Need Help with German Train Schedule
 

We (4 adults) are going to Munich in late November then on to join a Viking tour out of Passau on December 1. We plan to take the train from Munich to Passau. I haven't had any luck finding the information on the train schedules and fares. I would appreciate your help. Is the Bavaria ticket applicapable? How much is it and what are the restrictions? Thanks for your input.

Input Munich and Passau as beginning and ending points; pick the date, etc.

Hourly Regional Express. Tickets available from June 5th.

Yes Passau is in Bavaria - barely so you can use I guess the Bavarian Pass - no need or reason to buy in advance - buy at any train station. Consider first class -not all that much more and IME regional trains (restricted to by that pass) can get very crowded, especially in 2nd class at certain times of day- first class (though check first to see if that regional train has first class - some do not) may have lots of empty seats when 2nd class is chuck full IME.

Seems like a great deal for that trip - just avoid any IC or ICE type trains- for lots of info on German trains check www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

TMK regional trains do not even take seat reservations so always can board. Even if full - rarely - folks will get off at subsequent stations. But with 4 together first class is a better bet.

Use schedule/fare site Dukey2 gives to see if there are any discounts on faster trains if want that - they are more comfy too than hard-class regional trains.

Certainly not "lots" of empty seats because on these local trains first class, if there at all, consists of one rather small compartment. Which is often invaded by the rowdy "we don't care" type of second class passengers since controls don't happen that often.

In other words, a waste of money.

Thank you all for the information. Looks like we can use the Bayern ticket for after 9am 2nd class travel. It appears to be about 2 hours from Munich to Passau so I don't imagine we would pick up a lot of time to take a faster train.

If money matters - Flixbus has a direct service daily at 17:00 (arr. 19:50) for 5 Euros.
(Other services are indirect, take longer and cost much more).

In other words, a waste of money.>

That has not been my experience but I have not ridden regional trains lately and sources say German trains in first class are getting much fuller than previously - and yes SRO crowds do indeed illegally sit in first class on crowded trains - so I defer to quokka and will change my future posts to reflect this German I believe and his/her more recent info.

Danke!

It appears to be about 2 hours from Munich to Passau so I don't imagine we would pick up a lot of time to take a faster train.>

Looking at www.bahn.de/en if looks as if regional trains are the fastest for most times- so there is really no faster trains - so easy -no advance booking needed.

You can trust Quokka on his/her info re. 1st class on regional trains. It's a small percentage of 1st class seats on RE or RB trains compared with ICE trains.
RE trains should always have 1st class, RB trains may not, but even some S-Bahn trains have 1st class sections. In either case, there is often no additional comfort level, just a seperate section.
With multiple units, it's usually just that "mini open saloon" with 12 or so seats at one end of each unit. Loco-pulled trains may have several cars of 2nd class only, and only one or two cars with a small 1st class "open saloon".

You can trust Quokka on his/her info re.<

Yeh yeh - Several years ago I rode regional trains when many were full and 1st class empty but apparently that has changed - Quokka lives in Germany and is a German I believe - has current info. And yes on trains sans conductors 2nd class standees may well sit in first class.