Need explanation on Train Travel in Germany
 

My husband and I are planning a trip to Germany and we would like to visit Munich, Regensburg, Berchtesgaden, Garmisch, and Landshut Germany via train. Can someone please explain which type of train tickets to buy. It seems as though there are different types of tickets and passes.

Also would like to know what the difference is between 1st class and 2nd class?

i'm completely lost as to what we should buy. Thanks much.

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First, for every section you mention, you can use the Bayern Ticket (knon in German as Bayernkarte). This is a heavily discounted day ticket, good only in Bavaria (with the exception of Munich to Salzburg). The day ticket for the two of you costs EUR26. Limitations: On weekdeys, your trip cannot commenmce before 9AM. You can use only Regio Trains, no IC, EC or ICE fast trains. You cn buy the ticket at the time of your departure from Kiosks or at the ticket counters at the station from where you will be departing.

The ticket is good only for 2nd class, and there are no seat reservations. For the short distances youi mention, 1st class makes no sense. Tere are no limitations to getting on a Regio train; if the seats are all gone, you just have to stand. But that is rarely the case, except on holiday weekends, perhaps.

For all schedules etc. go to www.bahn.de . If you are using the Bayern Ticket, click "local tranptortation only" and the appropiate Bayern Ticket trains (and busses) will show up. If you don't want to use the Bayern Ticket, you can buy tickets for any trains you pick on the day of departure, at the RR station. If, in your opinion, a Regiuo train takes too long to get to your destination, buy a ticket for one of the other types of trains. As a rule of thumb, if you travel in a fairly limited area, like between the cities you mention, a rail pass of any kind is not savings.

For detailed assistance I suggest contacting http://www.budgeteuropetravel.com/. Call the 800 number and speak with Byron or Linda. They are experts and are very helpful. They can also sell tickets, passes, and reservations. For a general introduction to European rail see http://tinyurl.com/eym5b.

I agree with Spaarne. I've bought rail passes from budgeteuropetravel in the past. They are very helpful.

You probably don't need a rail pass, but it would be helpful if we knew your itinerary.
Do you plan to use Munich as a hub, and do day trips to the other destinations?
Or do you plan to visit those towns in a certain order?

For example, Munich-Landshut-Regensburg are on a railway line where no long-distance/ high speed trains run. The restriction of the Bayern Ticket to regional trains would therefore be irrelevant as you had to use regional trains anyway.
Same for the Munich-Garmisch line.
There are a few highspeed trains on the Munich-Salzburg or -Berchtesgaden line. But as the rails are not highspeed, you don't gain much compared to the regional train services.

On regional trains, there is no real difference between 1st and 2nd class re. comfort or service.

Unless the restriction to travel only after 9am on weekdays is not tolerable for your travel plans, it looks as if buying a Bayern ticket for the two of you each day you need to travel sounds just right.
So, each day of travel would cost €26 for the two of you. You get the Bayern Ticket from ticket machines at stations. Or from manned desks there for a few euros surcharge.

I visited all the places you mentioned last year with my son, and we used the Bayern Ticket for every trip. We travelled after 9.00AM for the cost mentioned above. It is one of the great travel bargains, and purchasable from the ticket machines that are conveniently located at every station.

I want to thank all of you for your comments. It sounds like the Bayern ticket is the way to go for us as we will be travelling from city to city in the order that I mentioned. You all explained it to me so that I understand it completely now.