Cheap German rail tickets: The ultimate 2026 guide

Travellers wanting cheap German train tickets can find low-cost alternatives to standard same-day rail fares. 

Visitors can make big savings if they know where and when to look, book and buy. 

Comparing lots of websites is not the best path to cheap tickets in Germany. 

The best money-saver is a knowledge of Deutsche Bahn fare types. You can discover them below. 

For fixed departures Deutsche Bahn’s Sparpreis and Super Sparpreis budget tickets, which lock travellers in, are cheaper choices. Booking these tickets on main-line express trains several weeks ahead cuts costs. 

But other avenues to savings include monthly subscriptions, monthly rail passes and one-day passes that can cover groups of adults (plus children). Children aged 5 and under always ride free.

DB’s standard Flexpreis tickets are easy to find. But they are the most expensive way to travel on German trains, especially in first-class seats. 

Money-saving single German train tickets

Budget-friendly Deutsche Bahn tickets come with restrictions. Some, such as Deutschland-Ticket, limit the classes of train that ticket-holders can use.

Others, such as the Sparpreis and Super Sparpreis tickets, combine restrictions with a few choices, such as first-class seats.

Further options apply to groups of varying size, but have train restrictions of their own.

All these terms and conditions can quickly become bewildering and some offers are published in German. 

This blog aims to help navigate the rules and limitations – and the DB website – to realise each ticket’s cost benefits. Bookmark this web page for your German rail trip.

Cheap German rail tickets at a glance

There are at least 10 budget ways to travel by train in Germany. Euro prices are shown.

* Rebookable journey for €10 fee       ** Last-minute low-volume fares from €6.99 

Deutsche Bahn senior, student and youth ticket discounts

Substantial discounts on one-off tickets for travellers aged 65 and over can often be gained by selecting ‘Modify details’ and the ‘aged 65 or over’ option before booking. 

This is also the procedure when buying Sparpreis or Super Sparpreis tickets (see below). 

To select youth (ages 15-26) or child discounts, follow a similar process. With normal Flexpreis tickets for passengers 15 and over, four children aged 6-14 ride free. 

Discount tickets are valid with supporting identification showing date of birth. 

Student transport tickets are available to German-enrolled students only. 

Many local and regional transit authorities offer cheaper annual or monthly tickets for respective age groups, but these operate as subscriptions that are rarely cost-effective for tourists. 

Travellers aged 60 and over can buy a German Rail Pass (see below) at a 10% discount to the adult ticket price, or use comparable Eurail or Interrail Global senior passes valid in Germany. 

When searching for ordinary low-cost tickets on the Deutsche Bahn website, select second-class fares and low-demand journeys by clicking the 'Show our best prices' option. Regional trains generally deliver the lowest fares.

To refer to European passenger rights, see the Deutschland-Tarif web page.

Deutschland-Ticket – the cheapest offer

Deutschland-Ticket is Germany’s lowest-cost national rail ticket, offering up to one month’s travel at only €63. 

Its terms limit ticket-holders to second-class travel on regional and S-Bahn trains only. But the ticket covers most city public transport – U-Bahn metro trains and light-rail services, trams and buses included. There are also several bonus extensions beyond Germany’s borders. 

These benefits are attractive, but Deutschland-Ticket is a subscription and after activation has to be cancelled well before users want to stop using it so that the subscription does not renew. It can also be awkward for non-Europeans to buy because of usual payment terms. 

Deutschland-Ticket is so cheap – and can get so complicated in its detail for non-European travellers – that it demands a decision process all its own. Check out Raven Guides’ blog on Deutschland-Ticket for tourists for the details. The Deutsche Bahn website will not sell Deutschland-Ticket to visitors without a European bank account. 

Travellers seeking easier alternatives should consider a one-month pass.

German Rail Pass: 2026 prices & rules

Easier to manage for most travellers is Deutsche Bahn's German Rail Pass, along similar lines to the Eurail and Interrail passes and readily available at the Eurail/Interrail website. They are valid on fast main-line trains, but do not cover city public transport (apart from S-Bahn trains). German Rail Pass can be a carefree money-saver. 

German Rail Pass is for travel in Germany by non-European residents. It is valid on DB trains, including S-Bahn urban-regional trains, privately operated regional rail services and some cross-border trains into Switzerland, Austria, Belgium and Italy. 

Best value for these passes (now offered only as flexi passes) are the second-class fares for seven, 10 or 15 days in one month. 

