Trains are great. I love that someone else has the responsibility for getting me around while I can walk around, nap, eat, or just look out the window. I find trains to be more human and dignified than planes any day, but unfortunately due to cost and time constraints I don’t get to take long distance trains as often as I would like. Taking the train in Germany is generally a pleasant experience.
However, I would say I take a regional train at least once a month and definitely any time we fly somewhere, since the airport is directly on the train line. German trains are part government run, part private but they use the same general vocabulary and systems to get around the country. Booking trains across borders can be tricky. In my personal experience, I would recommend making the reservation with the train company of the country you are departing from, so for example, to get to Paris book with DBahn, to help connect to TGV.
Deutsche Bahn
DE Bahn (link to English site) is the main company to get you all around the country and connect to international destinations as well. You can also use it to search for regional trains, which are run by regional providers, but you cannot purchase tickets for these trips*. If you’d like to purchase regional tickets in the Rhein-Main area, see here. The English isn’t as great on this site, so if you are hesitant or unsure bahn.de will work for checking the schedule.
DE Bahn also runs the long distance and fast trains. If you want to book ICE, you do it through this platform.
*Exceptions: you may be able to purchase regional service IF there are no transportation associations (read: unions) which service that particular area, or if DE Bahn has regular service running through it. I cannot imagine a major metro area where this exception would actually apply though, so be familiar with the regional transport.
Rail Passes
If anyone has experience using these, specifically from DE Bahn, let me know. I haven’t used them because they look expensive for what one actually needs if one doesn’t train all that often. But if you want to go this route, go here. I have a feeling these are mainly for those who are quite meticulous in their travel planning. I’d like to meet you, if you go this route.
Train Types
Train types vary depending on the distance of the route. They can also vary depending on the operator.
ICE / ICE-e
The high speed major route trains, these connect the cities and you will have to switch trains if you want to continue on to the suburbs or surrounding towns. What I find interesting is seat reservations are generally not required on these (though the exception is Frankfurt-Paris via Mannheim or Saarbrücken), but you can choose to do so for around 4,50 €*. I would think one would want to reserve a seat on such a long journey, but I suppose the flexibility helps someone.
If you don’t purchase a ticket in advance, you can expect a hefty price hike the day of (called Flexpreis), but this ticket is valid for all trains of this class, all day. You can purchase these at the station or online (or using the app, Android, iOS). These tickets are fully refundable. There is also a maximum price these tickets will reach: travel across Germany for EUR 157,50 € (2nd class) or EUR 265,50 € (1st class) and children under 15 are free, when accompanied by an adult with a ticket. Seat reservation is included in a first class purchase.
If you buy in advance and choose a Sparpreis, that is the cheaper tickets, that ticket is only good for that train, on that day of travel, but is also refundable (for a fee, and only before the departure time). The prices of these tickets go up the closer to the departure date and time, and they sell out before the Flexpreis. This link shows the cheapest connections for your selected route. Sparpreis Partner is specifically for two people, these are not available on all routes, non-refundable and no cancellations, and will sell out quickly.
Bike transportation and pet tickets require reservations in advance as well.
Current Domestic Routes
- Frankfurt – Hamburg
- Frankfurt – Munich
- Frankfurt – Cologne
- Frankfurt – Stuttgart
- Hamburg – Munich
- Berlin – Frankfurt
- Berlin – Munich
- Cologne – Berlin
- Frankfurt – Aachen
Current International Connections
- Austria (Wien, Innsbruck)
- Belgium (Brussels, Liège)
- Denmark (Copenhagen, Arhus)
- France (Paris)
- Netherlands (Arnhem, Utrecht, Amsterdam)
- Switzerland (Zürich, Interlaken)
Amenities
- WiFi
- Restaurant (on ICE-e)
- Bar and food service
- Power outlets
- Comfy chairs
- Table service (not all routes, not all trains)
*A ticket is not a seat reservation. You can purchase tickets if you don’t care where you sit, and the seats will have the names of those who reserved for the day next to the number plaque above, meaning if you take these seats you will need to move at some point. The conductor might not even let you sit there at all.
Need to change your ticket? Do it here.
IC/ EC
The slightly slower version of the ICE, which makes more stops between the major cities. These trains will sometimes have opposite schedules than ICE so as to make an international connection or a cross-country connection possible. There isn’t anything special you need to do which is different from booking an ICE train.
RE / IRE / RB
Regional trains which are operated by DE Bahn. IRE does not stop in all locations, but the RE will (but not as many as the RB, which is not as many as S Bahn). You can use these for long distance as well, but mostly they are for across regions or states. As expected, they are quite a bit slower than ICE.
The train numbers are a fairly easy code to understand. The RE trains all have the double digits separated, to show what line they service, and then the next 4 or 5 are the actual train (like a flight number). RB is one number mashed together, with the first two digits being the route/line. These have more stops and are slower. If you are looking to purchase a slightly faster train in your region, I recommend finding the region service provider to book. In Wiesbaden, and surrounding, it’s RMV.de.
S
My fav train, because it’s easy to figure out. There’s not a lot of exceptions or hard info to sort through. These trains are all over metro regions and connects the cities and suburbs there. They are essentially commuter trains and trains to get people to airports. They’re quite cheap: from Wiesbaden to FRA it’s 4,55 € one way.
I would like to ride the train please.
Alrighty, where are you and where are you going? You can purchase tickets online for any provider, or various regional apps + the DB app, or you can use the machines, which are similar, if not the same in some regions, as the bus ticket machines. A recent rule change has made purchasing and using tickets easier – it used to be one needed the credit card the tickets were purchased with on hand for when the conductor comes around to check for tickets. Now ID of the ticket holder is only required.
Speaking of ticket checking, there is the possibility on the regional and S-Bahn trains there will be no one to check your ticket, just like the busses. ICE trains will always have them. If you get caught without a ticket, the fines start at 60 € in the Rhein-Main region, and I would assume it’s similar in other regions of Germany.
If you travel with luggage, the trains will have luggage racks over the seats (airplane carry-on size or smaller) and at the ends of the cars, where they connect. They are first-come first-serve but in general, you will not have a problem finding space to stow luggage, especially on longer routes.
If you’re interested in day passes for entire states, DE Bahn has a great system for buying these.