces, power sockets, seat reservations, extra comfy seats, at-seat meals, free daily newspapers, unlimited free WiFi , and access to first-class lounges (where available).

In case you’re wondering, Second Class is pretty good too, but it doesn’t offer all these extras.

When it comes to seating in First Class, DB trains typically have two or three First Class carriages. With First Class, you can sit at a table for four or two seats side by side. Plus, there are options for solo travelers, including single seats with their own tables and seats facing each other for pairs .

Since we were traveling with 2 small kids this summer, we booked the First Class ticket. It wasn’t a lot more expensive and I would definitely recommend it for long-distance travel as it is more comfortable.

Should you reserve a seat when traveling with a train in Germany?

Reserving a seat on long-distance train journeys can significantly enhance your travel experience, providing several advantages. 

It allows you to select your preferred seat on many Deutsche Bahn trains, ensuring you find a comfortable spot. You can make seat reservations well in advance, up to six months before your journey, offering flexibility and convenience. The cost of seat reservations starts at just  4.90 Euros , making it an affordable option for travelers seeking added comfort.

It’s good to know that seat reservations are valid for single journeys, including all connecting trains . However, if you’re traveling on a train with mandatory reservations, seat reservations for connecting trains are not included free of charge.

Besides, free seat reservations are available to first-class passengers with tickets for specific long-distance (ICE, IC, EC) trains.

Train in Germany – traveling with children

Traveling with kids in Germany is family-friendly and budget-conscious. Little ones under 5 can travel for free with Deutsche Bahn. And kids aged 6 to 14 can also ride at no cost when accompanied by someone 15 or older.

Deutsche Bahn trains offer  family areas  with child-friendly spaces, accommodating up to five people. You can reserve seats in these areas for a small fee to ensure your family stays together. 

Families with babies and toddlers up to age 3 can make use of the Deutsche Bahn family compartments , complete with stroller storage, play areas, bottle warmers, and changing tables.

When booking tickets, specify the number and ages of your children. If you have a larger family with children between 6-14 years old, check out the DB family ticket . It allows up to eight children on one ticket.

Feel free to bring a stroller, but opt for a compact, foldable one , and check the platform information to board the train efficiently. 

My kids like traveling by train in Germany

Traveling by train in Germany with kids is a convenient and enjoyable experience. I have just made it with my two kids this summer (3 and 6 years old). 

We paid a little more to have a seat reservation in the first class and got our own table . Our kids played with their toys on the table and enjoyed the scenery during the trip. The two hours flew by fast.

What happens if you miss your train in Germany?

If you have lived in Germany for a while, you probably know that train delay in Germany is very common . We honestly don’t take a train in Germany very often as we usually just drive. But when we did, we always encountered some kind of delay.

Coming from Hong Kong where metro/ trains are almost always on time, it was hard for me to understand why trains in Germany often have such delays. 

So, why are trains in Germany often delayed?

Trains in Germany often run late for a few reasons. Sometimes, there are problems with the train tracks or the trains themselves . Bad weather , like heavy snow or storms, can also mess things up and make trains late. When lots of people are trying to get on and off the train, especially during busy times , it can slow everything down.

Technical stuff like train breakdowns, accidents at railway crossings, or issues with signals can cause delays too. If there aren’t enough train staff , like conductors or maintenance workers, that can mess with schedules. Sometimes, sad things like suicides or accidents on the tracks happen, and they need time to get sorted out.

Planned track changes, maintenance, or upgrades can also lead to delays. Plus, since there are lots of freight trains sharing the tracks with passenger trains, delays in freight train operations can affect the passenger trains.

What to do if your train is delayed?

So, what happens if your train’s delayed or canceled, or you miss your connecting train? Let’s break it down:

Getting Money Back for Delays:

If your train is super late, like more than an hour behind schedule, you can get some cash back. It’s 25% of what you paid if it’s 60 minutes late and 50% if it’s over 120 minutes late . This goes for nighttime travel too.

Changing Your Mind:

Imagine your train is running seriously late, over an hour. You’ve got options. You can cancel your trip and get all your money back. Or, if you’ve only used part of your ticket, they’ll refund what you didn’t use . 

Season Ticket Folks:

For those with season tickets, here’s the deal. If your train is over an hour late, you could get some money back. The exact amount depends on your ticket, but it won’t be more than 25% of what you paid for your season ticket.

Plan B for Travel:

Sometimes, the train people don’t tell you what to do when your train is mega late, within 100 minutes of when it should’ve left. In that case, you have the right to find another way to continue your journey, like using a different train company or even a bus . They’ll cover your reasonable expenses.

Sleeping at a Hotel:

If your train gets so delayed that it’s impossible to finish your trip on the same day, and they don’t sort out a place to crash for you, don’t worry. They’ll cover the cost of a hotel or some other way to rest up, like up to €120.

Seat Reservation Refunds:

Sometimes, because of the delays, you can’t sit in the seats you reserved. Ask for your reservation fee back, and they’ll sort it out for you.

Raising Concerns:

If things go wrong, like a big delay, make sure to speak up. File a complaint within three months of what happened, although some companies might still listen up to a year later.

What is train splitting in Germany?

My train was split.

When I was in Germany for the first time, I had a bit of a train adventure. I didn’t speak German, and I thought my train was taking me directly to where I wanted to go.

But about halfway into the journey, everyone on the train suddenly stood up and started walking off. I had no clue what was happening, so naturally, I followed them. This left me feeling totally lost and not sure what my next move should be.

As I stood there looking confused on the platform, a friendly woman noticed me. I tried to tell her where I was headed, but we couldn’t really communicate because of the language barrier.

She seemed to suggest that I should run to the front of the train , which was pretty puzzling to me. I mean, why would I need to get back on the same train but with a different carriage? It didn’t add up.

Feeling unsure of what to do, I remained on the platform, watching as my train departed without me. I ended up waiting there for about 30 minutes until the next train arrived , which I could then board. It was during this time that I finally understood what I should have done in that situation.

Why trains in Germany can split?

“Train splitting” in Germany is when a single train that initially had only one final destination splits into multiple parts, each going to a different end stop . It might sound a bit puzzling, so let me break it down for you:

Imagine there’s a long-distance train starting in City A, with its ultimate goal being City D. However, this train also makes stops in City B and City C along the way.

Now, at one of these stops, let’s say City B, the train physically divides into two or more sections . One part keeps on driving toward City C, and the other part continues its journey to City D.

So, what does this mean for passengers?

Well, folks who originally got on the same train may suddenly find themselves on different train parts, each going to a separate final destination.

Why do they do this, you ask?

It’s all about efficiency! Train companies can efficiently serve multiple cities along a route without needing a bunch of separate trains.

Therefore, next time, if you go on a train that splits, make sure you know which carriage you should go to . Otherwise, you could end up at the wrong destination!

What is Hauptbahnhof?

A”Hauptbahnhof” in Germany is like a super important train station in a city. These places are where you catch all sorts of trains, from speedy ones to slow local ones, and even trains to other countries.

Hauptbahnhof is pretty cool because you can do lots of stuff there. You can buy tickets, grab a snack, do some shopping, or just hang out while waiting for your train.

I often forget that all shops are closed on Sunday during my first year in Germany. When that happened, I would head to Hauptbahnhof to do my grocery shopping. Yes. There are big supermarkets such as Edeka there and they are still open on Sunday.

Besides the shopping, Hauptbahnhof is usually located right in the heart of the city. And you can often catch buses, trams, or subways from there too. Trains are constantly coming and going, so you won’t be twiddling your thumbs for long. 

The difference between Hauptbahnhof and the regular everyday train station, which we call “ Bahnhof ,” is that Bahnhof is smaller and more local . They’re still crucial for getting around in smaller areas. But they’re not as massive as the Hauptbahnhof.

Train stations at airports in Germany

Many major airports in Germany are well-connected to the country’s extensive railway network, and they have train stations located directly at or within close proximity to the airport terminals. These train stations provide convenient access to various cities and regions in Germany. 

Airports in big cities like Frankfurt, Munich, Berlin, Düsseldorf, etc. are connected directly with train stations. Besides these airports, many other airports in Germany also have train stations or convenient rail connections

When we went to Germany this summer, we flew into Frankfurt . From there, we hopped on a train to my parent-in-law’s place near Düsseldorf. We picked Frankfurt because it has direct flights from the US , which means no layovers.

Plus, the train station at the airport made things super easy. When you plan your travel, you can also consider choosing a big airport with lots of flight options and then just catch a train to where you want to go. 

Read also:  Germany Travel Tips: Getting Around

Train in Germany – Bringing your bike

Traveling with your bicycle in Germany is a great way to get around in an eco-friendly manner. You can bring your bicycle on most regional, IC, and EC trains, as well as on selected ICE routes.

If you’re planning to take your bike on a long-distance train journey, you’ll need two things: a long-distance bicycle ticket and a reservation for your bicycle. Remember to book these ahead of time because they’re super important for taking your bike on the train.

Now, for regional trains , it’s a bit different. You can simply get a flexible bicycle day ticket from ticket machines, at the train station’s DB travel center, or online. These trains don’t have reservations for bike storage, but you’ll need your bicycle ticket and a valid train ticket.

Keep in mind that how you bring your bike on board can vary depending on where you are in Germany. Different regions have different rules, and there may be restrictions during busy times, like rush hours. So, it’s a good idea to check out the specific info for the area you’ll be traveling through on the Deutsche Bahn website.

When it comes to booking your bike space on long-distance trains, it’s a smart move to do it well in advance, especially if you’re traveling during peak times. You can actually reserve your bicycle space up to six months ahead of your trip.

Usually, you’ll find the bicycle compartments in second-class carriages, and your reservation details will tell you which carriage to head to. Just remember, there’s no special locking system for bikes on trains, so bringing your own lock can be a smart move to keep your bike safe.

Tips for travelling by train in Germany

Here are some important things to know when traveling by train in Germany:

Carry Your ID : Always bring an ID that’s valid in Germany . 

Quiet Carriages : Some trains have quiet carriages where noise and phones are a no-no. It doesn’t cost extra to sit here.

Connecting Trains : Changing trains can save you money sometimes. Connections are usually easy, but give yourself at least 30 minutes for transfers, especially if you’ve luggage.

Food & Drink : Trains often have a bistro with drinks and snacks. You can also bring your own food and drinks, even a bottle of wine!

Luggage : There are no baggage fees or weight limits. Take your bags on board and put them on racks or above your seat . It is also good to know that many train stations have lockers to store your bags while you explore.

Pets : Small pets like house cats can travel free on German trains if they are in an appropriate carrier . Larger dogs need a half-priced ticket . Dogs traveling outside carriers must be leashed and muzzled.

Ticket Validation : Always buy and validate your train tickets. Machines are usually at the station. If you don’t, you might get a fine.

Toilets : Trains in Germany have bathrooms you can use.

WiFi : Most trains have WiFi. It’s free if you’re in first class, but you might have to pay a bit if you’re not.

Remember, plan your trip, follow the rules, and enjoy your train journey through Germany’s pretty landscapes!

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Travel Europe on a Budget

The Savvy Backpacker

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Germany train guide – how to travel germany by train.

How to travel Germany by train — tips for buying German train tickets and advice for navigating Germany by rail.

Transportation

Germany has one of Europe’s greatest rail networks. The trains are fast, frequent, and famous for being punctual. As an added bonus, it’s very easy to book German train tickets online no matter where you’re from. So keep reading because in this Germany Train Guide we’ll cover everything you need to know about traveling through Germany by train—from navigating the system to buying train tickets for the cheapest price.

How To Buy German Train Tickets

Buying German train tickets is fairly painless since Germany’s rail system’s website is logical and it accepts payments from international credit cards without any hassle. There are also other ways to save (booking early, special tickets, etc.) that we’ll cover below.

Travel Tip: Most train tickets in Germany are now electronic so having reliable high-speed data for your phone is super helpful when traveling by train. Here are a few articles I’ve written to help you get cheap mobile data in Germany:  Guide To Mobile Data Plans and Smartphone Phones in Europe , and  How To Buy A SIM Card and Mobile Data Plans in Europe .

Where To Buy German Train Tickets

Here are a few places to buy train tickets:

Omio (Recommended)

Omio is a search engine that lets you compare and book trains anywhere in Europe. It allows you easily book tickets with your credit card at essentially the same prices as the Deutsche Bahn website — there is a very small service charge.

Additionally, Omio searches routes for multiple rail services across Europe so it’s great for international trips (since it can easily combine rail journeys of multiple countries).

Train tickets sold via Omio are electronic—simply show the conductor the ticket on your phone (you can also print the ticket if you wish).

TrainLine (Recommended)

TrainLine is another third-party booking site that connects directly to Germany’s National Rail Network and it gives you the same prices you’d find there. They also take international credit card payments without any hassle.

Additionally, it searches routes for multiple rail services across Europe so it’s great for international trips (since it can easily combine rail journeys of multiple countries).

Train tickets sold via TrainLine are electronic — simply show the conductor the ticket on your phone (you can also print the ticket if you wish).

Buying German Train Tickets via Deutsche Bahn—aka the German Rail System

You can buy German train tickets directly through Germany’s national rail system — Deutsche Bahn (www.bahn.de). It accepts most international credit cards and tickets can be sent to you electronically or printed at home.

While rare, sometimes you might encounter some translation issues when using Deutsche Bahn—which is why I prefer using Omio or TrainLine .

NOTE: German train tickets can be purchased about six months in advance.

Buying German Train Tickets At The Train Station

You always have the option to buy your train tickets from any train station in Germany. Every train station will have automated ticket machines and ticket windows. All the machines have an English-language option and most employees staffing the ticket windows will speak English.

DO I NEED TO BUY GERMAN TRAIN TICKETS IN ADVANCE?

Long-Distance Trains

Yes. For high-speed/long-distance trains in Germany, you should book early to get the best price—fares rise as the departure date approaches. For example, a ticket purchased on the day of travel can cost 3x-4x the price as one bought a month or two in advance.

These high-speed trains include InterCity Express (ICE), ICE Sprinter, InterCity (IC), Eurocity (EC).

Regional Trains

No. These trains have a fixed price based on the distance traveled. Simply show up at the station, buy your ticket, and hop on the train. These trains are obviously slower and you’ll have more connections. However, you can book them via the Omio or TrainLine app simply for the convenience of not needing to buy them at the station.

Types of German Train Tickets

There are two standard ticket types:

• Sparpreis:   Sparpreis is a budget ticket that’s valid for a specific route (i.e. it’s not flexible). There is also a first-class version that has the same limitations but you get a few extra perks like nicer seats, more legroom, and access to a nice lounge in large stations — sometimes the first-class and second-class tickets are virtually the same prices so treat yo self.
• Flexpreis: The Flexpreis is a full-price ticket but it offers a lot more flexibility — it’s valid on any train of the day and you can cancel the ticket before the day of travel. It’s also a lot more expensive.

HOW TO COLLECT YOUR TRAIN TICKETS

All digital and printed tickets have a QR code that the conductor will scan when they check tickets on the train. It’s super easy.

• Digital Tickets: You can download the ticket as a PDF and save it to your smartphone, tablet, or laptop. This is the easiest way.
• Print: You can also print the PDF.
• DB Navigator App: You can have the ticket loaded to your DB Navigator app.
• Print at the Station: Most of the time you can print your ticket at the station. You’ll be given a code that you type into the ticket machine and it will print there. You can also go to the customer service counter.
• By Mail: Yes, you can get printed tickets mailed to you at an extra cost — I think it’s around €5 and takes a while to arrive.

Tips For Using German Trains

First, we recommend getting to the train station about 20 minutes early so you can find your train platform in plenty of time — by the way, there is no check-in… you simply get on the train. Most are easy to navigate but it’s best to play it safe. Also, if you’re printing a ticket at the station you should leave more time because there can be lines to use the machines.

Once you have your tickets sorted, look at the departure board. This will tell you where to find your train. Pay attention to the board as the platform can sometimes change. Don’t worry if you don’t see your train on the board because they may not list it until it’s closer to departure time.

After you’ve found the platform, use the signs in the station to locate the train. Almost everything should be in English and most Germans speak excellent English.

When the train pulls you’ll want to find your correct car if you have assigned seats (if not, just sit in any non-reserved seat). Each train car will have a number on it so it’s easier to find the car while outside the train than to walk through the train to get to your car. From here, all you gotta do is find your seat.

There is plenty of luggage storage on the train—both above/behind the seats and in the luggage racks at the end of the cars.

Eventually, the conductor will come by to check your tickets.

Rail Passes for Germany

Another great thing about German train travel is that rail passes can actually be a pretty good deal. That’s because they don’t require rail pass users to make reservations — even on the expensive high-speed trains (the exception is overnight trains). So all you gotta do is hop on any train and go.

Check out Eurail.com for the various rail pass options.

Eurail Pass Vs Single Tickets: What’s Cheaper?

So what’s a better deal—a Eurail pass or single tickets. Well, it depends…

First, you need to look at the per day/per ride cost of the pass — i.e. divide the total cost of the pass by the number of rides it gives you. If you go to Eurail they do a pretty good job of breaking down the per-day price. So, in the image above, a pass that gives four travel days in a month costs $58 (€50) per travel day.

From here you need to estimate how much a single ticket would cost.

The price of a single ticket will vary greatly based on when you buy it and the travel distance. So let’s take a look at a Munich to Berlin ticket.

If you buy this ticket four months in advance the price is around €30-€40. So this is quite a bit cheaper than the pass.

If you buy tickets one month in advance the prices are still fairly affordable at €40-€54. This ends up being a little cheaper or about the same as the pass.

However, when you book less than a week in advance the price skyrockets to well over €50 so a pass is a way better deal.

In conclusion:

Single tickets are almost always cheaper if you buy them a few months in advance but you lose out on flexibility as you have to ride that specific train. Rail passes usually end up being a better deal if your plans aren’t set in stone as you can choose what trains you take on a whim. So we recommend visiting  Eurail  to see what passes might work for your trip and then do some simple math comparisons.

More Rail Pass Considerations

• 28 & Older: If you’re 28 and over then you’re required to buy a first-class rail pass. This does jack the price up a good amount so it’s less of a deal when compared to 2nd-class single tickets.
• German Rail Twin Pass:  When two people travel together they get a 50% discount on the second pass (this is good for both 1st and 2nd class passes). You’ll have to travel on the same train because you’re only given one pass with both your names on it.

More Tips For Riding Trains in Germany

• The Departures Board:  You’ll find your train platform via the departure board at the train station. Don’t worry if you don’t see your train because they often only display trains departing within the next 10-20 minutes.
• Self-Service Machines Are In English:  Don’t worry if you don’t speak German because the ticket machines (and train station signs) are all in English.
• DB Navigator App: Download Deutsche Bahn’s official app to book tickets, check timetables, and do other helpful stuff.
• Download The Rail Planner App:  There are a number of rail apps but we like the  Eurail App  — it essentially has the timetables/info for every train in Europe and it doesn’t require an internet connection.
• Cheap Tickets Are Non-Refundable:  One downside to cheap tickets is that they’re non-refundable and there is a fee to change (but you can’t do it on the day of travel).
• Pack A Picnic:  You’re allowed to bring your own food and alcohol on trains. It’s great for those long train rides.
• Luggage:  There aren’t any weight limits on luggage and you can bring as much as you want (well, as much as you can carry). Simply bring it on and store it above your head, behind your seat, or in the luggage racks in each car.
• Making Connections:  Your trip might require you to change trains along the journey. Don’t worry if there isn’t much time between trains as switching trains are usually fairly quick and easy (it’s not like flying).
• Get To The Train Station Early:  Train stations are usually fairly easy to navigate but they can be a little confusing.
• Changing Stations: Some routes might have you switch train stations in a city to make the journey — pay attention to this because stations are usually far apart.

More Articles About Traveling In Germany

• Berlin City Guide : What to do, see, and eat in Berlin.
• Best Hostels in Berlin : The best cheap places to stay in Berlin.
• How To Choose The Best Travel Insurance : Travel insurance will help cover those non-refundable train tickets if something goes wrong during your trip.
• Packing List For Europe Travel : Tips on packing light — which makes train travel much easier.
• How To Buy Train Tickets In Germany : In-depth guide to buying Germany train tickets.
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German Train FULL Tour: Train Travel in Germany For Beginners

Beginners Guide to Train Travel in Germany

Traveling by train is a a great way to explore Germany and the rest of Europe. With this beginners guide to train travel in Germany you will go from novice to (semi) pro.

With that being said, you can find a train station in almost every European city. For example, my small town of 50K people has a train station that will take you just about anywhere in the EU – trust me we’ve tested it.

Before you head out there’s a few things to keep in mind.

Table of Contents

Know before you go /// Most Common Trains ||| Advantages /// Getting on the Train ||| 2nd Class /// 1st Class ||| Train Schedule /// Disadvantages of Train Travel in Germany ||| Buying Train Tickets /// Bayern Ticket ||| Deutsche Bahn App /// Military Travel Guide

Americans Living in Germany; Know before you go. 

Here is a quick reminder of some things to always bring when traveling as an American; first, don’t forget to bring cash (Euros), passports, a mask & vaccination documents (if necessary).

Not sure which passport you need? Check out our  passports guide!

If you’re in the military and stationed in Vilseck Germany, this is an opportunity to test out your local train station. Even this tiny city of 6K+ has a train that’ll take you anywhere you want to go in Europe!

Most Common Trains

Germany has a bunch of trains. Regional trains, high speed trains, and underground trains. Below are some of the most common to get familiar with:

ALX (Alex) Trains

ICE (Intercity-Express) Trains

IC (Intercity) & EC (Eurocity) Trains

RE (Regional Express) Trains

RB (RegionalBahn) Trains

S-Bahn (S) Trains

Advantages of Train Travel in Germany

If you aren’t used to riding the train in Germany, here’s some reasons why you need to consider trying it out for your next journey. 

• – Trains are in (almost) every city
• – No security lines
• – Food and drink
• – Work/relax
• – Flexible schedule

I know we’ve already made this clear, but I can not stress enough how convenient it is to have public transportation available to you no matter how big or small the city is.  Let’s just let that one sink in. 

Ok, another fact, lines suck. 

When getting on a train, you won’t find any security lines, making it easier to hop on and off. 

Unlike the airport, you don’t have to worry about showing up 2hrs early, separating your belongings at checkpoints, or stressing  out about a line that could cause you to miss your flight.  

Getting on the Train 

Right before you get on the train double check that you’re on the right one.  Most individual train wagons have the train number and destination details right on the windows.

Time to store your luggage and find a seat. 

You’ll find luggage compartments at the end, and sometimes right in the middle of individual train wagons.

In other words, they’re located right near all the exits of the train. 

Most trains will also have overhead compartments for luggage.  

As an American, it felt strange to leave my luggage out of sight when trains were full or your assigned seat was on the opposite end. 

But it’s all good.  

Your luggage is safe. In my experience, other passengers aren’t worried about stealing your belongings.  

