dtn

My family of 4 will travel from ZÜRICH to Kaiserslautern Hbf. Train tickets at thetrainline-europe.com offers 2 different types of fares, with first class and second class within each fare type :
1) Saving Fare:
Fare conditions: Sparpreis Europa Schweiz
This is a linked train route. This means your ticket is only valid for the exact trains printed on your ticket. A limited number of tickets are available for purchase up to one day before date of travel. Exchanges and cancellation fee EUR 17,50, no exchanges or refunds as from 1st day of validity

first class: 158 euros
2nd class: 118 euros

2) Standard Fare:
Fare conditions: Flexpreis

Fully flexible (not bound to a specific train / not dependent on the connection indicated on the selected route). Exchange/refund free of charge, a fee of EUR 17,50 will apply from the 1st day of validity.
First class: 325 euros
2nd class: 192 euros

The trip duration is the same. Would you please advise which one I should take and the difference between the fare type and difference between 1st and 2nd class. Thank you in advance.

Regards.

PalenQ

If going straight thru and not wishing to stop off take the cheaper one which does not allow breaking your journey - the full-fare ticket does allow such breaks without formality and then you can board another train anytime -

I would check www.bahn.de/en- the German Railways official site for fares and booking yourself - may well be cheaper than those prices.

for general info on things like first vs 2nd class (and IME there is a difference - most folks find 2nd class just fine but 1st class is much finer - fewer seats in each car means more room for stowing luggage and spacious room - you can get isolated seats with just one seat in a row - an aisle and a window seat - with a table in between for couples. anyway check these informative sites: www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com; www.ricksteves.com.

PalenQ

Bahn.de/en shows fares of 78 euros for Savings Fare and 84-103 euros for fully flexible fares so do NOT book thru the Trainline but directly on www.bahn.de/en- same trains and this is the official site so book directly on it. Book early to save a ton.

flpab

I have done the train from Paris to Kaiserslautern and second class was fine. Luggage was a bit tight for those with huge cases.

dtn

Thank you very much for your input.

dtn

PalenQ, is 78 per person or for 4? The price I posted in question is for 4 people. Thanks tons.

PalenQ

No it comes from bahn.de/en and is per person - I was only looking at a week from now - if you look at bahn.de/en for you actual date you may find something much cheaper - if you have kids the price may be less depending on their ages.

TMK www.bahn.de/en is the cheapest source possible - direct from the German railways - can't see a third-party agent being cheaper so that is an amazing fare - hop on it.

dtn

Thank you. My date is a bit further out so I need to check back later. It so happens that the price from Bahn.de and the train line Europe are same for the same date I checked. I will make sure using bahn.de. Can I reserve seat at time of purchase. Is it with a fee or should I need to reserve the seats? Many thanks, PalenQ

PalenQ

Seat reservations are not mandatory on German trains so I believe you must make a reservation - think you can do online but not familiar with doing so. And in 2nd class especially to get four seats together yes you should reserve - there is a small fee for reserving seats - again not familiar with actually doing - others may know.

dtn

Thank you very much for everyone's advice.

PalenQ

Let us know if you could make a seat reservation when booking and if so was there a cost?

Cheers!

swandav2000

Hi dtn,

Seat reservations from DB cost around 7 € each. As you go through the purchasing process, there is a point where you can request reservations -- just tick the box, and you'll have the opportunity to select the kind of seats you want (window, aisle, table, open carriage or compartment, etc). Then the cost of each reservation is added to the ticket.

Have fun as you plan!

s

PalenQ

Since you can chose your reserved seat if you have large suitcases, etc that must be stashed in the large luggage racks near the entrance then chose a seat well up front so you can easily keep an eye on them.

swandav2000

Hi PalQ & dtn -- if this is an ICE or EC train, there are luggage racks located in the middle of the wagons as well.

Some people also use long bicycle-type locks to lock their bags to the rack to give them peace of mind when on the train. I've done that once or twice, but not often and certainly not routinely.

I will also say that, while I always reserve a seat when I travel outside of my region, I don't always sit in that reserved seat (I tend to reserve only for peace of mind). If I see an unreserved seat that appeals to me more because there are fewer folks around (quieter), or my reserved seat is facing backward to travel, or some other reason, I will sit in that one. And the rule is -- if someone is not sitting in his/her reserved seat when the train pulls out of the station (or a minute or so after), then the reservation is no longer valid -- so anyone else can take that seat I had reserved.

I have found reservations really necessary only ONE time, for travel between Munich and Frankfurt, when 2d class had every single solitary seat occupied by suited businessmen.

But for a family of four, if you want to sit together, the chances are slim that you will find 4 vacant seats together, so it would be a good idea to reserve. But if your children are pre-teens or teens, you may want to let them sit a few rows away from you, so they may get to meet and chat with a local or two during the journey.

Have fun!

s

dtn

Thank you Swandav2000 and PalenQ for your good advice. I'll definitely try to reserve once I'm able to book tickets. My travel date is outside of 3 months in advance so I'll wait. Regards.

PalenQ

swandav - are unoccupied seats that may be reserved down the line still marked with placards saying between which stations they are reserved? If so - before sitting in an empty seat make sure it is now booked from a later station and you will lose you seat. But IMO like swandav there are usually empty seats as folks get on and off at different stations and very few Swiss seem to reserve IMO.

swandav2000

That's right, PalQ! Above the seat will be a placard giving the cities between which the seat is reserved (Munich - Frankfurt, for instance, or Munich - Lindau, etc). So if a traveller doesn't have reservations, before you sit down, check the placard to see if the seat is free for your travel time.

s

swandav2000

Oh, I have to amend my comments on the cost of the reservation. They are 4,50€, not 7€. Sorry!

I was checking train fares yesterday for a friend of mine, and I saw the actual fee for the reservation.

Sorry again for the error.

s

dtn

Thank you swandav2000.

dtn

Hi there, does seat reservation need to be done when booking tickets or it can be done later? Also, would one be able to tell if the seat about to reserved facing backward at time of reservation? Thanks.