German Rail
 

Hi. My son just turned six. Was wondering if I could get away with him not having a pass in July for travel in Germany and Salzburg... Are they very strict and check a child's age? Thank you.

What else are you planning to lie about?

It's a 44 Euro fine for not having a ticket when you need one.

Are you a gambling man (woman)?

If you book point-to-point tickets, your son will travel free - and you won't be breaking any rules. Besides, booking well in advance (up to 92 days allowed) on bahn.de, can get you some very cheap discount fares.

It's Germany - they follow rules there.

Thanks Tim S.

Also, is dining and dashing an appropriate custom as well?

If traveling on say 4 or more longer train rides then the German Railpass can be cheaper than 4 of the cheapest discounted tickets and you can hop on any train anytime and with a pass your child would pay 1/2 of the adult price - and yes German conductors have a penchant for checking ages, etc. so I would not try to pull the wool over their eyes.

Booking 92 days out to guarantee a cheap fare inhibits flexibility of course so a great aspect of a pass is total flexibility to pack up head to station and hop on the next of zillions of trains.

Anyway for loads of great stuff on German train I always spotlight these Uber fantastic IMO sites - www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

Not sure what you mean by dining and dashing, but if you are in a hurry eat at a bakery - many are what they call Stehcafes (standing cafes), where there are no seats but high tables where you stand and eat. Cheap and delicious. It's generally not the done thing to walk around and eat at the same time.

Ditto the Schnellimbiss (normal a fast food van or kiosk), where you can get a Currywurst (chopped up sausage with spicy sauce and curry powder), a Bratwurst or Pommes (fries). (A great place for regional specialities, in the Rhineland you can get Reibekuchen, a potato pancake). Also standing and eating only.

Lavandula

Dining and dashing is when you leave without paying the bill.

Interesting attitude. Do I sniff a troll?

Tiresome, but I fell for it.

Lavandula

German department stores have inexpensive self-serve cafeterias that allow eating and dashing - as opposed to a proper restaurant where you probably spend an hour at least.

If taking trains German train stations are a smorgasbord of fast-food carts and places - grab some Wursts or Pommes Frites or sandwiches and dine on the train - the ultimate saving of time.

I like how this turned from an inquiry about trying to avoid having to pay for a child's train ticket to fast food options in Germany.

So are you a troll as charged above?

Wasn't trolling. I was replying to Lavandula.

no I know you were not a troll and it is a pity IMO that the charge of being a troll is so often made with such flimsy evidence.