German Rail Info

[REVS FAN 1]

The DB site has an online oder form in German that's up and running. I'll wait a few days to see if they put up one in English, too. Otherwise I'll translate the German form.

Thanks for all the help AGF!

Look forward to the ordering info :D

[Bigdog]

Any idea on the cost for kids?

I am starting to wonder if it is better to rent a house in the middle of nowhere, rent a van, drive close to the games, then park the van and take the local transport to the stadium...


They will be posting all info in English this week on there page.

I have a email contact at German Rail for questions if you want it please PM

[REVS FAN 1]

Has there been any progress/news about this??

Also, I may have to stay in Austria! Anyone have any info on the Germany/Austria rail connections....

[USAClash]

I'm a bit of a public transportation dummy being from California.

I already bought a Eurail Pass good for unlimited travel for one month. It says it is good for several different countries in Europe, including Germany.

Has anyone gotten one of these before? When I bought it, I assumed this meant it would be good for any type of train in Germany (local, regional, cross-country, etc...). Is this true? Or will I need to a different pass or ticket for local trains?

http://www.eurail.com/

[primusux]

I already bought a Eurail Pass good for unlimited travel for one month. It says it is good for several different countries in Europe, including Germany.
Has anyone gotten one of these before? When I bought it, I assumed this meant it would be good for any type of train in Germany (local, regional, cross-country, etc...). Is this true? Or will I need to a different pass or ticket for local trains?
http://www.eurail.com/



USA - I'm from CA as well, went to the 98 cup in France and used one of these for travel between France, Italy, Germany, Czech Repub, and Holland.
I remember we had to purchase a seperate ticket a couple of times for certain trains. The pass should specifically state which routes it is good for/not good for. For ex. maybe it is good on a specific route but for only one type of train (ie the slower train vs the higher speed ones, if they have that in Germany)

Also, from what I've heard the price has more than doubled since 98 due to the Euro. How much did it end up costing these days?

[USAClash]

USA - I'm from CA as well, went to the 98 cup in France and used one of these for travel between France, Italy, Germany, Czech Repub, and Holland.
I remember we had to purchase a seperate ticket a couple of times for certain trains. The pass should specifically state which routes it is good for/not good for. For ex. maybe it is good on a specific route but for only one type of train (ie the slower train vs the higher speed ones, if they have that in Germany)

Also, from what I've heard the price has more than doubled since 98 due to the Euro. How much did it end up costing these days?

It does state a few special routes/trains that a seperate ticket must be bought for. From my limited understanding of the rail system over there, I wasn't sure if I had in essence bought the equivalent of a pass that would let me travel anywhere in America on Greyhound, but still needed to pay for the local city buses.

A one month Youth Eurail pass cost me $615.

[JoeSoccerFan]

It does state a few special routes/trains that a seperate ticket must be bought for. From my limited understanding of the rail system over there, I wasn't sure if I had in essence bought the equivalent of a pass that would let me travel anywhere in America on Greyhound, but still needed to pay for the local city buses.

A one month Youth Eurail pass cost me $615.

You should be ok for German trains (if I recall what I've previously researched).

You may need to purchase reservations. I think they were 3EUR.

[USAClash]

You should be ok for German trains (if I recall what I've previously researched).

You may need to purchase reservations. I think they were 3EUR.

Which brings me to my next inquiry. I understand that reservations are a requirement on certain trains with high demand. I would expect that with the World Cup, reservations will be needed for many of the trains going into host cities. Any one have any idea how far in advance one would need to get reservations? Is this something that can be done from here? It appears to me that reservations can only be made at the station where you board your train.

[nowherenova]

There will be more trains than normal during the world cup and, knowing the Germans, they will have a logistical plan that is far superior to what we're accustomed to over here. Still won't be perfect I'm sure.

As far as reservations, usually a week ahead would be ok. I've done it 24 hours prior for a late train before. Next summer might be different. I'm not going to worry about it until a couple of weeks before the tourney next summer.

[dfb547490]

Do any of these trains run overnight?? I may be relying on them for lodging some of the time, lol.