However, I would periodically check on it when the train has stops, just to make sure no one mistakenly takes your similar looking bag. 

2nd Class Train Travel in Germany 

A standard second class ticket is your most common ticket on the railway. 

Each train in Germany has a different vibe for second class, but at a minimum you can expect:

• – Comfortable seating
• – Tables for games or doing work
• – Cup holders
• – Outlet plugs 
• – Toilets
• – Special seating for bikes, elderly or handicap, and even kids 

Depending on which type of train you’re on, there’s also food, drink, or light snacks available. And when there’s not a worldwide pandemic, you can bring your own food or drink – to include pregame beers for Oktoberfest!  

1st Class Train Travel in Germany 

Welcome to 1st class travel. You’ll find 1st class seating on just about every “above ground” train. 

The regional trains will have a little more leg room, an outlet plug, and it will be sectioned off in a quieter part of the wagon. 

InterCity Express (ICE) trains will be your top notch 1st class experience. 

ICE trains have their own dedicated wagons with plenty of space, outlet plugs, FREE Wi-Fi, and a fancy restaurant where you can order full meals, drink, & snacks.

You can also order straight from your chair! Treat yourself to an Apfelstrudel with vanilla sauce!

Train Schedule 

Not only do you have a train station all over the map, but they also have flexible schedules. 

In the event of missing a scheduled departure or connection, chances are there’s another train arriving soon to get you where you need to go. 

Once you reach your destination, taxis are available outside the station to take you to your next stop. 

Disadvantages of Train Travel in Germany

Like all modes of transportation, there’s some disadvantages to be aware of as well. 

• – Travel time can be longer than car
• – Time delays/strikes
• – Stranded by weather
• – Language barrier
• – Missing your connection
• – Overcrowded

Although I’m a strong advocate for the train, there’s definitely some sensitive issues that need to be addressed. 

Travel time.

Just because you’re on a train and there’s no traffic, doesn’t mean you’ll get there faster. 

Usually your travel time by train vs a car is a bit longer.  I’ve learned to accept this over time. 

I’m completely ok with traveling a bit longer in order to avoid traffic (aka “Stau”), sitting for long periods of time, and just driving in general. 

Delays and strikes are the worst. This can completely change your “train vibes.”

Delays are unavoidable, you’ll experience this from time to time, but we’ll show you how to work around it. 

Some of the most common delays occur due to weather, construction, and train maintenance.

In addition, overcrowded trains will cause delays and sometimes force you to sit on the floor if you haven’t reserved a seat. Be careful when booking during a big festival, and stay aware of train occupancy by recognizing the “how full is my train symbol.”

Although rare, strikes also happen and there’s nothing you can really do to prevent it.  The biggest advantage to “beating a strike” is to have awareness.

Strikes are no surprise (delays are).  You can always count on the local news or Deutsche Bahn Navigator App to warn you about an upcoming “Streik” and how it may effect your train travel in Germany.

Missed connections are also a huge bummer. You can miss your connection for a number of reasons, but keep in mind, through the DB App you can always see the schedule in real time to make adjustments for unforeseen delays.

Check out all your passenger rights for refunds on delayed trains, missed connections, and cancellations

Lastly, if you’re new to train travel in Germany, chances are “split trains” and language barriers can also cause a bit of confusion and frustration. Most train announcements speak in both German and English, but split trains still seem to catch us by surprise.

Pro Tip:  Take the time to learn a few keywords to navigate the language barrier.  Abfahrt – Departure Ankunft – Arrival Fahrkarten – Tickets Fahrplan – Train Schedule Gleis – Track Verspätung – Delayed Hauptbahnhof (Hbf) – Central Train Station Bahn/Zug – Train Getrennt. – Split/Separate Dieser Zug wird getrennt – This train will split Ausstieg Links/Rechts – Exit to the Left/Right Nächste Station – Next Station Reserviert – Reserved

On some occasions, trains will join or split from other train wagons on the track. It’s important that you understand exactly what train wagon you’re getting on before you enter the train.

Each section of the train is categorized alphabetically by train wagon.

A B C D E will be big and bold right on the train gate as well as on the schedule board above the track. Each letter represents different sections of the train so you’ll know where 1st/2nd class are, bathrooms, and restaurants.

The letters will also let you know where each section of the train is going to.

For example, the picture below represents one long train leaving at 16:43 that will eventually split in the middle of the journey.

Train wagon “A” represents train number “RE 41” which goes in the direction of Vilseck – Weiden – Neustadt (WN).

Section “B” & “C” represent train number “RE 40” which goes in the direction of Amberg – Schwandorf – Regensburg.

In this example, it’s important to get on the section of the train that matches your train number, destination city, and corresponding train wagon letter.

Buying Train Tickets

Over the years, I’ve discovered that the cost of a train ticket is relatively inexpensive, but will come down to a number of important factors.

How far in advance did you buy the ticket?

2nd Class vs 1st Class.

Did you take advantage of regional offers or the Bahn card?

Did you use a VAT form?

Not sure how to use your VAT form for the train? Here’s a refresh on VAT 101

Tips for Buying Tickets

You can purchase tickets at a kiosk, online, at a travel center, or through the DB App.

You can pay either by Euro cash, coin, or debit card at the kiosk. In addition, some kiosks will have the option for you to pay for parking as well. 

The Germans are VERY law-abiding, especially when it comes to having a ticket on the train. Kein   Ticket, Kein Fahren!   In other words, No Ticket, No Go!

Upon arrival at the train station, checking the kiosk is a great way to look up departure and arrival times at other train stations. Also the train schedule boards provide useful information, however your best option is the DB App which provides a more detailed timeline in real time. 

But first, lets go over some regional offers…

Pro Tip: Always take a picture of your tickets, just in case you misplace them, you have poor reception with the DB App, or to consolidate tickets for multiple people

Bayern ticket 

Deutsche Bahn offers regional discounts and special Bahn cards for frequent travelers.

Some of the offers include: discount tickets state by state, €49 ticket , Across the Country ticket, and for travel around the state of Bavaria, get the €26 Bayern ticket.

Benefits of Purchasing a Bayern Pass 

• ­ – Groups of up to 5 people can travel on one ticket
• – €8 for each additional passenger
• – Unlimited travel anywhere in Bavaria for the whole day
• – Mon-Fri 9 am-3 am the next day
• – Weekends and Public Holidays travel till midnight
• – Up to 3 children between 6 and under 15 travel free (regardless if they belong to you)

The Bayern pass is a great way to see multiple Bavarian cities in a single day or weekend with friends. Make sure to check out all the rules for using this type of ticket, such as writing everyone’s name on one Bayern ticket to show the ticket agent. 

Check out the FAQ page for any questions you might have, for instance, cancellations or pet travel.

Deutsche Bahn App

The Deutsche Bahn App has been a lifesaver for me when traveling. With a real-time tracker, you’ll have plenty of options to plan a detailed itinerary of your trip.

For example, “Trip Planner” allows you to map out your journey by location, date/time, and 1st/2nd class.

“My Tickets” will display your purchased E-tickets and timetable in real time.

Let’s look at an example ticket purchased from the App to show you what it means.

Train Travel from Weiden to Ramstein

First, let’s start with timetable options from Weiden to Ramstein.

Here’s the options based on the time frame I selected for the trip.

You can select “Now,” “Earlier,” or “Later” for other time options. Each section shows the arrival and departure times updated in real-time.

Looking at the first row, the “12:41” time is green which means it will be an on-time departure. If the train is delayed, it would show a time in red.

Next is “7:17” which is the total journey time of 7hrs and 17minutes. Then you have “chg.3” which shows you how many times you have to change trains – 3.

Below this you’ll find the “ALX – ICE – RE – RB” which are the different types of trains you’ll be on, followed by the ticket price “98,90€.”

By clicking the first option, it goes into further detail about this specific journey.

For example, We leave from “Pl.2” – Platform 2 on an “ALX RE2” – ALEX train number RE2. By clicking the down arrow you will see the time you arrive at each stop.

Our first stop is “München Hbf” – Munich at 15:18 at “Pl.25” – Platform 25.

Then, we have 10 minutes to get to Platform 15, which leaves at 15:28 on the “ICE 514” train.

On the following page, you’ll find offers that include cancellation options, seating, or collecting Bahn points. 

Pro-tip: If you’re a frequent traveler, you can purchase a Bahn card where you collect points for free travel, exclusive benefits, and special offers

Ok, let’s look at another example of a train going from Weiden to Ramstein. Nuremberg will be our first train change, but it seems that we’re going to arrive 20 minutes late. This is a great opportunity to see how the app provides alternative routes, but it is best to go back to the home page to find departures leaving out of Nuremberg with the closest time when you arrive.

Since I am now arriving at 07:43, the next best option is to take the 08:00 train out of Nuremberg.

There is no need to purchase another ticket since the ticket agent will know that you had a delay (once she scans your ticket) and will therefore accept your previous ticket. However, when this happens, you might not have the same assigned seat.

Final Thoughts about Train Travel in Germany

Wow. We really went down the rabbit hole, didn’t we? At this point, you have all the tools you need to become an expert on train travel throughout Germany.

Where do I go first? For some inspiration, check out my Ultimate Europe Travel Guide.

If you’re in the military, here’s the top places to go to while stationed here!

Have fun exploring and subscribe to the channel for more videos about Germany!

RELATED CONTENT

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Baumholder Germany Cheat Sheet

Kaiserslautern Military Community (KMC) Cheat Sheet

Ansbach Germany Cheat Sheet

Garmisch Germany Cheat Sheet

Vilseck Germany Cheat Sheet

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Privacy overview.

Rail travel in Germany

• 1.1 Deutsche Bahn
• 1.2 Timetables and fares
• 1.3 Integrated public transport systems (Verkehrsverbund)
• 1.4 Background information
• 1.5 Common German words and their translations
• 2.1.1 Seat reservations
• 2.1.2 Amenities
• 2.1.3 First class
• 2.2.1 Operated by ÖBB
• 2.2.2 Cooperations with ÖBB and other national railways
• 2.2.3 Other night trains
• 2.3.1 To and from Sylt
• 2.4.1 Reserved seating on local trains
• 2.5 Other train operators
• 2.7 Cooperation with airlines
• 3.1.1 On the Internet/Mobile App
• 3.1.2 At a vending machine
• 3.1.3 At a staffed ticket counter
• 3.1.4 On the train
• 3.2 Standard tickets
• 3.3 BahnCard discounts
• 3.4.1 Saver fares
• 3.4.2 Other options
• 3.5.1 Day tickets
• 3.5.2 Sharing day tickets
• 3.6.1 Buying the ticket somewhere else
• 3.6.2 Using the D-Ticket on long journeys
• 3.7 Verkehrsverbund tickets
• 3.8 Ticket add-ons
• 3.9 German Rail Pass
• 3.10 Youth and child discounts
• 5 Passenger rights
• 6 Accessible travel
• 8 Stay safe

Germany 's rail system covers most points of interest. While tickets bought "last minute" can be expensive, they can, with a bit of planning, also be surprisingly cheap. Despite the rise of intercity buses , trains are still only second to cars when it comes to getting around. A train journey from Hamburg in the north to Munich in the south usually takes less than six hours. The same journey by car takes around eight hours, a bus takes ten hours or more and neither of those figures accounts for traffic congestion. Furthermore, most trains depart every hour or every two hours while buses tend to have a much sparser schedule.

According to Deutsche Bahn, train travel is rather environmentally friendly. In 2014, one passenger-kilometre of travel on a DB long-distance train emitted almost 13 times less CO 2 than the same distance travelled by car. Local and regional trains emit more, since they tend to use less renewable energy and more diesel. DB also aims to steadily increase the share of renewable energy in the electricity it uses for its trains. In fact, the green stripe on all BahnCards indicates a promise that all tickets sold to BahnCard owners represent trains running with 100% renewable electricity.

Understand [ edit ]

Long distance train travel is operated by the state-owned Deutsche Bahn. However, the monopoly was ultimately broken when Flixtrain (the same company that operates Flixbus) entered the market on key routes serving some of Germany's largest cities such as between Berlin and Stuttgart, Berlin and Aachen, and Hamburg and Aachen, with cheaper fares albeit slightly outdated carriages. Another private operator Alex operates lines between a few cities in Bavaria and Prague in the Czech Republic.

Operators from neighbouring countries also operate lines from a city or two in Germany to their respective countries using rolling stocks from either Deutsche Bahn or their own. Most of these lines can also be used for domestic travel and may also be booked at the Deutsche Bahn website.

Deutsche Bahn [ edit ]

Deutsche Bahn operates the vast majority of German long distance trains and also sells tickets for regional and local trains operated by other companies. The DB website (which has localised versions for many places and is available at least partially in English and a half dozen other languages) is an excellent resource to find train connections throughout Europe, although some heritage railways and railway integrated bus services are not listed. The DB website sells tickets for most trips originating and/or terminating in Germany, but not for a trip only passing through Germany (for example, for a trip from Paris to Warsaw you'd have to buy a ticket from Paris to Berlin and one from Berlin to Warsaw) and won't display prices or sell tickets for some international as well as a few local train connections.

Timetables and fares [ edit ]

Timetables and standard fares ( Flexpreis ) are generally valid for one year. A new timetable comes into effect each December, usually published in mid-October. DB usually increases their prices mostly for long-distance trains with the schedule change. Verkehrsverbünde usually change their schedule around the same time but not always on the same day. There might be transition periods for the validity of local tickets.

On most routes tickets can be booked up to 180 days ahead, but tickets after the schedule change only go on sale once the new schedule has been published. If you want to get cheap tickets for long-distance trains, buy the special tickets (such as saver fares) as early as possible. The number of such tickets per train is limited, and the price goes up the closer the departure date is, and they can get sold out. However, most Germans don't book more than one week ahead, with the possible exception of international tickets.

Prices for standard fares for any train and special tickets for regional and local trains normally stay the same over the year (and they are unlimited), so they can be bought just before your trip.

Integrated public transport systems (Verkehrsverbund) [ edit ]

In larger urban areas, local transportation companies often form an integrated public transport system, called Verkehrsverbund (VB) (or Verkehrsverbünde in its plural form). In each Verkehrsverbund all public transport (this may include subways, city buses, S-Bahn, light rail and even regional trains) can be used with a common ticket and fare system. A Verkehrsverbund also offers a common and coordinated schedule. Examples include VBB around Berlin and Brandenburg (the largest by area), RMV around Frankfurt , MVV around Munich , or Bodo for the area in Germany immediately next to Lake Constance .

These urban transport networks are often (but not always) integrated with the DB network and Verkehrsverbund tickets are valid on local trains. The trend has been towards bigger Verkehrsverbünde with better railway integration and local transport schedules are often made with the train schedules in mind. The S-Bahn is usually the "heart" of a Verkehrsverbund and S-Bahn expansion has in the past often coincided with Verkehrsverbund expansion.

Long-distance trains (which includes, e.g., Flixtrain and all "white" DB trains) are not part of a Verkehrsverbund, which means a passenger may not use such services to commute between two points in a metro area with only a Verkehrsverbund ticket.

The DB Navigator app allows you to purchase most Verkehrsverbund tickets using a VISA/Mastercard debit or credit card even if you do not have a long distance train journey on the days you wish to use local city transport.

Background information [ edit ]

Germany has over 40,000 km of railways (making it the sixth longest rail network and one of the densest worldwide) and thus is incredibly well-connected, making it possible to connect from most rural areas to large metropolises. No German town with more than 100 000 inhabitants lacks rail service and most towns with more than 20 000 inhabitants have regular rail service.

Deutsche Bahn — the main railway operator in the country — is in an unusual position. Since 1994, it has been organised as an Aktiengesellschaft (joint-stock company), which is normally expected to return a profit. However, the state owns all the shares. This means DB gets pulled in two directions at the same time: it is supposed to act like a private for-profit company and also act like a state institution. Consequently the CEO - and at least some members of the board - is a political appointment and usually a household name in Germany shortly after taking office. The CEO is often referred to in the media and informally as Bahnchef ('rail boss'). So the current CEO Richard Lutz is often just called Bahnchef Lutz .

While all operators (including DB) are in theory free to run long-distance trains on any given route at any price they see fit — provided they pay track access charges to state-owned DB Netz (itself a DB subsidiary) — the situation for local trains is more complicated. The federal government gives a certain amount of money to the states which they are supposed to spend on local railway service. Some states hand this money on to local Verkehrsverbünde while others have one big pot at the state level. The state or the Verkehrsverbund that has been given the authority to do so by the state then sets timetables and train requirements (for example one train every hour with a specific number of first and second class seats, Wi-Fi and level boarding) and asks for bids from all over Europe. Usually DB will be among those bidding, but often other operators will ask for a lower subsidy and thus get the contract. Bidding for a new contract usually starts before the old contract has run out. Contract terms tend to be quite long: on some routes DB still operates under contracts that weren't subject to open bidding or where DB was the only bidder. This is one of the main reasons why Wi-Fi is very rare on local trains: operators are not obligated to provide anything not stipulated in the original contract. The contracts are often rather specific and some observers joke that the only thing a railway operator actually gets to choose is the colour scheme and the wages of employees - naturally leading to claims of DB's private competition undercutting DB's union wages still influenced by former civil servant contracts.

Common German words and their translations [ edit ]

• Flexpreis : standard fare
• Sparpreis : saver fare
• Hauptbahnhof : main train station
• Reisezentrum : travel centre (with staffed ticket counters)
• Verkehrsverbund (plural: Verkehrsverbünde ): integrated public transport system

Train types [ edit ]

Long-distance trains [ edit ].

Almost all long distance trains are run by Deutsche Bahn. All major cities are linked by DB's ICE (InterCity Express) and regular IC (InterCity) trains.

• InterCity Express (ICE) trains . High speed trains capable of speeds up to 320 km/h (200 mph). The condition of tracks and signals however allows top speeds of only 160 km/h (99 mph) on unmodified legacy tracks, 200 km/h (120 mph) on routes with special electronic equipment called "Ausbaustrecke" (the Berlin Hamburg railway is an Ausbaustrecke built for 230 km/h (140 mph)), or 250 km/h (160 mph) to 300 km/h (190 mph) on designated high-speed tracks called "Neubaustrecke". The top speed of 320 km/h (200 mph) is reached on the journey from Frankfurt to Paris, France. Although significantly faster than by road, they can also be expensive, with a 1-hour-trip ( Frankfurt to Cologne , around 180 km) costing up to €67 one-way ("Flexpreis", i.e. walk up fare without any discount). However when you book the ticket in advance and are a bit flexible with hour and date of travel, you can get a considerable discount. All domestic ICEs are electric. There are several different types of ICE, but they are all fairly similar to one another and only distinguishable for non-enthusiasts by their top speed and age. One notable difference is the ICE 4 which was introduced into regular service in December 2017 and is the only ICE which carries bicycles. The order for the ICE 4 was one of the biggest in DB history and it will take into the mid 2020s before all ordered trains enter service.
• ICE Sprinter . The same trains as regular ICEs, but they run non-stop between major cities or have only one intermediate stop. Their travel times are all below four hours in order to equal or beat door to door travel times of the airlines. There is no surcharge for using ICE Sprinter services anymore, but cheap early bird tickets may be scarcer for them. For example, an ICE Sprinter trip between Berlin and Munich takes just about 4 hours.
• InterCity (IC) trains . Fairly comfortable, even if they lack the high-tech feeling of the ICE. ICE trains are only faster than IC trains on purpose-built tracks or existing track which has been upgraded. Older ICs are locomotive hauled single level stock dating back as far as the 1970s, but most were built or refurbished in the 1990s or later. Old ICs have top speeds up to 200 km/h. In 2016 DB introduced a slew of new bi-level Intercity stock, called "Intercity 2" . They have a top speed of 160 km/h (99 mph) and are fairly modern and comfy with electric outlets, reclining seats and at-your-seat snack and drink service, but the space for luggage is rather limited, so avoid them if you have a lot of stuff to carry — however there's usually space under the seats if all else fails. On some routes IC trains are hauled by Diesel locomotives, but this is getting rarer as more routes are electrified and more routes are operated by multiple units that make switching out the motive power difficult.
• EuroCity (EC) trains . Connect larger European cities and are virtually identical to IC trains. Many EC trains are provided by neighboring railway operators (for example the Prague-Hamburg route operated by Czech railways). While this has no effect on booking and prices, the interior of the trains might be notably different from comparable German trains. Also, EC trains, especially those that travel very long distances, are more prone to delays than purely domestic services.
• EuroCity Express trains . Introduced in December 2017, they only serve the Frankfurt-Milan corridor and the Munich-Zurich corridor with stops in Switzerland. Unlike all other train categories, there is a mandatory (but free) reservation and tickets are bound to a specific train even for "Flexpreis" tickets (but Flexpreis tickets can be rebooked to another train free of charge subject to availability). The trains are Swiss tilting trains of the ETR 610 family with a top speed of 250 km/h (160 mph). Unlike EC, IC and ICE, the category "EuroCity Express" is not yet used by other railways - not even the Swiss and Italian ones, so these trains will show up on Swiss and Italian schedules as regular EC.

On major lines, ICE or IC trains run as often as hourly during the day, and even some smaller cities popular with tourists like Tübingen or Heringsdorf have daily or weekly services.

However, given the caveats above about top speeds of certain lines, you might want to check if the ICE is significantly faster than regional and local trains before you shell out for an ICE ticket. Still, early bird tickets are often priced very much in line with expected demand and faster trips tend to be more expensive than a trip with many changes or along slower lines between the same endpoints.

There are also long-distance trains operated by other companies than Deutsche Bahn (see below ), usually running over secondary routes with cheaper track access charges. These are usually comfortable enough (although not as comfortable as ICE) and sometimes considerably cheaper, but their stopping pattern can be both vastly more frequent or vastly more infrequent than comparable DB trains. Before the liberalisation of the intercity bus market competition on long-distance train routes had been increasing. But since the buses were generally even cheaper than the train services competing with DB, several companies exited the market, shelved plans to enter it or greatly reduced their services. With Flixbus now controlling well north of ninety percent of the intercity bus market, they are also the main competition to DB in the field of long distance trains.

Seat reservations [ edit ]

Seat reservations [dead link] are not mandatory but are recommended, especially if you are travelling on Fridays, Sundays or holidays, when trains are more likely to be full. That means with an Interrail or Eurail pass you can use domestic ICE trains (including Sprinter ICE trains, but not international ICE trains) without paying a supplement.

A seat reservation costs €4.90 in 2nd class. For 1st class tickets, it is included only in Flexpreis and Flexpreis Plus tickets and costs €5.90 for every other 1st class ticket (for all ticket purchases after June 11, 2023). It is therefore not included in any Sparpreis tickets. Seat reservations are valid for 15 minutes from the time the train departs. After that time other passengers can legitimately take your seat if you have not occupied it.

If you don't have or want to buy a seat reservation, look for a seat that hasn't been reserved at all, or that is only reserved for a section of the trip after you get off the train. Seat reservations are marked either with an electronic display above or in the seat or on a small paper sign at the window.

