DB train tickets/special fares/rail pass - help please!
 

My husband and I will be travelling in Germany for about 10 days in April. We will be taking the train from Frankfurt airport to Fulda, from Fulda to Berlin and from Berlin to Munich. It's also possible that we'll do a daytrip (from Munich) to Regensburg or Nuremburg. Originally I was planning on buying a German twin pass (about Canadian $400) but after reading a LOT of posts and scouring the DB website I'm not sure whether that's the best (cheapest) plan.

When I read the DB website it sounds like you can't get special fares except on return trips and yet when I punch in my destinations I see 'dauer-spezial' prices for all of my journeys and the two longer ones (Fulda-Berlin, Berlin-Munich) are really discounted (29 euros versus 86 euro). Are these prices for real? Is there a downside to doing it this way? I understand that you have to commit to a specific time/train but the only leg of the journey where that isn't practical is the first one--Frankfurt Airport to Fulda. It sounds like I would be saving about $100 doing it this way--am I missing something?

I did use railsaver.com and it told me to buy a 4-day twinpass but the more I read the more I wonder whether that really is the best option.

This 29 Euro fare is limited to a small number of seats on each train. Once these seats are sold, the fare is no longer available. So yes, if you can get the seats and you book early you can save money over the twin pass.

From the airport to Fulda and for the daytrip from Munich to Regensburg or Nurnberg, if you are willing to take the slower trains, you can use the Hessenticket or Bayernticket, respectively.

Yes, those fares are for real and they apply to single (one-way) tickets. You can book up to 90 days in advance.

Read about Laender tickets like the Hessen Ticket and the Bayern Ticket here: http://tinyurl.com/29mh69.

These fares are real, but as stated by Musicteacher, there are very few tickets available. You'll need a pot of luck to get hold of one. Myself, I've never made it so far. Even if the timetable information page shows the discount prices, this doesn't necessarily mean they are still available when you are actually booking. So book as soon as possible.

In addition that what has been already said, you could also check for discount airfares for the Berlin-Munich leg if special fares at DB are sold out:

airberlin.com starts at €29 pP incl tax&fees
germanwings.com starts at €40 pP incl tax&fees

These fares are still available for April, but you usually have to fly off-peak, i.e. after 0900 or before 1700.