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An Easy Guide to Deutsche Bahn – Navigating German Train Travel

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Train travel in Germany is one of the easiest, fastest, and most comfortable ways to get around the country. When given the choice, I always try to go by train. I find it much more relaxing, quite scenic, and stress-free. However, navigating German train travel the first few times can be a bit confusing! There are multiple types of trains, varying ticket prices, and lots of secret hacks to make the process as smooth as possible. Here’s an easy guide to Deutsche Bahn – breaking down everything you need to know to be an expert on German train travel!

Deutsche Bahn is the official name of the German train system. You will also see it abbreviated a lot of the time as “DB” for short. It has a unique financial make-up as it is a private joint-stock company yet its only shareholder is the German government. As a transportation company, it is the most extensive in Europe with a wide array of operations and infrastructure. Additionally, by revenue, Deutsche Bahn is the largest in the world. It carries around 2 billion passengers annually.

It’s important to note that Deutsche Bahn owns all of its train tracks – meaning that its trains don’t have to stop and pull over for other freight or incoming trains. This is a big contrast to Amtrak in the United States, which rents most of its train tracks from freight and private companies.

Looking for train journeys to take in Germany? Check out these locations:

• A Weekend on Sylt, Germany’s Swankiest Island
• 6 Historical Things to Do on Rügen
• A Delightful Day Trip to Helgoland
• If you’re headed to Hamburg, make sure to check out these 25 Things to Know Before Visiting Hamburg and make a stop at Miniatur Wunderland .

Types of Train

As part of this guide to Deutsche Bahn, it’s important to know the difference between the different kinds of trains and connections offered by them. Knowing the type of train you’re taking dictates its speed, amenities, and costs. Here’s a brief overview of the most popular types of DB trains.

High-Speed Trains

ICE (Intercity-Express) – ICE trains are the fastest trains in Deutsche Bahn’s fleet! With a speed of almost 200 mph (320 km/h), ICE trains are high-speed long-distance trains used to connect major cities in and around Germany (these routes can also be international). Because there are only stops in major cities, trains can travel much more efficiently. ICE trains are also the most luxurious trains with air conditioning, wifi, in-seat charging, and food options (usually a restaurant and the BordBistro). The newest version of the ICE – ICE 4 – came into use in late 2017/early 2018. These ICE 4’s are modernized and offer more high-tech options. If possible, I always prefer to travel on an ICE train.

• There is also an ICE Sprinter classification. These routes only run a few times a day but they might only make one or two stops. For instance, on an ICE Sprinter, you can get from Berlin to Munich in less than 4 hours.

IC (InterCity) – IC trains are a step below ICE trains. They are considered semi-high-speed long-distance trains with a top speed of 135 mph (220 km/h). These trains tend to make more stops, especially in smaller cities. While they will have similar amenities as ICE trains, it is hit or miss whether they have wifi. Additionally, they usually only have a BordBistro and no restaurant option. While IC trains are perfectly fine, they do tend to be on the older side and not as modern as ICE trains.

EC (EuroCity) – EC trains are similar to IC trains but run between international borders. The type of carriages and amenities on EC trains varies depending on which rail company is operating the train. Because these are running between international borders, it’s not uncommon to get a train from the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, etc. Some of these trains will have additional amenities such as wifi.

• Train Tip: If you’re taking a train from Hamburg to Prague (or any other international route), make sure to check the train prices not just on the Deutsche Bahn website but also on the equivalent train website for the other country (in this case for the Czech Republic, make sure to check České dráhy). I’ve found cheaper train tickets offered on other train websites for the same route and time.

Local or Regional Trains

IRE (Interregio-Express) – These regional trains cover longer distances but at a much slower speed and with very few amenities. A step below the IC trains, IRE trains are rarely used these days. You can find them running the Hamburg-Berlin route as well as several different routes in Baden-Württemberg.

RE (Regional-Express) – RE trains are commonly confused with RB trains (see below). There are no amenities on these trains, including no seat reservations. Because these trains connect stations in a specific region, they’re commonly quite filled. Additionally, the tickets are quite cheap, making them accessible to all. Unlike RB trains, RE trains don’t necessarily stop at every station on a regional route. However, they’re still quite slow-moving trains.

RB (Regionalbahn) – Compared to RE trains that only stop at bigger stops along a regional route, RB trains stop at every stop along a route. They’re the most basic train service offered by Deutsche Bahn and have no amenities. Additionally, they’re the cheapest option with no seat reservations. During morning and evening rush hour, as well as on the weekends, these trains can be packed.

S-Bahn – The S-Bahn is a combination of a metro and train system. Similar to the London Underground, it’s usually just a city train that connects stations within a city. Most S-Bahns don’t operate that far beyond the city limits. They’re a high-frequency train that can go every 5 to 10 minutes, especially during morning and evening rush hour.

Night Trains

While Deutsche Bahn does offer overnight trains via their ICE and IC trains, they don’t have beds or any additional amenities. In this sense, they aren’t traditional overnight trains (and they’re not very common). However, Deutsche Bahn does offer overnight trains with sleepers and couchette coaches via some of their partner railway companies.

• From Hamburg , there are connections to/from Hannover, Freiburg, Basel, Zurich, Munich, Innsbruck, Passau, Linz, and Vienna. I’ve taken the overnight train a few times from Hamburg to Innsbruck. It leaves late in the evening and arrives around 9:00 the next morning.
• See all routes and ticket prices .
• See all routes.
• Please note that you’re unable to book this train online.

Partner Trains

As mentioned above, when DB trains are crossing international borders, it’s not uncommon for the train to be run by a different company. Similar to airline alliances, many train companies in Europe have partnerships along certain routes. Deutsche Bahn works with the following rail companies: ÖBB Railjet in Austria, DSB Train in Denmark, SNCF’s TGV in France, České dráhy in the Czech Republic, Trenitalia in Italy, and more.

Types of Deutsche Bahn Train Tickets

There are different categories of train tickets depending on the type of train you’re taking. As a basic principle, the earlier you book your ticket, the cheaper it is. ICE, IC, and EC trains run on a sliding scale – if you book any of these trains the day of, you’ll pay the maximum fare for the route. On the other hand, all local and regional trains can be booked the day of – they have set fares that don’t change. This makes it a bit confusing when trying to figure out if you should book in advance or not. Just to recap:

• High-speed trains (ICE, IC, and EC): you should book these tickets in advance as the fare gets more expensive the closer you get to the date
• Regional trains: you can book these tickets the day of as it is a set fare.

When it comes to booking IC, IC, EC tickets, there are several options including Super Sparpreis, Sparpreis, and Flexpreis.

• Please note : if you buy a Super Sparpreis ticket and part of the journey is on a regional train, you’re allowed to take any regional train (not just the one assigned to you on your ticket). However, you’re always bound to the ICE, IC, or EC on your ticket!
• Please note : if you buy a Sparpreis ticket and part of the journey is on a regional train, you’re allowed to take any regional train (not just the one assigned to you on your ticket). However, you’re always bound to the ICE, IC, or EC on your ticket!
• Flexpreis (Flexible Fare) : While this is the most expensive fare offered by Deutsche Bahn, this option offers the most flexibility and is particularly nice when you don’t know your exact departure time (a great example of this is arriving in Germany on an incoming flight). When you’re buying a Flexpreis ticket, you’re just buying the starting destination and the final destination – this means you can hop on/hop off and explore other cities along your route. You’re able to take any train on the day of your ticket’s validity. Additionally, refunds and exchanges can be done free of charge before the first day of validity. Lastly, this fare also includes a City-Ticket, allowing you to use the public transportation of your starting destination to get to the train station and allowing you to use the public transportation of your end destination to get to your hotel/house (as long as the trip is over 100 km). These fares can be booked up to 6 months in advance.

Each of the above tickets is offered as a 2nd class ticket option and a 1st class ticket option. Depending on your level of comfort and amenities required (and ultimately, the price you’re willing to spend!), you can choose which class you’d like to book. Here are some of the main differences for ICE trains (for regional trains, there isn’t that big of a difference):

• 2nd Class: Within 2nd class, there are 4 seats per row and no at-seat food and beverage service. However, there still is a trolley that comes around with bottled drinks, coffee, and small snacks to buy. Additionally, seat reservations are not included in the ticket price and you’re not able to access the DB lounges at train stations. However, I find 2nd class carriages still quite comfortable! There is free Wifi available (with a data limit) and outlets for charging your devices between the seats.
• 1st Class : Traveling 1st class on Deutsche Bahn is quite a luxury! However, if you’re savvy enough, you can find reasonably priced 1st class tickets. As most families tend to travel 2nd class, the 1st class carriages are always so quiet. Along with the lack of noise, there are only 3 seats per row, and your seat reservation is included in your ticket price. Additionally, there is in-seat food and beverage service from the Bordrestaurant along with free daily newspapers. Wifi in 1st class is unlimited and depending upon the type of ticket you buy (Super Saver vs. Saver vs. Flexible), you also get access to the DB Lounges located at select train stations.