If your reserved train gets cancelled or delayed, you can have your seat reservation changed to another train at a DB Service counter or have it refunded via Passenger rights claim.

Amenities [ edit ]

There is free Wi-Fi [dead link] on virtually all ICEs, but not on ICs. As it is provided via a mobile signal, bandwidth can be lacking sometimes. To access the Wi-Fi just select "Wi-Fi on ICE" and the program should walk you through the next steps. On the second class, speed may be reduced after 200MB of usage per device. On some international trains, the Wi-Fi network may stop working when the train leaves Germany.

There is also an entertainment portal [dead link] with around 50 series and movies free of charge. The full spectrum of around 1000 shows and movies is only available to maxdome customers . As the entertainment portal is accessed via onboard servers, it is not affected by lack of bandwidth or other potential Wi-Fi issues. Similarly, the ICE Portal also offers free audiobooks and news (mostly in German) as well as some information about the trip and the next destination; you can also see where the train is on a map and how fast it's going.

In every train there is either a Bistro or a restaurant, where passengers can order drinks or snacks and enjoy them at a standing table or sitting down. They sometimes also bring these drinks on carts should you wish to stay in your seat. Payment can be made in cash or credit card, though the latter can be sometimes slow or even non operational as the terminal depends entirely on cellphone reception. Prices are on par to slightly more expensive than at the train station.

All announcements and signs on trains, including the approaching station and connections from there are conducted in German and English. Conductors generally speak at least some English, and should be able to help if you miss a connection or need help.

Every train includes quiet carriages which do not allow noise or even cellphone use; reservation costs the same as for seats in a normal car. Cabins for 6 people are also available, but may not be booked privately, i.e. 2 people in a 6-people cabin.

First class [ edit ]

Most trains in Germany, apart from some local trains, have first and second class sections. First class passengers on long-distance trains get more room (three rather than four seats abreast, more legroom, seats which recline more) and - on ICE trains - you can ask the conductor to bring you drinks and food from the restaurant car. Drinks or food are not included in the fare. Seat reservation is included only with Flexpreis and Flexpreis Plus tickets. Second Class passengers are normally not allowed to sit in first class sections. The price difference between first and second class varies widely and there are separate BahnCards for first and second class, but sometimes you can get a first class ticket for a few euros more than a second class ticket. First Class is marked with the number 1 and (as per the European standard) a yellow stripe of paint on the outside of first class sections. First Class passengers with Flexpreis and Flexpreis Plus tickets can also enjoy lounge services in select lounges in major German train stations and lounges of partner railway companies outside Germany for international routes.

Sleeper trains [ edit ]

DB ended its sleeper train services in 2016, replacing them with a limited number of regular ICEs running at night as well as some buses.

The main operator of sleeper trains in Germany is ÖBB , the Austrian state railway. Tickets for what they call Nightjet trains start at €29 for the cheapest seats and early booking. Sleepers or last minute bookings are naturally more expensive. Every sleeper ticket includes breakfast and can be booked via the DB website. You can book anything from your own compartment with bed and shower to a single seat in a six-seat compartment. ÖBB is modernising their fleet (some of which they bought from DB when DB got out of the night train business) and has announced intentions to run additional routes, however difficulties in getting regulatory approval and the fact that ÖBB intends to repair and service all trains in Austria limit the scope of possible expansion.

Operated by ÖBB [ edit ]

• NJ 40490/40421 : Düsseldorf – Frankfurt – Nuremberg – Passau – Vienna
• NJ 420/421 : Düsseldorf – Frankfurt – Nuremberg – Augsburg – Munich – Innsbruck
• NJ 490/491 : Hamburg – Hanover – Nuremberg – Passau – Vienna
• NJ 40420/40491 : Hamburg – Hanover – Nuremberg – Augsburg – Munich – Innsbruck
• NJ 40470/401 : Hamburg – Zürich
• NJ 456/45 7: Berlin – Wrocław – Vienna
• NJ 470/471 : Berlin – Zürich
• NJ 294/295 : Munich – Rome
• NJ 40463/40236 : Munich – Venice
• NJ 40295/40235 : Munich – Milan
• NJ 424/425 and NJ 50490/50425 : Vienna or Innsbruck – Munich - Nuremberg - Frankfurt - Cologne - Brussels

Cooperations with ÖBB and other national railways [ edit ]

• EN 462/463 : Budapest – Vienna – Salzburg – Munich , in cooperation with Hungarian Railway MÁV
• EN 498/50463 : Zagreb – Ljubljana – Munich , in cooperation with Croatian Railway HŽ
• EN 480/60463 : Rijeka – Ljubljana – Salzburg – Munich , in cooperation with Croatian Railway HŽ

Other night trains [ edit ]

• Berlin Night Express : Berlin – Malmö (with some wagons to Stockholm), operated by Snälltåget and only runs in summer. Some days it continues to/from Dresden. Some weekends in winter, this train runs between Malmö and Salzburg (Austria) through Germany.
• №23/24 : Moscow – Berlin – Paris , operated by Russian Railways (suspended since March 2020)
• SJ EuroNight : Berlin – Hamburg – Stockholm, operated by SJ (Swedish state railway company), running year round (Berlin – Hamburg runs April-September)
• Nachtexpress a summer season sleeper train from Sylt to Salzburg . Booking is per six person compartment - whether there's one person or six in your group, you pay the same fare.

Car trains [ edit ]

BahnTouristikExpress — a company which specializes in renting out trains to tour operators and private groups — runs a train service ( BTE AutoReiseZug ) from Lörrach in the Southwest of Germany, close to Basel , Switzerland , and the French Alsace to Hamburg-Altona year round. ÖBB Nightjet also runs car trains ( Autoreisezug ) from Vienna and Innsbruck to Hamburg Altona and Düsseldorf . DB stopped running its own car trains (except for the Sylt train, which is only a 50-minute ride) in 2016.

To and from Sylt [ edit ]

Regular car trains link the island of Sylt with the mainland, operated by DB (under the brand Sylt Shuttle ) and the private company Autozug Sylt , a subsidiary of the American Railroad Development Company (RDC) (the only other link to the mainland is a ferry from Denmark.) Their prices are broadly similar, though -as the newer entrant to the market- Autozug Sylt tries to undercut DB. Unlike most non-regional trains in Germany, there is no discount for advance purchase of tickets, but there are discounts if you buy ten or twelve tickets at once and there is another discount for Sylt residents. The two companies use the same terminals in Sylt and 54.780607 8.841177 1 Niebüll .

Regional and local trains [ edit ]

Regional and local trains in Germany are conveniently referred to with the German word Nahverkehr . These trains come in several flavours:

• InterRegio-Express (IRE) . The fastest type of regional train, calling only at a few stations. They usually cover longer distances than "normal" REs.
• Regional-Express (RE) . Semi-express trains that skip some stations. On many routes, this is the highest available train category.
• Regional-Bahn (RB) . Stops everywhere except that it may skip some S-Bahn stops.
• S-Bahn . Commuter network for a city or metropolitan area, which can nonetheless cover fairly long distances. Some S-Bahn trains are the only trains in Germany routinely not to offer a toilet, though this in part depends on the precise region and line and is getting rarer.

The majority of regional and local trains run once an hour or once every two hours from 05:00 or 06:00 to roughly 23:00 or even later. S-Bahn lines often have headways of 30 minutes or less which can come down to 15 minutes or even seven and a half minutes on trunk routes where several lines overlap. Between big cities in a major metropolitan area S-Bahn and regional trains may overlap in their route, giving more transportation options when you want to go from city centre to city centre.

On regional trains Wi-Fi is still the exception rather than the rule. It is estimated that only around 10% of trains will have Wi-Fi by 2020. Wi-Fi was not a requirement in most current contracts for regional trains and there are not enough mobile phone masts along the lines.

On regional trains first class — if available at all — is usually pretty similar to second class, but as there is usually no reserved seating in either class, you're more likely to get a seat in first class on busy routes. Some operators however do try to justify the markup for first class by (for example) providing better seats or seat pitch or reserving the upper deck on bi-level stock for first class.

Many companies apart from Deutsche Bahn run regional trains. This is usually done through a contract with the Bundesland that pays them to run a certain number of trains at specified hours and usually those contracts also stipulate that DB-tickets (such as Ländertickets and the Quer durchs Land ticket ) are accepted. In some regions such as Schleswig-Holstein there might be two, three or more different ticket vending machines in the station, one for each company. When in doubt ask people on the platform, or better yet DB personnel. With very rare exceptions you can buy tickets valid on non-DB trains with standard DB vending machines, but not the other way round.

Reserved seating on local trains [ edit ]

By and large you can't reserve a seat on local trains. However, the first class surcharge in many ways works as a de facto "seat reservation" because first class almost never gets so full no seats are available (and obviously a first class ticket entitles you to ride in second class just as well). However, some commuter lines have experimented with reserved seats as a further enticement for people to buy monthly or yearly tickets. There may then be seats marked with numbers and an explanation in German (and sometimes also in English) that the seat should be given up to someone who has a reservation. In practice this is usually only an issue during the morning and evening rush hour. On a handful of regional trains you can also buy a seat reservation ( only at the ticket machine - not online or at the counter) for €1, but as they are limited, they may sell out even for trains where they are otherwise available.

Other train operators [ edit ]

Even though the German rail market has been liberalised for years, there are relatively few train operators other than DB, and they are all tiny. They can also be hard to use - they don't show up in the central train planner, and Eurail passes are not valid on them. They can be much cheaper than DB though, especially on short notice. DB seems to deliberately bunch its own IC/ICE trains around the departure times of competing services on some routes, so if the departure time of the competition agrees with you, you'll have more choice than usual.

Here are some examples:

• Alex . Routes from Munich , Nuremberg or Regensburg to Prague from €23 one-way or €43 return ticket ( Prag Spezial ), among others. Tickets can be bought on the train. On almost all of their trains you can buy snacks and drinks at very reasonable prices. Ultimately part of the Italian national railway ( Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane ) through a series of German subsidiaries.

Apart from those, there are several steam or diesel heritage railways , often using narrow gauge tracks. They are usually not integrated into DB ticketing or Verkehrsverbund ticketing and can be significantly more expensive on a per km basis than mainline operators. They run the gamut from summer season and weekends only to daily operations that have significant transport value.

Buses [ edit ]

Local buses are usually integrated into the ticket system of any given Verkehrsverbund and the DB City Ticket, which is available at no extra cost for many long distance tickets with a BahnCard discount, includes a ride on buses, trams, light rail and subway as applicable to/from your final destination within the origin/departure city.

Flixbus , being primarily a bus company sells tickets for its two rail routes as well as through tickets which combine its buses with trains. They do not, however, sell combined tickets with local trains.

Cooperation with airlines [ edit ]

Lufthansa has cooperated with DB in one form or another since the 1980s. For a time they even ran their own trains, complete with Lufthansa livery. Today, AIRail enables certain ICEs to be booked like a flight sector (you can even earn miles), with check-in at the train station. (You still have to drop your luggage off at the airport, though.) Practically all German airports are linked to the mainline rail network, the local tram or the subway network. A handful of airports even have trains stopping there but no scheduled flights. You can usually buy a through ticket all the way to the airport through DB. Many airlines that fly to/from German airports offer rail&fly tickets. They usually have to be booked together with the flight. Such tickets are usually cheaper than a comparable domestic flight or even entirely free, depending on the airline and ticket type. Rail&fly lets you take any train from any station in Germany (and even some in adjacent countries) to the airport (again, even some non-German airports are part of the program) with any number of changes up to one day prior to departure, and to take any train from the airport to any station on the return journey. Rail&Fly is a standard feature for package holidays departing Germany, but if you book a flight only, a few airlines that nominally offer rail&fly can make it a bit difficult to book. You can check in for your Rail&Fly train trip up to 72 hours before departure on this website .

Tickets [ edit ]

How to buy tickets [ edit ].

There are several ways to buy tickets. If you are caught without a valid ticket, you have to pay at least a €60 penalty fare .

On the Internet/Mobile App [ edit ]

You can buy tickets on the DB website or via the DB Navigator App [dead link] . The journey planner will automatically show the cheapest possible fares, including any early-booking discounts. However, some offers for regional trains may not show up unless you remove the checkmark for "prefer fast connections" and/or add the checkmark for "regional trains only".

You either need to print the ticket or present it via the app. Showing the ticket as a PDF document on a mobile device might be accepted (see infobox).

When making the booking you have to specify your name (as well as those in your travelling party) and the ticket is only valid for you and those in your travelling party. Upon ticket inspection you may have to show some form of identification (passport or EU ID card, but driver's licenses are not accepted) for both types of tickets.

On the DB website, you can book tickets without an account, however for the app, you need to create one. If you use an account on the DB website, your tickets will automatically be available in the app. Otherwise, you can always input the ticket's confirmation number and your last name to retrieve your reservation in the app.

You can also buy tickets online and have them mailed anywhere in the world for €3.90. You don't need to show ID when travelling with such tickets, but if they are lost in the mail DB will not replace them.

Beware of travel agent sites that appear when searching for the DB website. They pay heavily to appear at the top of search results, and may overcharge significantly. Be sure to use the official site linked above.

In addition to long distance tickets, you may also use the DB Navigator app to purchase most kinds of tickets for most local transport associations even if you do not have a long distance train journey. This is handy if you prefer not to use cash (which may be the only way to pay for some tickets) or do not have a German address (which may be required if you want to use the apps specific to each transport association).

At a vending machine [ edit ]

At a station, find a ticket machine with a touchscreen, choose your language, and then navigate through the menus. Like the online journey planner, it will automatically suggest the fastest routes. The machines sell all DB train tickets including some international tickets, special tickets (both for long-distance and regional and local trains) and tickets for local transport. Touchscreen machines accept credit cards, older ones do not.

Ticket machines for local Verkehrsverbund are yellow, white or grey. They can be used to buy tickets for local transport, including DB trains. On secondary routes, vending machines inside trains are becoming more common, usually leaving smaller stations without vending machines.

Many local machines and old DB machines require you to enter a four-digit code for your destination, found on a panel of densely packed print nearby. Press the flag button to switch to English, punch in the code for your destination station on the keypad, then hit the appropriate button in the left ("adult") row below to pick your ticket. The first button is always one-way single ( Einzelfahrausweis ). A price will be displayed: insert your money (quickly, since the timeout is quite fast), and the machine will spit out your tickets and change. Vending machines give max. €9.90 change in coins and will not accept larger notes. For new blue DB machines, select the local tariff union in the top menu, and the rest is easy.

If a station is not equipped with a vending machine or if all the machines are out of order , you have to buy your ticket from a staffed ticket counter. If this isn't available either or it is closed, you are allowed to buy your ticket on the train. If there is no vending machine on the train, you have to approach the staff right away and ask them what to do. You should then be able to buy a ticket without paying a surcharge. However, it is usually much less hassle to just buy a ticket via the app.

At a staffed ticket counter [ edit ]

Go to the Reisezentrum at any major train station. You might have to take a number and wait until it is called. It is becoming less common to buy tickets at the counter, but if your itinerary is unusual or you can't make heads or tails of the machines, talking to an actual human being can be a godsend. DB charges €2 extra for some special tickets (for regional and local trains) if bought at the ticket counter.

On the train [ edit ]

Since January 2022, it is no longer possible to buy a ticket on the train. However, on long distance trains, you can use your smartphone to buy a ticket in the app until 10 minutes after departure, provided the train has no other stops within 10 minutes.

On regional and local trains, tickets are usually not sold so you need to buy them at the station. Signs on platforms or on trains saying Einstieg nur mit gültigem Fahrausweis mean that you have to have a ticket before you board. Drivers on buses and trams usually do sell tickets, though they might not have (or know about) all ticket types. Some regional trains do sell tickets on board either through machines or via conductors. This is usually also shown on the door upon entry. Of course you should buy a ticket as soon as you board in those cases.

Standard tickets [ edit ]

Standard tickets [dead link] ( Flexpreis; flexible fare ) have the fewest restrictions, but can be quite expensive. The maximum price for a standard ticket (single rail journey within Germany) is €142 in 2nd class and €237 in first class. They are valid for 1 day (trips of up to 100 km) and for 2 days (trips more than 200 km) to travel between a specified departure and destination train station and are not tied to a specific train. Sometimes the word "via" followed by either some cryptic code or a city name will appear on your ticket. That means the ticket is only valid for the specific route booked and not for a different route to the same destination.

Unlike in other countries, standard tickets do not get sold out for a specific train. If you don't have a seat reservation, then you might have to stand or sit on the floor if the train is very busy. When booking long-distance tickets on the DB website, the search results for a train journey will indicate how full/busy the train is likely going to be.

BahnCard discounts [ edit ]

BahnCard [dead link] holders get discounts on all standard DB tickets. A BahnCard can be of great use if you plan to travel by train a lot or a long-term stay in Germany. BahnCards are typically valid for one year from the date of purchase and are renewed automatically unless cancelled in writing at least six weeks before the end of validity. They can be bought at train stations for immediate discounts. If you do that you'll get a temporary (paper) card and you will need to supply a European postal address to get the proper plastic card. Alternatively, one can purchase a 'digital' BahnCard on the DB Navigator app; upon completion, a barcode which contains important information about your subscription will be generated and you can retrieve it whenever you open the app. Ticket inspectors on trains will normally insist that you present not only your ticket, but also the BahnCard used to claim any discount and some form of official ID with a photo. You may present your 'digital' BahnCard in lieu of the physical one during inspection.

The BahnCard discount doesn't necessarily apply to all regional transport day tickets, but some do offer their own discounts for BahnCard holders. BahnCard holders can also get discounts on international trains, as long as the journey originates or terminates somewhere in Germany.

There are three variations of BahnCard. The normal BahnCards are offered for passengers ages 27 and above:

• BahnCard 25 . Costs €59.90 (concessions €38.90) for 2nd class (€121/€77.90 for 1st class) and grants you a 25% discount on all standard tickets for a year. Spouses/partners and kids of BahnCard 25 holders can get additional cards for €5 each. The BahnCard 25 discount can be combined with any Sparpreis discounts. (In effect granting you a further 25% discount on an already discounted fare.)
• BahnCard 50 . Costs €244 (concessions €122) for 2nd class (€492/€241 for 1st class) and grants you a 50% discount on all standard tickets as well as a 25% discount on Sparpreis tickets for a year.
• BahnCard 100 . Costs €4339 for 2nd class (€7356 for 1st class). Unlimited travel for a year on all trains and in many cities even all public transportation. Night trains cost extra. You'll need to bring a photo to buy a BahnCard 100. Holders of 2nd class BahnCard 100 still have to pay for seat reservations; holders of first class ones do not, just like with normal tickets.

There are also variations of the BahnCard 25 and BahnCard 50:

• Probe BahnCard 25 / Probe BahnCard 50 . ("Probe" is the German word for test/trial/sample.) More suitable if you're not ready to commit, don't need a card for a whole year, or will be in Germany only for a short time (but will spend a lot of time commuting by train), these cards are valid for three months and entitle holders to the same discounts as the regular BahnCards listed above. A Probe BahnCard 25 costs €17.90 (2nd class) or €35.90 (1st class), and a Probe BahnCard 50 costs €71.90 (2nd class) or €143 (1st class). Probe BahnCards become regular ones unless cancelled at least six weeks before the end of their validity.
• My BahnCard 25 / My BahnCard 50 . These cards can be bought by anyone under the age of 27 and entitle the holder to the same discounts listed above. My BahnCard 25 costs €36.90 (2nd class) or €77.90 (1st class), and My BahnCard 50 costs €69.90 (2nd class) or €241 (1st class). As with other cards these get renewed automatically unless cancelled at least six weeks before the end of their validity.
• Jugend BahnCard 25 . Open to anyone aged 6 to 18, costs €7.90 for a year and entitles the holder to a 25% discount, so it often pays off on the first trip. It's valid in 1st and 2nd class. Remember that under 14s travel for free with their parents or grandparents. It is without a picture - if you are at least 16 years old, you must carry ID with you. It is not necessary to cancel the Jugend BahnCard; it runs for one year and expires automatically.

Special tickets (long-distance trains) [ edit ]

Standard fares are relatively expensive, but special promotions and prices exist. Your best course of action is to check the DB offers page , to ask at a train station, or call them for current details. If you search for a connection with the journey planner , it automatically offers you the most favourable discount for the journey in addition to the standard fare.

Saver fares [ edit ]

Saver fares ( Sparpreis ) are low-cost one-way tickets for journeys that include long-distance trains (ICE or IC/EC). Regional trains can be added to complete the journey. These tickets are limited, and the actual price varies according to demand. You should purchase them as far in advance as possible (up to 180 days before the departure date), though they can be available minutes before departure for some routes and times. You can use the saver fare finder to find the cheapest saver fare variant.

The following saver fares are offered:

• Sparpreis [dead link] ( Saver fare ). Prices start at €21.90 (second class) and €32.90 (first class). BahnCard customers get a 25% discount on top of those prices. The ticket includes a City-Ticket for trips longer than 100km. The ticket can be refunded up to one day before its validity at a cost of €10. The refund is given as a DB voucher. DB offers "insurance" on Sparpreis offers that covers cancellation and rebooking in case of major injury or illness, but it is not really worth it compared to other travel insurance. First class customers are entitled to use the DB Lounge.
• Super Sparpreis [dead link] ( Super saver fare ). Prices start at €17.90 (second class) or €26.90 (first class). BahnCard customers get a 25% discount on top of those prices. The ticket cannot be refunded (unlike "normal" Sparpreis tickets) and they do not include a City-Ticket . First class customers are not entitled to use the DB Lounge in the stations.
• Sparpreis Europa and Super Sparpreis Europa [dead link] ( Saver fare Europe and Super saver fare Europe ). A Sparpreis variant for international connections. In Germany this is available for all trains, but abroad there may be restrictions on which trains can be used – if you cannot get a quote for a certain connection online, this may be the case. There are often some specific routes or start points near the border which can net you even cheaper fares.
• Sparpreis Gruppe [dead link] ( Group saver fare ). For groups of six or more people. Prices start at €9.90 (second class) or €27.90 (first class) per person, and include seat reservations. These tickets can be booked up to 12 months in advance at the ticket counter, or up to 6 months in advance online. For short journeys, the regional train day tickets can be cheaper.

Unlike standard tickets, any Sparpreis ticket is valid only on the train booked so you cannot use them on an earlier or later train. That restriction only applies to the long-distance trains of your journey. You can use different regional trains if your ticket includes both regional and long distance trains. If your train is delayed and you miss the follow-up train connection that restriction is lifted, however it is advisable to get a train conductor or some staff at the train station to confirm this on your ticket. If your expected arrival at the final destination is longer than 20 min, you are no longer bound by the restriction.

Other options [ edit ]

Deutsche Bahn also offers — usually without too much advance notice — some special offers on a semi-regular basis. Usually they are fixed-price tickets that can be used for pretty much any train (sometimes certain days of the week or hours of departure, e.g. Friday evening is excluded). Those tickets are often sold at supermarkets, other types of store or online. While they may be more expensive than the cheapest early bird tickets in some cases, they usually offer the benefit of being flexible until you board the train and fill them out.

