Germany and Italy
 

I started this topic and somehow lost it. Will try again. Two of us (1 senior citizen, 1 adult) are flying from Chicago to Dusseldorf. We want to spend 2 days in Berlin. We are thinking of taking a night train to Munich and then going to the Garmisch area for 3 days. We've travelled between Germany and Italy before, so we are thinking of a night train from Munich to Florence. After 4 or 5 days, we would fly back to Dusseldorf for the return trip.

I have very little knowledge about the Deutsche Bahn website. Are there passes that would make travel cheaper? Would it be more efficient to fly from Berlin to Munich?

Is it reasonable to stay in Florence and take a day trip to Pisa rather than changing hotels?

Any suggestions will be appreciated!!

I found passes useful in Germany for two different types of travels, and your itinerary is neither of them. 1. Extensive use of ICE trains including peak hours using straight German Rail pass. http://www.ricksteves.com/rail/germany.cfm 2. Off peak travel on 2nd class slow trains using DB offers http://www.bahn.com/i/view/USA/en/pr...overview.shtml.

Berlin-Munich. You are comparing a 10hr night train vs. flight? Of course flying is faster. But by bringing up night train, I thought you wanted to save lodging cost and save day time travel time. What factor are you trying to optimize? Taking a ICE train may fit better with schedule due to frequent departures between these two cities. Also, have you slept on a train before? Some people sleep well while I find it too noisy and moves around too much.

You don't have many days, and you are traveling from the western edge to the eastern edge of Germany then to the southern edge, and then to Italy and back?

Pisa is only one hour train ride from Florence. You can find this at www.bahn.com. So, yes, it is trivial to visit Pisa from Florence as a day trip.

Finally, the natural question is, why land in DUS instead of BER when DUS seems to be just an arriving airport and why return to DUS to come home instead of flying home from FLR, PSA, FCO, LIN, or MXP?

Munich to Berlin is 6 hours by train. You can fly on Lufthansa one-way from MUC-TXL for around $76 per person (plus any applicable extra baggage fees). The choice there seems easy enough.

You didn't ask but you can fly from Florence to Munich (a 1:15 flight) for $104 on Air Dolomiti. That would save an uncomfortable night on a train.

Check Pisa - Dusseldorf WEEZE resp Cologne low cost flights, fares start at 52 EUR with 1 piece of checked in luggage
http://www.ryanair.com/
http://www.germanwings.com/
The train ride lasts 12 hrs (day trains) to 14 1/2 hrs (night train).

Night train Munich dp 21.03 - Florence ar 6.18, with sleeping cars

I have very little knowledge about the Deutsche Bahn website. Are there passes that would make travel cheaper? Would it be more efficient to fly from Berlin to Munich?>

Nothing can be efficient time wise or money wise perhaps if you nab a nifty discount from bahn.de - you save also on the cost of a hotel that night- timewise you travel at night - flying inevitably entails a half-day of schlepping out to the airport, waiting to board - then retrieving luggage, getting back into the city, etc.

I've taken both those night trains and they are amongst the very nicest in Europe - especially if you want to pay a bit more and get a private double.

Check out these superb IMO sites to learn a lot about night trains and trains in general - www.ricksteves.com; www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com. With just those two trains there is no railpass that would be of use to you.

<I have very little knowledge about the Deutsche Bahn website.> Go to the home page of www.budgeteuropetrvel.com and click on the link "Best Online European Railway Timetable" or some such wording and this brings you to the English schedule page of the bahn.de site - I mention this home age link because they also give you several tips on how to use the site that may not be apparent at first encounter.

You do realize that the price of a private double sleeper is more than the price of two one-way plane tickets and a hotel for the night? To nab that ever elusive Sparpreis on a City Nightliner, you need to book as soon as the tickets become available, i.e., 89/90 days in advance.

I just checked a date 89 days out and these were Sparpreis for two people on the CNL:

Couchette:
2 persons in 6-berth cabin: 178,00 Euro (Normal price: 254,00 Euro)
2 persons in 4-berth cabin: 198,00 Euro (Normal price: 274,00 Euro)

Sleeper:
2 persons in Economy Double cabin: 268,00 EUR (Normal price: 344,00 EUR)
2 persons in 2 Economy Single cabins: 348,00 EUR (SOLD OUT) (Normal price: 424,00 EUR SOLD OUT)
2 persons in Deluxe Double cabin: 328,00 EUR (Normal price: 462,60 EUR)
2 persons in 2 Deluxe Single cabins: 408,00 EUR (SOLD OUT) (Normal price: 542,60 EUR SOLD OUT)


First class is completely booked.

I'm all for saving money where traveling when possible but this is not how to do it. Flying makes so much more sense in this case.

Yes indeedy at those prices unless perhaps doing the couchette route.

Florence to Pisa is exactly 1 hour on a direct train, so that should answer that part of your question easily.

ttt