Marion

We'll be going to Germany this summer and like to buy passes for their public transportation system (bus and street-cars) before we go and save money and time.<BR>Is this possible?

duh

Germany in your header would be helpful.<BR><BR>duh

xxxxxxxx

Over the past fifteen years we have travelled to Germany, the Rhine and Mosel,and all the surrounding areas, by car and by public transport.Public transport is great and it is very easy to buy the tickets on the spot.However it is not very easy to discover smaller towns by public transport.Renting a car in Germany is the cheapest way even including VAT,providing it is booked and paid before in the US.

Russ

In-city transportation in best handled on-site. They won't run out of tickets, and you won't be holding tickets you want to trade in for some other day when your plans change. <BR><BR>"xxxxxxxx" brings up inter-city travel and IMO misstates the actual situation. You can get to almost aywhere in Germany by train. There are over 6000 train stations. For travel within a particular region, you can often purchase daypasses for $18 that will get yourself and 4 others around all day on the local trains. These passes are available within Bavaria, Niedersachsen, Rheinland-Pfalz/Saarland,Baden-W&uuml;rttemberg, and other states. You can't possibly rent and operate a car for this little cash.

Gar

sorry Russ,<BR>public transportaion in Germany may be okne of the best worldwide. But it is "public transportation" anyway. So what are 6000 station worth if they ware served once a day for ex. And some are. And a lot of them are served by bus. The big citys are ok - going from Frankfurt to Munich (or something llike that) is easy and fast. Smaller citys are sometimes very difficult to reach, and then You are at the station. That usualy not the place You wanna see. (Even if You are a railroad fanatic.) So You need a taxi, which is very expensive. There are a few passes - Bavarian Pass for ex. Or the "Happy Weekend Ticket". But it is not so easy to handle (which train You a re allowed to use ...). And, if You are 2 or more persons the price is (most) double. Not to talk about carrying the luggage. And the time. For about 50 Euro (price of a car for one day) 2 persons cant get for ex from Munich to Schloss Neuschwanstein by train. You cant stop where You want. And You need about the doubble time.<BR>Gar

Russ

<BR>Hi, Gar. You always have good tips to give here. Still, I think you've described the train situation in Germany rather poorly.<BR><BR>You ask, "what are 6000 station worth if they ware served once a day." In my many years of travel in Germany, I've never found even one station served only once a day. Which one is it? Almost all stations, even teeny tiny ones, have at least half a dozen departures per day in each direction. The Mosel River, for example, considered by most travelling Americans to be a quiet, sleepy place, has tremendously frequent service. The 6,000-resident-strong town of Cochem, mid-way on the route between Trier and Koblenz, sends off 30-40 trains in each direction per day. Even tiny Traben-Trarbach, reached by a small off-shoot line from the main line along the Mosel, is served by 14 trains per day in each direction. I wouldn't call this "difficult to reach". When you get to these small towns, by the way, you are usually deposited right in the center of town. You can usually cross the entire town on foot in ten minutes. Why take a taxi, exactly? For those who are heading out of town to some remote village not served by train, buses are normally scheduled to meet train passengers at the nearest train station and transport them to their final destination in a few minutes' ride. In all my explorations, I have never needed a taxi. Public transportation in Germany is nothing short of fantastic, a fact that is unknown to most Americans and underappreciated by most Germans.<BR><BR>I think Neuschwanstein is a perfect example of why the train is a great way to travel. Ludwig wasn't thoughtful enough to build the castle next to the station, so you have to take the train to F&uuml;ssen and then a shuttle bus to the foot of the castle. From Munich, you could leave on the present schedule at 8:51, 10:51, 11:51, or 12:51 and arrive in F&uuml;ssen 2 hours later. In summer, I imagine the schedule is even better. From there, the bus ride is maybe 10-15 minutes. The cost? For 2 people, 21 Euro for a Bayern Ticket, good for unlimited travel after 9 am on the local trains, and maybe 4-5 Euro each for a round-trip bus ticket, for a total of 31 Euro (If you take the 8:51, you might have to pay another 2 Euro or so each for the stretch between Munich and Munich-passing.) It's not hard to find out which trains you can use the Bayern ticket on - they're labeled RE, RB, S, or SE, usually - or just ask the ticket agent when you buy your ticket. This is an absolutely beautiful train ride, by the way. Of course, you can ride the train anywhere else you like on that same day at no additional charge.<BR><BR>I'm traveling by train ove a 12-day period this March from Frankfurt to Bamberg to Mittenwald (small town) to Memmingen (pretty small town) to Stuttgart to Cochem (small town) with four other people. Total cost, 207 Euros. I couldn't rent a bicycle for that price.<BR><BR>