German Rail Pass second-class prices for 2026 are: 

• Three days in one month from €223 (for adults 28 and over)
• Four days in one month from €254
• Five days in one month from €281
• Seven days in one month at €326
• 10 days in one month at €407
• 15 days in one month at €507

First-class seats are 25-35% more expensive. Seat reservations for these are advisable over long distances or at high-demand times. 

German Rail Twin Passes (for a couple 28 and over travelling together or with children aged 11 or under) offer discounts of almost 15% over the price of two single passes. They are available through a separate link. 

Twin and youth flexi (ages 12-27) pass options are available in first or second class. Up to two children aged 4-11 travelling with an adult get a free pass (which must be booked at the website). 

German Rail Passes are valid on DB ICE trains to Liège and Brussels and DB-ÖBB EuroCity and Railjet trains to Salzburg, Innsbruck and Kufstein, Bolzano/Bozen, Trento, Verona, Bologna and DB-ÖBB EuroCity trains to Venice. Trips to and from Basel Bad and Schaffhausen in Switzerland are also available. ÖBB Nightjet trains are not among the benefits. 

Seat reservations for fast trains are recommended. Reservations and a pass surcharge is required on some connections, including ICE/TGV trains to France. German Rail Plus Pass (available for four days only) uniquely covers seat reservations. Cross-border or night reservations may be compulsory. 

Online purchases can be made in euros at the DB website (where a brochure stating conditions and bonus benefits is available for download) or in US, Canadian or Australian dollars at the Eurail website. Smartphone mobile passes are delivered by email.

Passes can also be bought at DB Reisezentrum counters in Germany (listed at the DB website). Passes purchased online can be printed out, but the QR code must show clearly. Paper passes can also be shipped free to several countries including the US, Canada and Australia. Rail staff fill out the validity dates.  

Full details of other German Rail Pass benefits are at the Germany transport page’s Budget rail fares section.

Interrail Germany Pass

Interrail German passes are for Europeans (including UK residents) to ride on services run by DB and its partners, including several cross-border links. 

Youth passes are available for passengers aged 12-27 and child passes are free. Validity is for three, four, five, seven, 10 or 15 days, flexible over one month. 

The Interrail Germany passes start at €223 (adult, second class for three days) and rise to €649 (adult first class for 15 flexible days). They are available as digital passes only. 

Big savings are possible if you travel in second class and are prepared to plan. 

Sparpreis – Germany’s basic saver fare

Sparpreis and Super Sparpreis tickets (see below) are generally the cheapest ticket types for single journeys on the Deutsche Bahn network (or starting in Germany and extending across borders). 

They must be booked in advance (up to 12 months ahead) and users must specify departures for IC, ICE or EC trains. Regional trains can be added as connections. 

For short journeys, however, cheaper ordinary tickets are sometimes available for immediate departures and there are spot specials. 

The number of tickets for each journey is limited and fares vary according to anticipated demand and time of day. 

The Sparpreis ‘saver fare’ is a single-journey ticket for a fixed departure. Second-class tickets come without a seat reservation. 

Sparpreis fares permit travel on specified departures by IC, ICE or EC trains while imposing no limits on the departures for connecting regional and S-Bahn trains used to start or complete a journey – except that the journey must be completed by 10am next day. 

• Adult fares start at €21.99 (second class) or €29.90 (with reserved seat in first class)
• Youth fares (ages 15-27) start at €16.99
• Senior fares (aged 65 and over) start at €15.99
• Up to four children aged 6-14 can travel free with a passenger 15 or over but must be included on the ticket
• A further BahnCard 25% discount (see below) can be gained with BahnCard 25 or BahnCard 50
• Fare cancellation is possible free within three hours of purchase or for a €10 charge before the day of travel – any refund comes as a voucher
• To add seat reservations to Sparpreis or Super Sparpreis tickets costs an extra €6.90 (or €5.50 discounted) 

Complexities can accumulate around these ticket types, especially for groups and for journeys extending outside Germany. For Super Sparpreis tickets, see below. 

Use this Sparpreis v Super Sparpreis comparison table to find the right ticket restrictions for your trip. 

Sparpreis v Super Sparpreis ticket comparison

City-Ticket (see below) can be added for a fee in participating centres, but any children added to the ticket must pay a separate fare for this leg of the journey. 