L’TUR offers last-minute tickets for €25 (or €35 for an international trip) 1–7 days before departure.

If you need a network ticket for long-distance trains, get a European rail pass or a German Rail Pass .

Special tickets (regional and local trains) [ edit ]

On many shorter connections, local trains are not much slower than long-distance trains (IC, EC, ICE). Most of the special tickets for regional and local trains are automatically offered in addition to the standard fare if you use the DB journey planner and select the Only local transport option.

Almost all special offers for regional travel are available at all times and can be bought in advance or minutes before departure.

There are discounted tickets for trips with specific maximum lengths within a certain region (e.g. 150 km or less within Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia) either one way or round trip. There are also fixed prices for certain connections, e.g. Berlin-Hamburg in an InterRegio-Express.

Day tickets [ edit ]

Day tickets are valid for one day in all DB regional and local trains (S, RB, SE, RE and IRE), some private local trains and often include public transport (subway light rail and bus) in cities and allow for unlimited travel. They are often cheaper than single or return tickets. All day tickets can be purchased online and at ticket machines at railway stations. You cannot buy them from the conductor.

All of these tickets are group tickets, but can be used by a single traveller as well. There are few general rules to keep in mind:

• The price of the ticket usually depends upon the number of travellers with a relatively high base price and a small supplement for every other member of the group up to five.
• The ticket must bear the name of (at least) one member of the group. That person may be asked for ID. Sometimes all members of the group will have to be mentioned on the ticket.
• Most Ländertickets are only valid for second class (although in some states they are also offered for first class for a higher price). The difference between first and second class on regional trains is small to non-existent, and some trains don't even have first class. On the other hand first class may be empty on an otherwise crowded train.

The most common day tickets are:

• Quer-durchs-Land-Ticket [dead link] (QdL). Valid for one day on all regional trains in Germany from 09:00 until 03:00 the following day. The ticket costs €44 for one person and €8 for every additional person (there is a maximum of five people in total).
• Länder-Ticket [dead link] . This ticket is valid within one federal state ( Bundesland ) or a collective of them (usually, a few short links across the border are included). Specific Länder-Tickets cover more than one state: a Länder-Ticket bought in either Saxony , Saxony-Anhalt or Thüringen are valid in all of those three states together, the same holds for Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland , while a Länder ticket bought in Schleswig-Holstein is also valid in Hamburg and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern , but not the other way round . The Länder-Ticket is valid between 09:00 till 03:00 the next day on working days, or between 00:00 till 03:00 the next day on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. Tickets are priced differently, but expect to cash out at least €20 for one person and €6 for an additional person. A few states still have flat-rate tickets that cost the same for one or groups of up to five people.
• Cross border day tickets . In some areas a ticket is available for travel within the state or a part of it plus an adjacent region across an international border. Their conditions are often similar to the Ländertickets.

Sharing day tickets [ edit ]

While sharing day tickets existed in a grey zone for some time, Deutsche Bahn has now published their own App (for Android and iPhone ) explicitly for sharing group tickets. It only covers a handful of states (as of May 2016), however the implementation of more states has already been announced.

Some locals look for other people at stations to share a journey with to reduce costs. If you know your itinerary, you can arrange a group on the Internet, buy a ticket and get started. For example, there's a website for searching for a travel companion.

Some people sell their day ticket for a discount after arriving at their destination to recoup some of their expenditure. In response, DB now requires you to write your name on the ticket to validate it. Reusing such a ticket is illegal and (if caught) you may be charged with a crime.

Deutschlandticket [ edit ]

Deutschlandticket (or D-Ticket) allows unlimited travel on all regional and local public transport. This includes regional and local trains, trams, metros and regional and local buses. It is also valid on a limited selection of routes in countries adjacent to Germany:

• To Arnhem in the RE19 which departs e.g. from Düsseldorf
• To Venlo in the RE13 which departs e.g. from Düsseldorf
• To Nijmegen in the SB58 which departs e.g. from Kleve and Emmerich
• To Basel in the S6 and regional trains
• To Salzburg in the local and regional trains
• To Kufstein in the RB54 which departs e.g. from Munich
• To and inside Luxembourg – the public transport in the whole country is for free
• To Świnoujście in the RB23 e.g. from Usedom

It does not allow travelling on first class, all long-distance trains (ICE, IC, EC, EST, Flixtrain), on Flixbus, or on transport mainly used as a tourist attraction.

There are no restrictions on who can purchase and use the ticket. It costs €49 per month and is valid for a calendar month (not rolling 30 days!). While it is a subscription that will automatically renew every month, it is still possible to buy it for only one calendar month.

The ticket can in most cases only be obtained online, not from vending machines or drivers. Most however require a European bank account and do not accept credit cards.

For travellers it's recommended to buy the ticket online at Mopla : The first advantage at Mopla is that you can pay with credit card or debit card (in addition to EU SEPA withdrawal). The second advantage at Mopla is that you can cancel the subscription until the second last day of the month.

For the ticket inspections you need to have a government-issued photo ID such as an ID card or passport.

Buying the ticket somewhere else [ edit ]

If you buy the ticket at other vendors, then the subscription can be only cancelled until every 10th of the month. So if you purchase a ticket on the 11th day or later, you will need to pay for the current and following month. And at most other vendors you need to provide an EU bank account that supports SEPA direct debit. It would not have to be your own bank account and for example parents can purchase tickets for their children. The other vendors with the unfavorable conditions are public transport operators (for example Deutsche Bahn , Transdev , ...), local transport associations ("Verkehrsverbünde") or a staffed ticket counter ("DB Reisezentrum"). The ticket is not available from vending machines.

The ticket either requires a smartphone with an app installed, or you purchase it online or in person as a smart card ("Chipkarte"). Regardless of how you buy it, for the ticket inspections you need to have a government-issued photo ID.

Using the D-Ticket on long journeys [ edit ]

It is possible (and tempting, if on a budget) to use a Deutschland-Ticket for long cross-country journeys on regional trains. Selecting "local/regional transport only" on the DB website or DB Navigator app makes it easy to plan such trips. However, these trains often serve small towns, so even routes between major stations will involve several stops and possibly transfers with just a few amenities. A missed connection could leave you waiting one or two hours for the next departure. Even when a trip goes smoothly, a long distance journey on regional trains can easily take over twice as long as an ICE connection on the same route. Before committing to a month of long regional journeys, consider whether some direct ICE, IC trains with super saver fares, Flixtrain/Flixbus rides or a rail pass makes better use of your time and budget.

Verkehrsverbund tickets [ edit ]

Each Verkehrsverbund has a single integrated tariff system . Any travel within a single Verkehrsverbund is "local" and usually quite cheap. However any travel between different Verkehrsverbünde requires either a special fare (within North Rhine-Westphalia) or the full DB fare and will usually be considerably more expensive. For trips entirely within one Verkehrsverbund , the DB website will typically tell you the name of the applicable fare (for example, "MVV Fare" in Munich, or "VBB Fare" in Berlin) instead of showing the price for that trip. The DB website may allow you to purchase a day ticket for such a trip, while the DB Navigator mobile app will often offer a wider range of tickets, including for single trips valid instantly. Ticket machines at train stations are usually equipped to sell tickets within a Verkehrsverbund and general DB tickets. Failing that, there are usually machines specifically for Verkehrsverbund tickets. Verkehrsverbund tickets cost the same no matter when you book.

Ticket validity varies from one Verkehrsverbund to another: usually, there is either a zone system (the further you travel, the more you pay), a time system (the longer you travel, the more you pay), or most commonly a combination of these two. Unlimited transfers between trains, buses, etc. are usually allowed as long as your ticket remains valid. Discounts may be given for return trips or groups, and one-day tickets ( Tageskarte ) are usually cheaper and much less hassle than single tickets, although zone limits apply to them as well. At local ticket offices ('Reisezentrum') you can often pick up brochures explaining all the details, usually with helpful maps, and occasionally even in English.

You will usually have to validate a Verkehrsverbund ticket by time stamping it at machines on platforms. If there is a stamping machine on the platform, chances are tickets need to be stamped prior to boarding. Unstamped tickets are not valid tickets. If you are caught without a valid ticket you will be fined €60 (even if you are a foreigner or first time offender). Fare inspectors won't take "I didn't have any time to buy a ticket" as an excuse.

DB trains often cross between VBs with at best a cryptic "three letter acronym (that being the Verkehrsverbund) only till X" (in German) on the display at the platform and sometimes no warning at all, and your "local" ticket stops being valid the instant you cross the invisible line. On some trains there is an announcement upon leaving a Verkehrsverbund, but don't count on it.

Ticket add-ons [ edit ]

All Sparpreis and Flexpreis tickets for long-distance trains covering a distance of more than 100km include a City-Ticket [dead link] . That means your train ticket doubles as a ticket for local transport. It can however only be used to get to the station from which your train departs and from the station at your destination. (Travel is within the city zone only.) City-tickets are valid in 126 cities in Germany. If your ticket mentions +City , this option is included.

If your ticket is not eligible for the automatic free City-Ticket add-on you can add a similar option called City mobil at an extra charge. This only includes public transport at your destination in one of the about 100 participating cities. Price varies by city, and single or day tickets are available. This usually doesn't present a monetary saving, but you are spared the hassle of finding a ticket vending machine or small coins for the bus driver.

German Rail Pass [ edit ]

A German Rail Pass allows unlimited travel throughout Germany in all trains on 3–10 days within a month. There is an interesting "twin" discount for two people travelling together. The pass is available only for residents outside Europe, Turkey and Russia; you can purchase it on the DB website or from travel agencies outside Germany.

Eurail offers a pass for 3–10 days of travel (which do not have to be consecutive) throughout Germany.

Youth and child discounts [ edit ]

Children younger than 6 travel for free and don't need a ticket (but you might want to reserve seats in a Familienabteil ; family compartment), children aged 6 to 14 (inclusive) can travel for free when travelling with their own parent or grandparent if that person pays a Flexpreis or Special price ticket. The number of children has to be specified when purchasing the ticket. There is also a discount for people aged below fifteen travelling in the company of someone who is not their parent or grandparent, but it is usually only 50%. Some special offers are explicitly limited to students or "young people" with a cutoff point usually in the mid twenties.

Stations [ edit ]

Train stations run the gamut from barely a shelter by the trackside to multilevel temples of transit with ample shopping (usually at least partially open on Sundays and public holidays) that are often architecturally stunning as well. In German there is a distinction between "Bahnhof" (Bhf.) and "Haltepunkt" (Hp.) with the former usually being major stations and the latter basically just a point along regular tracks where a train stops. As a rule of thumb you won't find many amenities at Haltepunkte .

Almost all major German cities have a main train station called Hauptbahnhof (Hbf) . These are often in the centre of town and have accommodations, restaurants, and attractions nearby. Some larger German cities, such as Berlin and Hamburg, have more than one main line station. In some cities (most notably Kassel) long-distance trains like ICEs might stop at another station than local trains. If the city has public transit such as S-Bahn, U-Bahn, tram, or even buses, Hauptbahnhof will often be the main hub or an important secondary hub for local transit service. From major train stations you can usually hail a cab or rent a bike from a station.

Track layouts usually follow a logical pattern starting at track ( Gleis ) 1 with adjacent numbers corresponding to physically adjacent tracks. However, there are exceptions to this, especially at larger stations. Individual numbers may be skipped. For example in Ulm there are tracks 1-6, 25, 27 and 28, and Dortmund has tracks 2-8, 10-11, 16, 18, 20-21, 23, 26 and 31. In some cases S-Bahn tracks have high numbers and are "on the wrong side" of track 1. (e.g. Tracks 20 and 21 for S-Bahn then track 1, 2, 3 and so on). One track number will usually only be assigned once per station, even if there are multiple levels. In a complex (or unfamiliar) station allow some time for connections, especially if it says "tief" on your ticket, which can indicate an underground level on stations such as the main stations in Frankfurt or Berlin. Small towns usually have a single platform station and normally only regional and local trains stop there.

Not all train stations have toilets , especially the smaller ones including Haltepunkte . If toilets exist you usually have to pay a fee, so use the free toilets on trains while you can.

If you need to use elevators , plan additional time for that since they are often quite slow, busy, or broken (and you have to search a different one).

Bigger train stations usually have lockers where you can store your luggage. However, only coins are accepted (change machines are provided at the entrance). Prices depend on the size of your luggage and location, and most are flat-rate within the operating day. Most of the lockers are locked with a key. As with other locker stations elsewhere, make sure you have everything you will need for the duration of when you plan to part with your bag; your session will end once you unlock the door and you will need to pay again for a new rental session to lock the door.

While most train stations were built on what was then cheap land outside the historic old town , subsequent development has meant that train stations are usually very close to at least one major centre of business, retail and city life and often the centre. "Sugar beet stations" as found along French high speed rail lines are very rare and even suburban stations surrounded by park & ride lots will usually have some bus service to get you to where you want to go.

Most train stations were built in the 19th century and some show very visible signs of their age. Rural stations can seem rather overbuilt for their current function and as such may sometimes be a bit sad, but there is just no likelihood of the need for gigantic coal ware houses and water tanks or for hundreds of railway workers ever coming back.

At 15 major stations across Germany, first class passengers and members of Deutsche Bahn's bahn.bonus loyalty programme who have reached comfort level (similar to frequent flyer programmes ) can access DB lounges . They have comfortable seating, Wi-Fi, free drinks, newspapers and work spaces. You're not allowed to take the newspapers with you. Berlin , Cologne , Frankfurt , Hamburg and Munich main stations have lounges with special areas reserved for first class passengers only, where passengers are also served light snacks.

Passenger rights [ edit ]

Despite being fast, modern and highly profitable, German railways are known among Germans for delays on main lines. Long-distance trains usually do not wait for one another in case of delays, whereas most local trains normally wait for up to 5 minutes. You should not rely on connecting times of less than 15 minutes. However, if you think you might miss your connection because the train you are on is delayed, talk to a conductor on board . They may be able to arrange for the connecting train to wait a little, or give you information on other connections you can take to reach your destination.

If you miss your connection due to a delayed train or your original train is delayed by at least 20 minutes, you may use another, under certain circumstances even better (e.g. ICE instead of IC) train. However, you have to show your original booking to a staff in the following train.

EU Passenger Rights [dead link] entitle you to a refund of 25% of the single ticket price if your train arrives at your destination at least an hour late, or 50% if arriving at least two hours late. However, for special day tickets for regional and local trains (for example Quer-durchs-Land-Ticket, Länder-Ticket), you only get a refund of €1.50 for delays of an hour or more. Refunds are only given if the refund value is more than €4, but you can claim a refund for multiple tickets at the same time. You can choose whether you want the refund in cash or as a voucher. It is best to get the delay confirmed by a conductor, so do so while still on the train, as they can also advise you on connections. To receive a refund you need to fill out a ( claim ) and send it alongside the ticket (mobile tickets need to be printed out) by mail or give it to the staff at any Reisezentrum. Your claim must be filled within one year after the delayed connection. There is no need to get the delay confirmed by the conductor, though confirmed delays may be paid out instantly at the Reisezentrum as opposed to approximately 1-2 weeks processing time otherwise.

If you miss the last train of the day due to a delay or a cancelled train and cannot continue your trip to your destination as a result, DB will either arrange an alternative way to complete the journey (like a taxi), or will arrange free overnight accommodation. However, the first step is always to contact DB (for example by speaking to the conductor on the delayed train, or personnel at the train station). Only if you cannot contact DB can you arrange for alternative transport or accommodation yourself. In such cases, a maximum of €80 is refunded. In some cases, you can also get transportation back to your initial point of departure, if the delay makes your journey otherwise pointless.

Passenger rights are laid out by European legislation and even apply in many cases of "acts of god" (e.g. bad weather, or suicides). If there is a dispute, SÖP can arbitrate between you and the railway company to find a mutually satisfactory solution (usually a reimbursement).

Accessible travel [ edit ]

DB has an overview of information on accessible travel (in German). Information about accessible travel is available daily from 06:00-22:00 on ☏ 0180 6512512 (in country only) . Calls cost €0.20 per call from a German landline, and a maximum of €1 per call from a mobile phone. You can book assistance with boarding or changing trains up to 20:00 on the day before your trip by calling the same phone number.

DB's journey planner lists which platforms are wheelchair accessible. (In the detailed view: click on show details, then station information.) Information for individual train stations is on this webpage (in German) . Newer train station platforms often provide level access to trains. However, some trains (especially older ones) still have stairs.

DB is required to make an effort to make newly-built stations and newly-purchased rolling stock accessible. Existing stations are modernised and upgraded with elevators and the like whenever possible. Unfortunately, there is an exemption for small stations that don't have elevators. Local or state government sometimes pays for such modernisation. One big issue keeping full accessibility and level boarding from happening are the different platform heights. Unlike most of Europe, two platform heights have historically been common in Germany and both are still used, even with new platforms.

Bicycles [ edit ]

DB's journey planner has an option (in "advanced") to toggle on "search for connections which can carry bikes".

On IC and EC trains bikes cost €9 extra for a day and you must reserve a space in advance. On international routes the cost is €10 for one journey. Long-distance trains have a special section with bike holders. Follow the bike symbols near the carriage door. Bikes are not allowed on the majority of high-speed trains (ICE, Thalys, TGV). The new fourth generation ICE, introduced in December 2017, has some bike spaces.

On regional and local trains you do not need a reservation and you can usually put your bike in the open area near doors. In some Verkehrsverbünde , if you have a valid ticket for yourself you can bring your bike for free at off-peak hours. For short journeys outside the Verkehrsverbund you have to buy a bike supplement ticket for €6, valid on all regional and local trains for one day. If there is no space for bicycles on the train, staff might refuse to let you on, even if you have a valid ticket. At peak times, you might have to wait for the next train. Remove any bags attached to your bicycle to reduce the space it takes up (to allow other travellers to bring their bicycle aboard too). Secure your bike so that it does not fall over, or stay close to it and hold on it. If there are folding seats at the designated bike space and people are sitting there, politely ask them to make space, which is what they are supposed to do.

DB also has a luggage service which can send your bags to any address in Germany, including islands, cruise ships and major airports. Bags can also be delivered to Austria, Switzerland and Italy. Allow at least two working days for delivery. The service also transports bikes on most routes, which may be less hassle than taking it on the train. The service itself is provided by Hermes, a German parcel delivery company.

Stay safe [ edit ]

Train travel in Germany is very safe for train passengers. Most fatalities and serious injuries involving trains in Germany are the results of accidents at level crossings or people being on the tracks. In 2015, only around 2% of fatalities relating to train accidents were actually train passengers. There are however some security concerns:

As luggage isn't checked in you should always have a watchful eye on it as luggage theft and pickpocketing occur on trains from time to time. If you notice that your bag isn't where you put it, notify a conductor as they may be able to find it if it has just been put elsewhere by someone storing his/her own luggage.

There are usually emergency brakes in every car of the train and they are clearly marked in (at least) German and English as such. While pulling them without justification incurs a heavy fine (often more than €1000 for first time offenders), you are not charged if you can plausibly explain why you thought the train was in danger. Most conductors have the same right as you to pull the emergency brake and there is thus nothing gained (but maybe valuable time lost) if you ask a conductor before pulling the brake.

If for some reason the door doesn't open there is usually some mechanism to open it manually. If you can, ask a conductor before doing so, or let him/her do it for you, as sometimes these systems have to be disabled manually before the train can drive on, thus causing delays when done incorrectly.

In the unlikely event of an accident the doors may be impassable or not within reach. You can create other escape routes by breaking the windows . This is usually done by hitting the small red dot on top of the window with the red hammer. You can then safely remove the broken window. Make sure that the drop is not too deep before you exit the train.

See also [ edit ]

• Intercity buses in Germany — frequently a competitor worth checking out

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There's no need to fly within Europe.  It's surprisingly easy, quick and comfortable to travel by train from London to almost anywhere:  Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Greece, Prague, Helsinki, wherever.  The difficult bit is finding out how to do it and where to buy tickets.  That's where Seat 61 comes in.

This website explains the best routes, train times & fares from London to major destinations all over Europe, and between major European cities.

It explains the best way to buy tickets for your specific journeys, whether you live in the UK, mainland Europe, the USA, Australia, wherever.

Train times & tickets

If your journey starts in the UK , select your destination country in the upper drop-down box to see the best routes, train times, fares & how to buy tickets.

If your journey starts in another European country , select the city where your journey starts in the lower drop-down box - if it isn't listed, select one nearest to it in the same country.

Return to this page for general information & advice about European train travel.

Planning your trip

How to buy tickets, luggage, bikes, dogs & cars, about specific trains & routes, station guides, how to check train times.

If you only remember one European train travel resource

Apart from seat 61 of course - make it int.bahn.de .  This has an excellent online timetable for the whole of Europe, probably the most useful European train travel resource on the net.  Ask it for Palermo to Helsinki or Lisbon to Moscow and you'll see what I mean.  These tips may help:

Place names

It recognises English-language place names & prompts with station or city names.

If you don't know which station to select

The safest option is to select the plain city name, often in capitals, for example PARIS or BERLIN.  The system will work out which is the relevant station for your journey.

If it only offers specific stations, try to select the main station in that city, which may be shown as main station or (in Italy) Centrale , in the Netherlands as Centraal , in Germany or Austria as Hauptbahnhof, Hbf or HB (= main station in German), Hlavni in Czech or Glowny (Gl.) in Polish.

In Brussels, Brussels South Station is the main station, also known as Brussels Midi or Brussel Zuid .  In Barcelona, select Barcelona Sants .  In Verona, select Verona Porta Nuova .  In Turin, the main terminus station is Torino Porta Nuova , but the TGV trains to/from Paris use Torino Porta Susa , which many trains leaving from Porta Nuova heading for Venice or Rome also call at.  In Venice, Venice Santa Lucia is on the Grand Canal in central Venice, Venice Mestre is on the mainland.  In Lisbon, select Lisbon Santa Apolonia .

It only holds data for the main rail operators

Plus some smaller operators, not for all trains everywhere.  Notably it does not cover:

- Some private open-access operators such as Italo in Italy.

- The Circumvesuviana Railway, Naples-Herculaneum-Pompeii-Sorrento.

- Euskotren in Spain, operating narrow gauge local trains between Hendaye, San Sebastian & Bilbao.

- FEVE in Spain, who run narrow gauge local trains along the north coastal towns.

- Spanish suburban routes including Barcelona to Latour de Carol and Barcelona to Portbou & Cerbère.

- It doesn't always hold complete or 100% accurate data for the Balkans or Greek domestic trains.

For British train times it's better to use www.nationalrail.co.uk as this will show any engineering work alterations.