Additional Deutsche Bahn Ticket Prices

City mobil : If your fare doesn’t include the City-Ticket, you can pay extra to get the City mobil ticket (fares depending on the destination). This allows you to use the public transportation of your starting destination to get to the train station and allows you to use the public transportation of your end destination to get to your hotel/house.

Seat Reservation : While 1st class tickets include a seat reservation, 2nd class fares don’t. However, I highly recommend booking a seat reservation, especially on longer routes or busier routes. All ICE, IC, and EC trains have seat reservations and some regional trains in Bavaria, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, and Schleswig-Holstein offer it. A seat reservation costs 4.00 Euros and can be booked either during your initial ticket booking or at a later date as a separate purchase.

Bikes : Bikes are only allowed on certain train connections. All IC and EC trains can accommodate bikes but only certain ICE trains allow it (it will be noted at the initial stages of reserving the fare whether a bike is allowed or not). Additionally, the bike must be stored in a bike space on the train. The bike fare can cost up to 9 Euros, depending on whether it is an international trip or just locally within Germany. Bikes are permitted on all regional trains – pricing differs depending on the state.

Dogs : There is an extensive list of rules for traveling with dogs. Depending on the size of the dog, how it travels (with or without a crate), and the type of train (high-speed trains vs. regional trains), the pricing and regulations differ. Here are the full guidelines (only in German).

Children : As a general rule, children under the age of 15 ride for free. Children from 0 to 5 years old travel for free and don’t need their own ticket. Children between the ages of 6 and 14 who are traveling with parents or grandparents travel free of charge. However, they must be noted on the reservation at the time of booking. If they are traveling with other individuals or alone, they must pay 50% of the ticket price. Anyone who is 15 or older must pay full price for their ticket.

Deutsche Bahn Train Passes

There are several passes or annual options that can help decrease the cost of individual fares. While the annual options only make sense for individuals either living in Germany or traveling in Germany frequently, short-term travel passes can make sense when traveling on the weekends or with a group.

Deutsche Bahn Card

If you live in Germany and/or plan on using Deutsche Bahn at least once or twice a month, it makes sense to look into buying a Deutsche Bahn Card. There are three main options for each class:

• Bahn 25 : This card gives you 25% off super saver fares, saver fares, and flexible fares. If you’re not so spontaneous with your travels, book in advance, and/or don’t use Deutsche Bahn a lot, this is a great option for you! It is 55.70 Euros for 2nd class and 112 Euros for 1st class. The card is valid for a year. You can book the Bahn 25 card here .
• Bahn 50 : This card gives you 50% of flexible fares and 25% of super saver fares and saver fares. If you tend to book your travels more spontaneous (and thus have flexible fares), this is the perfect card option for you! It is 229 Euros for 2nd class and 463 Euros for 1st class. The card is valid for a year. You can book the Bahn 50 card here .
• Bahn 100 : This is the card for the seasoned Deutsche Bahn traveler! It covers the cost of all Deutsche Bahn fares as well as other private train companies and bus companies. Additionally, it includes a City-Ticket for all locations where it is offered. You can either pay a flat rate of 4,027 Euros for 2nd class and 6,812 Euros for 1st class, or you can pay a monthly subscription of 372 Euros for 2nd class and 632 Euros for 1st class. You can book the Bahn 100 card here .

There are also special Bahn card offers for youth travelers between the ages of 6 and 18, travelers between the ages of 19 and 26, travelers over the age of 65, and business travels. You can see all the specific offers here .

Deutsche Bahn Passes

Depending on when, where, and how you plan to travel on Deutsche Bahn, they offer an extensive list of passes to decrease costs. It’s important to note that the Bahn card 25 and 50 can not be applied to these passes.

• Germany Day Ticket (Quer-durchs-Land-Ticket) – starting at 42 Euros : With the German Day Ticket, you’re able to travel on all Deutsche Bahn 2nd class regional trains (and some other partner trains). This ticket is valid Mondays through Fridays from 9 am to 3 am the next day or on weekends and public holidays all day until 3 am the next day. Up to 5 people can travel on this ticket. The base price for the first person is 42 Euros with each additional person costing 7 Euros. You can take as many journeys as you’d like during this time period, provided it is only on regional trains. This is a great option for groups of up to 5 individuals and/or individuals wanting to travel by regional training and requiring flexibility or spontaneity. You can find out all the specifics here .
• Regional Day Ticket (Länder-Ticket) – starting at 22 Euros : Each German state offers its own version of a day ticket that can be used within its borders on all Deutsche Bahn 2nd class regional trains. Some states, especially city-states such as Hamburg, Bremen, and Berlin, include the bordering states. The specific base price and price increase per person varies from state to state but the rules are the same – the ticket is valid Mondays through Fridays from 9 am to 3 am the next day or on weekends and public holidays all day until 3 am the next day. You can take as many journeys as you’d like during this time period, provided it is only on regional trains. Once again, this is the ideal option for groups of up to 5 individuals that plan on spontaneously traveling through just one German state. You can find out the specifics of each regional day ticket here .
• German Rail Pass – starting at 156 Euros : This pass allows you to take as many journeys as you’d like within a certain time period. You can either choose 5, 10, or 15 consecutive days of travel or 5, 10, or 15 days of travel within a one-month period (but the days don’t have to be consecutive). This pass is only valid for travelers who live outside the EU, Turkey, and Russia. Unlike the German Day Ticket, this rail pass allows you to use all types of Deutsche Bahn trains, including ICE trains! Additionally, this rail pass is valid on a few routes outside of Germany in Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, and Italy. If you’re coming from overseas and looking for an economical way to book all of your transportation, definitely check out the German Rail Pass .
• Group Passes : If you’re traveling with 6 or more people (up to 30 people), Deutsche Bahn offers group travel prices that include a seat reservation. Unlike the Germany Day Ticket, the group passes are valid on high-speed trains as well as regional trains. There’s an option to book group passes in Germany or within Europe (if your train goes beyond Germany’s borders). You can book group passes up to 6 months in advance and, depending on the type of pass you buy, you can change your reservation up to 21 days in advance. Find out more about group travel passes .

Europe-Wide Rail Passes

There are two Europe Rail Passes offered – one for residents of the EU, Turkey, and Russia and one for individuals living outside the EU. This allows you to travel around Europe affordably while seeing as many places as possible.

• Interrail – starting at 51 Euros : With the Interrail pass, you can either buy a one-country pass or a global pass (allowing you to travel to up to 33 countries). This pass is only available to residents of the EU, Turkey, and Russia. Travel periods vary from 3 days to 3 months. You can find out more information about Interrail here .
• Eurail : Similar to the Interrail pass, you can either buy a one country pass or a global pass (for travel to 5 countries or more) with the Eurail pass. This pass is only available to those individuals living outside the EU. Depending on the fare you select, travel either has to be taken within a certain time period (flexible) or on consecutive days. You can find out more information about Eurail here .

Buying a Deutsche Bahn Ticket

There are multiple options to buying a Deutsche Bahn ticket – online, at a ticket machine in a train station, or at a Deutsche Bahn Travel Center in a train station. I prefer booking all of my tickets online as it is quick and easy. The online system accepts all major credit cards as well as Paypal – making it easy to pay even if you live abroad. Additionally, the Deutsche Bahn website is available in not only German and English but an array of other languages. The English version of the website is a slimmed-down version of the German website. However, it still has everything you need!

• Here’s a step-by-step guide to buying your ticket online
• Hint: If you’re trying to travel on a specific day but you’re not tied to a certain time, you can also search for the cheapest option by clicking on “Saver fare finder”. This will sort the fares of all the trains from that day from cheapest to most expensive.

The advantage of buying a ticket at a Deutsche Bahn Travel Center is the can help you find a more empty train, optimize your train connection, etc. However, the Deutsche Bahn website does such a great job presenting all of your travel options that I only use the Deutsche Bahn Travel Center when I’ve had a delayed or canceled train.

DB Navigator App

I highly recommend downloading the DB Navigator App . It’s available in multiple languages in app stores around the world. Not only can you buy tickets on the DB Navigator App (which are automatically downloaded and saved to your phone) but you can also check connections, see if your train is on time, get alternative connections, etc. Additionally, you see whether your specific train route is busy depending on the time of day. I always rely on my DB Navigator App when traveling by train.

Not Buying a Train Ticket

There are heavy fines for riding the train without a ticket. It varies depending on the route, type of train, and the exact situation but riding a regional train without a ticket can occur a fine of 60 Euros. I will admit that it is hit or miss whether they check tickets on a regional train. However, it isn’t worth the hassle of paying the fine – just buy yourself a ticket!