Gar

sorry Russ, <BR>I dont wanna put the train neither Your tips down, but I confirm all the things I wrote above. Memmingen for me is not a small village. This perhaps is Weissach (next to Porsche). And where You cant fund any train running on sundays for ex. Shure You see I'm a most-car-traveller. (Shure I See You are on trains ...). Going back to Munich and the castles: If You go at 9 am it will take 3 hours just to reach Fuessen station. And cost about 18.20 Euro one way regular price (so about 73 Euro for 2 to go back again). I thinks it is a bit of travel philosophics (?) between these transportations. <BR>Nice travels on all routes<BR><BR>Gar<BR>

Leslie

Having just today received a package of brochures from the German National Tourist Authority, here is some information from the "Travel Tips" brochure:<BR><BR>Getting Around:<BR><BR>By Rail: Rail travel in Germany is fast and safe. Close to 45,000 kilometers (27,000 miles) of raile lines criss-cross the country, with more than 33,200 passenger trains running every day. At one-hour intervals German Rail's InterCity train network connects more than 50 ciies with modern, fully air-conditioned coaches. The fastest of them, the ICE (InterCity Express) travels on special high-speed tracks and reaches speeds of 250 km/h (150 mph) and more.<BR><BR>Tickets and Rail Passes: Point-to-point tickets are valid for six months in Germany and can be purchased at any train station or travel agency. German Rail Passes, Eurailpasses or Europasses must be purchased in the U.S. prior to your trip.<BR><BR>The following passes are available:<BR><BR>German Rail Pass offers unlimited 1st- or 2nd-class rail travel in Germany for any 5, 10 or 15 days within a one-month period.<BR><BR>German Rail Twin Pass offers special companion rates for two people traveling together. The first person pays full fare; the companion gets a discount of more than 50%. <BR><BR>German Rail Youth Pass offers a discounted 2nd-class pass for travelers over 12 and under 26 years of age. Eurail Youth Passes are good for 2nd-class travel only. <BR><BR>Eurailpasses, Eurail Saverpasses and Eurail Flexipasses are available for 1st-class train travel in seventeen European countries. Validity ranges from five days to three months.<BR><BR>Included in German Rail Passes and Eurailpasses are:<BR><BR>Free travel on KD day cruises on the Rhine between Cologne and Maiz, and on the Moselle between Cochem and Koblenz. No reservations are necessary.<BR><BR>Free travel on buses operated by Deutsche Touring Europabus, along the Castle Road and Romantic Road scenic routes.<BR><BR>Rail & Drive Pss cover long distances by rail, while enjoying the independence of a car for shorter jaunts. Take the train from, say, Berlin to Munich or from Cologne to Dresden, and pick up your rental car upon arrival to explore other special places close by.