Timetable changes in June & December

It usually holds data only until the next Europe-wide timetable change , which happens twice a year at midnight on the 2nd Saturday in June & December.  So don't be surprised if it shows no trains running in late December if you ask it in August, that's beyond the December timetable change.  Data for dates after the December timetable change usually starts to come online by mid-October and isn't 100% reliable until early December.  Also note that data for French, Italian & Spanish trains will only be held for the next few months, not for the whole timetable period.

This system is very good, but some railways (typically the Spanish, Hungarians, Polish & Balkan railways) can be late in supplying data, and data can be unreliable in some parts of the Balkans, for example.  If you get strange results you can try the railway operator's own website instead, for example www.renfe.com for Spain or www.ose.gr for Greece.  There's a complete list of rail websites on the useful links page .

You can adjust transfer time

By default the system allows the minimum time to change trains, whether changing into a local train that runs every 30 minutes or into a sleeper train which you can't afford to miss.  It won't suggest impossible connections, it always allows enough time to walk from one train to the other if the first train is on time, but it doesn't take into account the possibility of the first train running 20 minutes late. 

It's a good policy to allow more time for transfers, so click in the From box to open the details panel, then change Transfer time from Normal to (say) at least 40 minutes .

On a through ticket you're legally entitled to later onward travel if a delay means a missed connection ( more info on that here ), but with separate non-refundable train-specific tickets the risk is yours so you should allow more than the minimum, see more about how long to allow for connections here .

You can specify a route or add stopovers

Click Stopovers to set one or two via stations if you want to find journeys via a particular route.  By adding a duration in hours and minutes you can specify stopovers at these stations.

Fares & tickets

int.bahn.de will show train times for virtually any journey in Europe, but will only show fares and sell tickets for journeys to, from or within Germany, plus a few cross-Germany routes such as Belgium/Netherlands to Switzerland, Denmark, Sweden, Poland, Czech Republic.  To check fares for other journeys, see the How to buy European train tickets page .

DB Navigator is a free online train timetable app for all of Europe, the app version of the German Railways all-Europe online timetable at bahn.de.  It provided a journey planner, train details, and calling points, though it needs a WiFi or mobile data connection.  To download, go to int.bahn.de/en/booking-information/db-navigator (please let me know if that link stops working).

Railplanner is a free offline train timetable app that you can download onto your phone to check train times & train calling points on the move without the need to be on WiFi or to use mobile data .  It's blisteringly quick and covers almost all the train covered by the DB Navigator app.  The whole European timetable sits on your phone, with updates automatically downloaded every month.  It's created with Eurail and Interrail passholders in mind, but is useful for anyone. Download for iPhone or Android at www.eurail.com/en/plan-your-trip/rail-planner-app - please let me know if the link stops working!

Station arrivals & departures

Click here & enter a station to check scheduled train departures or arrivals at almost any station across Europe.  This is an online equivalent of the printed departure posters displayed at stations.  It shows real-time information for stations in Germany if you pick today's date, but for 'real time' information in other countries, see the real-time section below .

The European Rail Timetable

The world-famous European Rail Timetable is the train traveller's bible, with route maps and up-to-date timetables for trains, buses and ferries for all European countries, plus trains in Asian Turkey and Russia including the Trans-Siberian railway, ferries to North Africa & the Mediterranean islands.

Published since 1873, it had just celebrated 140 years of publication when Thomas Cook pulled the plug on their entire publishing department, and the August 2013 edition was the last to be published by Thomas Cook.  The good news is that the dedicated ex-Thomas Cook team set up a private venture and a reborn European Rail Timetable continues to be published.  Remarkably, the timetable has now survived its parent company, as Thomas Cook collapsed in 2019.  What does it contain?

Buy online at www.europeanrailtimetable.eu for around £16.99 with shipping worldwide.

If you live in the UK you can also buy from www.amazon.co.uk , it's eligible for Amazon Prime next-day delivery.

Back to top

How to check fares & buy tickets

This section has turned into a bit of an essay .  If you just want to know how to buy tickets, skip this section, go to the How to buy tickets page , select a specific journey and I'll tell you how to book it.  If you're interested in how European train booking works (or doesn't), read on.

Reality check:  No single website sells tickets for all trains in all countries

Although you can look up train times almost anywhere in Europe using int.bahn.de , there isn't a single website that can show fares & sell tickets for every European train in every country.

So you can't go to europeanrailways.com (there's no such site) and buy a Stockholm to Alicante ticket (there's no such ticket).  It's perfectly possible to travel by train from Stockholm to Alicante, but we're talking 6 trains run by 5 different operators ticketed with at least 4 separate tickets.  Ah, I see from the look on your face that realisation is beginning to dawn...

Each country has its own national operator with its own website

Each national train operator has its own website and its own ticketing system.  Then there are various private operators, either genuinely independent such as Italo , Regiojet or Leo Express , or pseudo-independent such as TGV-Lyria created by the relevant national rail operator(s) to run specific international routes.

In fact, Europe has over 50 different rail operator websites selling train tickets for their own trains, even before considering third-party ticket resellers.  You need to use the right website for the right journey.  So which is the relevant operator for your journey?

If you go to the How to buy tickets page , select your starting city, and on the next page select your destination, you'll find my advice on how to book that specific route.

However, as a rule of thumb, if there's a named operator such as Eurostar or Regiojet you'd go to that operator's website, in this case Eurostar.com or Regiojet.com.  If it's a normal international train jointly run by the relevant national rail operators, your starting assumption should be to use the national rail operator website for the country where your journey starts, then check the one where it ends.

The pseudo-independent operators can also be booked at the owning national operator sites

Eurostar is owned by French Railways (SNCF) and others, and Eurostar tickets can also be bought at SNCF's website www.sncf-connect.com .  TGV-Lyria is owned by SNCF & SBB (Swiss Railways) and can also be booked at www.sncf-connect.com or www.sbb.ch.  The national operator sites can of course book other trains in their respective countries too, in connection with Eurostar or TGV-Lyria.  So London to Avignon by Eurostar & onwards French train can be booked as one transaction at French Railways www.sncf-connect.com , for example.  It can be useful to know that!

International trains can usually be booked at the national operator website at either end

For international journeys, your starting assumption is to book them at the national rail operator website for the country where the journey starts.  But if a train can be e-ticketed, you can also book using the destination country's national train operator website.

For example, Berlin-Prague trains are run jointly by German & Czech national railways, and can be booked at either German Railways int.bahn.de or Czech Railways www.cd.cz with print-your-own tickets.

Now it gets interesting, as this is one of the routes where each partner operator manages advance-purchase price levels independently.  So the price at bahn.de might be €39 (with cheaper €19 & €29 tickets sold out), whilst €19 tickets remain available for the same train at cd.cz.  It pays to check both!

In fact, even the fixed-price full-flex fare can differ between partner operators.  As I write this, Austrian Railways (ÖBB) charge €64 for a full-flex on-the-day ticket from Vienna to Prague, but even if you were in the ÖBB ticket office at Vienna Hbf, it'd be cheaper to whip out your phone and buy exactly the same ticket for the same trains from Czech Railways for €42.

But a word of warning:  Check ticket delivery carefully if buying from the operator at the destination end.  For example, Austrian Railways oebb.at issues print-your-own tickets for Vienna-Venice trains so can be used for either direction.  Trenitalia.com can also book these Vienna-Venice trains, but you must collect a hard-copy ticket from a Trenitalia ticket machine or ticket office in Italy - not much help if you're starting in Vienna!

There are exceptions to this rule, of course.  The Paris-Milan Frecciarossas enter France on an open-access commercial basis, so can only be booked at Trenitalia.com, not SNCF-connect.com.  Whilst the competing Paris-Milan TGVs enter Italy on an open-access commercial basis and can only be booked at SNCF-connect.com, not Trenitalia.com.

Some trains aren't bookable online at all

Another reality check:  Slovenian, Croatian, Bulgarian & Turkish railways don't sell international tickets online, for example.  Trains between Slovenia or Croatia & Germany can be booked online in either direction at German Railways int.bahn.de .  Trains between Slovenia or Croatia & Austria can be booked online in either direction at Austrian Railways www.oebb.at .  But the only way to buy tickets from Ljubljana to Zagreb or Zagreb to Belgrade or Sofia to Istanbul, is at the station.

Longer journeys often need to be broken down into stages

Many international journeys involve a change of train, often this means a change of operator.  Operator websites may not be able to sell tickets for such journeys.  Nice to Milan can't be booked at the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com , because SNCF can't access prices or tickets for the Trenitalia train between Ventimiglia & Milan (Ventimiglia is the border station where you change trains).  And the Trenitalia website can't book you from Nice to Milan either, because it can't access prices or tickets for the SNCF train between Nice & Ventimiglia.  You need to book Nice-Ventimiglia at www.sncf-connect.com and Ventimiglia-Milan at Trenitalia.com .  Two tickets, two bookings, on two different websites, such is the reality of Europe's rail network in the 21st century.  But there are two specialist retailer sites that resolve this.

Introducing www.raileurope.com & www.thetrainline.com

Two ticket retailer websites deserve a special mention, www.raileurope.com & www.thetrainline.com .  These connect to multiple operators, allowing tickets for trains across much of western Europe to be booked in one place.

They have their own journey planning logic, so (for example) they can work out a suitable journey from Nice to Milan using an SNCF train from Nice to Ventimiglia and a Trenitalia train from Ventimiglia to Milan, they then source the Nice-Ventimiglia ticket from SNCF and the Ventimiglia-Milan ticket from Trenitalia, and add them together to provide you with a Nice-Milan journey as one seamless transaction.

I often recommend www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com as they allow you to book tickets together in one place for journeys that would otherwise require multiple bookings on different websites.  They are designed for international users, so happily accept overseas payment cards (some national train operator sites struggle) and are written in plain English (some national rail operator sites slip back into local language or use poor English translations).  The downside is that they charge a small booking fee, but it's often worth paying that.

Raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com currently connect to the following national railways: Great Britain (National Rail), France (SNCF), Spain (Renfe), Italy (Trenitalia), Germany (Deutsche Bahn), Austria (ÖBB).  They also both connect to private operator Italo .  www.thetrainline.com also connects to Swiss Railways (SBB), the Benelux ticketing system (SNCB, NS & CFL) and private operators Regiojet & Westbahn .

Raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com come as close as you'll get to a pan-European train booking site, but even they don't yet connect to the Portuguese, Czech, Slovakian, Slovenian, Croatian, Hungarian, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, Bulgarian, Turkish, Greek, Romanian, or Polish Railways ticketing systems.  So for a €15 Lisbon-Porto ticket you still need to go to Portuguese Railways www.cp.pt and the only place you'll find a €21 Prague-Budapest ticket is Czech Railways www.cd.cz.  You get the picture?

More about who Thetrainline are .  More about who Raileurope are .

Incidentally, you might also come across Omio.com .  Omio has similar connectivity, but at the time I write this it doesn't have any journey planning logic.  So although it can sell you a Nice-Ventimiglia ticket using its connection to SNCF if you ask it for Nice to Ventimiglia, and it can sell a Ventimiglia-Milan ticket using its connection to Trenitalia if you ask it for Ventimiglia to Milan, if you ask it for Nice to Milan it will say there are no trains (and will suggest a flight) because it lacks the capability to plan the journey itself and combine multiple tickets.  It also says there are no trains for journeys where it lacks the necessary connectivity.  For example, Omio says there are no trains from Budapest to Zagreb and suggests a bus, but you can easily buy a train ticket from €19 from Hungarian Railways at www.mavcsoport.hu .  So it's important to understand a site's limitations.  Omio does have some extra connectivity, for example it connects to Swedish Railways sj.se so can be useful to book Swedish trains if sj.se rejects your credit card, and to Portuguese Railways cp.pt which no other site does.

So which website should you use to buy tickets?

Don't worry!  On seat61.com I'll tell you the right website(s) to use for any given European journey (well, almost).  Go to the How to buy European tickets page and select your starting city.  On the next page, select your destination city.  I'll then explain the different ways you can make that specific journey and which website(s) to use to buy tickets.

To check fares & buy tickets in one country

You can check fares & (usually) buy tickets for domestic journeys at each country's national rail website, see the links page for a complete list .

To check fares & buy tickets for international journeys

The national rail websites listed above sometimes sell international tickets to neighbouring countries as well, but often only in a limited way, for example tickets for direct trains.  However, you'll find detailed advice on how to book specific international journeys on the How to buy European tickets page .  Here are some general rules of thumb.

Rule-of-thumb 1, try www.raileurope.com & www.thetrainline.com .

These connect to the British, French, Spanish, Italian, German, Austrian, Benelux systems and can easily book journeys including multi-operator journeys to, from and within those countries.

Be aware of their limitations:  You still need to use other sites for journeys not covered, for example they don't connect to the Portuguese, Norwegian, Finnish, Croatian, Bulgarian, Czech or Hungarian ticketing systems.  They also charge a small booking fee, you can avoid paying any fee by buying direct from train operator websites, using the following rules of thumb.

Rule-of-thumb 2 , if you know that the train you want is run by a specific operator, go to that operator's website:

- www.eurostar.com for Eurostar trains between London & Paris, London & Brussels or anywhere in Belgium.

- www.tgv-lyria.com or www.sncf-connect.com for TGV-Lyria high-speed trains between Paris & Switzerland.

- www.regiojet.com for Regiojet trains between Vienna & Prague or Prague & Bratislava.

Rule-of-thumb 3 , otherwise, simply go to the national train website for the country where your journey starts.  Although there are many exceptions to this rule, as you can see below:

- For journeys starting in London : 

   www.eurostar.com for Eurostar to Lille, Paris, Brussels or anywhere in Belgium.

   www.nsinternational.nl or www.b-europe.com for journeys to Rotterdam, Amsterdam or anywhere in Belgium or the Netherlands.

   www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com for journeys to anywhere in France, Germany, Spain, Switzerland, Milan, Turin, Germany. 

- For journeys starting in Paris & France :

   The French Railways site www.sncf-connect.com sells many journeys from Paris & French cities to neighbouring countries.

   For journeys from Paris to Germany, it's better to use German Railways int.bahn.de .

   For journeys from Paris & France to Italy, Spain, Portugal, Austria it's better to use www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com .

- For journeys starting in Brussels, Bruges or Belgium :

   The Belgian Railways international site www.b-europe.com will handle journeys to neighbouring countries.

   For journeys from Belgium to Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark, Sweden, Czech Rep. it's better to use German Railways int.bahn.de .

   For the Nightjet sleeper from Brussels to Vienna it's better to use Austrian Railways www.oebb.at or www.thetrainline.com .

- For journeys starting in Amsterdam & the Netherlands:

   The Dutch Railways international site www.nsinternational.nl will handle journeys to neighbouring countries.

   For journeys to Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark, Czech Rep., Sweden it's better to use German Railways int.bahn.de .

   For the Nightjet sleeper train from Amsterdam to Munich, Innsbruck & Vienna use Austrian Railways www.oebb.at or www.thetrainline.com .

- For journeys starting in Switzerland :

   The Swiss Railways site www.sbb.ch can book journeys to neighbouring countries, for example Paris.

   For journeys to Paris you can also use French Railways www.sncf-connect.com , it's worth checking prices there too.

   For journeys to Italy, it's better to use Italian Railways www.trenitalia.com as SBB can't sell Trenitalia's cheap fares beyond Milan.

   For journeys to Germany, Benelux & Denmark it's better to use German Railways int.bahn.de .

   For journeys to Austria you'll often find cheaper prices at the Austrian Railways site www.oebb.at .

   For the sleeper train from Zurich to Prague sleeper, book using Czech Railways www.cd.cz as Sbb.ch can't sell it.

   For the sleeper trains from Zurich to Vienna, Budapest, Hamburg & Berlin use Austrian Railways www.oebb.at or www.thetrainline.com .

- For journeys starting in Italy :

   The Italian Railways site www.trenitalia.com can book many international trains from Italy, but not the French-run trains Milan-Turin-Paris.

   For journeys from Milan or Turin to Paris, use French Railways www.sncf-connect.com .  Add connecting tickets from other cities at www.trenitalia.com .

   It's better to use Austrian Railways www.oebb.at for Venice-Vienna day & sleeper trains, Rome-Florence-Vienna/Munich sleeper trains.

- For journeys starting in Germany : 

   German Railways int.bahn.de sells through tickets to most neighbouring countries. 

   For travel to Austria, it's often cheaper to use Austrian Railways www.oebb.at , so check this too.

   For travel to Prague, it's often cheaper to use Czech Railways www.cd.cz , so check this too.

   For Nightjet sleeper trains within Germany & to Switzerland & Austria, it's better to use Austrian Railways www.oebb.at .

- For journeys starting in Austria:

    Austrian Railways www.oebb.at can book journeys to most neighbouring countries.

   For travel to Germany, also check German Railways int.bahn.de as they can occasionally be cheaper for the same train.

   For travel to Prague, check prices at Czech Railways www.cd.cz too as they can be cheaper than ÖBB for the same train.

- For journeys starting in Prague :

    Czech Railways www.cd.cz can book journeys to most neighbouring countries.

  For journeys between Prague & Brussels, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Stockholm also try German Railways int.bahn.de .

- For journeys starting in Budapest :

   Hungarian Railways www.mavcsoport.hu can book journeys to most neighbouring countries.

   For journeys to Germany, you can also check prices at German Railways int.bahn.de , but the Hungarians are usually cheaper.

   For journeys to Austria, you can also check prices at Austrian Railways www.oebb.at , but the Hungarians are usually cheaper.

   The sleeper trains from Budapest to Zurich & Munich can also be booked at www.oebb.at .

- For journeys starting in Slovenia or Croatia

  Zagreb or Ljubljana to Germany can be booked at German Railways int.bahn.de .

  Zagreb or Ljubljana to Austria can be booked at Austrian Railways www.oebb.at .

  Other international journeys (e.g. to Belgrade or Budapest) cannot be booked online, you have to go to the station.

- For journeys starting in Poland :

   Polish Railways haven't yet enabled online booking for international trains, except for than Berlin-Warsaw.

   You can book from Warsaw or Krakow to German cities at German Railways int.bahn.de and print out your ticket.

   The sleeper train from Warsaw & Krakow to Vienna can be booked at Austrian Railways www.oebb.at as you can print your own ticket.

   All other international tickets starting in Poland can be arranged through reliable ticketing agency www.polrail.com .

- For journeys starting in Copenhagen :

   Danish Railways www.dsb.dk can't sell international tickets.

   German Railways int.bahn.de can sell tickets from Copenhagen to Germany, Brussels, Amsterdam, Prague, Switzerland.

- For journeys starting in Stockholm & Sweden :

   Omio.com (formerly GoEuro) or www.sj.se can sell tickets to Oslo or Copenhagen or within Sweden. 

   German Railways int.bahn.de can sell tickets from Stockholm, Gothenburg & Malmo to anywhere in Germany.

   German Railways int.bahn.de can also sell tickets from Stockholm, Gothenburg & Malmo to Amsterdam, Brussels, Switzerland & Prague.

Rule-of-thumb 4 , break the journey down

I have lost count of the times I've advised travellers to split the booking and book each section of the journey, or if necessary, each individual train, at the relevant operator's website.

For example, int.bahn.de comes up with silly-money €246 prices if you ask it for Paris to Vienna, a journey which passes through Frankfurt, but it will happily sell you a Paris-Frankfurt ticket from €39 and a Frankfurt to Vienna ticket from €29 if you break the journey down.

Similarly, Prague to Venice can't be booked online anywhere, but the Czech Railways site www.cd.cz/eshop will happily sell you a Prague to Vienna ticket from €14 and Austrian Railways www.oebb.at will book the Vienna-Venice sleeper from €59 with couchette.

There are endless examples of this all over Europe, some creative thinking is often required!

Rule-of-thumb 5 , some trains cannot be booked online

Remember that some trains simply cannot be booked online so will need to be booked by phone or at the station.  For example Zagreb to Belgrade, Belgrade to Montenegro, or Sofia to Istanbul.

I'll say it again, for advice on which website to use for which specific European train journey, see the How to buy European train tickets page .

It matters whom you call!  Some agencies are better for some journeys than others because of the ticketing systems they use.

You'll find a list of agencies with advice on who to call on the How to buy train tickets by phone page .

Maps of the European rail network

Free online rail maps.

This free online rail map of Europe is a good basic overview of the extent of the European railway network.  It's intended for people using a Eurail or Interrail pass so leaves out many routes in non-Interrail/Eurail countries such as Russia & Ukraine, and leaves out many smaller lines even in countries covered by these passes.

For more detail, try the zoom-able online map of European (and indeed, world) railways at www.openrailwaymap.org .

You can also try the Swiss Railways all-Europe online map at maps.trafimage.ch .  Zoom in for more detail.

For the best (and official) map of the UK rail system, click here .

For an online map of the French rail network click here .

For an online interactive map of the German rail network click here .

For the best (and official) map of the Swiss rail system, click here .

But for a decent map of all European train routes, you really need to buy one of the printed rail maps listed below.

Rail Map Europe:  Buy here

Travellers' railway map:  buy here, rail atlas of europe by ian allan:  buy here.

Ian Allan Publishing do an excellent hardback rail atlas of Europe for around £21, available through Amazon.co.uk .  You can also buy it in the USA at Amazon.com .

Rail Atlas of Europe by M Ball:  Buy here

There's another highly-detailed European Railway atlas covering the whole of Europe, europeanrailwayatlas.com , price £24.95 in 122-page paperback book form covering 23,000 locations with free PDF version for your computer, tablet or phone.

Real-time train running information

Are the trains running on time?  Delays, incidents, strikes or disruptions?

London to Paris or Brussels by Eurostar

Changing trains in paris.

Train journeys from the UK into Europe often involve a change of train and station in Paris.  Eurostar arrives at the Gare du Nord , which is an easy 7 minute 500m walk from the Gare de l'Est but a metro or taxi ride from the other Paris stations including the Gare de Lyon .

See the Changing trains & stations in Paris page for advice on metro, RER and taxi travel, and an easy route guide.

The Paris metro website is www.ratp.fr .

If you want to spend some time in Paris, by all means take an earlier Eurostar on the outward journey or a later one on your return.  There are left luggage lockers at several Paris rail stations if you need to leave your luggage somewhere.

You can avoid the hassle of crossing Paris when travelling to many French destinations, by changing at Lille , see the London to France page .

Changing trains in Brussels

The ferry alternatives, london to paris by train & ferry.

London to Paris 'sleeper' option via Portsmouth-Caen:   There's an overnight train-ferry-train option where you can leave London Waterloo around 18:30, sleep in a comfortable cabin with en suite shower & toilet 22:45-06:45 on Brittany Ferries' overnight sailing from Portsmouth to Caen, then take a train from Caen to Paris St Lazare arriving around 11:05.  This is not a bad option if you need an alternative to Eurostar.  Times, fares & info for travelling from London & Portsmouth to Paris by overnight train & ferry are shown here .

London to Amsterdam by train & ferry

Uk to spain by ferry, other useful ferry routes.

DFDS Seaways ( www.dfds.com ) sail overnight from Newcastle to IJmuiden near Amsterdam, see the Newcastle-Amsterdam page .