Separate Sparpreis or Super Sparpreis rules apply to:

• Digital tickets
• Tickets bought online
• Tickets bought at DB customer centres or by phone 

For details of group and Europe options or the ultra-cheap Last-Minute Super Sparpreis ticket (from €6.99), see below. 

Travellers aged over 65 can book at the Saver fare for senior citizens page. 

Check out the Deutsche Bahn Sparpreis page in English. 

How to use Sparpreis fares

Sparpreis and Super Sparpreis tickets are budget advance fare types that allow a little flexibility. 

Passengers travelling from Koblenz to Bamberg could feel like a two or three-hour look at central Nuremberg or an extended stop for food or coffee, or find that a late train disrupts their connection plans. These travellers should have no problem using a Sparpreis or Super Sparpreis ticket. 

They could even add an overnight stay in Nuremberg and take any morning train that arrives in Bamberg before 10am. 

An example of how to use Sparpreis fares flexibly is in the table below.  

Sparpreis Gruppe – German train discounts for groups of six or more

This cheap group ticket covers six travellers or more for a single journey within Germany from €9.99 per passenger, including seat reservations. Tickets booked at DB sales points or agencies or tickets booked by phone have separate rules. 

You can reserve a group travel option free for 21 days up to two months before starting the journey without obligation. 

• Seat reservations are included in the price
• Children aged 6 and over travel at half-fare
• BahnCard discounts cannot be used
• You can reserve a group travel option free for 21 days up to two months before starting the journey without obligation
• Cancellations are possible, but only up to seven days before the travel date
• Digital tickets can be cancelled up to three hours after purchase with a full refund
• Tickets booked at DB sales points or agencies or tickets booked by phone may be booked for a deposit of €6 per passenger, cancelled or rebooked free up to 14 days before departure
• Tickets booked online must be paid for in full immediately but can be cancelled up to seven days before departure for €19 per ticket
• For tickets booked online, cancellations or exchanges for individual passengers are not possible
• For tickets booked by phone or at a DB sales point, cancellations or rebookings for the entire journey are possible free up to 14 days before the day of travel, but refunds (minus a fee of €5 per person) are possible up to one day before departure 

Check out the DB group fare page. 

Sparpreis Europa – your international saver

The Europe saver fare is valid on the long-distance expresses (ICE, IC or EC) and regional and S-Bahn trains between Germany and 16 countries. To include wider countries, book in person at local DB sales points or agencies, or by phone on +49302970. 

The 2026 Sparpreis Europa second-class fares start at €14.99 for the shortest journey (Dresden-Prague). Tickets can be booked up to six months ahead for most countries (12 months for Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Switzerland). 

Sparpreis Europa first-class fares start at €69. 

• Up to four children aged 6-14 travel free with an adult
• A 25% discount on the German part of the route is available with BahnCard 25, 50 or 100 (except for Sparpreis Europa France)
• Cancellation is possible for €10 and any refund comes as a voucher
• City-Ticket can be added for the German connecting journey as part of the booking 

To survey all options and check details, visit the Sparpreis Europa page in English.

Sparpreis Gruppe Europa – groups across borders

This group fare, for six people or more, starts at €16.99 per person, including seat reservations, and includes Germany and 14 other countries. To include wider countries, book in person at local DB sales points or agencies, or by phone on +49302970. 

Tickets can be booked up to six months ahead for most countries (12 months for Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Switzerland). You can reserve a group travel option free for 21 days up to two months before starting the journey without obligation. 

• There is no restriction on types of train, including all long-distance trains and connecting regional trains (which are not limited to departures)
• Seat reservation is free
• BahnCard discounts cannot be used
• Children aged 6-14 travel at half the group fare within Germany
• Children aged up to 5 always travel free on the German section of the route and do not need their own ticket or seat reservation
• Tickets for journeys up to 100km are valid on the nominated first day of travel and until 3am next day, while tickets for routes over 100km are valid until 3am on the third day
• You can cancel digital tickets free up to three hours after time of booking with full refund
• You can cancel tickets booked online up to seven days before departure at a fee of €19 for the group
• You cannot cancel for or change a passenger booked with online tickets
• Tickets booked at DB sales points, agencies or by phone may be cancelled or rebooked free up to 14 days before the first travel date – refunds (minus a fee of €5 per person) for these tickets are possible up to one day before departure 

For more details check the page at the DB website.  

How do I book a Sparpreis fare?

On the DB website, input your destination details and select a desired date and departure. An Offers page opens: 

There, you can sample Sparpreis options, make your choice and indicate upgrades or discounts.

