Tips for Train Travel in Germany 1: Saving Money

For our honeymoon, my husband and I spent a magical week in Germany over the Christmas holidays. We also chose to travel almost exclusively by train to minimize vacation stress. Here are some helpful tips for planning your own trip and saving money. The German train system was organized, timely, and clean and provided some spectacular views of the countryside. All aboard!

Ways to bring down the cost of your train ticket:

1. See if anyone in your party qualifies for a child's ticket. Although it is a weird feeling being grouped in the same category as a 4 year old, passengers 25 and under can enjoy a discounted rate for the Deutsche Bahn.

2. If you and your party will be traveling together at all times, look into a twin pass. The twin pass ended up being a more affordable option for the two of us. Keep an eye out for special discount offers as well!

3. Order with plenty of time before your trip. We were ordering about a week (maybe less) before our trip, so we decided to get expedited shipping just to make sure our passes arrived before we left. The tickets got here a few days later and we were ready to go, but we could have saved a little bit on shipping by ordering sooner.

4. Don't get a first-class ticket. The German train system is very nice and there are plenty of seats. We had no complaints sitting in second class.

5. There is an extension option if you want to travel to a major city in another country. Based on what I heard from others, a German Rail pass is more affordable than a Euro Rail pass. If you want to travel to Venice or Prague you can get an extension just for that city and save some money.

6. If you are only spending a weekend in Germany, there is a discounted ticket for you! For a Saturday or Sunday trip, you can pay less than 50 Euros for 1 ticket that allows you to travel with 1-5 people that day. This option can be purchased at the station or online.