Train Passes- Questions about multiple stations per town
Oct 20th, 2006 | 01:06 PM
#1
Original Poster
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Train Passes- Questions about multiple stations per town
I am planning on going to Europe and using the train for most of my transportation. I am using www.bahn.de to estimate the costs and times from location to location. However, in doing so, I am putting a location, i.e. Rothenburg, and I am getting a list of multiple destinations.
1. Is there a place I can go, i.e. website, that shows where these train stations are, as to find the best one, the nearest one to where I would like to stop?
2. Some routes have many changes, will I actually have to get off the train to do this?
3. Some of the overnight trains have many changes and even say "unkown tariff abroad." Does this mean that the train will travel outside the country and then back in? Will I have to pay for another ticket? Is there a way, that if it does travel out of country, to find out which county this is, and whether it is covered in one of the flex passes?
4. Listed to the side of each route is "products." What does this mean?
1. Is there a place I can go, i.e. website, that shows where these train stations are, as to find the best one, the nearest one to where I would like to stop?
2. Some routes have many changes, will I actually have to get off the train to do this?
3. Some of the overnight trains have many changes and even say "unkown tariff abroad." Does this mean that the train will travel outside the country and then back in? Will I have to pay for another ticket? Is there a way, that if it does travel out of country, to find out which county this is, and whether it is covered in one of the flex passes?
4. Listed to the side of each route is "products." What does this mean?
Oct 20th, 2006 | 01:42 PM
#2
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 161
Likes: 0
1. I don't know of a particular website that shows all the train stations, but I think the usual map websites do list the train stations on them (I've used www.viamichelin.com and www.mappy.com). Because I usually stay near the city center, I almost always pick the central train station. For German trains, choose the one that has the word "Hauptbahnhof" in it. BTW, for Rothenburg, you should choose the one listed as "Rothenburg ob der Tauber Bahnhof".
2. Yes, if there are changes listed, you will have to get off the train to do the change. Make sure you have enough time for the train changes, especially if you have a lot of luggage or you have to go from one end of the station to the other end.
3. Yes, that means that your train will travel outside of the originating country. The website should list all the stops on the itinerary, so you can figure out which countries you'll be going through. Make sure your rail pass covers all the countries, otherwise, you'll be responsible for a hefty fine.
4. The "products" denote the type of train for the selected route.
2. Yes, if there are changes listed, you will have to get off the train to do the change. Make sure you have enough time for the train changes, especially if you have a lot of luggage or you have to go from one end of the station to the other end.
3. Yes, that means that your train will travel outside of the originating country. The website should list all the stops on the itinerary, so you can figure out which countries you'll be going through. Make sure your rail pass covers all the countries, otherwise, you'll be responsible for a hefty fine.
4. The "products" denote the type of train for the selected route.
Oct 20th, 2006 | 01:50 PM
#3
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 74,699
Likes: 0
Hi P,
>Some of the overnight trains have many changes and even say "unkown tariff abroad." Does this mean that the train will travel outside the country and then back in?<
Usually it means that you are looking at a route that neither originates nor terminates in Germany.
Can you give us a specific routing?
>Some of the overnight trains have many changes and even say "unkown tariff abroad." Does this mean that the train will travel outside the country and then back in?<
Usually it means that you are looking at a route that neither originates nor terminates in Germany.
Can you give us a specific routing?
Oct 20th, 2006 | 01:57 PM
#4
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 35,152
Likes: 0
I think ploeey covered it, but any time they have listed a "change" of trains on a website that I've used (including German trains on bahn.de), it means by definition you have to physically change trains. Otherwise it wouldn't call it a change, just a stop.
I think bahn.de usually says they don't know the tarif when it is a train that goes outside Germany, either on the departure or arrival city (ie, Prague to Dresden or Leipzig to Krakow). It doesn't usually come back into Germany on the same trip (?). What route are you going that it would do that.
I think bahn.de usually says they don't know the tarif when it is a train that goes outside Germany, either on the departure or arrival city (ie, Prague to Dresden or Leipzig to Krakow). It doesn't usually come back into Germany on the same trip (?). What route are you going that it would do that.
Oct 20th, 2006 | 01:57 PM
#5
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 17,549
Likes: 0
Some suggestions:
Do you know which destinations you are going to and if so can you list them? Sometimes the Bahn site will include S-Bahn stations in the dropdown. As a <b>general</b> "rule" the main station in a place is the Hauptbahnhof and that station will often be listed with the suffix Hbf just after a space such as Augsburg Hbf.
