I'm trying to sort out train details for a trip to Germany and Austria in December.

I need to get from Rothenburg ob der Tauber to Innsbruck.

When I price the entire journey on the DBB site, the cheapest option I'm given is the Super Sparpreis Europa, which requires advance purchase, train specific travel and is non-refundable. I'm not inclined to use this option, as I prefer more flexibility.

So, I'm considering purchasing the Bayern Ticket from Rothenburg to Mittenwald (this will be on a Saturday, so the 9 am start time won't apply) and then purchasing a Flexpreis ticket from Mittenwald to Innsbruck. This combination is slightly less expensive, but more importantly, offers more flexibility.

My questions - can I purchase the Flexpreis ticket on the day of travel? Can I purchase it from Rothenburg or do I need to make the purchase in Mittenwald?

I will be interested to hear what those living in Germany respond.
I'm not sure if the Flexpreis increases as the date of travel approaches..
That said, I would certainly purchase the Mittenwald to Innsbruck flexticket at the initiation of your journey (in Rothenburg), if you are unwilling to purchase in advance. Wht not purchase in advance, if you are certain of the DATE if travel anyway?

Hi Melnq8,

The Flexpreis ticket from Mittenwald to Innsbruck looks to be 11.30€; is that what you're seeing? I think that's your best option.

The only flexible alternative would be the Werdenfels+Innsbruck Ticket, which you already know about, I think. That would be more expensive at 39€ for you two.

Will you have a smart phone with you? If so, just download the DB app, and buy & display your tickets whenever you want -- I've done this even while on a train. Or you can buy your tickets from home and print there. But you certainly can buy any DB ticket from any DB station in Germany.

Have fun planning!

s

[QUOTE][/ But you certainly can buy any DB ticket from any DB station in Germany.
QUOTE]

Innsbruck is not DB station. I'm not sure if you can buy international tickets from the DB ticket machines in Rothenburg(It's a tiny station so it's probably not manned.)

You could buy the ticket online or buy it at a larger station before Rothenburg. Nürnberg(Nueremburg)? Or in München(Munich) where you have to stop to change trains anyway.

BDKR,

The op is not starting at Innsbruck but ending the journey at Innsbruck. The question was, can I buy tickets in Rothenburg or must I buy in Mittenwald. The ticket will be DB even though the destination is in Austria. My answer stands.

s

If that "Saturday in December" is the one and only possible date of travel, and if flexibility only means "flexible on that non-flexible day", then get both tickets at home from bahn.com a few days before you leave home.
No need to wait for December and fiddle around with ticket machines in Rothenburg and /or Mittenwald.

If you need to be flexible re. also the date of travel you can literally wait to the last minute and get both tickets from the machine in Rothenburg.

If you're not sure what type of ticket you can or cannot buy from the Deutsche Bahn ticket machines:
(At least) Any ticket for point-to-point connections which you can directly buy online at bahn.com (without getting routed to any other site like for sleeper trains etc.) is also available from any DB ticket machine.

"If you're not sure what type of ticket you can or cannot buy from the Deutsche Bahn ticket machines:
(At least) Any ticket for point-to-point connections which you can directly buy online at bahn.com (without getting routed to any other site like for sleeper trains etc.) is also available from any DB ticket machine."

Cheers! That's good to know. This is what I was wondering about, since many countries don't sell international train tickets from machines only domestic tickets.

There is just one caveat:
While you can buy any ticket for travels to and from Austria from German Rail, this must not necessarily be the case for any other neighboring country.
You also won't see special fares from Austrian Rail on the German Rail website. You get all the fares from German Rain but only the flex fares from Austrian Rail.
So if you wanted to travel from Munich to Vienna, you could check both websites bahn.de as well as Austrian Rail at oebb.at

Thank you all for your responses.

I prefer to not book in advance primarily because I don't want to be tied to a specific train with a non-refundable ticket (such as the Super Sparpreis Europa). I realize I can purchase the Bayern Ticket in advance by using the date I plan to travel, but the Flexpreis ticket is new to me.

I've learned on TA from a Germany local that in addition to being less expensive, mixing the Bayern Ticket with the Flexpreis will mean a more scenic route on regional trains, vs the long distance train route the Sparpreis ticket would offer (via Kufstein I think). I've also been told that I can purchase the Flexpreis Ticket from the DB ticket kiosk in Rothenburg, which was my main concern.

Should we decide to get off the train in Mittenwald for a bit of an explore, it seems we also have the option of purchasing a VVT ticket from there to Innsbruck for 10 Euro which unlike the DB Flexpreis ticket will also cover trams and buses in Innsbruck (not that we'll have much time left in the day to utilize these).

It's been suggested that the VVT ticket might also be available from the DB kiosk in Rothenburg, but I've not looked into this yet.

swandav - yes, the Flexpreis ticket from Mittenwald to Innsbruck that I've found is 11.30€. Yes, I'll have my smartphone. I've downloaded the DB and OBB apps (and SBB for our trip to Switzerland in Sept/Oct), but as a smartphone newbie this will be my first time using them.