When it comes to an ICE, IC, or EC train, the fines can be hundreds of Euros depending on the route. They check tickets on these high-speed trains 99% of the time so don’t be caught without a ticket. Not only will they fine you but you’ll also be kicked off the train at the next stop. Instead of a fine, they might make you pay for a ticket right on the spot. As the ticket is a day-of ticket, you will be charged the maximum amount for that route.

Deutsche Bahn Seat Reservations

As mentioned above, seat reservations can be made on all high-speed trains as well as select regional trains in Bavaria, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, and Schleswig-Holstein. If purchasing a 2nd class ticket, a seat reservation is an additional 4.00 Euros at the time of booking. If purchasing a 1st class ticket, a seat reservation is included in the fare price if you select it at the time of booking. To reserve a seat in 1st class at a later time, it costs 5.30 Euros. Regional train seat reservations, if offered, are usually only an additional Euro. Deutsche Bahn also has special seat reservation offers.

If you’re reserving a train on an ICE via Deutsche Bahn’s online reservation system, you can pull up the train plan and decide whether you want a window seat, aisle seat, compartment seat (compartments are for 6 people – perfect if you’re traveling in a group), etc. Also, if you’re prone to motion sickness, they’ll sometimes even tell you the direction the train is going!

Quiet Carriages

Within 1st class and 2nd classes, there are specific carriages marked as “Quiet Carriages” (German: Ruhebereich). If you choose to sit in one of these carriages, please note that you’re not allowed to have loud conversations, talk on the phone, listen to loud music, or make any other loud noises. These are especially for travelers who want a quiet atmosphere on their journey.

Family Areas and Toddler Compartments

Deutsche Bahn has a lot of fun opportunities and programs for families and children! They have specific Family Areas and Toddler Compartments on ICE trains and select IC/EC trains. Additionally, childcare is also offered in German on select ICE routes on Saturdays and Sundays. No reservation is needed beforehand. Unfortunately, this service is currently suspended.

• Family Areas: These areas are suitable for families with kindergarten children or children in elementary school. You’ll be around other families as well so no need to be concerned about noise levels!
• Toddler Compartments: These special toddler compartments are the ideal situation for children up to 3 years old. They fit up to 5 people total and offer enough space for toddlers and babies to crawl around and play. Additionally, there are parking areas for strollers nearby, childproof sockets, a specific place to plug in a bottle warmer, and a changing table. #

Luggage Storage

Along with a seat reservation, luggage storage is another question that comes to mind! If you book either the first row or last row in a carriage, you’re usually able to store your suitcase behind your seat (there is a bit of a crack between the seat and the glass – a perfect storage space for luggage!). Each carriage also has a luggage rack for large pieces of luggage and storage space above each seat for smaller pieces of luggage.

I’ve never had any issues storing my luggage on a Deutsche Bahn train. However, I wouldn’t recommend bringing 2-3 large suitcases and expecting to be able to easily manage them. Just like on a plane, only bring what you’re able to manage (and be respectful of the other people in your carriage!).

While I’ve never had any theft happen to me on Deutsche Bahn, it does happen! I always keep my luggage within my eyesight. Additionally, when a train is pulling into a station, I never leave then to go get food or go the bathroom. You never know who could just snatch your suitcase and leave the train. If I do happen to leave to go the bathroom or to go get food, I might ask someone near me to watch my luggage. I also never leave my purse and/or wallet at my seat! It’s all about using common sense and being smart about the situation.

No Seat Reservation

If you decide not to make a seat reservation (living life on the edge!), you might still be able to find a seat – especially if the train is during an off-peak time or on a low-traveled route. Above every seat and/or located on the side of every seat, it will tell you whether the seat is reserved. If it says nothing on it, then the seat is free. If it says “Hamburg – Frankfurt”, then the seat is reserved from Hamburg to Frankfurt. However, if you get on in Frankfurt and are headed to Stuttgart, you can still sit in that seat because it is no longer reserved.

Quite often, people will just sit down in seats, even if they say they are reserved. If someone is sitting in your reserved seat, don’t feel bad kicking them out – you paid for it! It’s important to note that if you don’t claim your seat within 15 minutes of boarding, then anyone can take the seat. However, I’ve never really seen this happen and most people are respectful of the reservation system.

Reading the Deutsche Bahn Timetables

Being able to properly read the Deutsche Bahn timetables is critical to booking the correct train. The timetable information is listed both online and at the train stations. As I mentioned above, I mostly book and reserve all my tickets online. However, it’s still important to be familiar with the signage at the train stations and know how to properly read the in-person timetables.

The above timetables show every train departing and arriving through the entire day. It’s important to note that Deutsche Bahn updates these timetables every 6 months depending on which routes are/aren’t heavily frequented. If you take an up-close look at the timetables, they look like this:

All ICE, IC, and EC trains are labeled in red to make it easier to distinguish long-distance trains from the regional trains. The trains are all in chronological order. Here’s an example of how to read the timetable correctly:

• At 20:00, ICE 524 is departing from platform 6. It will make stops in Würzburg at 20:52, Aschaffenburg at 21:32, Frankfurt/M (Frankfurt am Main – there are multiple Frankfurts in Germany) at 22:04, Köln Messe/Deutz at 23:37, and Düsseldorf at 23:58 with its final destination Dortmund at 0:49 the next morning.

Below some of the times are Mo. – Fr. or Sa., So. – this just means that this train only operates either Monday through Friday or only on Saturday and Sunday. A great example is the train at 20:08. It’s the same train (RB 58531) but from Monday through Friday, it departs from platform 19 and on Saturday and Sunday, it departs from platform 20.

Reading an arrival timetable is the same as reading a departure timetable, just in reserve! It’s important to note that I took this photo at the Nürnberg main train station. Here’s an example of how to read the timetable correctly:

• At 20:54, ICE 522 arrives at the Nürnberg main train station at platform 7. This train started in München Hbf at 19:48 and made a stop in Ingolstadt at 20:25 before arriving in Nürnberg.

Being able to read the timetable is especially helpful if you’re going on a day trip and trying to coordinate the best time to come back. These timetables are located on every platform. Additionally, you can find them at the Deutsche Bahn Information Center.

When booking a Deutsche Bahn ticket online through their website, they show you all the train options for your route. This makes it easier to see the time that trains are arriving and departing. Here’s an example:

Looking at the online timetable above, it’s showing me the Hamburg to Frankfurt connections at 9:00 am on April 30th. Here’s how to read the timetable:

• Journey 1: There’s a train that leaves Hamburg at 9:28 and arrives in Frankfurt at 14:00. The duration of the journey is 4 hours and 32 minutes with 0 transfers (meaning you’re on the same train the entire time). It’s an ICE train and the demand for this route is expected to be low, meaning that the train should be quite empty. The Saver Fare is 38.90 Euros and the Flexible Fare is 95.40 Euros.
• Journey 2: Below the above example is a train that leaves Hamburg at 10:01 and arrives in Frankfurt at 14:44. The duration of the journey is 4 hours and 43 minutes with 1 transfer. I’ve opened up the reservation so you can see the transfer route. This not only gives more information about the transfer but gives additional information about each train including the specific train number, whether bikes are allowed on the train, whether there is a Bordrestaurant, and any other specific details or regulations (such as having to wear a mask). The train transfer happens in Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe and there is 15 minutes between the arriving train and the departing train. Luckily the 1st train arrives on platform 4 and the 2nd train departs from platform 4 (pure luck!). Both trains are ICEs and the demand for both train routes is expected to be low. The Saver Fare is 59.90 Euros and the Flexible Fare is 95.40 Euros.

In the above case, I would always choose Journey 1 – the duration of the journey is shorter and I wouldn’t have to switch trains, making it less likely that something goes wrong. Additionally, Journey 1 is cheaper and arrives in Frankfurt earlier than Journey 2.

Navigating the Deutsche Bahn Train Station

The final step to navigating German train travel is figuring out where to go and what to do in the train station! Especially if you’re traveling through a larger station, it can be confusing to find the right platform or even the right section of the platform!

Announcements

Almost all announcements at the train stations are done in German and English. If you’re unsure about something, either ask a Deutsche Bahn employee (all over the station) or ask a fellow traveler near you. I find that people are really helpful and willing to assist you.

Each train is announced on the platform two times before it arrives at the station – the first time is a few minutes before it arrives and the second time is when it is about to pull into the station. It’s not common to have a platform change but it also isn’t uncommon. This usually happens if another train is running late (and platforms need to be switched around) or if your train is running late. If there is a platform changing, it will announce it. Additionally, on the platform’s electronic board, it will show a platform change. If you don’t catch the announcement, your first clue to a platform change will be the mass exodus of people – this is usually a pretty good clue that something’s up!

Main Departure Board

The first thing you’ll see when you get to the train station is the massive Departure Board near the entrance. I always stop to read this and orientate myself. Not only will it show your train’s platform but it will also indicate any delays, train changes, etc.