[eissman]

This ones been mentioned several times on BS and the Yanks in Germany List: http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/YanksinGermany/
ltu.com, 570$ RND trip JFK or Orlando to Dusseldorf. $30+ for connections to other cities from dd. This fare is still on orbitz.com apparently or you can call them direct 866-266 5588 only.

Bastards! I just booked round-trip tickets from Chicago to Frankfurt on American. It just happened to work out and I didn't mind paying the extra to fly on a flight I am trustworthy of (no knock on other airlines, just shows my pathetic transatlantic experience).

Problem for me would still be to find the right flight cheap enough to put me from Chicago to JFK/Orlando. BUT even adding that would STILL be cheaper than what I paid for my wife and I. Oh well... the beer all costs the same over there right?? ;) Let's all have one together!

By the way, the Dusseldorf airport is absolutely amazing... spotless and a mall to boot. Got stuck on a 5-hour lay-over from Paris to Chicago once there and bought some of the phatest shoes ever... but I digress...

[eissman]

Yeah, trying to convince the wife to stand for 4-6 hours...unlikely.

Rail is gonna cost more than airfare (from here to Europe) at this point by a good third or half.

LOL!! Statement of the thread... brilliant. My wife and yours should just stand together. We'll go to the bar on board and likely still hear them pissing and moaning. No thanks.

I hope to God that Rail is not THAT much more expensive. This trip is ripping a whole in my savings account already... and I don't even have tix yet!!!! :mad:

[T Nitty]

I hope to God that Rail is not THAT much more expensive. This trip is ripping a whole in my savings account already... and I don't even have tix yet!!!! :mad:

Well, at least you can build up your money again after it's over. Then drop it all on South Africa 2010!!!!

I'm gonna have to get me a higher-paying job or at least another girlfriend with frequent flyer miles and hotel points.

[dfb547490]

I'll probably be based in Dusseldorf for the first half of the group stage, so it looks like I want the unlimited pass.

6/12 - Dusseldorf to Gelsenkirchen, overnight return
6/16 - Dusseldorf to Hanover, overnight to Kaiserslautern (maybe, depends on if I decide to go to the Mex-Angola game)
6/17 - Dusseldorf to Kaiserslautern (if I don't go to the MEX-ANG game), overnight Kaiserslautern to Munich or Berlin
6/20 - Berlin to Munich (depends on if I decide to swing by Berlin for a few days and see a friend, or head straight to Munich)
6/22 - Munich to Nuremberg, overnight Nuremberg to Dusseldorf

Then either fly back to the states from Dusseldorf on the 23rd, or if we qualify and IF I can afford to stay (and IF I can get my flight changed and find lodging--all huge IFs aside from us getting to the knockout stage of course!), base in Dusseldorf again for our 2nd round game which would be played in either Kaiserslautern or Dortmund.

Also may check out the Ivory Coast-Serbia game in Munich on the 21st since I'll be in Munich anyway and I can't imagine it'll be hard to get tickets to that riveting matchup, or then again I may head to a bar and watch the Argentina-Holland game (probably more likely).

[icowrich]

Now I just have to learn how to read German so I can buy a couple of these unlimited passes :D

Thanks again AGF

English version is here: http://www.db.de/site/bahn/en/travelling/tickets/fantastic__prices__fifa__wm/fantastic__prices__fifa.html

[EuropeanSoccerFan]

As I already said some weeks ago in another thread: Everybody who is from outside of Germany, travelling in Germany for some weeks and not going (much) to other European countries should get an "German Rail Pass".

Unbeatably in the cost-use-ratio. Haven`t heard that it won´t be available during WC. There was only one small change: On December,12 prices are up a fraction (as everything else at Deutsche Bahn).

Here´s the link.
http://www.bahn.de/-S:PtVOR9:dGzLUNNNpg3,OtNNNSpM/p/view/international/englisch/travelservice/german_rail_pass.shtml

The price for example is 210 Euros for an adult (travelling with another adult who has to pay the same) for 10 days of unlimited travelling in a month period. That´s sound pretty cheap to me.

[REVS FAN 1]

The price for example is 210 Euros for an adult (travelling with another adult who has to pay the same) for 10 days of unlimited travelling in a month period. That´s sound pretty cheap to me.