Should you go 1st or 2nd class?

2nd class is absolutely fine for most travellers.  There's no need to pay for a 1st class ticket to travel in comfort these days, especially on the fast modern air-conditioned express trains.  So if you're on a budget, don't bother with 1st class unless you are offered prices that make it silly not to upgrade.

For most of us, 2nd class is the norm unless the Company is paying.  If you're visiting Europe from overseas, rest assured that there are very few peasants and chickens in 2nd class these days.

What more do you get in 1st class? 

First class gets you wider seats, plusher seats, more leg and elbow room, and fewer passengers per coach.  In most cases, assume that is all.  Luggage room is the same, perhaps with fewer passengers per coach using it, but this is not a sensible reason for paying a 1st class fare as there's always room for luggage in any class.

On a few premier trains including Eurostar , Spanish AVE trains & Lyria , some 1st class fares include an at-seat service of food & drink, but these are the exceptions.  Unless you're told otherwise, you should assume that a 1st class ticket simply gets you a nicer seat with more leg and elbow room, surrounded by more business travellers with laptops and fewer families with kids.  On German ICEs and Austrian railjets , food & drink is not included but in 1st class a steward will take orders and serve you at your seat, in 2nd class you have to go to the bistro or restaurant car.

Tables for two & solo seats:   First class cars generally have seats arranged 2+1 across the width of the car (two seats abreast, then the aisle, then one solo seat), hence the wider seats with more elbow room compared to 2+2 seating in 2nd class.  So in a typical first class car you'll find face-to-face tables for two and solo seats as well as tables for four - if you're a couple, facing each other across an intimate table for two, both of you getting a seat that's both window and aisle, is a key advantage of going 1st class.  As is booking a solo seat if you're travelling alone, a seat that's both aisle and window, where you aren't sitting next to anyone else.

Train seat numbering plans :  Click here for train seating plans

1st class can be an affordable treat

Don't decide until you see the price!  Most train operators have airline-style variable pricing, you might find 2nd class costs €40 and 1st class only €45 because of the way the price quotas have worked in each class.  In which case you'd be crazy not to pay an extra €5 to upgrade!

On sleeper trains, class is irrelevant

On sleeper trains, whether you have a 1st or 2nd class ticket is almost irrelevant, as your comfort depends on the type of sleeping accommodation you pay for:  Seat, couchette, or sleeper.  A 2nd class couchette is more comfortable (and more secure) than a 1st class seat.  A 2nd class sleeper is more comfortable than a 1st class couchette (where such things exist).  In fact, on most routes only a 2nd class ticket is now needed for a 2-bed sleeper.  On nightjet sleeper trains , for example, all accommodation is now classified as 2nd class, even deluxe sleepers with shower.  The options for travelling on overnight trains are explained here .

Should you make a seat reservation ?

Local, suburban & regional trains in most countries don't have seat reservations.  You just get on and sit where you like, like the London Underground or New York Subway.

Long-distance trains in France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Sweden & Poland are usually all-reserved and every ticket comes with a seat reservation automatically included, free of charge.  The same goes for international trains to, from or between these countries including Eurostar , TGV-Lyria , Paris-Barcelona TGVs , Paris-Milan TGVs , Paris-Milan Frecciarossas and Paris-Germany TGV/ICE trains .  Such trains often don't have any displays showing which seats are reserved and which free because it's assumed that all passengers have a reserved seat.

Long-distance trains in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark & much of central Europe are usually reservation optional .  You can travel without a reservation (the risk is you may have to stand at busy times) or you can pay a small fee to reserve a seat.  If you don't have a reservation you can sit in any empty unreserved seat - an electronic display above each seat (or on older trains, a little printed slip in a slot) show which seats are reserved.

Making a short journey mid-week in February as a solo traveller I might not bother making a reservation, especially if I'm joining at the station where the train starts so will have my pick of the seats.  But if you're making a long journey or travelling on a busy Friday or Sunday afternoon or travelling with your family or in a small group, I strongly recommend making a reservation to be sure of a seat.  You are usually offered the option of adding a seat reservation when buying a ticket online, if you fail to add one you can sometimes make a separate seat reservation only booking later, the German, Austrian & Czech railway websites can do that, but not all websites.

Forward-facing seats

I know from experience that American visitors in particular (if you'll forgive me for saying so) are obsessed with facing forwards.  Europeans less so, as we are used to trains with half the seats facing one way, half the other, and we know that it's no big deal as trains run smoothly on rails - think cruise liner restaurant, where half the diners are going backwards at 18 knots without noticing!

On most European trains you cannot specify which way your seat faces.  The reservation system knows the carriage seat layout, but it cannot predict which way round the train will enter service that day.  Indeed, on some routes the train reverses en route, for example on a journey from Rome to Venice, seats which are backward-facing from Rome to Florence will be forward-facing from Florence to Venice as the train changes direction at Florence SMN which is a terminus.  Similarly, trains from Zurich to Innsbruck, Salzburg & Vienna change direction at Buchs, before the Austrian border.

There are a few cases where a forward-facing seat can be requested.  Some operators including Eurostar keep their trains a particular way round, for example on Eurostar car 1 is always at the London end, car 16 at the Paris end.  You can often select your seat from a seat map when you book such trains direct with the relevant operator, the direction of travel is often indicated on the plan so you can see which seats face which way.  On a few TGV routes in France a clever dual numbering system allows the correct set of numbers to illuminate depending which way round the train is, which in turn allows the reservation system to offer a choice of forward-facing seat if you book at www.sncf-connect.com or www.thetrainline.com .  In the UK, we have traditionally had a much simpler low-tech system.  Two seats facing each other have the same number, say 15, the one facing is 15F and the one going backwards is 15B.

Remember that on trains where reservation is optional (domestic trains in Benelux countries, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark, and much of Eastern Europe) you can sit where you like, and if you find your reserved seats not to your liking just sit elsewhere.  However, in France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Sweden, all long-distance trains are all-reserved so you usually have to stick with your reserved seats.

My favourite arrangement in first class on most European trains is a face-to-face table for two.  Both of you get a window seat, and both an aisle seat, and one seat is always facing forwards.  My wife usually gets that!  It also means you get the full length of a window to look out of, not half a window.

Which side of the train?

On some routes the best scenery is on a particular side of the train, for example the left hand side going south along the Rhine Valley from Cologne to Mainz, or the right hand side from Switzerland into Austria through the Arlberg Pass.  I try and mention which side to sit on the relevant pages of this site, if it matters.

However, many reservation systems won't let you choose which side of the train to sit as the train or carriage could enter service either way round.  Only in some cases is direction of travel shown.  On trains where reservation is optional (domestic trains in Benelux countries, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark, much of central Europe) you can sit where you like so can move if your reserved seat is on the 'wrong' side.

First class lounges at stations

There are first class lounges at some major stations, usually with complimentary tea, coffee, soft drinks or even beer and wine, plus WiFi and charging points.  Sometimes the lounge is for anyone with a first class ticket (which may or may not include first class Eurail or Interrail passes), in other cases the lounges are only for holders of the most expensive premium-fare first class tickets or who have that train operator's frequent traveller loyalty card. Here's a quick guide:

Eurostar business lounges at London St Pancras, Paris Nord & Brussels Midi

Eurostar has a business lounge opening off the departures hall after security at London St Pancras , Paris Nord & Brussels Midi with complimentary tea, coffee, soft drinks, wine & spirits, beer and snacks.  The lounge has toilets, free WiFi and charging points.  The London and Paris lounges also have a free cocktail bar, open afternoon until evening.

The business lounges are open to holders of Business Premier tickets or holders of Eurostar's top-tier Carte Blanche loyalty card.  They are not open to holders of Standard Premier tickets or railpass holders. 

Paris & France

Anyone with any 1st class ticket for TGV-Lyria trains from Paris to Switzerland can use the SNCF Salon Grand Voyageur at Paris Gare de Lyon in Hall 3 with free WiFi, hot drinks and water.

Apart from this, the Salon Grand Voyageur is only open to travellers with SNCF loyalty cards or the most expensive full-price 1st class Pro tickets.  You can use it with any 1st class ticket if you have a Eurostar Carte Blanche loyalty card.

All the other major Paris termini and many big city stations across France have an SNCF Grand Voyageur lounge with free WiFi, hot drinks and water, but these are only for passengers with SNCF loyalty cards or the most expensive full-price 1st class Pro tickets.  You can use them with any 1st class ticket if you have a Eurostar Carte Blanche loyalty card.

Brussels & Belgium

Eurostar (formerly Thalys) has its own lounge at Brussels Midi, only for Eurostar (formerly Thalys) passengers who have the most expensive Premium class tickets.  Not open to holders of Comfort class (= regular 1st class) tickets or to railpass holders.

Apart from this there is no first class lounge at Brussels Midi , but I consider the bar at the Pullman Hotel to be the best VIP waiting room for the price of a beer.

Amsterdam & the Netherlands

There is an NS International Lounge at Amsterdam Centraal at the western end of platform 2 and there are similar lounges at Schiphol & Rotterdam Centraal .  You can use these lounges with any type of 1st class international ticket including 1st class Eurail & Interrail passes.

Follow the signs for NS International Lounge, check www.nsinternational.nl for opening times.  Tea, coffee, soft drinks and snacks available. 

Switzerland

Unfortunately, SBB closed their first class lounges at Zurich & Geneva at the end of 2016, citing lack of use.

Trenitalia has Freccialounges at major city stations.  These are only for holders of the most expensive Executive class tickets or who have Trenitalia's own frequent-traveller loyalty card.

Competitor Italo also has lounges at major city stations, branded Club Italo.   These are only for holders of the most expensive Club class tickets or who have Italo's own frequent-traveller loyalty card.

There is a Renfe Sala Club lounge at Madrid Atocha , Madrid Chamartin , Barcelona Sants , Malaga Maria Zambrano, Seville Santa Justa, Cordoba, Valencia, Alicante, Girona, Zaragoza Delicias, Valladolid and several other stations. 

The Sala Club is open to anyone who has paid the Premium fare, or who has a 1st class ticket for an international AVE (but not TGV ) to France.  Typically open from 06:00 to 22:00 every day.  You can use them from 2 hours before your train leaves until departure.

Tea, coffee, soft drinks, beer and snacks available.  For details search www.renfe.com .

There are DB Lounges at major stations, but only for holders of the most expensive DB Flexpreis tickets.  You cannot use the lounges if you have a 1st class Sparpreis or Super Sparpreis ticket or Eurail or Interrail pass.

They don't admit holders of tickets for regional trains or trains operated without DB involvement such as Eurostar (formerly Thalys) , Nightjet , European Sleeper or the Munich-Prague trains .

However, if you have a Eurostar Carte Blanche loyalty card you can use a DB Lounge with any ticket.

There are lounges at Berlin Hbf , Bremen, Dresden, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt am Main Hbf , Frankfurt Flughafen , Hamburg Hbf , Hanover, Cologne Hbf , Leipzig, Mannheim, Munich Hbf , Nuremberg, Stuttgart.  Typically open 07:00-21:00 daily, follow signs for DB Lounge , search int.bahn.de for opening times.

There are ÖBB Lounges at Vienna Hauptbahnhof , Vienna Meidling , Linz, Salzburg , Innsbruck , Graz & Klagenfurt.

These Austrian lounges are really useful because you can use them for up to 90 minutes before or after your journey with almost any type of 1st class ticket or with a ticket for any type of sleeper for Nightjet or EuroNight trains and with a 1st class Eurail or Interrail pass.

There's one exception:  You can use the lounge with a 1st class DB Sparpreis or Flexpreis fare, but not with a Super Sparpreis fare.

Typically open 06:00-21:00, for details see www.oebb.at & search for ÖBB Lounge .  Tea, coffee, soft drinks, snacks & free WiFi available.

Budapest & Hungary

Budapest Keleti has an excellent business lounge on platform 9 , open 06:00-21:30 daily.  This lounge is really useful as it can be used by anyone with a 1st class international ticket to, from or via Budapest, or a single or double sleeper ticket, or a 1st class Eurail or Interrail pass with a reservation for a train that day.  Unfortunately, there's no lounge at Budapest Deli or Budapest Nyugati.

Prague & the Czech Republic

CD (Czech Railways) has a lounge at Prague Hlavni with newspaper and free WiFi, but it's also open to 2nd class passengers with tickets for the higher categories of train such as EuroCity and SuperCity so it's more upmarket waiting room than 1st class lounge.  The excellent Fantova Kavárna upstairs in the historic station hall makes a better VIP waiting lounge for the price of a cup of coffee.

PKP Intercity used to have poorly-advertised lounges at Warsaw Centralna & Krakow Glowny , but strangely closed them in 2014 due to lack of users.

Copenhagen & Denmark

DSB Danish Railways have DSB1 lounges for first class passengers at Copenhagen , Aarhus and Odense.  Open Monday-Friday only.  Passengers with 1st class tickets for SJ trains to Stockholm or Intercity trains to Germany can also use it.  For details search www.dsb.dk and use Google Translate.

Stockholm & Sweden

SJ have a first class lounge at both Stockholm Central & Gothenburg Central open to all first class ticket holders   It's open Monday-Friday only morning until mid-evening, for details see www.sj.se .

Travelling overnight

Sleeper trains are a time-effective and romantic way to travel.  Huge distances can be covered while you sleep, using less daytime time than flying and often saving a hotel bill, too.

Forget about first and second class on sleeper trains, these terms become misleading.  The real classes on an overnight train are seat, couchette and sleeper.  In fact, all accommodation on nightjet sleeper trains is now technically 2nd class, even a deluxe single-bed sleeper with shower.  Although some operators still require a 1st class ticket for a single-bed sleeper.

Incidentally, trains don't have sterns or bows or port or starboard as they are not a ship.  They also don't have cabins , the correct term has always been a sleeper or couchette compartment .

Click for sleeper & couchette car berth numbering plans , this answers the typical worry We have berths 21 & 25, are we in the same 2-berth compartment?   Yes, you are!

...in a sleeping-car

A sleeping-car is the equivalent of a hotel :  A cosy bedroom, with comfortable beds, washbasin, and room service.  Sleepers come in 1, 2 & 3 berth varieties, depending on the route, whether you have a 1st or 2nd class ticket, and the price you want to pay.  For the daytime parts of a journey, the beds fold away to reveal a sofa.

If you are travelling alone and don't want to pay for a 1st class single room, you can normally book just one berth in a 2 or 3-berth room and share with other passengers of the same gender (though this is currently not possible in Italian domestic sleepers).

In addition to the normal lock, sleeper compartments have a security lock which cannot be opened from outside even with a staff key, so you'll be both safe and snug.  The most modern sleepers now have CCTV in the corridor, too.

On most sleeper train routes there are inclusive fares covering travel, sleeper & breakfast.  If you have an Interrail or Eurail pass, you can look up the additional cost of a sleeper on the Interrail & Eurail reservations page .

For more detailed information about what to expect when travelling by sleeper, see the Travelling by Sleeping-car or Couchette page or the information about specific sleeper trains, including:

- Nightjet sleeper trains linking Germany, Austria, Italy, Switzerland.

- Prague to Krakow sleeper train .

...in a couchette

A couchette is rail's answer to a youth hostel or pensione:   Economical and comfortable, it's an ordinary seating compartment for 4 or 6 people by day, with fold-out padded bunks for 4 or 6 people by night, each with sheet, rug & pillow which you arrange yourself.  Male and female passengers normally share the same compartment (although there are 'ladies only' compartments on most routes), and apart from removing shoes & jackets,  passengers do not normally undress.

A berth in a 6-berth couchette compartment costs around €20-€27 per berth per night, in addition to a 2nd class ticket or railpass.  A berth in a less-crowded 4-berth couchette compartment costs around €30-€37 per berth per night, in addition to a 2nd class ticket or railpass.

In addition to the normal lock, couchette compartments have a security lock or chain which cannot be opened from outside, even with a staff key, so you'll be quite safe.  1st class couchettes (4 berths per compartment) are rare, they pretty much only exist in on the few remaining French domestic overnight trains .

There's more detailed information about what to expect when travelling by couchette on the Travelling by Couchette or Sleeping-car page .  For more specific information, if your journey involves a nightjet, see the nightjet sleeper train page .  If your journey involves a French domestic Intercité de Nuit overnight train, see the Intercités de Nuit page .

...in a seat

Although it's the cheapest option, travelling overnight in an ordinary seat is a false economy.  It's not recommended however tight your budget, either for comfort or security, unless there's no other option.  There's no lock on the compartment door, and no staff on duty.  Think of it as the equivalent (almost!) of sleeping in a shop doorway.  Always budget for at least the couchette supplement for a comfortable night's journey. 

How early to be at the station?

There are some exceptions .  Major Italian stations now have a simple manual ticket check between concourse and platform circulating area.  In France some major stations have automatic ticket gates when boarding long-distance trains, scan the barcode on your ticket and they open, they're work until 2 minutes before departure.  But it's still nothing like air travel.

Train composition posters

Is there passport control before boarding, how long to allow for connections , it takes just minutes to change trains, if your onward train is a local one, if your onward train is all-reserved, if your onward train is a sleeper, if connecting out of a sleeper.

Example   You're catching the Cologne-Munich sleeper train, due to arrive in Munich at 07:10.  There are onward connections to Salzburg at 07:25 and 09:30, both with cheap fares available which are only valid on whichever specific train you choose.  Online systems and the European Rail Timetable suggest the 07:25.  But is this a safe connection?  No, it isn't.  Even this excellent sleeper train can arrive 20, 40 or 60 minutes late, and it pays to be on the safe side.  In this case I'd recommend booking the 09:30 and having a leisurely breakfast in Munich.

Through ticket or separate tickets?

Recommended connection times when changing stations in paris, travel tips, what happens if you miss a connection, if things go wrong ..., here's what you should know.

With a through ticket the international conditions of carriage (CIV) give you a cast-iron legal entitlement to travel on by later trains if a delay means a missed connection, so tight connections aren't necessarily a problem.

However, through tickets no longer exist for many journeys and you'll often be given separate tickets for each train.  Unfortunately, CIV protection only applies to connections within each ticket, not between tickets.

The good news is that rail staff will usually help you out if there's a delay, as connections between separate tickets and different operators are often covered by the Agreement for Journey Continuation (AJC) or RailTeam/HOTNAT , which I explain below.

If you miss a connection

If you are on a delayed Eurostar and you realise you're going to miss your onward connection, Eurostar train managers carry a HOTNAT / CIV stamp and will endorse your ticket.  They may walk through the train helping people with connections, or may announce that they are available in a particular car.  Similarly, staff on other European trains can usually endorse or stamp your ticket if their train is delayed.

Tip:  If crossing Paris by metro, buy a metro ticket in the Eurostar cafe-bar car to save vital minutes, you might still make your connection.

It's good to be aware of your rights under the international conditions of carriage or CIV and its limitations, and of AJC & HOTNAT .

An example...   I was travelling from London to Bordeaux on a Eurostar running 40 minutes late.  It looked like I would miss my connection in Paris, and naturally my onward ticket was train-specific & non-changeable!  An announcement was made that the train manager was in the bar car to help passengers with connections.  He stamped my ticket and told me to go to the ticket office at Paris Montparnasse to get myself rebooked on a later train.  In the event, I bought a metro ticket from the Eurostar cafe-bar to save time at the metro station (important tip!), I walked to the front of the train as we approached Paris, I had allowed a little more than the recommended minimum 60 minutes to cross Paris in any case, and I made my connection!

If you miss a Eurostar due to a delayed train

If you miss a connection in brussels, your rights:   civ conditions of carriage.

Unfortunately, this CIV missed connection protection only applies within a single contract for carriage, in other words, within one ticket.

If you have a through ticket from A to C changing at B, your connection at B is protected if there's a delay.

But if you have a ticket from A to B and a separate ticket from B to C, your connection at B is not protected by the CIV as this is two separate contracts for carriage and CIV does not apply between contracts.  These days, many journeys have to be made using separate tickets.

For example, there are no through tickets between London and Germany, so if you book a journey from London to Berlin, even as one transaction on one website, you'll get a London-Brussels Eurostar ticket and a separate Brussels-Berlin DB (German Railways) ticket.  This is two separate contracts for carriage and CIV does not protect you for a missed connection in Brussels, between the two tickets.

The CIV were written when through tickets were the norm for almost all European journeys, these days many through journeys have to be made using multiple tickets.  Frankly, the CIV are no longer fit for purpose.  I have spoken at the EU Parliament in Brussels on the subject!

Railteam & HOTNAT

Agreement on journey continuation ( ajc ).

The signatories to the AJC are:

SNCF (French Railways), DB (German Railways), ÖBB (Austrian Railways), Trenitalia (Italian Railways), Renfe (Spanish Railways), SBB (Swiss Federal Railways), BLS (Bern-Lötschberg-Simplon Railway), CD (Czech Railways), SNCB (Belgian Railways), NS (Dutch Railways), CFL (Luxembourg Railways), DSB (Danish Railways), SJ (Swedish Railways), SZ (Slovenian Railways), ZSSK (Slovakian Railways). 

Eurostar signed up to the AJC in 2023, as did MAV (Hungarian Railways), PKP (Polish Railways), HZPP (Croatian Railways) & European Sleeper .

The AJC doesn't currently cover some open-access operators such as Italo, Westbahn, Regiojet, Leo Express.

To qualify for help under the AJC:

Both trains have to be run by signatories to the agreement.

You have to be making an international journey, not a domestic one.

You must have allowed reasonable period of time between trains, meaning at least the minimum applied by official journey planners.

You may need to get proof of the delay from the delayed operator, which they are obliged to give you.

Onward travel has to be on the same operator on the same route.  It is either the station staff or the train manager for the onward train you gives you permission, you should ask at the interchange station.

Remember that the AJC is a commercial agreement between operators, it's not a passenger right you can claim.  So politely remind staff about it if they don't seem to know about it.

A traveller's report

A traveller reports:   "I got to my local station and there were no trains going anywhere!  There had been an emergency that stopped all trains for half an hour or so in the early morning rush hour, just when I needed to get to London for the 8.30am Eurostar to Paris and TGV down to Toulon, with train-specific tickets all the way.  So what do you do?  I just went to the ticket office when I reached London - they had the emergency flagged up on their computer screens and just wrote me a docket/stamped and signed it and on I went.  At St Pancras, I did the same - went to the Eurostar ticket office and they stamped the unused tickets, issued new ones and off I went.   At Gare de Lyon, I went to the ticket office, showed them all the dockets, stamped, stapled and initialled tickets and again they just issued me a ticket for the next train."

Holidays & tours by train

Railbookers , railbookers.co.uk.

Railbookers can custom-make a holiday or short break by train to most European countries for you, with train travel & carefully-chosen hotels, for however long you like, leaving on any date you like.  If you tell them what you want, they'll advise you on the best trains, routes & hotels and sort it all out for you.  They look after their customers well and get a lot of repeat business, so I've no hesitation in recommending them.