It’s important to note that the Departure Board will only show the upcoming trains for the next 30 minutes to an hour. If your train leaves later than that, don’t be worried if you don’t immediately see it on the board! While the headers above are in English, I find that the notes on the far right are not always translated.

• Example: the first train route shown leaves at 12:50 and is ICE 1521. The train’s final destination is München with a stop in Ingolstadt. It is leaving from platform 9 and has no additional notes.
• Example: if you go down to the sixth train route that leaves at 13:05, you see it is a regional train (RE 58218). The train’s final destination is Würzburg with stops in Fürth, Neustadt, and Kitzingen. It departs from platform 13 and there are additional notes. Because it is a regional train, it won’t take up the entire length of the platform. The notes are probably telling you what section of the platform to find the train.

The Main Departure Board is usually above a Deutsche Bahn Information Center so if you have any issues with your train or any questions, they should be able to help you!

If your train fare allows access to the DB Lounge at the train station, I’d highly recommend taking advantage of it. Only the bigger train stations have DB Lounges. I’ve been in them a few times and they’re a great way to relax from the hustle and bustle, especially if you’re quite early to the station. They’re very similar to an airport lounge with sofas, coffee, newspapers, and food.

Finding Your Platform and Seat

This is the most important part – making sure you find your platform, the correct train, and your seat on the train (if you’ve reserved one). After checking the Main Departure Board, head to the platform that is indicated next to your train.

Each platform is divided in half with a train arriving on each side. However, each side is given a different number so there’s no confusion. In the background, I can see the signs pointing to platforms 1 and 2 as well as 5 and 6 so I can infer that the electronic board on the right is for platform 3 and the electronic board on the left is for platform 4. There are also numbers above the platform that have been cut out of this photo!

So how exactly do you read these electronic boards!? It’s important to note that the next train arriving/departing will always be at the top of the board. Here are a few examples below to help you:

• Underneath all the information for the Frankfurt train are two more trains – these are the next two trains to arrive/depart after the train to Frankfurt. The first train is ICE 801 that is headed to München at 14:24. However, the note next to it indicates that it has been canceled (“Zug fällt aus”). At 17:22, ICE 1020 is arriving (Ankunft) from Regensburg Hbf. This is an arriving train, not a departing train – you’re unable to board this train!

This is another electronic board on a platform in Nürnberg. The layout is slightly different but gives the same information.

• Example: In the above example, the train is leaving Nürnberg at 13:09 and it’s final destination in Hamburg-Altona station. It’s ICE 788 with stops in Würzburg, Fulda, and Hannover (remember, not all stops are listed so it’s best to go by the train number if unsure!). 1st class is located in section A, the Bordrestaurant / Bordbistro is located in section B, and 2nd class is located in sections C through F. After this train departs, there is a regional train (RE 4022) arriving at 14:49 from Ingolstadt and another regional train (RE 4027) departing for Ingolstadt at 15:09.

When in doubt, the German train stations have good signage and present most information in English and German. At bigger train stations, there are Deutsche Bahn employees stationed on almost every platform willing to help. As I’ve explained multiple times, I’ve always found other passengers to be super helpful and willing to help when I’m unsure where to go or which train to board.

Typically, the same trains arrive and depart from the same platform. Thus, Deutsche Bahn has carriage plans on every platform indicating the arrangement of the carriages (usually in numerical order), the direction of the train, the setup between 1st class and 2nd class, and where to stand on the platform to be closest to your carriage.

It’s really easy to use this chart – find your train and departure time, find your carriage number, and then scroll up or down to see what letter it best aligns with on the platform. Green carriages indicate 2nd class, red carriages indicate the Bordrestaurant or Bordbistro, and yellow carriages indicate 1st class. In the above photo, there is a red vertical line going through all the trains. This red line signals where you’re standing at the moment (in this instance, somewhere between letters C and D). The purpose of this is just to help you orientate yourself.

Finding your seat and carriage is pretty straightforward. On the side of the carriage, it will always indicate with a big number whether the carriage is for 1st class or 2nd class. Depending on the type of train you have, the specific carriage number whether either be written on the side directly or will be shown on an electronic monitor.

• Example: In the photo on the left, it is a 1st-class carriage and the carriage number is 14. Additionally, it shows a seat with the numbers 11-76. This means that anyone who has a seat reservation in carriage 14 and their seat is number 11 through 76 should enter at this door. Lastly, it has a cell phone visual (hard to see!) – this means that this carriage can be used for phone calls, surfing the internet, etc. Pretty much, it’s the opposite of a quiet carriage!
• Example: In the photo on the right, it’s a second-class carriage and the carriage number is 21 (on the electronic board on the left). Anyone with a seat reservation in carriage 21 and a seat between 11 and 88, should enter at the door right outside the frame on this photo.

This carriage is similar to the one on the left above. However, this is a quiet carriage, indicated by the “shhh” symbol and the cell phone with the line through it. Remember – if you’ve booked a seat reservation in one of these carriages, you should not be making noise in them!

When it comes to finding your seat on board the train, it’s quite simple. The numbers are denoted either above the seats or on the seat sides, depending on the type of train that you’re taking. The two photos above are taken from regional trains in Schleswig-Holstein. Each regional train looks slightly different depending on the German state and whether the train is updated or not.

The above photo is from the 1st class section of an ICE train. When booking, I specifically like getting the single seats on the right as it gives me room to stretch out. A 2nd class carriage looks very similar to this. The main difference is the number of seats. There are 2 seats on each side of the aisle, meaning that the seats are closer together.

German Terms to Know for Navigating Deutsche Bahn

While there is an English version of Deutsche Bahn’s website as well as English signage at train stations and on the trains, here are some German words to know that will help make navigating Deutsche Bahn a bit easier!

• Hauptbahnhof: Main Train Station
• Bahnhof: Train Station
• Über: Via. In terms of Deutsche Bahn, this means “Via” – these are the destinations between the starting point and end destination.
• Ziel: Destination. In terms of Deutsche Bahn, this means “Destination”. This is the final destination of the train
• Gleis: Platform
• Verspätung: Delay. This is usually followed by a number indicating how late the train is going to be.
• Minuten: Minutes. This usually followed a “Verspätung” message indicating how late the train is going to be.
• Wagenreihnung: Wagon Order or Carriage Order. Usually, you will see this word when the carriage order is different than what is indicated at the train station or online (maybe it’s missing a carriage or there are different carriage numbers).
• Ankunft: Arrival
• Anreise: Departure
• Folgezüge: Next Train. This is usually on the individual platform boards to indicate which train will be coming to the platform after the current train.
• Von: From. This will be on a ticket and indicates where you’re catching the train.
• Nach: To. This will be on a ticket and indicates where you’re getting off the train.

• Sitzplatz: Seat. If you’ve reserved a seat, this is where you can find it.
• Klasse or Kl.: Class. This indicates whether it is a 1st or 2nd class ticket.
• Zugtyp: Type of Train. This indicates whether it is an ICE, IC, EC, etc.
• Zug: Train Number . This indicates the train number. It’s important to make sure you’re getting on the correct train because sometimes you’ll have trains to the same destination leaving around the same time (especially if one train is delayed).
• Wagen: Carriage number. This is usually about your seat reservation and indicates which carriage to find it.
• Fahrplan: Timetable
• Gültigkeit: Validity
• Hinfahrt: Outward Journey
• Rückfahrt: Return Journey
• Auftragsnummer: Order Number. This is what Deutsche Bahn considers your reservation number.
• Umsteigezeit: Transfer Time. If you have to switch trains, this is the amount of time you have between your first train arriving and your second train departing.
• Abfahren (or fährt ab): To Depart (verb)
• Einsteigen: To Board (verb). A lot of times, you’ll see “Bitte nicht einsteigen” or “Bitte nicht mehr einsteigen” – this means you’re not allowed to board the train or you’re not allowed to board the train anymore. This usually flashes on the screen right before the train is departing the station.
• Ausfallen (or fällt aus): To Be Canceled (verb). You’ll mostly see this written as “Zug fällt aus” meaning that your train has been canceled.
• Hinweis: Please Note. This is to give you a heads up about a unique situation (maybe the train schedule is off, the carriages are in a different arrangement, etc.)

Deutsche Bahn Delays, Missed Connections, and Cancelations

It’s a running joke in Germany that Deutsche Bahn is always delayed. However, after using Deutsche Bahn considerably over the past 5 years (including almost 50 long-distance trains one year), I can only count on one hand severe delays on cancelations I encountered. In those instances, it was out of Deutsche Bahn’s control – bad weather, a WWII bomb was found near the train station (very common in Germany!), or someone was on the tracks (unfortunately, this is usually due to someone committing suicide). However, if you do face a delay, missed connection, or cancelation, it’s important to know your rights and what you’re entitled to going forward.

