"Sparpreis fares" or savings fares???
 

From the messages archives dated 04/18/2002, 12:12 pm, under the topic of Germany, I found the exact same question I had wanted to ask titled "berlin to frankfurt". i found it very useful and sprinkle some hope on what initially daunts me the same way as the orginal person who posted that question. A few quesions though, what's the part about " Schönes-Wochenende-Ticket" that only works on local trains - as Russ mentions it's only valid on weekends and the trip would take 8.5 hrs" and " 4 trains connection"? I cant seems to find a clear enough explanation from the ones offered by the www.bahn.de website and hope I be able to get the help from u guys here! thanks a lot. and btw, what's the talk about "Guten-Abend Tickets" about? thanks guys!

When you find connections on the DB web site, there is a box which allows the options of "all products" or (amongst others) "only local transport" ("nur Nahverkehr" in German"). This will show the connections by local trains on which you can use the cheap ticket.

The S-W ticket can only be used on Sat or Sun and only on the local trains (RE, RB, S, SE, maybe IRE), hence, the large number of changes required. But you can make it between Munich and Berlin in a day on this ticket if you are looking to travel really cheaply (now 28 Euros for a group of up to 5 people traveling together.)

Follow Geoff's instructions for finding connections on these trains.

The Guten Abend ticket is no longer.

umm,yup yup thanks. I have tried that but will I be able to get it then and there when I m in berlin or do i hav to book it online which means i have to sign up. I have been to italy before this and there are ticket machines. Are there such machines that will allow me to get the Sparpreis fares tickets or do i have to go to the ticket counter for this should it be possible without buying online. I guess the cheapest way as got to be no other way besides this or is it ?

These are tickets for local trains on which seats are not reserved. It's just like buying a ticket for a metro or subway: you pay your money and get on any train. The German ticket entitles you to go on any local train within the specified limit; there is no restriction on the number of tickets sold as that's quite unrelated to the capacity of any train. You just buy the ticket at the station before starting your train journey, and can then get on and off trains as much as you like (within the specified limits).

Hey GeoffHamer,
I suppose u mean to tell me that i dun need to get it online and onli need to do so when and while i m there, m i right to say so considering the availibility in june.

And has anyone tried to get from berlin to the ryanair based Frankfurt Hahn Airport? Cos this is really the underlying reason why I m asking all the questions of getting from berlin and frankfurt the cheapest way as I will be at berlin before my next destination at barcelona for which i have to connect to thru frankfurt hahn airport.

I was trying to say that these tickets have unlimited availability. Their sale is not limited to the capacity of any train. The entire population of Germany could go along to their local railway stations and buy these tickets. Therefore, you don't need to worry about about getting the tickets in advance: just buy one at the station before you catch a train.

And for those who knows, it was said on www.bahn.de that the Sparpreis fares has to be booked at least three days before the journey and that all "Sparpreis" offers mean that one have to stipulate a certain connection on a certain date. what are all these suppose to mean? did i interpret it correctly if it means that i had got no other choice other than to book it online which means that I got to sign up. and is the part on stipulate a certain connecion on a certain date jus meaning that i got to make sure my own train routes and jus do the obvious and normal procedues to stamp my ticket always before i board or is it meaning something more subtle and different and important to know?... pls help and i reali appreciate a lot.

If you are going one-way from Berlin to the Hahn Airport (from which you are flying to Barcelona), the Sparpreise do not apply, since they are for round trip travel. You are correct in interpreting these tickets as requiring three days advance purchase and being valid only for a particular train. If you are only going to be in Germany for two days prior to travel, then you would indeed have to get them in advance online.

The "Schoneswochenende" tickets are something completely different. You may buy them on the day of travel and use them on any regional or local trains.

However, getting from Berlin to Frankfurt would take about 8 hours, along with a couple of additional hours by bus to Hahn. I don't think you could get there in time for a flight to Barcelona the same day.

You might look into overnight travel from Berlin to Cologne under the Sparnacht offer (likewise requiring advance booking). This would be only 29 Euros in a seat--more for a couchette or sleeping compartment. Arriving in Cologne early in the morning you could get a bus to Hahn.