If looking for group fares, start at the DB group fare page and scroll down: 

Then select the correct option and input the desired journey:

There you are offered a final choice.

Super Sparpreis – Germany’s lowest saver fare

This ‘super saver’ ticket comes with a blanket no-cancellation restriction. Super Sparpreis fares are available for first or second-class travel and valid on the long-distance expresses (ICE, IC or EC) and regional and S-Bahn trains. 

• Second-class fares come without a reserved seat and start at €19.90 (€6.99 for low-demand short journeys, €29.90 in first class, with reservation).
• Additional BahnCard 25% discounts are available for holders of BahnCard 25 or BahnCard 50
• Children aged 6-14 travel free (up to four per adult) but must be included in the booking.
• City-Ticket can be added for a fee in participating centres, but any children added to the ticket must pay a separate fare for this leg of the journey
• To add seat reservations to Super Sparpreis tickets costs an extra €6.90 (€5.50 discounted) 

Last-Minute Super Sparpreis

Second-class fares starting at €6.99 for spontaneous bookings on the DB website or in the DB Navigator app can be made on Saturdays and Sundays during limited summer periods for departures the following week. A 25% discount can be applied for BahnCard 25 or BahnCard 50 holders and City-Ticket can be added for a fee. There is no cancellation option. 

Children aged 6-14 (up to four per adult) travel free but must be included in the booking. 

Super Sparpreis Gruppe – cheapest for groups

This fare starts from €8.99 per passenger in second class for groups of six or more, including seat reservation. It can be booked up to six months ahead. 

• No BahnCard discounts can be used
• No cancellations or rebookings are possible, except for digital tickets, which can be cancelled free up to three hours after booking
• Changes for the name of a passenger are possible – check the Super Sparpreis Gruppe page in English for terms 

Super Sparpreis Europa – cheapest international seats

Super Sparpreis Europa takes travellers outside Germany into one of 16 countries, starting at €19.99. Tickets can be booked six months in advance (12 months for Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Switzerland). 

• Up to four children aged 6-14 travel free but must be added to the adult ticket
• City-Ticket may be added under specific conditions
• Cancellations are not possible, with the exception of within three hours of booking at the DB website or DB Navigator app bookings 

Check the Super Sparpreis Europa page for details on each destination country and using City-Ticket.  

Super Sparpreis Gruppe Europa – ultimate border hoppers

The group version of the Europe fare starts at €14.99 per person. You cannot change, rebook or cancel this ticket, unless it’s a digital ticket and within three hours of the booking. BahnCard discounts cannot be used. Check the Super Sparpreis Europa page. 

How do I book a Super Sparpreis fare?

This process mirrors Sparpreis bookings. Input destination details and select a date and departure. An Offers page opens: 

There, you can sample Super Sparpreis options, make your choice and indicate upgrades or discounts.

If looking for group fares, start at the DB group fare page and scroll down. 

City-Ticket adds your local connections

City-Ticket removes or discounts any city transit travel to the departure station of any long-distance train and onward transit journey to the final destination after the train trip. 

City-Ticket comes free on request with ordinary Flexpreis fares but can be added to discount ticket at an extra cost. 

It is issued for the validity areas of about 140 German cities, covers buses, S-Bahn and U-Bahn and trams and available as an add-on (for a varying fee) with Sparpreis and Super Sparpreis fares. It must be specified at purchase. Children aged 6-14 pay the standard child fare for a single journey in the local transport tariff. 

The list of City-Ticket locations is extensive. 

Quer-durchs-Land-Ticket crosses Germany

Quer-durchs-Land-Ticket, sometimes labelled ‘Cross-country ticket’, allows unlimited second-class travel in Germany on regional (RE and RB) and S-Bahn trains only for a day (9.00 to 3.00 next day, from midnight at weekends or on German public holidays – up to 27 hours’ travel). Most private operators running these classes of trains accept this ticket. 

• Up to five people can travel and their names must be registered
• The cost is €51 for one passenger, plus €12 per extra person
• Up to three children between the ages of 6 and 14 travel free, whether with one person or with a group
• No added discounts are allowed with Quer-durchs-Land-Ticket 

Online and mobile tickets are available, but the ticket-holder as part of a group must travel with the group. 

To book a digital ticket, select ‘Local transport only’ and save it as a PDF. The ticket is also available at DB ticket machines and through all DB sales outlets.

