I've decided on purchasing German Rail passes for our summer trip. I've studies the bahn.de site, & I'm still a bit confused. I want to order the 4 Days Pass/ 1st Class Twin. The price for this ticket is listed as 370E. Is this the price for 2 people, so that 370E is all it will cost the two of us for the pass?

Now, when I go in to purchase the ticket, I am asked only the name of one traveler. Is this right? Isn't there somewhere that I must put the name of the other traveler, or can anyone use the twin component of the ticket as long as he/she is with the person whose name is listed on the pass?

Also, it appears that there are other sites to purchase this ticket. However, they look to be a bit more expensive. Has anyone purchase the Rail Pass from Bahn online? Or, should I spend a bit extra and purchase form the sites which sell the same tickets but at a bit higher price. These comapnies are in the US.

Finally, when should I purchase our passes? Our trip is in June. Is there a chance prices will go up? Are passes ever "sold out"?

I hope this makes sense. Thanks for the help.

Hi El,

According to RailEurope, a 1-cl Twin Pass is $534 (about 370E for 2 people)

Since the Pass is good for any 2 people traveling together, only the name of the passholder is necessary.

Buy the pass whenever you wish. It needn't be validated for up to 6 mos.

Do be aware that your pass doesn't come with seat reservations.

Have you priced point-to-point tickets and checked for discounts at www.bahn.de?

For that money to be worth it, you need to travel very long distances on those four days. Otherwise, buy tickets as you go, at regular rates, or - with a bit of luck - with the discounts that pop up frequently online. Do your math before you spring those big bucks, and think twice if first class is really what you need - second class is plenty comfortable and swank for most people, it is nicer in Germany than first class is in many countries!

Thanks for the help. I have priced the point to point prices & there really isn't that much difference. We're traveling from Frankfurt to Hamburg, then from Hamburg to Berlin, and finally from Berlin to Frankfurt. So we are going the long distances.

I really want to go first class on the first leg of the trip (from Frankfurt to Hamburg) as we will be arriving from the US & going immediately to the train to travel to Hamburg.I think being tired, we will appreciate the little bit of luxury. Besides, I'm traveling w/ my 2 chlldren, & even at 19 & 17, they can still get cranky.

I know I could get a discount, but I'm a bit hesitant to prebook as I'd like to leave my travel plans open in the summer in case we can get bumped & could maybe score some travel vouchers. I've been offered these several times, but locked in plans prevented me from taking advantage.

I guess with these passes not guarenteeing seats; they will not be sold out, right?

Hey Ira, I think you've helped me before either on the France board, the Czech. Rep. board, or the Portugal board. Anyway, if you have, thanks again!

One more thing. Has anyone ever purchased tickets and printed them from the Bahn site?

What type rail trips are you envisioning? Remember the pass provides completely flexible travel - hop virtually every train anytime - the online discounts peg you into one specific train and may not be changeable nor refundable.
Two good sites i always refer folks about European trains - esp for novices - are www.ricksteves.com and www.budgeteuropetravel.com - though they both sell railpasses these sites also have a ton of objective info. The latter lets you download their free Eropean Planning & Rail guide that contains a nice chapter on Germany and Germany trains - rail map, suggested itineraries, etc. Prices on bahn.de for passes usually IME are about the same as passes sold in the U.S. One advantage to me of buying in U.S. thus is that if you need to refund the pass if plans suddenly change you will have an easier time just return it to U.S. agents rather than a more nebulous methold on bahn.de perhaps (perhaps i don't know but look into it). In any case a couple of long distance tickets at fully flexible rates more than pay for the pass often. You kids can get a bargain Youthpass to match yours and give them a bit of flexibility on say taking other trains - many 19 year olds are traveling Europe on their own with Youthpasses for example.

We used first class Flexipasses for a recent trip and totally felt they were worth it. We had complete flexibility and only paid for seat reservations twice and that was to be able to sit with others not using passes.

2 in our group used discounted point to points bought on bahn.de. When plans changed, they had to eat the cost of those non refundable fares so keep that in mind.

Though it is indeed easy to buy as you go, we opt for maximum convenience and once even decided after we hopped on a train to one destination to get off and head elsewhere based on a last minute weather report delivered to my husband's iphone!

I've always had a first-class railpass in Germany (Eurailpass, which for adults is only first class so no choice for me) - but in dozens and dozens of pass trips now i can say it is rare for me at least not to find several empty seats in first class and see second class either full or with the odd empty seat.

so to get seats together, etc first class is much better and for luggage too as there are 25% less seats in 1st class as in the same size train car in 2nd class.

I inevitably end up with a valued window and aisle seat - isolated seat and another seat nearby to plop my backpack on.

And for first class the pass is a great deal compared with ordinary first class tickets - and again the complete flexibility to hop any train any time.

Thanks for the help. Kfusto, how does one make reservations for a seat on a specific train? Can this be done in advance as well as the day of? How & where would you go to make a seat reservation, and is it difficult if you don't speak German?

elaine, there was no language barrier in Germany as so many speak English and everyone was so very helpful. I do speak some German but never really needed to use it at the stations.

It was such a change from having to deal with the train station personnel in Italy so are really not very helpful.

And the trains are so clean and nice, another wonderful surprise.

I set up an account at bahn.de and they allow seat reservations. Most often, I would go to the station and get them as like to be flexible.

I also find first class worth the premium but that is a personal choice.

>Has anyone ever purchased tickets and printed them from the Bahn site?

I have to do it about once every 2 weeks.

>Kfusto, how does one make reservations for a seat on a specific train?

Online (www.bahn.de), at a ticket machine or from the counter.

>Can this be done in advance as well as the day of?

Up to 15 min before departure, although sometimes the system plays up if you try to do it less than an hour before departure.

>How & where would you go to make a seat reservation, and is it difficult if you don't speak German?

You can do it without speaking at all - online or from ticket machines (where english optins are always available).
Otherwise, about 1/2 of the counter staff will be able to speak english with you.

With a 1st class ticket you don´t need to reserve at any time of the week. With 2nd class tickets a reservation is very helpful on friday afternoons (after 4) and monday mornings (before 9) and - to a smaller extent - on sunday afternoons.

>And the trains are so clean and nice, another wonderful surprise.

It´s not a "wonderful surprise", it´s normal.

It's not "normal" when my most recent experience - a month earlier in Italy - was much the opposite. Same for previous experiences on many trips to Europe but my first using DB and OBB in quite a few years.

The condition of the train cars and the restrooms was a nice surprise.

The farther north you go on the rails in europe the cleaner and nicer train cars get IME

Greece, Portugal, Italy

up to Germany, Scandinavia

Britain has the filthiest trains in general - sometimes incredibly filthy - that i have experience in Europe so i leave them out of the equation.