LikeToTravel

We are taking train from Venice to Munich on Easter Monday (possibly Venice to Innsbruck for the afternoon, then Innsbruck to Munich in the early evening)- it looks like on www.bahn.de, that most trains do not operate that day. Is this correct? Also, any suggestions for booking through www.bahn.de since the booking part is in German? I was hoping to book round trip tickets through this site as it is much cheaper than raileurope. Do you know if euraide is same price as bahn.de? (we will originate in Munich)

ira

Hi L,

Euraide says that they charge the same price that you would pay if you were at the train station in Germany + $35 per order.

This might be the best way for you to get all of your tickets at one time.

They are very helpful.

Riffic

LikeToTravel,

I just checked the bahn.de for you and as I exepcted, I found that there are trains running on Easter Monday. In German, Venice = Venezia, and the main station is in Mestre, just 15 minutes north of the station in Venice proper.

Here are three train timetables leaving
Venezia Mestre and Arriving Munich central station ("München Hbf&quot:

depart 08:34 arrive 16:28 (total 7:54)- transfer in Verona

depart 11:29 arrive 18:28 (total 6:59) transfer in Verona

depart 13:41 arrive 20:28 (total 6:47) - DIRECT

Unfortunately, pricing is not available online at bahn.de, since most of the trip is outside of Germany, but I suspect tickets will cost between about 80 and 100 Euro per adult traveling in 2nd class. Of course, there are ways to get a discount, which involves buying a Bahn card, but the recent changes in the discounting system are quite difficult to explain in a single email.

There is a phone number for automated train bookings (you would pay with credit card and pick up tickets at a counter in the train station) that I think must be in English: from the USA 011-49 1805 - 996633. I don't know if you could use this option, however, as you would need to pick up your tickets in Italy, not Germany.

ira

With all due respect to riffic (which usually means you are about to contradict someone)

Mestre is a city across the lagoon from Venice.

You want the train to/from Venezia San Lucia station.

There is a direct night train leaving Venice SL at 22:51 Arriving 06:32.

We did the train trip in reverse during the day. The trip through the mountains was wonderful.

Direct train leaves at 13:29. Arrives 20:28

Riffic

Ira, aren't you being a bit tough on me?
I did say 'the main station is in Mestre, just 15 minutes north of the station in Venice proper'

Okay, so Maestre may not be the 'main' station, but I honestly thought that most long-distance trains 'originate' in Maestre. Of course, with the schedule you posted, its clear the train originates in San Lucia and arrives a few minutes later.

erg45

we are doing same trip in July. I was on bahn.de today and got a price of 87.20 Eur for adult 2nd class from Venice St. Lucia to Munich. We too are wondering how to reserve because those pages are not availble in english. Any help with reserving/booking will be helpful. One other change we're going to do, thanks to another poster, is buy point-to-point tickets for Venice to Kufstein, on the border, then use German Rail Pass for remainder (Kufstein to Munich --I think we can stay on the train and do this, just showing the conductor our tickets and passes). then using passes for other rail trips in germany. It should save us a money as there are 5 of us. But we need to get our passes before going to germany and getting our seats reserved. So if anyone knows how to do this, please let us know.

yk

topping

ira

Hi riffic,

I did say "with all due respect".

Hi erg,

Unless you have some facility in German (you will need it in order to register) I suggest that you look up the US phone number for Euraide at www.euraide.com. They are very helpful and can tell you if the railpass will be worthwhile.

For trains originating or ending in Germany, you will pay no more than at the bahn.de website.

Their charge is $35 for the whole order.

yk

LikeToTravel-

At another travel forum, I read that DB will ship tickets for free to countries outside of Europe (allow 7 dayss). However, you still need to book it via the German website. The alternative is to call the DB booking center, the number for calls from abroad is ++49 1805 - 996633.

This is what I read from the other travel forum, but never tried it myself.

LikeToTravel

Thank you all, I think I am going to head to euraide's site.

clevelandbrown

Why not just go to the station in Venice and buy the tickets?

LikeToTravel

I ended up purchasing tickets through Euraide and it was a verypositive easy experience- it was just not possible to book via bahn.de without a german address. As to why I did not wait, it is because of the Easter holiday and even with reserving seats, we had to split upour family of 7! Very busy time for travel to Munich and Venice. Thanks all!

ldowst

www.bahn.de is in english if you hit the "International Guest" section. If this doesn't work, go to bahn.hafas.de and select english on the right part of the screen - hope this helps...

yk

From an another board that I visit, I just read that DB's website now has English on the ONLINE BOOKING page.

In the past, DB's website has had English version for a long time, but when one wants to purchase tickets online, the purchasing page has been in German only. Now, it is in English as well!

From what I have read, one can purchase tickets online and request DB to mail the tickets to them for free (3 working days for within Europe, 7 working days for rest of the world).

I haven't tried it yet myself, but hope this will help someone down the road.

The night trains website is still in German only at this time.
www.nachtzugreise.de

Betsy

Check out your local AAA office. I needed a particular ticket that I wanted to have ahead of time and was able to get it through AAA without add on charges.