If there is a "change" listed yes, you will have to get off of one train and change to another. Sometimes this means changing platforms as well although that depends on the size of the station. Sometimes your next train will arrive on the same platform your previous train left from. Figuring out which platform your next train will leave from isn't nearly as hard as it might seem as all the departures and platform numbers are listed on either printed posters or electronic boards in every station without exception. You just have to know where to look and how to read the posters (in particular).
If you are using a route for an overnight journey which has changes make sure you look at all the possible departures for a particular period to make certain there isn't at least one direct (mo change) service. I, personally don't like changing trains in the middle of the night.
Unknown tariff abroad means the cost isn't readily available; not unusual for the Bahn site to list that especially if the journey begins in Germany and concludes in another country since that usually means at least one other rail system besides The Bahn is involved. You can still order tickets but the ticket center will price them separately. Someone else (here) will be able to tell you more particulars about that aspect of things.
BTW here's another link which may be a little faster for you to use:
http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en
Do you know which destinations you are going to and if so can you list them? Sometimes the Bahn site will include S-Bahn stations in the dropdown. As a <b>general</b> "rule" the main station in a place is the Hauptbahnhof and that station will often be listed with the suffix Hbf just after a space such as Augsburg Hbf.
If there is a "change" listed yes, you will have to get off of one train and change to another. Sometimes this means changing platforms as well although that depends on the size of the station. Sometimes your next train will arrive on the same platform your previous train left from. Figuring out which platform your next train will leave from isn't nearly as hard as it might seem as all the departures and platform numbers are listed on either printed posters or electronic boards in every station without exception. You just have to know where to look and how to read the posters (in particular).
If you are using a route for an overnight journey which has changes make sure you look at all the possible departures for a particular period to make certain there isn't at least one direct (mo change) service. I, personally don't like changing trains in the middle of the night.
Unknown tariff abroad means the cost isn't readily available; not unusual for the Bahn site to list that especially if the journey begins in Germany and concludes in another country since that usually means at least one other rail system besides The Bahn is involved. You can still order tickets but the ticket center will price them separately. Someone else (here) will be able to tell you more particulars about that aspect of things.
BTW here's another link which may be a little faster for you to use:
http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en
Oct 20th, 2006 | 02:00 PM
#6
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 17,549
Likes: 0
Sorry..just realized you said "passes" in your title. IF you are trying to figure out if a pass is more economical than buying separate point-to-point tickets go to www.railsaver.com and inp[ut the proposed itinerary. You'll get a comparison of prices.
Oct 20th, 2006 | 02:01 PM
#7
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 183
Likes: 0
Ploeey,
Personally, I like the Swiss timetable to plan my trips (www.sbb.ch) because it is simple and easy to use. As far as your questions go, unless you are traveling to a large city i.e. Paris, there is only one train startion in town. It is usually centrally located for your convenience. The website may not know which Rothenburg you are talking about and is giving you a list to pick from.
If the route lists a change, then you will be changing trains. I usually look at the train schedule for the whole day and find the route with the least number of changes and the shortest travel time. You can do this on the Swiss website.
Night trains will have changes as well. You want a night train that has 0 changes. Night trains zig-zag all over the place during the night. When you buy your ticket they will let you know if there will be any extra tariffs at that time. The Swiss website will also show you your exact route, so you can see which countries you will be traveling.
Products usually refers to the type of train you will be traveling on and the services available.
It's not to hard to plan a train trip it just takes a liitle time.
Have fun.
Greg
Personally, I like the Swiss timetable to plan my trips (www.sbb.ch) because it is simple and easy to use. As far as your questions go, unless you are traveling to a large city i.e. Paris, there is only one train startion in town. It is usually centrally located for your convenience. The website may not know which Rothenburg you are talking about and is giving you a list to pick from.
If the route lists a change, then you will be changing trains. I usually look at the train schedule for the whole day and find the route with the least number of changes and the shortest travel time. You can do this on the Swiss website.
Night trains will have changes as well. You want a night train that has 0 changes. Night trains zig-zag all over the place during the night. When you buy your ticket they will let you know if there will be any extra tariffs at that time. The Swiss website will also show you your exact route, so you can see which countries you will be traveling.
Products usually refers to the type of train you will be traveling on and the services available.
It's not to hard to plan a train trip it just takes a liitle time.
Have fun.
Greg
Trending Topics
Oct 20th, 2006 | 06:36 PM
#8
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 1,273
Likes: 0
Rothenburg does not have more than one train station, but there is more than one town called Rothenburg. It is a matter of geography, not of train stations - just as if you tried to simply input Springfield in the US, you'd get dozens.
The Rothenburg you probably meant would be Rothenburg ob der Tauber (above the river Tauber), that is its full name. Just as there is Frankfurt am Main (on the river Main) and Frankfurt an der Oder (on the river Oder - happens to be east of Berlin).