In DB Navigator, scroll down to the Tickets & offers menu and swipe left to Regional offers, then scroll down to Quer-durchs-Land-Ticket. 

Länder-Tickets connect regional attractions

Länder-Tickets are regional day budget ticket offers. Single ticket-holders can travel second-class through a particular federal state (Land) or group of states for a day at fares ranging from €25 to about €47, depending on the state. They are valid between 9.00 on the nominated day and 3.00 next day, but at weekends validity can start at midnight (up to 27 hours' travel). 

Some Länder-tickets add fixed amounts per adult for small groups, but Brandenburg-Berlin-Ticket, for instance, has the same price for individuals or groups up to five. 

Children aged 6-14 generally ride free, but for more than two children it’s wise to check specific terms for the ticket you are considering.

Länder-tickets are valid on all regional trains, S-Bahn and U-Bahn networks and the bulk of urban public transport links within the relevant states. But fast ICE, IC and EuroCity (EC) trains and FlixTrain must be avoided. 

Most private rail operators also accept these tickets. 

The tickets are available at the DB website at ticket machines, on DB Navigator, or at a DB Reisezentrum. Buying at the booking counter typically paying a €2-5 fee. 

Groupings of adjoining states include Berlin and Brandenburg, Hamburg, Schleswig-Holstein and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Rheinland-Pfalz and Saarland, and Niedersachsen, Bremen and Hamburg. These include city transit services. 

Länder-Tickets are especially good for covering day trips to cities in other parts of regions where you are based. Also, because extra passengers can be added at low or no cost, Länder-tickets can be particular bargains for groups or adult families of four or five people. 

Varied offers are also available: 

• First-class options for some regions at higher fares
• Group tickets for up to five people
• Regio-Tickets for specified regions or networks – some at single-figure fares – including trips across German borders
• For Monday to Thursday only
• For weekends
• For night travel
• Other terms depending on the time of the week 

There are more than 70 Länder-Ticket offers in all. A selection is in this Länder-Ticket table.  

Types of Länder-Tickets and Regio-Tickets

A variety of other regional tickets offer opportunities:

Allgäu-Schwaben, Donau-Isar, Franken-Thüringen, Franken-Thüringen+Erfurt, Main-Spessart, Main-Spessart+Frankfurt, München-Nürnberg, Werdenfels, Werdenfels+Innsbruck, Traun-Alz-Ticket, Waldbahn-Tagesticket, Stadt-Land-Meer-Ticket, Stadt-Land-Meer-Ticket+, Fahr&Spar Südpfalz, Luxemburg Spezial (into Luxembourg), Saar-Elsass-Ticket (into French Alsace), Saar-Lorraine-Tarif (into French Lorraine), Thüringen-Ticket+Westharz, Sachsen-Ticket+Westharz, Sachsen-Anhalt-Ticket+Westharz, Das Hopper-Ticket Sachsen-Anhalt, Das Regio 70 Ticket Sachsen-Anhalt, EgroNet-Ticket Sachsen, Trilex-Tagesticket (from the Dresden region into Czech Liberec), Sachsen-Böhmen-Ticket (into Czech Bohemia), Bayern-Hopper-Ticket, Bayern-Böhmen-Ticket (into Czech Bohemia), Südostbayern-Ticket, Südostbayern-Ticket+S-Bahn, EgroNet-Ticket Bayern, Prag-Spezial (from Bavarian cities to Prague), Touren-Ticket (from the Vogtlandbahn in Saxony, Thuringia or Bavaria to the Czech Karlovy Vary/Karlsbad at weekends), Das Katzensprung-Ticket Dresden-Bautzen, Dresden-Wrocław-Spezial (Dresden to Polish Wrocław) and Touren-Ticket. 

How to buy Länder-Tickets in English – DB website hack

Länder-Ticket offers can be hard to find in English due to the DB website's present architecture. If in doubt, use this link in German and open each offer by selecting the 'open link in new tab' option, then 'Jetzt auswählen' to view in English. Your browser should take care of the rest. 

You can also use Google Translate or, in Google Chrome, right-click and select the 'translate to English' option to translate the page, including FAQs. In Microsoft Edge, you should also be offered a translation option. 

In DB Navigator, scroll down to the Tickets & offers menu and swipe left to Regional offers

OR

Select Feedback & news and scroll down to the Offers menu, select ‘regional.bahn.de’ and swipe left to find Regional tickets. Select the relevant state and scroll through the options

OR

Scroll down to ‘Other potentially cheaper offers’. 