If your train is delayed, you might be eligible to receive compensation. For a train delayed more than 60 minutes, you’re entitled to receive a 25% refund of the fare paid for a single journey. For a train delayed more than 120 minutes, you’re entitled to receive a 50% refund of the fare paid for a single journey. You can claim your refund here as well as free postage here . I’ve always found the refunds to be paid out quickly and promptly. Additionally, you can get this form from the conductor (if the train is severely delayed, they’ll usually pass them out to all passengers) or from a Deutsche Bahn Travel Center.

If your train has more than a 20-minute delay, you have a few options according to Deutsche Bahn’s website:

• continue driving on the same route or another route at the earliest opportunity, or
• continue the journey at a later point in time if this can reduce the arrival delay at the destination station or
• use another train that does not require a reservation.

If you’re booked on a regional train that’s more than 20 minutes delayed, you can switch and take a high-speed train. However, you must buy a new ticket for the high-speed train and then retroactively apply to claim back the money ( through this form ). You can always go from a high-speed train to a regional train for no additional cost.

Lastly, if your train is delayed more than 60 minutes, you can cancel the trip and have the full fare reimbursed. Once again, you’ll need to fill out the above form to get your money back.

Missed Connection

There’s no worse feeling than seeing your next train pull out of the station while your train is still pulling into the station! On an adventure to the Harz Mountains during the winter months, my train was caught in a heavy snowstorm, delaying its arrival at the next train station (where I had a connection). I ran to the other platform and got there just as the train was pulling out of the station. Because it was a small station with only a few platforms (and it was 9:00 pm), my next available train didn’t come until 11:00 pm. Thankfully, there was a McDonald’s open where I could sit for the next 2 hours. If that hadn’t been there, I would have been standing in the snowstorm for those 2 hours!

In instances of a missed connection, you’re allowed to take the next available train to your destination. Once again, if you’re scheduled to be on a regional train and the next available train is a high-speed train, you’ll need to buy a new ticket for the high-speed train and then retroactively apply to claim back the money ( through this form ). Additionally, if you miss your connection and it is the last train to that destination for the delay, you will be reimbursed for hotel costs through the form above.

Cancelation

In the unlikely event that your train is canceled, the steps forward are similar to a missed connection. You’re allowed to take the next available train to your destination. If you’re scheduled to be on a regional train and the next available train is a high-speed train, you’ll need to buy a new ticket for the high-speed train and then retroactively apply to claim back the money ( through this form ).

Passenger Rights

When in doubt or you’re not sure what you’re allowed/not allowed to do in the event of a delay, missed connection, or cancelation, I recommend talking to someone at Deutsche Bahn’s Travel Center or Information Desk. They tend to be helpful and have found me train connections that I didn’t realize existed.

Make sure to read this article from Deutsche Bahn so you know all your rights as a passenger.

Travel Tips for Deutsche Bahn

Besides the above information, here are some tips for making your train journey smooth and comfortable.

• Bring your own water and food, especially if your train doesn’t have a Bordbistro. If you do plan to buy food on the train, I highly recommend the Currywurst – so good!
• Try to get to the train station 20-30 minutes before departure, especially if you’re headed to a big train station like the Berlin Hauptbahnhof (it’s quite a few floors). If you’re not familiar with a larger train station, they can be a bit overwhelming and confusing.
• Most trains will announce the upcoming destination in both English and German. This will happen about 5-10 minutes before the train enters the station. Be prepared to leave the train right when it pulls into the station because most trains only stay at the platform for a few minutes. Usually, there is an electric board in each carriage showing the next destination. However, when in doubt, don’t be afraid to ask someone! I found the most passengers are really nice and helpful.
• Everything is done in military time so don’t get confused when you see times such as 15:24 (3:24 pm) or 18:36 (6:36 pm). Also, remember that dates are written differently in Germany versus the USA. If it’s March 6, 2021, the date will be written in Germany as 06.03.21 (date.month.year).
• The doors for trains close about 30 seconds to a minute before the train departs the station. If you’re cutting it close getting to the station, remember to get to the train a minute or two ahead of time so the doors don’t close on you.
• In terms of getting on and off of the train, make sure to let all the people get off the train before getting on it yourself. It’s seen as rude and impolite to immediately rush onto the train. Plus, it makes it more orderly getting a bunch of people on and off the train in a quick and timely manner.
• Download the DB App – it’s a great way to see if your train is on time, look at other connections, plan your trip, etc.

Further Reading...

The Must-See UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Germany

Traditional German Food You Must Try When Visiting Germany

18 Famous Landmarks in Germany That Shouldn’t Be Missed

11 comments.

This was a super helpful overview of the trains. Thank you!

hamburgandbeyond

I’m just seeing this comment – so sorry! Thank you so much for the sweet comment :)

Hey, this was a super detailed and fantastic article. I mean this is the complete guide one should always refer to when looking for info. However, I couldn’t see one thing. And this is about trains split up at some stations. If you don’t know German and you are on the wrong side of the train, you may end up traveling somewhere else. Especially, the train splits up in the middle of the night and you are sleeping. This might be the worst case. I would be appreciated it if you have any suggestions or stories about such a case. Is there a way to know when it will split up beforehand? Thanks a lot again. Love from Bochum.

Hey Jordan, Thank you so much for this complete guide. This is a lot of work. I think Deutsche Bahn should share this article on their website. Do you have any suggestions or stories about trains splitting up at certain stations? I mean, especially, if it splits up in the middle of the night and you are sleeping. You may end up traveling to the wrong city. Is there any way to know when/where the train will split up? Love from Bochum

Witthaya Loetwiriyakul

We are 2 to buy tickets to Strasbourg from Frankfurt airport, when i go to DB app, register and problem is ? can I buy tickets for 2 travelers me and my friends in my account’ s name, or have to buy in separate account? Registration comes from the Input the county but my home country is not in the selected drop down , So how can i do ?

Anyway to change my seat reservations once they are made?

Hi Frank! You can change your seat reservation here: https://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en?start=1&existOptimizePrice-deactivated=1&S=&REQ0JourneyStopsSID=&Z=&REQ0JourneyStopsZID=&date=Di.%2C+15.11.2022&time=19%3A23&timesel=depart&returnDate=&returnTime=&optimize=0&auskunft_travelers_number=1&tariffTravellerType.1=E&tariffTravellerReductionClass.1=0&tariffClass=2&externRequest=yes&HWAI=JS%21js%3Dyes%21ajax%3Dyes%21&rit=1

Even on this site we can find ZERO “factual” information about the following: #1 – The HUGE price variation in Railjet tickets on German, Austrian & Hungarian State Railway sites, as well as Omio, Trainline & Rail Europe? #2 – ZERO information on HOW to reserve a seat on a Railjet train “IF” the ticket was purchased on one of the same rail sites listed above.

Hi Robert! Sorry, you’re unable to find the information you’re looking for online. I always recommend booking Railjet tickets (and anything with the ÖBB) directly through Austria’s ÖBB website! It tends to be much cheaper than booking through Germany’s Deutsche Bahn website. Unfortunately, I haven’t booked Hungarian train tickets in years so I don’t have experience. I also usually don’t ever book through third-party websites. If you need to reserve a Railjet seat, you can do that directly on the ÖBB website here: https://shop.oebbtickets.at/en/ticket (just enter your route, date/time, etc. and under “Find Services” click on “Seat reservation only (no ticket)”. Hope that helps!

Can you please assist me, I have booked DB ICE tickets online from Amsterdam to Stuttgart for travel in June. Since booking I have received an email from DB advising of a Timetable change from Amsterdam and advising “find alternative connection”. A link in the email takes me to Bahn website and showing a different ICE train departing at the same time as my booking with a slight variation in the route but arriving at the original time in Stuttgart. Can I travel on my original ticket or do I need to purchase another ticket and somehow claim the fare? I have tried to call DB ‘English’ helpline which does not answer promptly and also sent an email with no response to date?

Hi Philip! You can travel on your original ticket – no problem at all! I just had this happen to me as well :) They changed the departure time by 5 minutes, but everything else stayed the same. If DB changes the timetable on you, you’re allowed to take whichever other train you’d like that day!

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A Weekend on Sylt, Germany's Swankiest Island

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DB opens first of 25 redesigned station travel centres

By Railway Gazette International 2023-09-22T11:00:00+01:00

GERMANY: Deutsche Bahn has opened the first of 25 redesigned station travel centres at Düsseldorf Hauptbahnhof.

Features include a larger reception area with staff who can deal quickly with minor queries, a more inviting waiting area, and information on approximate waiting times, with the option to have a digital queueing ticket sent to a mobile phone. There are improvements for people with reduced mobility, including height adjustable counters for wheelchair users, an induction loop, tactile strips on the floor, Braille and tactile route guidance. The furniture has warm natural tones based on DB’s lounges and ICE trains.