Then again, in many cities, there are indeed several stations, but they are named differently, like Köln-Ehrenfeld, Köln-Messe, Köln Hbf (Hauptbahnhof - principal central station).
As to your question about there being a website where you can look them up - a really good atlas would help, or www.google.com, or a really good map with a detailed index.
About 2) changing trains: Yes, often you have to, but as far as the display on the web goes, lets make sure we are looking at the same thing. Input at www.bahn.de (click on Internat. Guests for English, on top in the red) the following:
from: Frankfurt (M) Flughafen Fernbahnhof
to: Rothenburg ob der Tauber
date: 29.10.06
time: 10.00
(Note: Fernbahnhof means long-distance station, as opposed to local or regional, Flughafen is airport).
Hit search. The system wants you to confirm the stations, and it gives you a chance to define the routing. Click on Via (next to Frankfurt...) and type in Würzburg.
Now it asks which station - select Würzburg Hbf and click search connection (the others were mostly bus stops etc. on streets named after the city of Würzburg).
Now you get the trains displayed. Look at the 5th column, it shows you how many changes you will have to make, and in column 6 it shows what your conveyances will be: IC (Intercity), then RB (regional, then a bus.
Click on Details for all. Now you get the lot: Departures and arrivals for each leg, track numbers, type of conveyance (click them and you get further details), and so on.
And the fare, bottom right.
About your question 3) - I don't know that I understand, I would need an example. When trains cross borders, you often do not get a fare quoted, but the "coming back in" part has me baffled.
You need indeed to find out if the adjacent country is covered by your pass, and if it is not, you need to buy a ticket from the border station onward. Either do that with the ticket office at the departure staton (country systems are computer linked), or be quick to ask the conductor for such a ticket - quick so he doesn't have occasion to think you want to get away with something. They get that all the time and may be a bit suspicious, but if you hand him the pass and ask "can I buy the ticket from you beginning at the border" or words to that effect, all will be well. Maybe he can sel it to you, maybe you have to wait for a change of crew.
Re. 4 "products" - as you have seen, it is the type of conveyance - type of train, or bus, or funicular or whatever gets you there for that particular trip leg.
Does this help?
The Rothenburg you probably meant would be Rothenburg ob der Tauber (above the river Tauber), that is its full name. Just as there is Frankfurt am Main (on the river Main) and Frankfurt an der Oder (on the river Oder - happens to be east of Berlin).
Then again, in many cities, there are indeed several stations, but they are named differently, like Köln-Ehrenfeld, Köln-Messe, Köln Hbf (Hauptbahnhof - principal central station).
As to your question about there being a website where you can look them up - a really good atlas would help, or www.google.com, or a really good map with a detailed index.
About 2) changing trains: Yes, often you have to, but as far as the display on the web goes, lets make sure we are looking at the same thing. Input at www.bahn.de (click on Internat. Guests for English, on top in the red) the following:
from: Frankfurt (M) Flughafen Fernbahnhof
to: Rothenburg ob der Tauber
date: 29.10.06
time: 10.00
(Note: Fernbahnhof means long-distance station, as opposed to local or regional, Flughafen is airport).
Hit search. The system wants you to confirm the stations, and it gives you a chance to define the routing. Click on Via (next to Frankfurt...) and type in Würzburg.
Now it asks which station - select Würzburg Hbf and click search connection (the others were mostly bus stops etc. on streets named after the city of Würzburg).
Now you get the trains displayed. Look at the 5th column, it shows you how many changes you will have to make, and in column 6 it shows what your conveyances will be: IC (Intercity), then RB (regional, then a bus.
Click on Details for all. Now you get the lot: Departures and arrivals for each leg, track numbers, type of conveyance (click them and you get further details), and so on.
And the fare, bottom right.
About your question 3) - I don't know that I understand, I would need an example. When trains cross borders, you often do not get a fare quoted, but the "coming back in" part has me baffled.
You need indeed to find out if the adjacent country is covered by your pass, and if it is not, you need to buy a ticket from the border station onward. Either do that with the ticket office at the departure staton (country systems are computer linked), or be quick to ask the conductor for such a ticket - quick so he doesn't have occasion to think you want to get away with something. They get that all the time and may be a bit suspicious, but if you hand him the pass and ask "can I buy the ticket from you beginning at the border" or words to that effect, all will be well. Maybe he can sel it to you, maybe you have to wait for a change of crew.
Re. 4 "products" - as you have seen, it is the type of conveyance - type of train, or bus, or funicular or whatever gets you there for that particular trip leg.
Does this help?
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
redbird81
Europe
5
Jun 26th, 2008 09:31 AM