Länder-Ticket warnings

Although these tickets can be a fraction cheaper when bought from a ticket machine or online, it can be worth inquiring at the booking counter and then buying in person. Being able to check terms and ask any nagging questions is sometimes worth it. 

• Keep track of state boundaries or other limitations that determine ticket validity on the desired services
• Check carefully ticket validity on any planned local transport links

BahnCard – discounts you can take anywhere

Three types of Deutsche Bahn BahnCards deliver percentage discounts on fares, supporting flexible needs for travellers who ride often. Some research could deliver big cost savings and travel insurance can be added for journeys at extra cost. 

BahnCards are assigned to first or second class and can be used on ICE, IC and EC trains, ÖBB Nightjet trains (where reservations may be needed) and RE, RB and S-Bahn trains. Discounted youth and senior cards are available. Some private and local transport operators (but not FlixTrain) accept BahnCards. The card and personal ID should be produced at ticket checks. 

BahnCards can also be used to win reductions on already discounted fares, although they cannot be applied to City-Ticket. They are automatically renewing subscriptions valid for a year. 

Travellers over 18 can order them at the DB website or in the DB Navigator app, or buy at DB customer centres or agencies. They must be cancelled in writing or the online account at least six weeks before expiry date. For younger travellers, a parent or guardian must buy the card at a DB Reisezentrum or DB agency.  

Three-month trial (Probe) BahnCards could be realistic options for travellers on stays of several weeks, but these are also subscriptions requiring cancellation. There are no separate Probe BahnCards in youth or senior categories.  

For cards booked at the DB website, an interim card can be printed out for immediate use. 

Withdrawal from a BahnCard contract is possible up to 14 days after purchase, but before use. 

Occasional offers could vary the prices shown below. 

BahnCard 25

BahnCard 25 brings 25% discounts on fares. Probe BahnCard 25 is valid for three months. 

BahnCard 25 is available to travellers aged 27-64, My BahnCard 25 is for travellers under 26, Jugend BahnCard 25 is for travellers aged and for up to five years, or until the traveller turns 19 for discounts on first or second-class tickets. BahnCard 25 is for senior travellers aged over 65. 

BahnCard 50

The BahnCard 50 category is designed for frequent trips at short notice and delivers 50% discounts on Flexpreis journeys or 25% on Sparpreis and Super Sparpreis fares. 

BahnCard 50 is for passengers aged 27-64, My BahnCard 50 for ages 6-26 and BahnCard 50 is for seniors. 

BahnCard 100

Probe BahnCard 100, a three-month trial pass, covers all travel and is normally available digitally in the DB Navigator app or through BahnCard Service. Instructions are available in German. 

Probe BahnCard 100 costs €1,459 (second class) or €2,599 (first class).

The full-year BahnCard 100 might be an economical option for ‘slow’ travellers, but they would have to travel almost constantly for a year. BahnCard 100 includes a free Deutschland-Ticket (see above). 

All prices and basic details are in this BahnCard comparison table.

Where is the best place to buy German rail tickets?

Most rail tickets for the national network Deutsche Bahn are not difficult to buy. They are available through:

• DB Reisezentrum counters at stations
• Station ticket machines
• The DB website
• The DB Navigator app
• By telephone on +49302970

The DB website is available in English and seven other European languages. DB Navigator should present in English. Check the blog on Deutschland-Ticket for tourists for purchase avenues if considering this budget option. 

Rail services administered by regional transport authorities provide, at a minimum, ticket machines and apps for timetable information and ticket downloads.

Consult the table below to find out which cheap German rail ticket is best for you.

Which cheap German rail ticket is best?

With all the figures and terms in front of you, it can still be hard to decide between German ticket offers. Often there will be more than one option. 

Consult the table below to find out which cheap German rail ticket might be best or cheapest for you.  

Stand clear of ordinary German fares

If you avoid standard German Flexpreis rail fares, your savings can pay for lots of other travel needs. 

If you make shrewd choices among the range of single-journey tickets, or can use Deutschland-Ticket, the benefits can amount to hundreds of euro in the space of a few weeks. This is equal to several nights’ accommodation. 

All it takes is a knowledge of rules and restrictions and a little planning. 

Rail passes, though easy to use, offer comparatively modest savings. 

Full details of German rail and bus transport, plus other travel options, are at Raven Guides’ Germany transport page. 

Cheap German rail ticket FAQs