Leslie

By Public Transit: Tickets must be purchased in advance and stamped before boarding. They can be purchased at subway stations, at many newspaper and tobacco stores, or from vending machines at bus or streetcar stops.<BR><BR>City Welcome Cards. Most major cities sell City Welcome Cards offering unlimited public transit travel and free or discounted admission to tours, museums, and other attractions. The cards are purchasable at hotels and tourist information centers.<BR><BR>By Bus and Coach. Commuter and regional bus service complements rail travel. Deutsche Touring/Europabus offers special services for tourists on particularly scenic routes.<BR><BR>By Boat. Schedules service on Germany's rivers, lakes and in coastal districts are operated by various shipping lines on the following waterways:<BR><BR>on the rivers Danube, Elbe, Main, Neckar, Moselle, Rhine, Oder, Saar, Saale and Weser;<BR><BR>from the seaports of Bremerhaven, Cuxhaven, Emden, Hamburg, Wilhelmshaven and other points on the Nort Sea coast to the islands;<BR><BR>from Baltic seaports to the islands in the Baltic; and on the lakes Ammersee, Baldeneysee, Bodensee (Lake Constance), Chiemsee, Konigssee, Rurstausee and Stamberger See.<BR><BR>Hope this information is helpful. You can contact the German National Tourist Office by calling information in New York City.

Mags

Several have replied already, but I had to say that I love the public transportion in Germany. Regarding within city transportation, I spent two weeks there over New Year's and easily explored all of Berlin with the use of the U-Bahn and S-Bahn. I also spent two days in Munich and got around in the same way. It is so convienient; when I was there it was 6 euros 10 cents for a "Tageskarte" (day pass) which is good for the u-bahn, s-bahn, and buses. I think that you can save money if you buy it for more than one day at a time. As others said, the public transportation in Germany is fabulous! The one thing I would say is, be aware of the time that the trains stop running. In Berlin they stop at 2am, I learned this after I was forced to walk two miles back to my hotel in the middle of the night. Also, don't forget to time stamp your ticket when you buy it. Have a wonderful trip!

Val

Is it true that you have to purchase a German Rail Pass in the US before you get to Germany? i think this is strange. My husband and I are planning a week in Germany on our way back to the states from our job in Kuwait. Cant we just get the pass at the Frankfurt Train Station? Someone, please let me know about this. Also, does Rothenberg have its own train station? thank you for your response...

MH

for train information your best bet is to go right to the source the Deutsch Bahn. www.bahn.de is the website that will answer all your questions.As an american who lives here, I do agree with the post that stated the public transportation system is fanatastic and it runs exactly on schedule.

Paige

I live in Munich, don't have a car, have never rented a car here and have traveled all over Germany. A car might be more convenient in some ways, but the same can be said about public transportation. It really depends on what you want to do.

xxx

Sorry, don't know for sure about the purchase of the pass. But Rothenberg does have it's own train station.

earth

Gar- In your tribute to the car, you forgot to mention the benefits of public transportation in regards to the environment. Or don't you care about that in your quest for convenience?

Harzer

Dear Russ,<BR><BR>I know that you are very keen on train and bus travel; but you simply HAVE admit that it puts restrictions on what you carry, where you go, how much territory you can cover in a given holiday period and in what detail, and, most important of all, where you stay. I am pretty certain that the savings in transportation costs you might make are more than offset by the accommodation you are forced to use. <BR><BR>We, for example, love the German Ferienwohnung (French: g&icirc;te) style of accommodation. They typically cost around 35-45 Euros a night for two. But these places are usually situated out of town in a rural setting like a farm or vineyard. You can't even find them in the first place if you are restricted to public transport. We have used them in such towns as Beilstein and Enkirch on the Mosel, neither easily accessible by public transport, likewise Iphofen on the Main (a town I think you have recommended) and Wertheim on the Tauber.<BR>I'm afraid I am not convinced at all by your arguments.<BR>Harzer<BR><BR>Then again, what do you say to this deal that I have organized through Peugeot: a brand new small car for 38 days for $19US a day all inclusive, pick up in Strasbourg, drop off in Frankfurt, no restrictions on mileage or which countries you visit? I mean, to be fair, you can't beat that for price, let alone convenience.

em

Harz- you and your ilk are ruining the planet for everyone with your selfish insistent on your own convienience as the main criteria for every decision.