‘The DB travel centres are an important personal contact point for our customers. In the future, we want to combine the best of both worlds: personal advice and digital services’, said Stefanie Berk, Head of Marketing & Sales at long-distance business unit DB Fernverkehr, on September 19.

’We are investing €60m nationwide in the redesign of the travel centres at the 25 busiest stations. Four out of five long-distance travellers use these 25 stations every day and will therefore benefit from many innovations in a new feel-good atmosphere.’

The travel centres in Nürnberg, Göttingen, Berlin, Mannheim and Köln will be the next to be modernised, with work due for completion in 2024.

Related articles

German infrastructure manager InfraGO to be launched in January

2023-10-02T11:24:00Z By Railway Gazette International

GERMANY: Deutsche Bahn’s supervisory board has endorsed the decision to merge DB Netz AG and DB Station & Service AG into a single infrastructure management business to be known as DB InfraGO AG with effect from January 1 2024. The decision was taken at the board’s regular ...

Viewpoint: Passenger experience must be protected if ticket offices close

2023-07-25T09:00:00Z By David Watts, Managing Director, Mima

If the proposed closure of station ticket offices in England is not purely about cost-cutting, then carefully considered customer-centric interventions will be needed to make it work, argues  David Watts , Managing Director of human-centred design agency Mima.

Swedish ticket offices to close

2021-02-20T05:00:00Z By Railway Gazette International

SWEDEN: National passenger operator SJ is to close its remaining travel centres at the main stations in Stockholm, Göteborg and Malmö from March 1. Customer service staff will instead be deployed around the stations to provide information and assist passengers with using ticket machines, digital purchases and rebooking.

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The Man in Seat 61

European train tickets

How to buy by phone.

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Train travel UK & Ireland...

Train travel in europe..., train travel in asia..., train travel in africa..., train travel in america..., train travel in australasia.

It's best to buy European train tickets online , especially if you live outside Europe.  But if you live in the UK or Ireland and would prefer to book tickets by phone , this page tells you who to call depending on the journey you want to book.

Remember that if you book by phone or in person you'll normally pay a booking fee, and the agency you use may not be able to access the cheapest rates for your journey if they don't have a connection to that operator's ticketing system.

How to b uy tickets in person

In the UK, there are now hardly any places where you can buy European train tickets over the counter.  The former Rail Europe office in Piccadilly closed in 2015.  The Eurostar ticket office at London St Pancras only sells tickets as far as Paris or Brussels plus a few major cities in France, Germany & the Netherlands.  Most British railway stations do not sell international tickets at all except for train & ferry tickets to Ireland.  You usually need to buy online or by phone.

How to buy tickets by phone

It's easy to buy European train tickets by phone in the UK or Ireland, but choose your agency carefully, some agencies are better for some journeys than others because of the ticketing system(s) they use.

For journeys from the UK to France, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Portugal I'd call someone like Ffestiniog Travel, The Travel Bureau or Trainseurope.

On the other hand, I'd call Deutsche Bahn (German Railways) for a journey to Germany, Austria, Central Europe or Scandinavia for example, as they (obviously) use the German ticketing system so can access all the cheap fares within and across Germany, they charge minimal booking fees and are open weekends and evenings.

Then again, for a more exotic journey such as London to Moscow or Istanbul, I prefer to call a smaller agency such as The Travel Bureau or Trainseurope even though they charge a booking fee, as their staff can be more familiar with making complex long-distance bookings.

Remember that European train reservations open 2, 3, 4 or sometimes 6 months before departure, you can't buy tickets before reservations open!  More info about when European train bookings open .

Click the images to buy at Amazon.co.uk

Hotels 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.

Travel insurance & VPN

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!

'Rail travel to Europe' general information page

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To your flight with rail&fly.

In cooperation with Deutsche Bahn (DB), you can travel easily from any station in Germany to or from your international flight with Rail&Fly – flexibly and at attractive prices.

Your benefits with Rail&Fly

Convenient travel from any one of more than 5,600 deutsche bahn (db) stations., rail&fly can be used on the flight date, as well as one day prior to departure, or one day after arrival in germany., you have a free choice of trains – including ic/ec (intercity, eurocity) and ice (intercity express) trains., book rail&fly directly with your flight.

Please select your Lufthansa-operated flight using flight search.

Choose the Rail&Fly option under "Additional services" and add it to your shopping cart.

Retrieve your Rail&Fly train ticket before departure.

Rail&Fly conditions of use

• Rail&Fly can only be booked together with an international flight. (Departure or destination country is Germany).
• Please note that you must begin your journey no later than six months after booking. 
• For a Rail&Fly booking, your international flights must be operated by Lufthansa and have a Lufthansa flight number.

Attractive prices for Lufthansa Rail&Fly

The most important conditions at a glance.

Use the link below for the most important information about booking Rail&Fly. Please also note the terms and conditions of use.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do i have to catch the train shown on my flight itinerary.

If you have booked in a travel agency or via the Service Center, travel times may be included on the flight itinerary. However, these are hypothetical and need not be adhered to.

When you retrieve your ticket, you select your desired train connection; however, the ticket can be used flexibly on the selected travel day on the selected route and is not issued for a specific train.

How will I get my Rail&Fly ticket?

When booking via lufthansa.com.

Following your online booking at lufthansa.com, you will receive a booking confirmation with voucher codes for your Rail&Fly tickets (one code per person and route). You can convert these voucher codes into a valid train ticket at lufthansa.bahnanreise.de. During the conversion, you can choose the train connection you want; however, the ticket can still be used on other trains on the selected day and selected route.

When booking via a travel agency or the Lufthansa Service Center

You will receive your Rail&Fly ticket via rail check-in. To do this, enter your first name and surname as well as the eticket number or booking code. You can then choose a suitable train connection; the ticket can, however, still be used flexibly on other trains on the selected day and selected route.

We’re travelling as a family. Can we use Rail&Fly?

You can also use the Rail&Fly service as a family. 

Young passengers can enjoy the Deutsche Bahn (DB) entertainment programme on board the train.

I’ve booked Rail&Fly for several people. Can we travel on different trains?

If you would like to use different trains, please retrieve your Rail&Fly tickets separately. During this process, you can select different connections for each person.

Is an advance seat reservation included?

Yes, passengers who book a Rail&Fly ticket for 1st class receive an advance seat reservation free of charge when retrieving their ticket, provided that seats are still available on the selected train.

How do I check in for my flight and where do I drop off my baggage?

You may check in for your Lufthansa flight from 23 hours before departure, either from your PC or via your smartphone. Take your baggage on to the train with you and check it in at one of the Lufthansa bag drop-off counters at the airport.

I have reduced mobility. What do I need to consider?

Our aim is to look after your needs as individually and comprehensively as possible – so please let us know your requirements, ideally at the time of booking.

If you are travelling with a wheelchair, a member of staff from the DB passenger information desk will accompany you to your train seat 30 minutes before the train departs. Upon your arrival, a member of our customer service team will take you to your departure gate.

Please note: unfortunately, you will not be able to travel with Rail&Fly if you require a medical escort or must be transported lying down.

I would like to rebook my flight. Will my Rail&Fly ticket still be valid?

Please direct enquiries about rebooking and cancelling your Rail&Fly ticket to the Service Center only. Please note that refunds of the Rail&Fly ticket price in the event of cancellations are only possible if certain conditions are met.

How can I travel to Frankfurt by train from elsewhere in Europe?

At the current time, no cross-border Rail&Fly connection is available. If you wish to travel by train to Frankfurt from another European country, please book this through Deutsche Bahn or the train company of the country from which you are travelling.

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Tickets for children

Deutsche Bahn's ticket prices for children are based on the children's age and who they are accompanying.

Children aged 0-5

Children aged up to and including 5 always travel for free within Germany, and they do not need a ticket. This is also the case if they are not travelling with parents or grandparents. To ensure that your children get a place on board the train, you can purchase a seat reservation for them as well. Free travel for children to destinations in countries bordering Germany Adults with a ticket for cross-border travel to Switzerland or Austria can take a child/grandchild aged 0-5 free of charge (i.e. the child must accompany the parent/grandparent). It is not possible to add children on the adult's ticket once the journey has started.

Children aged 6-14

Children aged 6 to 14 travel for free if accompanying their own parents or grandparents. When the adult is buying their own ticket, they must specify any children/grandchildren and write their names on the ticket. Different terms and conditions may apply for people using regional tickets. Free travel for children to destinations in countries bordering Germany Adults with a ticket for cross-border travel to Switzerland or Austria can take a child/grandchild aged 6-14 free of charge (i.e. the child must accompany the parent/grandparent). Children must be included on the adult's ticket. Online and mobile phone tickets are available for groups of 5 people (max. 4 children). DB family ticket Families with several children aged 6 to 14 can buy a DB family ticket. This ticket and the accompanying reservations can be booked in a DB Travel Centre or by phone from DB's travel service (+49 30 2970 - prices vary by provider). It is possible to reserve up to 8 seats for children, which means that up to 10 people can enjoy hassle-free travel with Deutsche Bahn.