Byway, byway.travel

Byway ( Byway.travel ) is a UK-based eco-holiday firm with a 5-star TrustPilot rating .  If you're nervous about booking train travel yourself, they'll book European trips for you as a package including hotels, starting from any British station.  Byway includes package protection, a 100% Covid refund guarantee, free disruption & re-planning and on-demand WhatsApp support while you're away.

To see pre-configured packages from the UK to various destinations, use the journey planner on their website .

Tip:   First book a one-way outward journey to your destination city on your outward date.  Then change the direction of the arrow and book an inward journey on your return date.  The journey back to the UK can be from a different location if you like, for example if you plan to travel around a bit before your return to the UK.

Alternatively they can build a trip to your requirements, email them or use the contact form .  Please say you heard about them from Seat 61.

Rail Discoveries , raildiscoveries.com

Great rail journeys , greatrail.com, general country guidebooks.

People sometimes think a guidebook is an unnecessary expense, but it's a tiny fraction of what you're spending on your whole trip.  You will see and understand so much more if you have a decent guidebook.  For the independent traveller, I think the best ones out there are either the Lonely Planet or the Rough Guide.  Both guidebooks are excellent, and you won't regret buying one!

Click the images to buy at Amazon.co.uk or buy in the USA at Amazon.com

H otels in europe, backpacker hostels.

www.hostelworld.com :  If you're on a tight budget, don't forget about the backpacker hostels.  Hostelworld offers online booking of dorm beds or ultra-cheap private rooms in backpacker hostels in most European cities at rock-bottom prices.

Car hire comparison:  www.carrentals.co.uk

The award-winning website www.carrentals.co.uk compares many different car hire companies including Holiday Autos.  That means not only a useful price comparison, but a wider choice of hire and drop off location.

Travel insurance & other tips

Always take out travel insurance.

You should take out travel insurance with at least £1m or preferably £5m medical cover from a reliable insurer.  It should cover trip cancellation and loss of cash & belongings up to a reasonable limit.  These days, check you're covered for covid-19-related issues, and use an insurer whose cover isn't invalidated by well-meant but excessive Foreign Office travel advice against non-essential travel. An annual policy is usually cheapest even for just 2 or 3 trips a year, I have an annual policy with Staysure.co.uk myself.  Don't expect travel insurance to bail you out of every missed connection, see the advice on missed connections here .  Here are some suggested insurers, I get a little commission if you buy through these links, feedback always welcome.

Get an eSIM with mobile data package

Don't rely on WiFi, download an eSIM with a European mobile data package and stay connected.  Most newer mobile phones can download a virtual SIM including iPhone 11 & later, see device compatibility list .  There's no need to buy a physical SIM card!  Maya.net is a reliable eSIM data retailer with a 4.5 out of 5 Trustpilot rating and a range of packages including unlimited data .

Get a Curve card for foreign travel

Most banks give you a poor exchange rate then add a foreign transaction fee on top.  A Curve MasterCard means no foreign transaction fees and gives you the mid-market exchange rate, at least up to a certain limit, £500 per month as I write this.  The money you spend on your Curve card goes straight onto one of your existing debit or credit cards.  And you can get a Curve card for free.

How it works:   1. Download the Curve app for iPhone or Android .  2. Enter your details & they'll send you a Curve MasterCard - they send to the UK and most European addresses.  3. Link your existing credit & debit cards to the app, you can link up to two cards with the free version of Curve, I link my normal debit card and my normal credit card.  4. Now use the Curve MasterCard to buy things online or in person or take cash from ATMs, exactly like a normal MasterCard. Curve does the currency conversion and puts the balance in your own currency onto whichever debit or credit card is currently selected in the Curve app.  You can even change your mind about which card it goes onto, within 14 days of the transaction.

I have a Curve Blue card myself, it means I can buy a coffee on a foreign station on a card without being stung by fees and lousy exchange rates, just by tapping the Curve card on their card reader.  The money goes through Curve to my normal debit card and is taken directly from my account (in fact I have the Curve card set up as payment card on Apple Pay on my iPhone, so can double-click my phone, let it do Face ID then tap the reader with the phone - even easier than getting a card out).  I get a little commission if you sign up to Curve, but I recommend it here because I think it's great.  See details, download the app and get a Curve card , they'll give you £5 cashback through that link.

Get a VPN for safe browsing.  Why you need a VPN

When travelling you may use free public WiFi which is often insecure.  A VPN encrypts your connection so it's always secure, even on unsecured WiFi.  It also means you can select the geographic location of the IP address you browse with, to get around geoblocking which a surprising number of websites apply.  See VPNs & why you need one explained .  ExpressVPN is a best buy with a 4.7 out of 5 Trustpilot ranking which I use myself - I've signed up as an ExpressVPN affiliate, and if you go with expressvpn.com using this link you should see a special deal, 3 months free with an annual subscription.  I also get some commission to help support this site.

Carry an Anker powerbank

Tickets, reservations, hotel bookings and Interrail or Eurail passes are often now held on your mobile phone.  You daren't let it run out of power, and you can't always rely on the phone's internal battery or on being near a power outlet.  I always carry an Anker powerbank which can recharge my phone several times over.  Buy from Amazon.co.uk or Buy from Amazon.com .

Touring cities?  Use hill walking shoes!

One of the best things I've done is swap my normal shoes for hill-walking shoes, in my case from Scarpa.  They're intended for hiking across the Pennines not wandering around Florence, but the support and cushioning for hiking works equally well when you're on your feet all day exploring foreign cities.  My feet used to give out first and limit my day, now the rest of me gives up before they do!

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What to look out for when booking:, the common benefits:, complimentary meal service included in the ticket price:, non complimentary access to an at-seat meal service, complimentary welcome drink /snack service:, no complimentary catering benefits:, first class travel per country:, great britain, switzerland, the netherlands, international services:, please support showmethejourney.

First Class travel on European trains

Is First Class worth it on European trains is a commonly asked question. Though due to the varieties of enhanced comfort and on board service, it doesn't have a definitive answer, but more often than not, it will be a yes.

There are huge variations between the travel experience in First Class on European trains, so multiple factors need to be considered when attempting to provide an answer to the question, ‘Are First Class train tickets worth the money?’

These factors include:

• The price difference between 1st class and 2nd class tickets, which can vary from a few €s to more than €40; when looking up a departure the cheapest type of tickets can be sold out in 2nd class, but still be available in 1st class.
• The trains being used on a route , the difference between 1st and 2nd class tends to be more obvious on the trains used for long-distance express services, than on regional trains.
• What additional extras are included when booking First Class tickets; these can range from a three-course hot meal to nothing at all.
• Whether the first class tickets have more flexible terms for exchanges and refunds than second class tickets.

As with the prices of many 2nd class tickets, the prices of 1st class tickets can vary hugely according to demand; cheaper prices can be available on different dates, and on your travel date the prices can also vary between departures. So it can pay off to make a comprehensive search for the best deal; I recently spent more than an hour tracking down the cheapest possible First Class price for a train journey from the Scottish Highlands to London.

The variations between the prices of First and Second Class tickets don’t always mirror each other, if you see a good Second Class price, don’t assume that the cheapest possible First Class price will be available for the same departure. Particularly keep this in mind on booking services on which the 1st class price is sold as an added extra to the Second Class price.

Booking First Class tickets can actually be great value for money. That ticket from Scotland and London cost £14 more than a Second Cass ticket, but it included complimentary food and drink throughout the journey, which would have cost in excess of £14 if each item had been purchased at the on board bar counter.

Users of First Class Eurail and InterRail passes save more in comparison to the ticket costs than users of Second class rail passes.

Children can travel for free , at various ages, when travelling with Adult ticket purchasers on many European trains and this also applies when an adult books first class tickets; so don’t assume that first class will be an adults only travel environment, particularly when travelling at weekends and during school holidays.

Travelling in first class is also the only means of accessing these travel benefits; when they are available on a route:

• Travelling in single seat with no other traveller beside you; the seats in the first class areas on most European express trains are arranged 1 + 2 across the aisle.
• Wider more comfortable seats
• More space between seats
• Not having to leave your seat in order to obtain hot food.
• Access to passenger lounges at stations; though in some countries including France, these are now only accessible to bookers of the equivalent of Business Class tickets.

Less obvious benefits of travelling first class can include:

• More space in which to store luggage
• Access to enhanced Wi-Fi
• More power sockets, including USB sockets
• An increase likelihood of being sat at a table.
• A higher possibility of finding available seats when travelling on trains on which reservations are not available, or are optional.

On regional trains the difference between second and first class can seem marginal, but what you are partially paying for by booking first class tickets, is the increased likelihood of finding a seat at all. When travelling with my 75 year old mother I spent €4 more for each of us for a journey from Vicenza to Venice on a Regionale train, and it paid off because we were able to find seats on a train on which second class was standing room only, so the €8 of additional cost was worth every cent.

I have travelled on more than a dozen ICE trains when using first class InterRail passes and have only been unable to find a seat for one short section of one journey.

On the slow trains on scenic routes, first class can seem an expensive luxury, but it can pay off when crossing a near empty carriage / coach, in order to make the most of the scenery on both sides of the journey.

Catering in First Class

There can be a misconception that first class tickets include a meal service, but this isn’t always the case on European trains. When an at-seat meal service is available there can also be variations as to whether it is included in the ticket price, or whether any items of food and drink that are ordered have to then be paid for. Also on some trains a complimentary breakfast will be available, but no meals will be served at other times.

Hence this breakdown of whether a catering service is or isn’t included in the price when booking first class tickets; and whether any catering is available at all.

This service is available on these trains:

• Avanti Pendolino (GB)
• Avanti Super Voyager (GB)
• AVE , on Monday to Friday (Spain)
• CrossCountry 125s and Voyagers (GB)
• EIP (Poland)
• Euromed , on Monday to Friday (Spain)
• Eurostar (international)
• Frecce trains , in Executive Class (Italy)
• GWR IET (GB)
• LNER Azuma (GB)
• LNER Intercity 225 (GB)
• Regiojet , in Business Class (Czechia and international)
• Snabbtag ; breakfast only (Sweden)
• SuperCity (Czechia)
• TGV Lyria ; when travelling Business Class (international)
• Thalys , in Premiére Class (international)

and on the TFW Rail trains on the North Wales ↔ South Wales route.

Uses of first class rail passes, who have paid the mandatory reservation fees (which are not required on the British trains) will also be served the complimentary catering.

On these trains the full restaurant menu can be ordered from on-board attendant, who will then deliver the food/drink to your seat:

• Raiijet (Austria and international)
• Railjet (Czechia and international)
• EC Astoro , (Switzerland ↔ Italy some departures
• EC Giruno , (Switzerland ↔ Italy) some departures
• EIC (Poland)
• ICE trains (Germany and international)
• DB-SNCF services , the TGV and ICE trains (France ↔ Germany)

On these trains the catering attendant will likely pass through the train asking passengers if they want to order a coffee or other drink, but this is an opportunity to request other items. Or a chain reaction occurs in which passenger will order a meal and then other travelers respond to this when they see the meal being served. But on other journeys which SMTJ has experienced, the catering attendant has been out-of-sight and therefore out-of-mind; there will be usually be a button available which can be used to summon the catering attendant, so if you want to order a meal, don’t be afraid to push it.

On the Nova trains operated by TPE in the UK, passengers travelling first class can order sandwiches, snacks and drinks, from a catering service which is not available to second class passengers.

• EC Berlin Warszawa Express (international)
• Frecce trains , in Business Class (Italy)
• Grand Central Adelante (GB)
• EMR Meridian (GB)
• Greater Anglia Intercity (GB)
• IC/EC (Denmark ↔ Germany)
• Italo , in Prima and Executive class (Italy)
• Lyn (Denmark)
• Regiojet , in Relax and Standard Astra Class (Czechia and international)
• Regiontog , some routes (Norway)
• ScotRail Inter7City (GB)
• Snabbtag (Sweden)

On the Danish, Norwegian and Swedish trains, there will be either a help-yourself drinks service, or travelers will be issued with vouchers which can be used at a bar counter, but on the other trains the catering attendant will pass through the train,

Note the trains missing from those lists above include the TGV trains in France and the InterCity (IC) services in France, Germany and Switzerland . The Swiss IC trains convey restaurant cars, so if you want to have a meal during a journey you can save money by booking second class tickets and then travelling in the restaurant car for most of your journey.

On some trains, not included on the above lists, the passengers in first class will be able to order and pay for items from a catering trolley, which can be taken through the train, but the same items and prices will also be available to travelers in second / standard class.

The first class travel experience will be specific to each type of train, so these summaries per country are intended to give an overall insight into what travellers can expect from the 'superior' travel experience.

Virtually all Austrian express train services are now handled by Railjets on both RJ and RJX services. On the Railljet trains the first class benefits include:

• reclining seats
• power sockets at every seat
• access to on board entertainment portal + Wifi
• more luggage storage space
• a quiet zone; the standard / second class seats don’t have one
• the full on-board restaurant menu can be ordered from the attendant and delivered to your seat; though no food and drink is complimentary.

Though one unusual aspect of the first class seating saloon is that comparatively few seats are at tables.

Also first class ticket holders can access station lounges.

When booking tickets on the OBB website , you can choose to add ‘First Class’ as an extra feature, and doing so has a fixed price of €10, €20 or €30 which is priced according to demand, as well as the length of the journey. This first class upgrade rate can also be out of sync with the Standard Class prices, which are the only prices initially shown. A more expensive Standard Class departure can have a 1st class upgrade price of only €10, while a departure with a cheaper standard class price can have a 1st class upgrade price of €20. So it can pay to compare the total costs of the Standard Class ticket + 1st class upgrade across different departures.

Travelling with kids can be exceptionally good value on Railjet trains, an adult adding a 1st class upgrade to discounted Sparschiene ticket can take up to four children aged 14 and under with them at no extra charge.

On the majority of Belgian trains the difference between first and second class seats can be comparatively marginal, with more legroom being the only on board benefit. Though on most of the trains used on the Ostend – Bruges – Ghent – Brusses – Liege – Eupen route, the first class seating is 2 + 1 across the aisle.

Reservations are not available on Belgian trains, including the IC express services , so a key benefit of booking first class tickets is the greater likelihood of being able to find available seats

When travelling by express (SC, IC and EC) trains in Czechia there is a clear distinction between travelling first and second class.

The national rail operator, CD, provides different types of train services and each of them has a distinct first class offering.

• On the SC trains on the primary Praha ↔ Ostrava route a complimentary light meal is served in first class.
• On the Railjet trains used on the Praha – Brno – Breclav – (Austria route) the the first class benefits include:

On the LeoExpress and Regiojet trains, which compete with CD’s services, travelers who book their equivalents of First Class receive a complimentary welcome drink and snack.

In Denmark , on the trains used on the Lyn and IC services, as well as the international trains to/from Hamburg, there are three key differences between the first and second class seating saloons:

• The seats are larger in first class and they have more legroom
• The seats are arranged 2 + 1 across the aisle
• Complimentary jugs of hot water are provided so that travelers can help themselves to tea and coffee, plus bottles of cold water and snacks are available.

On the TGV trains and the Intercités services the key difference between premiere /first class and standard / second class is the ambience in the on-board seating saloons.

• The seats are arranged 2 + 1 across the aisle, so it can be worth using the seating plans when making a booking.
• The seats are larger and offer more legroom and it’s this in particular which can justify the additional cost; I am 1.9 meters tall and find the Standard Class seating saloons on TGV and Intercités trains to be comparatively cramped.
• There are also more luggage racks and space in which to store luggage generally.

Though what is comparatively unusual in France is that there are no complimentary catering benefits with first class tickets. Also Premiere Class tickets do not provide access to station lounges; these are one of the two key benefits of booking Business Premiere tickets, the other being the greater flexibility in terms of ticket refund and cancellations.

On the iconic ICE trains the benefits which are only available to first class ticket holders are:

• seats arranged 2 + 1 across the aisle
• enhanced wi-fi

Though a key benefit of booking first class tickets for ICE, IC and journeys within and to/from Germany by EC trains , is that complimentary reservations are included. When booking second class tickets seat reservations are optional and need to be added to a booking at a cost of €4 per seat; so if you’ll want to reserve, factor this in when comparing the price of travelling first and second class.

Holders of first class tickets can also access the lounges which are available at every hauptbahnhof (main station).

On British long-distance rail services it is the operators of the trains which set the level of first class service; so you can use this guide as to what they offer; and this guide which will you on which routes you’ll find their trains.

Though in summary, when travelling with the companies which operate the ‘commuter routes’ to/from London including Greater Anglia, Southern and South West Railways, the key benefits of travelling first class are the enhanced legroom and the increased likelihood of finding available seats when boarding.

On the trains operated by Avanti West Coast, GWR and LNER a key additional benefit of travelling first class is the at-seat complimentary catering, which on some departures can be three course hot meals, similar to what would be served in the restaurant cars on other European trains.

On the Frecce and the Intercity trains operated by Trenitalia and the Italo trains operated by NTV, the primary benefit of booking first class tickets is the enhanced comfort, though what is unusual about the Frecciarossa 500; the Freciarossa 1000 and Italo trains is that they offer four class of accommodation instead of two. There is a distinct contrast between the standard /second class and Business / Prima Class seating saloons on these trains; these Business / Prima classes are closest to the equivalent of first class areas of other European high speed trains.

On Trenitalia’s Frecce trains a complimentary welcome drink and snack is served in Business Class, but you have to travel in Executive Class on the Frecciarossa 500 and Freciarossa 1000 trains to have access to an at seat catering service.

Though a less obvious benefit of the Business and Executive Class on those Frecce trains, as well as in the Prima and Business Classes on the Italo trains, is the additional luggage storage space.

PKP manages the national express train services in Poland and on its EIC and EIP services the difference between travelling first and second class is comparatively obvious. On the EIP trains a light meal service is complimentary and the full restaurant menu is also available as an at-seat service. On the EIC trains the complimentary light meal isn’t served, but the full on board menu can be ordered from the catering attendant.

Prémium tickets are only available on Monday to Friday on the AVE and the Euromed services, because if you book one of these tickets you will be served a complimentary light meal at your seat, but this meal service is not available at weekends. On these AVE and Euromed trains and the Alvia express services, ‘Elige’ tickets can be ‘upgraded to travel in Comfort Class, which is the equivalent of 1st Class. So when travelling on the AVE and Euromed services on Monday to Friday, if you want to travel in Comfort Class, you can either upgrade an Elige ticket, or book a Premium ticket; both tickets give access to the same seating areas. When upgrading an Elige ticket to Comfort Class you are primarily paying for the enhanced on-board comfort; wider seats arranged 2+1 across the aisle and more legroom.

On the Swiss IC and IR train services the contrast between first and second class is only particularly stark on the older single deck trains, but aside from the wider seats and additional legroom, the core benefit of booking first class can be the enhanced possibility of finding spare seats on busy trains

Comparatively few Swiss train travelers bother to make reservations, as booking them is an extra cost and the process is outside of the usual booking path. But as first class is less busy generally, finding available seats on any departure is virtually guaranteed.

Despite the inclusion of restaurant cars on the IC services, an at seat meal service is not available in first class.

On the majority of Dutch trains the difference between first and second class seats can be comparatively marginal, with more legroom being the only on board benefit. Reservations are not available on Dutch trains, including the IC express services , so a key benefit of booking first class tickets is the greater likelihood of being able to find available seats.

These international train services offer additional benefits to travelling in enhanced comfort; wider seats, more leg-room, seats arranged 2+1 across the aisle:

On the routes between Paris and Frankfurt (Main), Stuttgart and Munich passengers travelling first class can access an at seat catering service; though on the ICE trains used for some departures on the Paris ↔ Frankfurt (Main) route the choice is more extensive, as these trains have restaurant cars

EC (Switzerland - Germany/Austria)

On the EC trains which operate on the Zurich ↔ Graz and the Switzerland ↔ north Germany via Koblenz and Bonn routes, some of the first class seating is in observation cars.

On the Eurostar services both Standard Premier and Business Premier ticket holders are served a complimentary light meal and there is no difference to the on-board ambience. The core additional benefits of Business Premier tickets are:

• shorter check-in times
• enhanced options for altering a booking
• access to the station lounges.

On the Lyria train services between Paris and Switzerland and on the Thalys train services between Paris and Belgium, Germany and The Netherlands, a complimentary light meal is served to Business Class ticket holders.

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How to Tour Europe by Train Using Eurail First Class Passes

By: Author Betsy Wuebker

If you want to tour Europe by train, Eurail first class passes will offer you comfort and flexibility. Is a Eurail pass worth it? We say “yes!”

We prefer to travel by train whenever possible. It’s fun! And you can’t beat the convenience. The extra time it takes to go by surface in Europe is a good trade-off for eliminating all the hassles associated with air travel these days. We thought we’d share our experiences to give you an idea of how to tour Europe by train in Eurail First Class, along with unexpected ways to use Eurail passes we put to good use. With a Eurail Pass, Europe is at your fingertips! Let’s get started!

Table of Contents

This post contains affiliate links and/or references to our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on or make a purchase using these links. Eurail passes for two of our three major trips were complimentary.

What is the Eurail Pass and How Does a Eurail Pass Work?

What is Eurail and how does Eurail work? For those who don’t know, the Eurail Pass  (sometimes incorrectly referred to as a “Eurorail pass”) is an instrument sold to allow the holder unlimited travel within a designated period of time across rail networks in 28 European countries.

Basically, the Eurail Pass allows you to hop on and hop off multiple trains in one or more countries at will during the time period in which it is valid. These are not special Eurail trains. Rather, you get to choose. Many people ask can you use Eurail pass on local trains, and the answer is yes. Select from international, national, and local systems. It’s rare that you can’t get to someplace in Europe by train.

With millions of passes sold all over the world since 1959, buying a Eurail pass allows you to plan extensive travel throughout Europe on your own timetable.

What Does the Eurail Pass Difference Between 1st and 2nd Class Mean on a Practical Basis?

The Eurail First Class pass allows you to travel in both first and second class cars where there is the distinction. You may find the difference in 1st class vs 2nd class rail features and amenities preferable as we did.

Eurail First Class vs Second Class – For the extra expense, you’ll find first class seating more comfortable and generally less crowded. There is more legroom and more room for your luggage.

On the high speed trains between the capitals and major cities (which we consider to be the best Eurail routes), you can expect expanded food and drink choices (some of which may be complimentary), wifi and power sockets, and even a newspaper.

On trains with compartments, first class compartments will hold up to 6 people. Second class compartments will hold up to 8 people.

We found the First Class lounges in many train stations to be a great place to get some work done between trains. These generally had comfortable seating, work spaces, snacks and drinks, luggage storage, secure access and helpful attendants.

While Europe luxury train travel can be over the top on lines such as the Venice Simpson-Orient-Express, the Royal Scotsman or the Golden Eagle, Eurail First Class passes can give you enjoyable comforts and amenities.

Buying a Eurail Pass: How Should You Choose?

