nanaof4

I have been checking ticket prices for the various legs of my trip in Sept. 2016. From the info I am finding it appears that ticket prices have gone up considerably since I was there in Sept 2013

For example: Innsbruck - Salzburg was $51 and now is $121

Rothenburg - Frankfurt was $46 and now is $65

Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof - Airport was $16 and now is $35

Is it just me? Am I doing something wrong? I have used the same websites (I think) to get ticket prices many times before.

I am trying to get prices so I can compare with a 3 country train pass.

PalenQ

I have used the same websites (I think) to get ticket prices many times before.>

And these are the official sites of that country's railway - like www.bahn.de for German ones; www.oebb.com for Austria>

Take Frankfurt Hbf to Airport -ICE trains yes cost 13 euros but IC trains 7.5 euros and the S-Bahn even less - no need to take IC or ICE trains but the S-bahn for maybe 5 euros

Rothenburg-Frankfurt prices on bahn.de I saw from 29 euros

so your 'now' prices are not from bahn.de but perhaps RailEuropeor some re-seller?

Your 'now'prices are way way over what you can buy online at www.bahn.de/en

are these your only train trips - if so no pass would be good for you - not nearly.

For lots on European trains check www.seat61.com- great info on discounted tickets online; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

In Austria check also www.westbahn.com- which always has cheap tickets between Innsbruck and Salzburg - even on a walk-up basis.

So whatever site you were using for the 'now' prices is way way over what you'd pay if you easily booked these at the national rail sites.

Christina

I would also suggest you use a national rail site but in fact, your changes aren't shocking to me. That was 3 years ago and ticket prices vary a lot by demand and time until departure, also (meaning there are a lot of cheap prepaid nonrefundable train tickets where the price will be cheaper than if you check it for only a few weeks off).

Not to mention currency changes since you are quoting in USD. It costs 6 pct more in USD to buy one euro right now than it did in May 2013.

thursdaysd

How far ahead are you booking? The price goes up as cheaper seats sell out. The comparison is meaningless.

PalenQ

For example: Innsbruck - Salzburg was $51 and now is $121>

that is much more than 6%!

greg

A lot of context is missing from the original post. Which web site is being used to come up with the prices?

For example, Frankfurt HBF - Frankfurt airport
for 7/7

Raileurope: 8:10am ICE 822 $30 (RE only lists ICE...)
www.bahn.com: 8:10am ICE 822 €13 = $14.80
www.rmv.de/en: S-bahn city transit €4.65 = $5.30

nanaof4

Thank you for your help. I will check the suggested websites.
I am not really booking tickets. My plan is to purchase a 3 country Select, 3 person Saver rail pass. I'm trying to decide between the 6 day and the 8 day, as there is no 7 day.

thursdaysd

You need to know what the tickets would cost in order to know whether the pass is a good buy. It is often not, unless you actually need the flexibility.

Read this:

http://seat61.com/Railpass-and-Eurail-pass-guide.htm

PalenQ

nanaof4 - what are all your train trips you plan on using the pass for? The more days the better deal a pass is and it is first class so comparing to discounted 2nd class tickets is like comparing apples and oranges - apples which must be bought way early and booked in stone or oranges which let you hop any train anytime in the countries you mention.

Flexibility is a key for many,like me and I'd pay more for a flexible ticket or pass than have to pre-book some non-changeable ticket weeks/months in advance.

If you want an expert to talk to call Byron at www.budgeteuropetravel.com - I've bought passes for years from him and IME he is as honest as they come with no hard sell and will answer any questions you have objectively.

But you do want to compare prices from the national rail websites for the real at the window prices of tickets in Europe and also those discounted ones with all those strings attached,.

PalenQ

About supplements, reservation fees with a pass:

Trains in most countries still do not require reservations and with a pass you can hop on virtually any train.

But in Italy and Spain you must pay on all but local trains a 10 euro or so supplement above using a day on your pass - per train ride so if you have to change trains it's two fees that day.