Children aged 15 and over

Children aged 15 and over pay the full fare price.

Children travelling alone

Children travelling by themselves get a discount of 50%. This ticket must be booked separately. The child's online ticket must always be bought separately from the ticket of an adult they are accompanying, and it names the child as the sole person travelling.

Seat reservations for children

When reserving seats, please indicate the full number of children accompanying you. It is possible to make family reservations (up to 5 children, max. 2 adults and up to 3 children) via the online travel information function in the "Ticket and reservation" section of the booking process. If you are travelling with small children, you can select the toddler section as your train compartment type.

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2018 Primetime Emmy & James Beard Award Winner

In Transit: Notes from the Underground

Jun 06 2018.

Spend some time in one of Moscow’s finest museums.

Subterranean commuting might not be anyone’s idea of a good time, but even in a city packing the war-games treasures and priceless bejeweled eggs of the Kremlin Armoury and the colossal Soviet pavilions of the VDNKh , the Metro holds up as one of Moscow’s finest museums. Just avoid rush hour.

The Metro is stunning and provides an unrivaled insight into the city’s psyche, past and present, but it also happens to be the best way to get around. Moscow has Uber, and the Russian version called Yandex Taxi , but also some nasty traffic. Metro trains come around every 90 seconds or so, at a more than 99 percent on-time rate. It’s also reasonably priced, with a single ride at 55 cents (and cheaper in bulk). From history to tickets to rules — official and not — here’s what you need to know to get started.

A Brief Introduction Buying Tickets Know Before You Go (Down) Rules An Easy Tour

A Brief Introduction

Moscow’s Metro was a long time coming. Plans for rapid transit to relieve the city’s beleaguered tram system date back to the Imperial era, but a couple of wars and a revolution held up its development. Stalin revived it as part of his grand plan to modernize the Soviet Union in the 1920s and 30s. The first lines and tunnels were constructed with help from engineers from the London Underground, although Stalin’s secret police decided that they had learned too much about Moscow’s layout and had them arrested on espionage charges and deported.

The beauty of its stations (if not its trains) is well-documented, and certainly no accident. In its illustrious first phases and particularly after the Second World War, the greatest architects of Soviet era were recruited to create gleaming temples celebrating the Revolution, the USSR, and the war triumph. No two stations are exactly alike, and each of the classic showpieces has a theme. There are world-famous shrines to Futurist architecture, a celebration of electricity, tributes to individuals and regions of the former Soviet Union. Each marble slab, mosaic tile, or light fixture was placed with intent, all in service to a station’s aesthetic; each element, f rom the smallest brass ear of corn to a large blood-spattered sword on a World War II mural, is an essential part of the whole.

The Metro is a monument to the Soviet propaganda project it was intended to be when it opened in 1935 with the slogan “Building a Palace for the People”. It brought the grand interiors of Imperial Russia to ordinary Muscovites, celebrated the Soviet Union’s past achievements while promising its citizens a bright Soviet future, and of course, it was a show-piece for the world to witness the might and sophistication of life in the Soviet Union.

It may be a museum, but it’s no relic. U p to nine million people use it daily, more than the London Underground and New York Subway combined. (Along with, at one time, about 20 stray dogs that learned to commute on the Metro.)

In its 80+ year history, the Metro has expanded in phases and fits and starts, in step with the fortunes of Moscow and Russia. Now, partly in preparation for the World Cup 2018, it’s also modernizing. New trains allow passengers to walk the entire length of the train without having to change carriages. The system is becoming more visitor-friendly. (There are helpful stickers on the floor marking out the best selfie spots .) But there’s a price to modernity: it’s phasing out one of its beloved institutions, the escalator attendants. Often they are middle-aged or elderly women—“ escalator grandmas ” in news accounts—who have held the post for decades, sitting in their tiny kiosks, scolding commuters for bad escalator etiquette or even bad posture, or telling jokes . They are slated to be replaced, when at all, by members of the escalator maintenance staff.

For all its achievements, the Metro lags behind Moscow’s above-ground growth, as Russia’s capital sprawls ever outwards, generating some of the world’s worst traffic jams . But since 2011, the Metro has been in the middle of an ambitious and long-overdue enlargement; 60 new stations are opening by 2020. If all goes to plan, the 2011-2020 period will have brought 125 miles of new tracks and over 100 new stations — a 40 percent increase — the fastest and largest expansion phase in any period in the Metro’s history.

Facts: 14 lines Opening hours: 5 a.m-1 a.m. Rush hour(s): 8-10 a.m, 4-8 p.m. Single ride: 55₽ (about 85 cents) Wi-Fi network-wide

Buying Tickets

• Ticket machines have a button to switch to English.
• You can buy specific numbers of rides: 1, 2, 5, 11, 20, or 60. Hold up fingers to show how many rides you want to buy.
• There is also a 90-minute ticket , which gets you 1 trip on the metro plus an unlimited number of transfers on other transport (bus, tram, etc) within 90 minutes.
• Or, you can buy day tickets with unlimited rides: one day (218₽/ US$4), three days (415₽/US$7) or seven days (830₽/US$15). Check the rates here to stay up-to-date.
• If you’re going to be using the Metro regularly over a few days, it’s worth getting a Troika card , a contactless, refillable card you can use on all public transport. Using the Metro is cheaper with one of these: a single ride is 36₽, not 55₽. Buy them and refill them in the Metro stations, and they’re valid for 5 years, so you can keep it for next time. Or, if you have a lot of cash left on it when you leave, you can get it refunded at the Metro Service Centers at Ulitsa 1905 Goda, 25 or at Staraya Basmannaya 20, Building 1.
• You can also buy silicone bracelets and keychains with built-in transport chips that you can use as a Troika card. (A Moscow Metro Fitbit!) So far, you can only get these at the Pushkinskaya metro station Live Helpdesk and souvenir shops in the Mayakovskaya and Trubnaya metro stations. The fare is the same as for the Troika card.
• You can also use Apple Pay and Samsung Pay.

Rules, spoken and unspoken

No smoking, no drinking, no filming, no littering. Photography is allowed, although it used to be banned.

Stand to the right on the escalator. Break this rule and you risk the wrath of the legendary escalator attendants. (No shenanigans on the escalators in general.)

Get out of the way. Find an empty corner to hide in when you get off a train and need to stare at your phone. Watch out getting out of the train in general; when your train doors open, people tend to appear from nowhere or from behind ornate marble columns, walking full-speed.

Always offer your seat to elderly ladies (what are you, a monster?).

An Easy Tour

This is no Metro Marathon ( 199 stations in 20 hours ). It’s an easy tour, taking in most—though not all—of the notable stations, the bulk of it going clockwise along the Circle line, with a couple of short detours. These stations are within minutes of one another, and the whole tour should take about 1-2 hours.

Start at Mayakovskaya Metro station , at the corner of Tverskaya and Garden Ring,  Triumfalnaya Square, Moskva, Russia, 125047.

1. Mayakovskaya.  Named for Russian Futurist Movement poet Vladimir Mayakovsky and an attempt to bring to life the future he imagined in his poems. (The Futurist Movement, natch, was all about a rejecting the past and celebrating all things speed, industry, modern machines, youth, modernity.) The result: an Art Deco masterpiece that won the National Grand Prix for architecture at the New York World’s Fair in 1939. It’s all smooth, rounded shine and light, and gentle arches supported by columns of dark pink marble and stainless aircraft steel. Each of its 34 ceiling niches has a mosaic. During World War II, the station was used as an air-raid shelter and, at one point, a bunker for Stalin. He gave a subdued but rousing speech here in Nov. 6, 1941 as the Nazis bombed the city above.

Take the 3/Green line one station to:

2. Belorusskaya. Opened in 1952, named after the connected Belarussky Rail Terminal, which runs trains between Moscow and Belarus. This is a light marble affair with a white, cake-like ceiling, lined with Belorussian patterns and 12 Florentine ceiling mosaics depicting life in Belarussia when it was built.

Transfer onto the 1/Brown line. Then, one stop (clockwise) t o:

3. Novoslobodskaya.  This station was designed around the stained-glass panels, which were made in Latvia, because Alexey Dushkin, the Soviet starchitect who dreamed it up (and also designed Mayakovskaya station) couldn’t find the glass and craft locally. The stained glass is the same used for Riga’s Cathedral, and the panels feature plants, flowers, members of the Soviet intelligentsia (musician, artist, architect) and geometric shapes.

