PalenQ

the special is not unique to ricksteves.com but for any German railpass sold anywhere as rick works thru RailEurope who I believe actually does the transaction and gives steves a commission, etc. And uyes a German Railpass is valid on any German train with the sole exceptions of InterCitySprinter trains - designed for business types making early commutes and rush hour returns between mainly Frankfurt-Cologne and Hamburg I believe - trains you will never be taking and Thalys trains from Cologne to Belgium and of course overnight trains. If you have any questions about German Railpasses like that I'd advise calling Byron at www.budgeteuropetravel.com - I have used him for years for various passes and he is an expert on questions like that - and there can be sudden changes that I may not know about - I say valid on all ICEs because that is my experience but things can change. Once you get the pass the conditions of use will outline everything that is valid - including such obscure things as a railpass valid in Germany is good on Berlin's S-Bahns but only on lines linking mainline train stations, etc.

MKECityMom

Hi Jaadain - We bought the discounted 5-day German Rail Pass for our 4 days in Germany. Sale ends 3/29/13 and is good for travel through the end of May. We got an extra discount by getting a Twin Saver (two people are named on one pass). Byron at budgeteuropetravel.com can explain that additional discount in more detail.

I really struggled with the decision to purchase a rail pass. We've traveled to Europe enough times not to be intimidated by purchasing tickets ala carte. But given our itinerary and the fact that both my sons and 74-yr. old father will be travelling with us (a total of 5 people), I decided that it made more sense and had less of a head tax (i.e. worry) to just get the rail passes. Plus, with family in Germany, I don't want to have to worry now about scheduling dinners and lunches so that I can buy cheap tickets in advance.

We're buying point-to-point tickets in Italy, though, cuz their rail pass isn't worth it.

Have a great trip and maybe we'll see you on the rails!

MKECityMom

Forgot one more thing: we're staying in a rental apartment in Cologne just 5 minute walk from the Dom through airbnb.com. The nightly rates at these apartments were comparable or less expensive than hotels. You can use their google map to identify the precise location of where you want to be located. We're staying 3 nights in Cologne at $150USD/night for an apartment that sleeps 4. You can get lower nightly rates if you need room only for 1-2.

texasbookworm

Jaadain
I rode a few ICE trains with my RailPass in Germany last summer, so unless something has changed, yes in general. HOWEVER, some (many? during some peak hours) of the ICE routes require a reservation. So 1check the fine print of pass and 2 DEFINITELY check the DBBAhn website and look at the possible itineraries and see if any of the trains you might take needs a reservation. I know mine did Frankfurt to Nurnburg, but the one I took to and from Koln did not at the hours I rode it. I loved my RailPass travel in Germany!

PalenQ

If any ICE train requires reservations then that is a very new policy as none have ever IME - I will check bahn.de to see what ones do require them - easy to get anyway and there are plenty that do not require them.

PalenQ

I looked at just about every Frankfurt to Nurnburg ICE for one day and can see none that mention anything about reservations being required - none - maybe you were on an ICE Sprinter - a special type of ICE that does require reservations - just a few of these for business types mainly but it could have been that type of train.

Jaadain

Thank you all! I will phone Byron and speak with him. It would probably be better for me..I loathe surprises! I am getting excited as the trip is drawing nearer!

Thank you all!

PalenQ

We got an extra discount by getting a Twin Saver (two people are named on one pass). Byron at budgeteuropetravel.com can explain that additional discount in more detail.>

Well a Saver Pass is for two or more people who want to put their names all on one pass - but in Germany with German Passes it is only the German Twin Pass - only two names on each pass max - saver passes can often have several names on them and an odd number whereas in Germany the max is 2 names - so a party of 3 folks traveling together would need one Twin Pass and one regular solo pass - for Twin Passes there is about a 20% discount per person over buying two individual passes. About the same with Saver Passes for Eurail Passes.

MKECityMom

PalenQ is correct. We have two (2) German twin passes (mine and my husband's name on one; the other with the names of my 13-yr. old son and my father). The 11-yr. has a 1/2 price German Pass. Now my 11-yr. old has complete freedom to roam the German rail lines by his lonesome, while the rest of us remained tethered together....

PalenQ

Now my 11-yr. old has complete freedom to roam the German rail lines by his lonesome, while the rest of us remained tethered together>

well not really as one of the two people on a Twin Pass could use the pass by themselves if situations dictated it - like if one member did not feel up to doing some day trip or boat ride one person could use the pass without the other being present - makes sense as the railways do not lose any money on that but actually gain an extra empty seat!

Like I've seen writ on German train station walls: Have "a Gut Fahrten" or good journey I guess they mean!

PalenQ

A trip to Neuschwanstein does not require an overnight there. It's a typical day trip from Munich.>

just about two hours each way to Fussen itself then a few-mile walk or taxi or minibus or bus ride to the castle complex - and yes the Bavarai Pass passes on most if not all trains on this route since they are mainly or are all regional trains.

texasbookworm

ok Pal don't want to get into any sort of "match" with you but I just checked the DBBahn site and I COULD find a very very few ICE (don't know how to tell if it's a Sprinter--I don't think that's what I'm talking about) that DID require a reservation. It was always at peak times and was not everyday of the week. So as I said in my post some (I now drop the ?many?) very few ICE trains may require reservation. It's not a problem--the OP just needs to pay attention to the DBBahn site, plug in any and all possible routes to use with a pass, and if any show that little reservation symbol, then avoid that time/train or make the reservation. I must have been traveling at a peak time on a busy day and I'm glad I noticed I'd need the reservation before I got on the train. I was just sharing my experience. I needed a reservation for one ICE trip.

PalenQ

and if any show that little reservation symbol, then avoid that time/train or make the reservation.>

I'll have to check but a R can also mean Reservations are advised and this would make sense at rush hours. It should say Reservation obligatory like it does say for French TGVs - anyway yes do not worry about reservations though in 2nd class you may want to make them for a few euros to guaranteeably get two seats together or a window seat, etc.

PalenQ

5 days for the price of 4 on a German Twin - that makes five days of unlimited travel in a month period $233 or about $47/day p.p. and that is about 33 euros a day - just four euros more than the deepest discounted ticket at 29 euros for inter-city and InterLander travel.

all that for fully flexible travel - hop on any train anytime and people ending up for the day in say Berlin or Munich or Frankfurt will find their passes valid that day on S-Bahn trains that lace city centres - another few euros benefit. such full-fare tickets for a few-hour ride often cost $100 or more themselves.

A great deal without the free extra day and an even greater deal with it - thanks jaedin and MKECityMom for alerting me and others to this special - good for sales thru Mar 29, 2013.

Jaadain

Hello again! Ok, so I ordered the rail passes and received them today.. but they are "Control vouchers". Says that this is not valid for transportation.. Do we, when we arrive in Germany, give them to an attendant? No information came inclosed with them! Thanks!!

PalenQ

Sounds like that yes is something to give to the rail clerk when you validate your pass in Germany by taking it up with your passports to any ticket window - they will stamp the one-month validity period to 'activate' the pass - then you fill in a date in the blank boxes anytime you want to use it - never having to go to a ticket window again.

PalenQ

.. Do we, when we arrive in Germany, give them to an attendant? No information came enclosed with them! Thanks!!>

Well call or email the agent you bought them from and ask to be sure something is not missing. Just to be sure.