In France the fee can vary from a few euros to 15 or so and there is a pass holder limit on each train where even if empty seats remain the number of folks using a pass on each train is capped - this basically applies to a few TGV lines like Paris to Provence and Paris to Strasbourg/Basel. Most non-TGV trains you can hop on at no fee nor reservations.

Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Switzerland, Austria, the UK (BritRail Pass), much of central Europe you can just hop on any train anytime. Scandinavia varies but many just hop on.

But the Thalys train Paris to Amsterdam/Cologne is a special creature and charges an obscene IMO 30 or so supplement in 2nd class - more in first- plus requiring you to burn a day on a pass. You can actually buy discounted tickets that are as cheap or even cheaper than the Thalys supplement if you book way way early.

Night trains if they are hotel trains require you to buy a sleeping berth that is extra above the pass (which covers the basic train fare) and the cheapest is either a reclining seat for a few euros or about 25-30 euros for a 6-person unisex couchette - private compartments are much much higher. But on a night train if you have a flexipass you only put the next day's date in so you can travel gratis from 7pm to midnight and use the pass the whole next day - like take a night train from Amsterdam to Zurich and then the next day go onto Italy - all on one day on a flexipass - the so-called 7pm rule. some older night trains have regular seats you can sit in for no extra charge nor reservation (not advised due to theft problems as those cars do not have attendants and anybody can come and go and your bags are always vulnerable to being stolen - this option I would not advise.

For Select Passes check for specials that come up around this time that may give an extra day or so.

nanaof4

Thank you PalenQ. You always come through for me with intelligent and respectful help.

Here is the places we will visit.

Fly into Frankfurt
Train to Bacharach

Train from Bacharach to Cochem

Train from Cochem to Interlaken

Train from Interlaken to Luzern

Train from Luzern to Innsbruck

Train from Innsbruck to Salzburg

Train from Salzburg to Rothenburg

Train from Rothenburg to Frankfurt

Train from Frankfurt to Flughafen

I also love the flexibility of being to hop on any train at any time, get off at one of the places we change trains and explore that city or village if we choose. Since I will be taking my daughter and granddaughter, we won't have to worry about keeping so tightly to a schedule.

Also, I have enjoyed the boat cruises on the Rhine the 1st day, as well in Interlaken on the lake and in Luzern on the lake. Makes me feel good that they are no extra charge as long as we do them on the day we have already traveled.

I have tried to look up the prices, but the DB site will not give me prices and the OEBB site will only give me choices from a drop down menu of about 15 Austrian cities. And I am choosing made-up dates, not the actual ones as they are too far out.

PalenQ

thanks - seems like a 6-day Flexipass may be good - two other days so cheap buy locally. again you are comparing 1st class with the pass to 2nd class tickets when it should be compared to first class - significant benefits IME - especially if just hopping on trains - rarely not find empty seats in first class though it is getting fuller IME.

Some will say use the Bavarian Pass for say Salzburg to Rothenburg but that is restricted to regional trains which are much slower and not nearly as comfy.

www.bahn.de does have fares - for example two months out the cheapest fare I could find in a quick search was 99 euros - the regular fare 155 - 99 euros would be restricted to a certain train and non-changeable I believe. And those are 2nd class fares!

I think with your wish to have flexibility the pass is a great deal and again do not minimized the first class nature of the pass.

PalenQ

Also, I have enjoyed the boat cruises on the Rhine the 1st day, as well in Interlaken on the lake and in Luzern on the lake. Makes me feel good that they are no extra charge as long as we do them on the day we have already traveled.>

this I think has changed - K-D boats that were covered completely by railpasses valid in Germany now get a 20% discount with a pass (which with flexipasses means you do not have to burn a day on your pass if it is discounted - only for things that are fully covered - so a discount at times can be better than 100% coverage where you have to burn a day on your pass.

http://www.budgeteuropetravel.com/id...0german%20info