[Palermo10]

Ok I for one did not realize the sheer cost of train travel in Germany... and I'm sure I'm not the only one.

Here's what I came up with based on the link provided here:
http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showp...5&postcount=45


http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en

Berlin to Gelsenkirchen = 4:00hrs
Berlin Zoologischer Garten
Gelsenkirchen Hbf
e84.00 one-way only
e156.00 or e168.00 round trip
trains depart Berlin for G-chen every 3-4 minutes before the top of the hour.

Gametime: 6pm local


Berlin to Kaiserslautern = 5:30 to 5:50hrs
Berlin Zoologischer Garten
Kaiserslautern Hbf
Via ICE , CE trains and S, ICE trains
e214.00 round trip
Leaving at noon and returning at 1am the next day: Random departures

Gametime: 9pm local


Berlin to Nuremberg = just under 5 hours
Berlin Ostbahnhof (cheaper than Zoologischer in this case)
Nürnberg Hbf
Via ICE trains and U-Bahn on the return. U, NZ, RE
e151.00 round trip

Gametime: 4pm local


Now obviously not everyone will be staying in Berlin. But still, if you are more than an hour away by train, you are looking at some expensive prices.


The alternative, a Eurail pass, looks like this:
Youth (2nd-class) Unlimited Travel over x days:
15 days= $382
21 days= $495

Regular Adult Eurail pass (first class) Unlimited Travel over x days:
15 days= $588
21 days= $762


(youth passes are for those under 26 years of age)


Just for the 3 matches alone, from Berlin it would run about $525-$550 in train fares without the pass. And that is over a span of 10-11 days.

Therefore if you bought the 15 day pass, you would have extra days of travel for less with an adult pass.

If anybody has more knowledge about this, lets make this the TTT - train travel thread.

[Wizhawk]

For one thing, there is a German only pass for cheaper if you don't want to travel to surrounding countries. Second, the prices are high because Berlin is far from all of the sites.

[Palermo10]

Germany Only

Youth pass:
4 days in 1 month = $142.00
Additional Rail Days = $13.00

Adult pass:
4 days in 1 month = $260.00
Additional Rail days = $34.00


There are only 3 first round games, so this is pretty good.

(edit: max additional rail days = 6)

[ebarloewen]

It seems that renting a car is not a popular option. Why is that? Parking problem? Traffic problems?

[roadkit]

Originally Posted by ebarloewen

It seems that renting a car is not a popular option. Why is that? Parking problem? Traffic problems?

Driving in the US sucks. I'd rather not try to decipher German highway (autobahn) signs, find (and pay for) a place to park, pay $7 a gallon for gas, and not be able to put away a few beers on this trip. The train is the way to go. Cough up the bucks and just enjoy it.

[asudnik]

Originally Posted by ebarloewen

It seems that renting a car is not a popular option. Why is that? Parking problem? Traffic problems?

I was wondering the same thing. I would think driving on the autobahn wold be attractive.

[Wizhawk]

I would guess the top three reasons people dont want to rent are...
1. gas prices in europe
2. post game alcohol
3. parking

btw, does anyone know how old you have to be to rent a car in Germany?

[roadkit]

Originally Posted by Wizhawk

I would guess the top three reasons people dont want to rent are...
1. gas prices in europe
2. post game alcohol
3. parking

btw, does anyone know how old you have to be to rent a car in Germany?

I think the minimum age is 25 years old, and that's pretty typical in most countries.

[Palermo10]

When I looked at Orbitz it asked if I was either 21-24, or 25. I could rent at 21-24, I dont know if it was more expensive or not.

[NBlue]

First, as to the rail passes -- I am getting the twin Germany only rail pass which looks to be the way to go for myself and my brother-in-law. Its only $135.00 (per person) for 4 days of travel ANYWHERE in GERMANY plus $18 per person per day extra -- the only catch is you have to travel together.
We are getting 6 days for a grand total of $342 ($171 per person) -- can't beat the deal as an adult.
http://www.raileurope.com/us/rail/pa..._twin_pass.htm

For youth (under 26) there is an even better deal if you are not traveling with another person necessarily:
http://www.raileurope.com/us/rail/pa...youth_pass.htm

$142 for 4 days plus only $13 for any extra days.

Although we are going to take a train to Amsterdam after the first match -- it actually works out MUCH cheaper to just pay for this trip seperately than to buy a multi-country pass.

Good Luck!