What happened to the 349. Euro for 1 month unlimited rail travel :confused:

I'm probably going to have to stay in Austria, So we'll most likely rent a car....Does anyone have any helpful info on renting cars in Germany/Austria???

[El-Professor]

Any idea on the cost for kids?

I am starting to wonder if it is better to rent a house in the middle of nowhere, rent a van, drive close to the games, then park the van and take the local transport to the stadium...

That's what we're doing. We have a big villa, sleeps 20, north of Idar-Oberstein.

[El-Professor]

What happened to the 349. Euro for 1 month unlimited rail travel :confused:

I'm probably going to have to stay in Austria, So we'll most likely rent a car....Does anyone have any helpful info on renting cars in Germany/Austria???

The "-day" tickets (5-day, 10-day) let you travel on a number of specific days unlimited. So you could go to a match and catch a train back on the same day and it would only count as 1 of your days. The five-day is less than $200, and only about $30 for each additional. This pass alos lets you into some neighboring countries.

[Brushes Sand]

1. I can't stress how important it will be for any USian next summer
to be holding a pass for unlimited First Class DB travel. PLEASE
TRUST ME ON THIS ONE. YOU _NEED_ THE FIRST CLASS PASS.

Not for the "level of service." But there are a number of intangibles
which will make it a godsend for all Sammer Brethren.

I can *guarantee* there will be significant heightened security
around the DB beginning 2-3 weeks before the tourney starts.

Sprockets Efficiency will dictate separate *PRIORITY* security
measures for those holding first class tickets.

For those of you who haven't been to Germany recently if ever....

[liberal non-judgemental realist]
The size of the Turkish/Arab community, in particular in Frankfurt,
will be a surprise to many of you. If you use the DB from to or through
Frankfurt, be wary, and be alert.
[/liberal non-judgemental realist]


2. Plan your lodging around internet access. You will not want
to have to fight for bandwidth at cafes. Inquire with your lodging
if they have a concierge who will make DB reservations for you
*in advance of your arrival* or if not, can they direct you to someone
who can, and if they can't, do they have internet access *including a
machine you can use to access the interet* ???? Making first-class
DB reservations over the Net is Job 1 before you even arrive. Don't
wait and miss out on the best trains.

3. inre: Overnight Trains.... most of the overnights are between countries,
i.e., Paris-Venice, Florence-Frankfurt, etc. You won't find very many
overnight trains, if any, inside Germany, primarily because the ICE trains
are so damn fast, and the country is not that large, therefore you run
out of country before you run out of dark hours. That said, ICE trains
run very early, and sometimes very late, and that's just a normal schedule.
The Mundial will obviously see many additional trains added.

4. Here's a good starting point for DB info:
http://www.germanfortravellers.com/kultur/icetrain.html

5. For air options, two things to consider. Arriving at one of the
airports like Zurich or Amsterdam, instead of Frankfurt or Hamburg,
may be more efficient and cost less, since the Zurich and Amsterdam
have high-speed train departures in to germany from inside the airport
itself. Depending on where you're going, it may be cheaper and faster
than actually flying straight in to Germany itself. Find a travel agent
who really knows their stuff. Travel agents make much more commission
off of things like hotels and DB first-class passes than they do off airfare.

6. Airfare options you might not think of at first....
Icelandair is usually an awesome deal, if you live in Minneapolis,
Orlando, or can easily get to Logan, Kennedy or BWI.
http://www.icelandair.is/routemap/index.html
In the summer, they also server SFO from Reykjavik.
Not only are they cheap, they'll sometimes give you a stopover
in Iceland... VERY hot chicks who start drinking at a very young age.
90% certainty you have of getting laid, regardless of age or body type.
And more importantly, Icelandair will often let you fly "open jaw"
itineraries, i.e., fly in to Hamburg, fly out of Amsterdam, or, fly in to
Berlin, fly out of Frankfurt, etc. This kind of flexibility on Lufthansa
or a US Flag Carrier on nonstop flights from the US in to Germany
and from Germany back to the US will cost you 2x-3x more than
on Icelandair. And don't forget to ask for the free stopover in
Reykjavik. HOT HORNY CHICKS that dig on USians.


-bs