phatfree

I was looking at bahn.com and pricing to Como states " DB + abroad part, price only includes the portion covered by DB" and we require a reservation.

What does the DB etc...mean? Is the 86 euros Europa-Spezial Italien price only a portion?
Plus, how much would a reservation cost? Thanks.

Loco2com

Where in Germany are you travelling from, the DB site can sell you German tickets and international tickets beginning or ending in Germany so perhaps there is part of your journey that you'll need to buy elsewhere - hard to tell without the origin

phatfree

Thanks for helping. I'm starting from Wurtzburg.

Cowboy1968

Most connections can be booked online. I tried a dummy booking for April 18th, and only one late connection which involves a night train was not available to book online.
Which stations did you use for your inquiry?
If you picked Würzburg Hbf and Como S(an) Giovanni, it should work.
With the tiny typo in your PP in mind: If you picked Wurtzbourg, then you picked a town in France. Try to type Wuerzburg if you can't do the "ü" on your keyboard. The first option from the pop-down menu will be Würzburg Hbf.

The special fares like the Italy Special appear automatically when available.
For those connections for which the special fares have sold out or are not available, they will not be displayed.

Man_in_seat_61

This is all about splitting the booking.

Part of whatever journey you've found is on an Italian train. The German website hasn't got fares for this. So it cannot book the whole trip, only part.

So you need to find a journey that seems convenient, then break it down so you can book the part starting in Germany at www.bahn.de, any part starting in Switzerland at www.sbb.ch, any part wholly in Italy at www.trenitalia.com.

Without knowing the exact series of trains you are trying to book, I cannot be specific.

Cowboy1968

For most fares/ connections bahn.de got the cross-border fares and print-at-home tickets.
Unless the itinerary involves bus lines or night trains or smaller foreign railway companies, you can buy a "through ticket" to any of the neighboring countries. To split the booking is not necessary.

Mimar

Also is it Como town you want to go to or elsewhere on Lake Como?

kybourbon

I'm not sure all discounts from each country factor in if you book on DB. I'm getting prices on DB all the way from Wurzburg to Como S. Giovanni for a random date in April. Perhaps you are searching a date to far out. Trenitalia is notorious for loading summer schedules last minute (early June).

flirtinfilly

Chances are you will have to switch in Zurich. I did somewhat of a reverse trip in November (Genova, IT > Stuttgart through Zurich).

Here's what I learned: Greman and Swiss trains do not break down. Italian trains break down.

The best advice I can offer is to make sure that you leave time between connections and are not the last train of the day. Good luck!

PalenQ

You could also go via Basel and switch in Basel SBB - the main station in Baselk, Switzerland where many trains from Germany terminate - there may be more convenient connections for the exact time of day you want to go on that route.

You can buy a thru ticket from Wurzburg to Como G Giovanni in Wurzburg but at full fare for the non-German part probably - anyway for lots of great info on European trains check out www.seat61.com - Man in Seat 61 who posts above - his commercial site and www.ricksteves.com and www.budgeteuropetravel.com.

If traveling on several other trains check out a Eurail Select Pass valid in Germany, Switzerland and Italy.

PalenQ

the main discount if available will be on the German portion - train fares in Switzerland I think are pretty much a flat fare - but browse www.sbb.ch to see if there is a deal that would comport to your train times arriving in either Basel or Zurich - if seeking discounted tickets on www,bahn.de take whatever is cheapest - via Basel or Zurich. Now a direct train to Zurich would be nice and worth something but if a big variance in pricing go via Basel and change there for Zurich.

As for getting to Como from the Swiss border station - Chioso (sp?) to Como is just a few euros but I guess you'd have to get off the train and buy a ticket?

phatfree

Thanks for the replies. My eventual destination is Cinque Terre. However, I thought I would stop in Como for the night. Perhaps I have it all wrong.

1. What is the best way to handle this long journey from Wurtzburg (or Rothenburg ob der Tauber) to Cinque Terre.

In any case, when I plug in May 23rd, price is 86 euros (with the description above in my first post).

2. I'm just wondering whether it's 86 euros plus reservation (as the next page describes this fare as "Europa-Spezial Italien") or is this only part of the fare.

I appreciate your assistance.

Cowboy1968

If you don't have Como or the Lakes or the train ride as a must-see / must-do on your list and
if you travel with moderately heavy luggage (15-20kgs) as checked baggage and understand very tight restrictions on hand luggage size and weight, then
you could check ryanair.com for nonstop flights from Nuremberg to Pisa.

PalenQ

. I'm just wondering whether it's 86 euros plus reservation (as the next page describes this fare as "Europa-Spezial Italien") or is this only part of the fare.>

I looked at the site and it appears it is a thru fare - European Special to Italy and seems an incredible deal - but it also shows on most links several changes of trains - if this is a restricted ticket ask if you can use the ticket on any train in case connections somewhere are missed.