Go two stops east on the 1/Circle line to:

4. Komsomolskaya. Named after the Komsomol, or the Young Communist League, this might just be peak Stalin Metro style. Underneath the hub for three regional railways, it was intended to be a grand gateway to Moscow and is today its busiest station. It has chandeliers; a yellow ceiling with Baroque embellishments; and in the main hall, a colossal red star overlaid on golden, shimmering tiles. Designer Alexey Shchusev designed it as an homage to the speech Stalin gave at Red Square on Nov. 7, 1941, in which he invoked Russia’s illustrious military leaders as a pep talk to Soviet soldiers through the first catastrophic year of the war.   The station’s eight large mosaics are of the leaders referenced in the speech, such as Alexander Nevsky, a 13th-century prince and military commander who bested German and Swedish invading armies.

One more stop clockwise to Kurskaya station,  and change onto the 3/Blue  line, and go one stop to:

5. Baumanskaya.   Opened in 1944. Named for the Bolshevik Revolutionary Nikolai Bauman , whose monument and namesake district are aboveground here. Though he seemed like a nasty piece of work (he apparently once publicly mocked a woman he had impregnated, who later hung herself), he became a Revolutionary martyr when he was killed in 1905 in a skirmish with a monarchist, who hit him on the head with part of a steel pipe. The station is in Art Deco style with atmospherically dim lighting, and a series of bronze sculptures of soldiers and homefront heroes during the War. At one end, there is a large mosaic portrait of Lenin.

Stay on that train direction one more east to:

6. Elektrozavodskaya. As you may have guessed from the name, this station is the Metro’s tribute to all thing electrical, built in 1944 and named after a nearby lightbulb factory. It has marble bas-relief sculptures of important figures in electrical engineering, and others illustrating the Soviet Union’s war-time struggles at home. The ceiling’s recurring rows of circular lamps give the station’s main tunnel a comforting glow, and a pleasing visual effect.

Double back two stops to Kurskaya station , and change back to the 1/Circle line. Sit tight for six stations to:

7. Kiyevskaya. This was the last station on the Circle line to be built, in 1954, completed under Nikita Khrushchev’ s guidance, as a tribute to his homeland, Ukraine. Its three large station halls feature images celebrating Ukraine’s contributions to the Soviet Union and Russo-Ukrainian unity, depicting musicians, textile-working, soldiers, farmers. (One hall has frescoes, one mosaics, and the third murals.) Shortly after it was completed, Khrushchev condemned the architectural excesses and unnecessary luxury of the Stalin era, which ushered in an epoch of more austere Metro stations. According to the legend at least, he timed the policy in part to ensure no Metro station built after could outshine Kiyevskaya.

Change to the 3/Blue line and go one stop west.

8. Park Pobedy. This is the deepest station on the Metro, with one of the world’s longest escalators, at 413 feet. If you stand still, the escalator ride to the surface takes about three minutes .) Opened in 2003 at Victory Park, the station celebrates two of Russia’s great military victories. Each end has a mural by Georgian artist Zurab Tsereteli, who also designed the “ Good Defeats Evil ” statue at the UN headquarters in New York. One mural depicts the Russian generals’ victory over the French in 1812 and the other, the German surrender of 1945. The latter is particularly striking; equal parts dramatic, triumphant, and gruesome. To the side, Red Army soldiers trample Nazi flags, and if you look closely there’s some blood spatter among the detail. Still, the biggest impressions here are the marble shine of the chessboard floor pattern and the pleasingly geometric effect if you view from one end to the other.

Keep going one more stop west to:

9. Slavyansky Bulvar.  One of the Metro’s youngest stations, it opened in 2008. With far higher ceilings than many other stations—which tend to have covered central tunnels on the platforms—it has an “open-air” feel (or as close to it as you can get, one hundred feet under). It’s an homage to French architect Hector Guimard, he of the Art Nouveau entrances for the Paris M é tro, and that’s precisely what this looks like: A Moscow homage to the Paris M é tro, with an additional forest theme. A Cyrillic twist on Guimard’s Metro-style lettering over the benches, furnished with t rees and branch motifs, including creeping vines as towering lamp-posts.

Stay on the 3/Blue line and double back four stations to:

10. Arbatskaya. Its first iteration, Arbatskaya-Smolenskaya station, was damaged by German bombs in 1941. It was rebuilt in 1953, and designed to double as a bomb shelter in the event of nuclear war, although unusually for stations built in the post-war phase, this one doesn’t have a war theme. It may also be one of the system’s most elegant: Baroque, but toned down a little, with red marble floors and white ceilings with gilded bronze c handeliers.

Jump back on the 3/Blue line  in the same direction and take it one more stop:

11. Ploshchad Revolyutsii (Revolution Square). Opened in 1938, and serving Red Square and the Kremlin . Its renowned central hall has marble columns flanked by 76 bronze statues of Soviet heroes: soldiers, students, farmers, athletes, writers, parents. Some of these statues’ appendages have a yellow sheen from decades of Moscow’s commuters rubbing them for good luck. Among the most popular for a superstitious walk-by rub: the snout of a frontier guard’s dog, a soldier’s gun (where the touch of millions of human hands have tapered the gun barrel into a fine, pointy blade), a baby’s foot, and a woman’s knee. (A brass rooster also sports the telltale gold sheen, though I am told that rubbing the rooster is thought to bring bad luck. )

Now take the escalator up, and get some fresh air.

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News & Insights

Deutsche Bahn agrees to reduce working hours in deal with union

March 26, 2024 — 03:34 am EDT

Written by Klaus Lauer for Reuters  ->

March 26 (Reuters) - German national rail operator Deutsche Bahn DBN.UL on Tuesday said it agreed to gradually reduce train drivers' working hours in a wage deal struck with union GDL, ending months of dispute and nationwide strikes.

"The dispute was tough, but we have now been able to agree on an intelligent compromise," Deutsche Bahn said in a press release after announcing the agreement late on Monday

A "working time corridor" will be set up, allowing the train drivers to gradually reduce their working time to 35 hours per week by 2029 while keeping wages at the same level.

Those who wish to continue working a 40-hour week would get a 2.7% hourly wage increase, it added.

As part of the agreement, which runs for 26 months retroactively beginning on Nov. 1, 2023, both sides agreed that there would not be strikes for nearly two years.

Both sides also settled on a 420-euro ($455.66) salary increase in two steps, and on a 2,850 euros one-off inflation compensation.

Germany has been hit by a wave of industrial action in recent months, as high inflation and staff bottlenecks soured wage negotiations in the transport sector, affecting national rail, air travel and public transport.

The state-owned rail operator posted a 2.4 billion euros net loss in 2023 as investments in Germany's ailing railway infrastructure hit a record high, but pointed to a return to profitability next year.

($1 = 0.9217 euros)

(Reporting by Klaus Lauer, writing Andrey Sychev, editing by Miranda Murray)

(( [email protected] ;))

The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

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Goldman, Morgan Stanley win dismissal of lawsuits over Archegos collapse

A U.S. judge on Thursday dismissed seven lawsuits by investors who accused Goldman Sachs Group Inc and Morgan Stanley of misconduct that fueled the rapid March 2021 collapse of Bill Hwang's $36 billion firm Archegos Capital Management.

Tupperware Brands flagged doubts about the ability to continue as a going concern for at least a year and forecast inadequate liquidity to fund operations, the seller of plastic airtight food storage containers said in a filing with the SEC on Friday.

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German train drivers and crew will see working hours cut without a salary reduction under new deal

Train drivers and some crew for Germany’s main railway operator will see their working week reduced from 38 hours to 35 by 2029 without having their pay cut, but will have an option to work longer for more money, the two sides said Tuesday.

The arrangement is central to a deal that state-owned operator Deutsche Bahn  reached Monday  with the GDL union, which represents many of its drivers and some other workers, after five months of  negotiations  punctuated by strikes.

Several  pay disputes  in the German transport sector have coincided recently, and this was the most consistently disruptive. Others have involved local transport workers, ground staff and cabin crew for Lufthansa and airport security staff.

The rail strikes led to most long-distance and many regional trains being canceled, in some cases for days at a time in Europe’s biggest economy.

The main sticking point was GDL’s demand for working hours to be reduced without a pay cut. Some smaller private operators that operate regional services agreed to the demand, but Deutsche Bahn initially balked.

The two sides’ deal foresees standard working hours being reduced to 35 hours in four stages from 2026 to 2029. But employees will be able to choose anything from a 35- to 40-hour week, with those who choose to work longer getting more pay.

The agreement also features a pay rise totaling 420 euros ($455) per month in two stages and a one-time payment of 2,850 euros to compensate for inflation.

Deutsche Bahn personnel chief Martin Seiler described it as “an intelligent compromise” offering the company flexibility and extra capacity “in the difficult labor market environment.” The company had pointed to the difficulty of recruiting more drivers to cover gaps created by a shorter week.

GDL chairman Claus Weselsky said the shorter work week was “urgently necessary” to attract more employees to the railway.

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