Harzer

And you Americans are ruining travel for everyone else on the planet with your lavish, or better profligate, spending that drives prices up everywhere you have set foot.<BR>Harzer

Russ

Hi, Harzer. First of all, I’m not the slightest bit keen on buses. But the comfort and dependability of train travel really helps make travel a vacation for me and my family. I<BR>just returned from a trip to Germany, Belgium and Holland with my wife, daughter and in-laws (72 and 75). We used the train almost exclusively in Germany, and a car for BE, NL and the Eifel area of Germany. Our German route included Bamberg, Mittenwald, Memmingen, Oberstdorf, Lindau, Stuttgart, and Cochem, with a final ride from Koblenz<BR>to Mainz and the Frankfurt airport. We spent only $230 for this route altogether - 11 days of travel. The scenery was superb. We really enjoyed the ride through the alps between<BR>Garmisch and Pfronten via Austria, the “Ausserfernbahn”, and the asphalt- and traffic-free routes to Oberstdorf and Lindau. We sat and chatted, made a picnic lunch right on the train, spread out and relaxed, put up our feet, and enjoyed the views. No worries about<BR>strange road signage, no stopping to tank up or find a WC, no navigating on the Michelin map, no traffic snarls. It was all very Gem&uuml;tlich.<BR><BR>We were “restricted” in that we didn’t bring more luggage than we could carry<BR>comfortably for a short distance, a limitation I wouldn’t exceed anyway even if traveling only by car; why carry more than I need? My in-laws are healthy and managed their own luggage just fine, but I’ll concede that trains are tough on the infirmed. I’ll also concede<BR>that train travel requires greater planning attention. I pre-booked accommodations within walking distance of the stations. I prefer pre-booking generally to hunting down a place<BR>after arriving. My time spent planning frees up my actual vacation hours. Fortunately, none of us wanted to stay on a farm. There are usually a few FeWo’s right in the center of most towns and cities - often run by hotels, but often not - the ones we found were<BR>private. It’s just not true that they don’t exist. So we had a wonderful Ferienwohnung in Bamberg and another in Cochem, both right in the heart of the action, where most travellers want to be anyway, so I don’t feel we were limited at all by being able to walk to our place. In fact, we didn’t have to. As most FeWo owners do, ours picked us up and delivered us to the station at no charge. So by using the train and booking in town, we were actually freed from the tyranny of finding our way to some unknown place by car. (Part 2 to follow)<BR>

Russ

(Part 2 of response to Harzer)<BR>Our FeWo in Cochem, 3 blocks from the Marktplatz, accommodated ran us 56 Euros per night for 5 people. Cost is not always a casualty of staying in town or travelling by train.<BR><BR>So if we made sacrifices on this trip, I really can’t say what they were.<BR><BR>Still, there is a time to use a car. We couldn’t do Monschau, a beautiful but remote town in the Eifel, on this trip, or visit Keukenhof conveniently, or tour Waterland in Holland without a car. Our 8 days cost us $300 without insurance and $140 in gas. We got caught in nasty construction delays outside Antwerp, and saw a 10-mile parking lot near<BR>Amsterdam on the other side of the freeway where a station wagon had taken on a truck. I didn’t get lost toooo often, but just as I usually do, I found it frustrating to have to negotiate strange roads and compete with cars doing 160 mph while having to pee when I<BR>could be sitting in a cozy train compartment playing cards (or relieving myself without having to hunt down and pay for a WC.) Freeways, unintelligible parking regulations, and cars themselves impose a certain kind of tyrrany that for me is worse than adjusting to a<BR>train schedule. I only use the car sparingly, when there’s no other reasonable choice, and in Germany, certainly, the train is almost always available, efficient and dependable. <BR><BR>So I am an advocate of trains. I think most people who say the car is the only way have never used a train. You do have to learn to read a schedule, acquire a few train skills, and<BR>make a few adjustments, but these efforts pay off for most in terms of trip comfort and fun.