Are Eurail Passes worth it? When buying a Eurail pass, you basically choose using length of time and number of countries as your guide. Different aspects like whether you’ll travel daily or every few days and whether you qualify for youth or group discounts will come into play.

What is a Eurail Global Pass? For the ultimate in flexibility, the Eurail Global Pass lets you travel to 5 or more countries. Choose time increments starting at 5 days within the space of one month up to three months continuous.

Tip: Eurail discounts are generous. Adults traveling together can save 15%. Eurail youth discounts for age 12-27 are standard. Family rates are available, as well.

Passes are available for a single country, and two to four contiguous countries. Eurail Select allows you to tailor your plans between 2-4 adjoining countries for up to 10 days of train travel within a 2 month period.

If you’re undecided on your itinerary, the Eurail website details popular trips and sample itineraries that might inspire. When you’ve decided, it’s super easy to walk your scenario through the Eurail self service oriented site, select the right pass, and then pay online.

What About Eurail Reservations?

Eurail seat reservations – We recommend you reserve seats whenever the option is available, particularly if the routes or timeframe is popular. With a Eurail Pass, reservations for night trains (depending upon your sleeping accommodation choice) and high-speed trains are still required.

Day seats will be coach style with a center aisle or in separate compartments. Choose window or aisle, adjoining, or opposites. Look for handy tables at which you can use your laptop. You might also see dining car or panorama car seats from which to choose.

Travelers also want to know does Eurail pass cover overnight trains? For these, you’ll need an additional reservation, but the variable discounts you get will be significant.

Night trains may have several configurations. First class sleepers are the way to go, in our opinion. If you’re a single traveler, the first class Eurail Pass will get you your own compartment. Double compartments are available for first class Eurail pass holders and sometimes for 2nd class passes. Compartments may have their own lavatory and toilet, depending.

Couchettes are like bunk beds, configured for 4 or 6, with down the hall washing and toilet facilities. For privacy reasons, we avoided this option.

Make your reservations well ahead of time in high demand seasons and countries like Italy, France and Spain. Eurail summer travel is most subject to demand and availability. If you don’t want to pay seat reservation fees, look for regional trains, which are slower. You can use the search function on the Eurail site and check “avoid trains that require reservations.”

Reservations can be made conveniently online with Eurail for a booking fee + the seat reservation fee if you’ve ordered your Eurail pass on their website. Or, you can reserve seats at a train station using a self-service machine or at the international ticket desk. You can start booking reservations up to two months in advance. Certain trains require reservations made 7 or more days in advance. E-ticket reservations are available for Italian and Spanish trains, and Italian-Swiss international trains at least 2 business days ahead.

Reservations can also be made using the Rail Planner app from Eurail for Italian, French TGV and Thalys, and Eurostar (London to Europe) trains.

Eurail Itineraries We Planned Ourselves and Traveled

Our Eurail experiences have been amazing! We’ve taken three extended trips using Eurail passes to travel by train in Europe. Each trip has been unique in terms of destinations, types of trains, number of countries traversed and other aspects.

Our first trip was in 2014, when we decided we’d travel by land from Paris to Sochi. That trip was cut short by political unrest in Ukraine, necessitating a flight from Bucharest by way of Chisinau (Moldova) to Sochi.

Segments included a side trip to Normandy by local train from Paris, TGV high speed train from Paris to Zurich , and then on to Liechtenstein for an overnight stay. Then we   went to Munich, took a side trip to visit friends near Stuttgart, on to Prague, Vienna, and Budapest.

A night train from Budapest to Bucharest was a trip unto itself.

On our second trip with Eurail Pass, Spain was the origination point. Using Eurail in Spain was easy, although there wasn’t much information reciprocity with France. We traveled Eurail Barcelona to Paris by TGV ultra high speed, and then to Brussels for a house sit.

Upon arrival in Brussels, we realized Pete had lost his wallet in Paris, and we were glad to have the Eurail Global Pass for him to take an unexpected trip back to retrieve it ( click to read that miraculous story ). If we had only had the Eurail France pass, it would have been a costlier situation.

From Brussels, we took the Eurostar which travels through the “Chunnel,” and then south to West Sussex. We did the same thing in reverse – Eurail London to Paris – back to Brussels for another sit, then went to Munich for another.

In Munich, the dogs we were caring for were old hands at train travel. Such good girls, who got lots of positive attention from other passengers!

After that sit, we visited the same friends in Stuttgart, and then traveled to Zagreb in Croatia. The tracks were under repair near Rijeka so that ended our journey.

Our most recent Eurail trip was in Scandinavia and the Baltic region. Using the Eurail Pass in Sweden was super easy; it’s basically a matter of show up at the station and get seat reservations.

Touring Sweden by train from south to north, we began a circular route from Stockholm to Luleå on an overnight train.

From Luleå, we went north past the Arctic Circle to Kiruna, where we’d been captivated by the story of having to move an entire town.

Then we backtracked from Luleå to the coastal town of Umeå, where we crossed the Gulf of Bothnia to Vaasa, Finland by ferry.

The train trip from Vaasa to Helsinki was interesting. No one asked us for proof that we had a ticket and we inadvertently took seats in the “pet” carriage, so made new canine friends along the way.

After visiting with friends in Helsinki, we ferried to Tallinn, Estonia. The ferries between the two capitals are basically party boats, with disco music and gambling on board. Tallinn is where Finns go to shop, because prices are so much lower.

After a week’s stay in Tallinn, we ferried back to Helsinki and then ferried overnight back to Stockholm.

Unexpected Ways to Use Eurail Passes

On our third trip to Sweden, Finland and Estonia, we used our Eurail First Class passes to travel by ferry from Helsinki to Tallinn – a 3 hour crossing, and again on an overnight ferry from Helsinki back to Stockholm. If you’ve never taken a ferry in Europe, you have to try! These ships are a recreational event! Many have beautiful restaurants and buffets, quality shopping, and entertainment for both children and adults.

Many ferry routes are included for free or at discount with your Eurail pass:

• the Balearia Line from mainland Spain to the islands of Mallorca, Minorca, Ibiza and Fomentera;
• the Blue Star ferries in Greece;
• Finnlines between Finland, Sweden and Germany;
• Fjord Line between Norway and Denmark;
• Grimaldi Lines between Italy, Spain and Greece;
• Irish Ferries between France, Ireland and Wales;
• Minoan Lines within Greece and between Greece and Italy;
• SNAV lines between Italy and Croatia;
• the Stena between the Netherlands, Ireland and Great Britain;
• Superfast Ferries on the Adriatic;
• and Tallink Silja on the Baltic.

We received special fares on our ferry from Helsinki to Tallinn. These range from 20% in high season to 40% in low season on Finnlines, and up to 50% on Viking Lines.

On our ferry from Helsinki to Stockholm we also received a special fare. This is a night crossing for which we were required to book a cabin. Our cabin was windowless, but cute, clean and comfortable. The bathroom was super nice!

Tip: Book night ferries well in advance. These accommodations fill fast in high season, as we well learned. Our cabin was the next to last available, and we were below the water line on a level lower than the automobiles!

Other benefits from your Eurail pass will vary country by country, but could include free admission to certain museums, free bus travel between places not served by rail, small reservation fees on scenic routes in Switzerland and Norway, City Card discounts, free lounge entrances for first class pass holders, hotel and hostel discounts, river sightseeing cruise discounts, and special discounts at shopping outlets.

How Do I Get My Eurail Pass?

You’ll need to order your Eurail pass ahead of arrival in Europe. It will be sent to your physical address for free, but a signature will be required. Additionally, if you’re using the seat reservation service, physical tickets will be sent to your shipping address. If time is limited, you can choose express shipment options.

In closing, we hope we’ve inspired you to tour Europe by train. We think it’s the best way to see the diverse countries up close, and with the convenience and comfort a Eurail first class pass provides, a relaxing and pleasurable way to travel.

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Tuesday 25th of July 2023

Answers a lot of questions, so much useful information.

Capt. Eldon C Summers

Saturday 3rd of August 2019

Thank you soo much for the info. My wife's and my trip starts in Barcelona, goes up through Berlin, comes back down through Prague into venice and back to Spain to leave out of Barcelona. Where going to get a global pass 1st class, as we don't have a planned itinerary and we are just going to travel around Europe for a month. Are there any storage places in Barcelona for luggage that we can rent? If so are they secure? We are starting with a 12 day cruise, so we will have a suit case as well as our day packs each and don't want to carry it all with us.

Betsy Wuebker

Congrats on what sounds like an exciting trip! While I would normally recommend you pack extremely light in order to easily carry your luggage with you, I understand the difficulties. I'm not specifically aware of places for secure long term luggage storage, but the first place I'd look would be at the airport. If you have hotel status, you might want to inquire at one of the hotels in your network if it's available. Have fun!

Hannah Kringle

Monday 30th of July 2018

Hi, thank you so much for the information about traveling in Europe. Next summer I will be traveling around Europe for a couple months with my service dog. I noticed that you traveled with dogs on the eurail and I was wondering if you ever had any trouble. Also what papers and info did you have to have about them to let you board? I know that when traveling to the U.K they have different standards, was it easy to enter London from France with your dogs? Thank you

Hi Hannah - We traveled local trains in Munich and Brussels with dogs that we were caring for as housesitters. We also inadvertently obtained seats in the "pet car" on a train in Finland. Our first clue there should have been the dog icon on the outside, but we were oblivious. Our one homeowner obtained passports for her two dogs that allowed her to travel from Brussels into France, but I'm not sure if she ever took them to the U.K. This link may be helpful: https://www.servicedogcertifications.org/guide-for-traveling-with-a-service-dog-in-europe/ Let us know how you get on.

Martin Canosa

Tuesday 17th of July 2018

are the food in first class free?

Thursday 19th of July 2018

Hi Martin - The best answer is "sometimes." You should check the individual schedules to see what's included on your itinerary.

Benjamin Cohen.

Wednesday 4th of July 2018

Me and my wife are looking to travel Eurail first class,starting from London on 7/25/18 . We want to travel to Florence,Venice,Ljubljana ,Zagreb ,split,Belgrade ,Dubrovnik ,Sofia,Thessaloniki and end up on Athens 3 weeks later.

Monday 9th of July 2018

Hi Benjamin - Sounds like a fantastic trip!

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Benefits of 1st Class Train Travel in Europe

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I boarded the first-class carriage of Switzerland’s famous Glacier Express ―possibly the most luxurious scenic train in Europe― and instantly felt out of sorts.

One month of travel had not been kind on my Converses ― they were battered and caked in a layer of mud courtesy of the Italian Alps, as was my once-red backpack that had been through the wringer.

My jeans had ripped at the knee a few weeks earlier somewhere in France, and I had stopped caring too much about combing my hair.

I found a seat two away from a man in a crisp navy golf shirt and a fedora, and a woman dressed entirely in white except for her dark glasses. As I sat down, he subtly nudged her. They exchanged a few hushed words, and when the conductor walked the carpeted aisles, I’m pretty sure they adjusted their seats to get a good view of my imminent ejection.

But it never happened, because clenched in my fist was a  Global Pass,  with which I was cruising my way across the continent.

Andrew Thompson

@andrewthompsonsa

After the conductor left I met the couples’ eyes, smiled smugly, and then shifted my focus to the scenic spectacle unfolding outside. When the waiters arrived to lay the table in front of me, with starched tablecloths, silver cutlery and actual glasses, I felt like I was living the lifestyle of the rich and famous.

Although on most trains you will ride in Europe, there is not likely to be a huge difference between first and second class, there are some that can create lasting memories, improve your experience, or just slightly increase your comfort.

7 reasons why it's worth paying extra for your 1st class train pass: 

1. increased leg room and seat width.

Your seat is possibly the most important comfort factor while on board a train, and when it comes to regional trains in Europe, most are created equal ― that is to say, not lounge-recliner comfortable, but usually perfectly acceptable for a few hours of overland travel.

Some trains, however, throw in a few extra centimetres for first class travellers on both the seat width and leg room that can make all the difference. Some trains also configure the aisles to make them slightly wider, usually making the experience less cramped.

2. Superior comfort

Some trains take first class comfort further than a few added centimetres. Most first class seats now have plug points for each passenger, wider tables, more generous luggage racks, and, increasingly, free wifi.

First class in Switzerland’s scenic trains, for example, also often offer leather seats, carpeted aisles, and at-seat service. If you are travelling through Austria, and willing to pay in a little extra on top of your Plus Pass when aboard a RailJet train, you can recline in a lavish business class seat that more closely resembles a living room sofa than a typical train seat. On some routes they will even throw in a cold beer delivered and poured at your seat. Although these are the exceptions rather than the norm, they are worth looking out for while planning your journeys.

3. Peace and quiet

The social factor is one of the biggest reasons to travel by train. The relaxed nature of second class means it is easy to strike up a conversation with fellow travellers, and alight with a handful of new Facebook friends and Instagram followers.

First class can be slightly different, however. Most people in Europe’s first class train carriages are travelling for business, or are on someone else’s dime, so they are less into the small talk and more into their laptops. Because of the price of these point-to-point tickets, the carriages are also often less crowded, allowing you more room to spread out and relax, and the general peace and quiet of these carriages can be surprisingly welcome after a few weeks of intense travel.

4. Finding a seat

Second class point-to-point tickets can cost up to 30% less than first class tickets, and at peak times or on popular routes this can often mean finding a seat is difficult. First class is seldom full, and it is usually much easier to find a seat. This is also a factor to consider if you want to bag a specific seat, like by the window or at a table.

5. Ordering in

Many first class carriages in high speed trains across Europe offer some kind of on-board meal served at your seat, often at no extra cost. Depending on the route this can be as simple as crackers and a coffee, but on certain trains such as the Eurostar, it can be a full meal.

Some of the continent’s famous scenic trains have onboard waiters who will attend to you at your seat, and although meals usually cost extra, they are worth trying at least once for a truly unique dining experience.

6. Seamless arrivals and departures

Much like first class on airplanes, many trains are configured to make it very clear that those able to afford this luxury are prioritized. This often means that first class carriages on the longer high-speed trains, such as the Eurostar, arrive in the station closest to the exit ― perfect for saving a few minutes if you are in a rush. Some of these trains also offer priority boarding to first class and business premier ticket holders.

7. First class lounges

Your first class Pass will give you access to first class lounges on the day of your departure at many stations in Europe with these facilities. Some of these lounges go as far as to offer free food, drinks (sometimes including alcohol), newspapers, comfortable reclining seats, baggage storage, and wifi. This is a particularly useful benefit if you have a long wait before your connecting train.

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Eurail First Class Travel – How to Explore Europe in Luxury

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Traveling around Europe by train is one of those experiences that should really be on everyone’s bucket list. Many people think that flying business class (or first class) is something they will never get to experience because of the extortionate airfares and honestly, I don’t blame them! We have flown first class once between Singapore and Melbourne and although you can see the difference, can you really justify the price difference? With train travel, you have the choice between first-class and second-class travel. We want to share our Eurail first class travel experiences based on our recent 10 day adventure across Europe.

As technologies and transportation methods evolve, the concept of traveling by train is unfortunately diminishing as travelers across the globe look to find cheaper, more efficient ways to get around. However, what people frequently forget is that traveling by train is actually a great way to save time but not only that, you can enjoy an experience unlike any other form of transportation.

I am going to go out on a limb with the following statement… “Exploring Europe by train is 100% the best way to get around and enjoy experiences you would otherwise miss out on” – yes, there are a bunch of low-cost airlines such as easyJet and Ryanair and if you are really pushed for time, these are great, affordable options.

But if you go that route, you miss out on exploring hidden gems like Colmar in the Alsace region of France, countries like San Marino in the heart of Italy and most importantly, those cultural interactions with locals across the continent.

Let’s take a look at why exploring Europe by train and in particular, why the benefits of purchasing a first-class Eurail pass is the best decision for any upcoming European travel.

Eurail First Class Travel Benefits

I want to start by taking a look at what some of the key benefits are when you purchase a first-class Eurail pass. This post isn’t going to delve into the details of why purchasing a Eurail pass in general is the best option (in our opinion it is but you can read all about the benefits of Eurail here ), rather it will focus on why first-class train travel is a step about second-class and why you will immediately feel like you are in luxury.

Let’s start with a quick caveat…every train/operator across Europe is different and so the standards that you will find are very different dependent on where you are traveling. For example, first-class travel in Switzerland and Italy is going to be very different to first-class travel in Hungary or Slovenia!

But that’s all part of the European rail journey adventure because you get to experience all of these differences. Rather than worrying about the quality, why not embrace the uniqueness each country offers and with a first-class Eurail pass, you can at least guarantee you are going to get the best each operator offers!

Let’s start with probably the most obvious and the aspect that is likely going to convince most folks to purchase first-class passes. The comfort levels available inside a first-class cabin/carriage is far superior to what you will experience in second-class.

Ok, let’s be realistic and reiterate that the difference between first and second class on a train isn’t quite what you experience on an airplane but it’s still noticeable enough to justify paying the extra price for a first-class pass.

Individually “customized” and “adjustable” seats are pretty standard inside all first-class cabins and you will likely experience more space (more on this later) with legroom and armrests. Extra wide tables are popular amenities inside a first-class cabin ensuring that you have plenty of room to catch up on work or relax with your favorite book.

The Frecciarossa high-speed trains in Italy are perhaps the most impressive that we have experienced, though for these you will be required to pay a small reservation fee each time you use them in addition to having the Eurail pass in-hand.

2. Availability

You are generally going to find that first-class seats are readily available, at least that is what we found during our recent trip across Europe. There will be occasions, such as during prime-time travel around 8-9AM and 4:30-6PM where it’s difficult to find any seats but overall you will find that more “locals” tend to opt for second-class travel as it’s cheaper and they are more concerned with reaching their destination rather than relaxing and admiring the scenery.

To reiterate what I referenced earlier…

In some countries first class simply means you have a better chance of finding a seat, whereas in other countries it means you’ll feel like royalty. (Eurail.com)

3. Peace and Quiet

Traveling in a first-class cabin generally means more “business” type people will be surrounding you, so it’s goes without saying they will likely be working away on their laptops and not holding many conversations.

The quiet cabin along with extra comfort in the seats will provide the perfect setting to catch up on some sleep or to simply relax and enjoy the breathtaking scenery passing by you. Grab a snack courtesy of the onboard service available on many trains and get ready for a relaxing adventure across Europe.

4. Stay Connected and Fully Charged

It doesn’t matter where you are in the world, there is a pretty common requirement out there in society…we all have to stay connected 24/7! And this is where traveling in first-class helps because the majority of these cabins are fitted with power sockets to ensure every device is 100% charged throughout your train journey and beyond.

Some trains are equipped with wi-fi connectivity which is another awesome benefit of traveling by train. Depending on the country, you may be fortunate to have free access otherwise a small surcharge will be required regardless of which class you travel in.

USB access in your seat or directly above you is another perk that cannot be disregarded. Another option for charging your phone or tablet without having to worry about pulling out all those long charging cables and travel adapter.

These are just a few examples of how traveling first-class is beneficial over second-class. If you need a little more convincing, take a look at this graphic offered by Eurail comparing the two classes.

Justifying the Cost Difference

Ok, so you are starting to get an idea by now that there are plenty of perks traveling first-class versus regular second-class. However, one more aspect is always going to be considered by travelers looking at Eurail passes – the cost difference!

Every Eurail pass is different and prices are always fluctuating because of seasonal rates and also discounts that are frequently available (that’s right folks, don’t forget to frequently keep checking Eurail’s website and social networks for notice about discounts!). However, let’s take a base Eurail Global Pass based on current prices (at the time of publication of this post), just to give you an idea of price comparison.

So, in the grand scheme of things, the price difference between 1st and 2nd class travel on a train is not massive. Is it worth paying the extra to enjoy the benefits of 1st class train travel? That’s entirely up to you but in our opinion, the answer is 100% yes!

Where to Travel First Class in Europe

The simple answer to the above question is EVERYWHERE and ANYWHERE! It really doesn’t matter where you choose to travel with your Eurail pass because you are going to reap the benefits the moment you step on the train.

Ok, so if you stay around Western Europe, the train system is a little more “developed” and “modern” so the benefits are going to be more obvious rather than in the Eastern European nations. But don’t let that stop you from heading further East because this is the BEST opportunity to explore some of those countries that may otherwise never have found their way on to your bucket list.

Here are some of the adventures you could experience should you choose to follow our route but honestly, we highly recommend checking out either our website (click on Destinations and Europe for some inspiration) or Eurail’s site here for popular routes .

• Experience the best things to do in Bologna – explore one of Italy’s hidden gems that frequently falls under the radar of the more infamous cities across the nation.
• Enjoy the Golden Pass in Switzerland by traveling between Lucerne and Interlaken (and beyond) – one of the many breathtaking, alpine routes to be enjoyed throughout Europe.
• Free Brussels Walking Tour – head to the heart of Belgium to enjoy one of the best free walking tours we have discovered across Europe courtesy of Sandemans.
• Head further east and experience the very best of the Hungarian capital Budapest in one day .

These are just a couple of examples of experiences you can enjoy and the beauty of traveling by first-class is that when you arrive in each of your chosen destinations, you will be fully relaxed and energized to explore everything there is to see there.

The benefits of Eurail’s first class pass are just one of the reasons why we consider taking the train to explore Europe is the best method of transportation. It’s tough competition out there to navigate around Europe when you could feasibly rent a car and drive or hop on one of the many low-cost airlines scattered across the continent. But neither of these options give you quite as much flexibility, comfort and relaxation as a first-class cabin does.

Our recent trip to Europe was one of the toughest trips we have taken, mainly for personal reasons. After losing my mother quite suddenly just a few weeks prior to this trip, we were very apprehensive about heading back across the pond to take on the adventure of traveling around Europe by train. But the moment we stepped on our first train in Geneva, Switzerland, we realized we had made the right decision because that was our way of dealing with such a tragedy and helping us relax.

We hope after reading this post you will be convinced to purchase a first-class train ticket and experience the very best of Europe just like we have done. We have enjoyed this on three separate occasions, each time exploring a different region and visiting new countries. It’s hard to pick a favorite route or a favorite destination but all we can say is that this type of travel is what will quickly give you the wanderlust to want to explore more!

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I followed your journey on social media, so it’s very interesting to read this wrap up of your adventure. I’m with you — trains in Europe are the best way to see the sights. It’s so much easier than dealing with security at airports. We flew United for the first time this year to Europe, so we had the excursionist perk of a “free” inter-Europe flight and felt we had to take it. We flew from Nuremberg to Luxembourg City. But I would much rather have traveled by train! We did train from Budapest to Vienna and ended up sitting by an American couple and enjoyed visiting (in English!) the entire time. We’ve also found trains are a great place to meet locals, even if we don’t speak a word of each other’s language. I’m glad you enjoyed your trip and that you found it healing after your mother’s passing.

We are missing the boat (or train) in America! Not only do we have so few train routes, even fewer have a First Class section. We rode Business Class in the Acela Express from Philadelphia to DC, and it was great. Meanwhile, those European rails…they’re calling us!!

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