Železniška potovanja po Nemčiji - Rail travel in Germany

Slikovita železniška pot čez reko Moselle med vinogradi v bližini Traben-Trarbach.

NemčijaŽelezniški sistem je hiter, zanesljiv in pokriva večino zanimivih točk. Čeprav so vstopnice, kupljene v "last minute", lahko drage, so lahko z nekaj načrtovanja tudi presenetljivo poceni. Kljub vzponu medkrajevni avtobusi, vlaki so še vedno na drugem mestu za avtomobili, ko gre za prevoz. Potovanje z vlakom iz Hamburg na severu do München na jugu običajno traja manj kot šest ur. Ista vožnja z avtomobilom traja približno osem ur, avtobus traja deset ur ali več in nobena od teh številk ne predstavlja zastojev v prometu. Poleg tega večina vlakov odpelje vsako uro ali vsaki dve uri, medtem ko imajo avtobusi precej redkejši vozni red.

Po poročanju Deutsche Bahna je potovanje z vlakom precej okolju prijazno. Leta 2014 je en potniški kilometer potovanja z vlakom za dolge razdalje DB izpustil skoraj 13-krat manj CO2 kot enaka razdalja, prevožena z avtom. Lokalni in regionalni vlaki oddajajo več, saj običajno porabijo manj obnovljive energije in več dizelskega goriva. Cilj DB je tudi nenehno povečevati delež obnovljive energije v električni energiji, ki jo uporablja za svoje vlake. Dejansko zelena črta na vseh karticah BahnCard pomeni obljubo, da vse vozovnice, prodane lastnikom BahnCard, predstavljajo vlake, ki vozijo s 100% električno energijo iz obnovljivih virov.

Razumeti

Hauptbahnhof v Bremen.

Potovanje z vlakom na dolge razdalje opravlja državni Deutsche Bahn. Vendar pa je bil monopol na koncu porušen, ko Flixtrain (isto podjetje, ki upravlja Flixbus) je na trg vstopilo na ključnih progah, ki so služile nekaterim največjim nemškim mestom, na primer med Berlinom in Stuttgartom, Berlinom in Aachnom ter Hamburgom in Aachnom, z nižjimi vozovnicami, čeprav nekoliko zastarelimi kabinami. Medtem še en zasebni operater Alex vozi med linijami med izbranimi mesti na Bavarskem in Prago na Češkem.

Operaterji iz sosednjih držav vozijo tudi s progami iz mesta ali dveh v Nemčiji do svojih držav, pri čemer uporabljajo železniški vozni park bodisi Deutsche Bahn bodisi svojega. Večino teh linij lahko uporabite tudi za domača potovanja, rezervirate pa jih lahko tudi na spletni strani Deutsche Bahn.

Deutsche Bahn

Deutsche Bahn upravlja veliko večino nemških vlakov za dolge razdalje in prodaja vozovnice za regionalne in lokalne vlake, ki jih vozijo druga podjetja. Spletno mesto DB (ki ima lokalizirane različice za številne kraje in je vsaj delno na voljo v angleščina in pol ducata drugih jezikov) je odličen vir za iskanje vlakovnih povezav po vsej Evropi, čeprav nekatere železnice in železniški integrirani avtobusni prevozi niso navedeni. Spletno mesto DB prodaja vozovnice za večino potovanj s poreklom in / ali koncem v Nemčiji, vendar ne za potovanje samo skozi Nemčijo (na primer za potovanje od Pariza do Varšave morate kupiti vozovnico od Pariza do Berlina in eno od Berlina do Varšave) in ne bo prikazovalo cen ali prodajalo vozovnic za nekatere mednarodne pa tudi nekaj lokalnih vlakovnih povezav. Spletno mesto DB deluje tako, da vključuje možnost nakupa vozovnic za nenemške železnice, vendar je to vseeno mogoče zgrešiti, za povsem domače vozovnice zunaj Nemčije pa je običajno najboljša izbira ustrezna nacionalna železnica.

Vozni redi in vozovnice

Vozni redi in običajne vozovnice (Flexpreis) na splošno veljajo eno leto. Vsak december začne veljati nov vozni red, ki je običajno objavljen sredi oktobra. DB običajno zviša cene večinoma za vlake na dolge razdalje s spremembo voznega reda. Verkehrsverbünde običajno spremenijo svoj urnik približno ob istem času, vendar ne vedno istega dne. Za veljavnost lokalnih vozovnic lahko obstajajo prehodna obdobja.

Na večini poti lahko vozovnice rezervirate do 180 dni vnaprej, vendar se vozovnice po spremembi voznega reda začnejo prodajati šele po objavi novega voznega reda. Če želite dobiti poceni vozovnice za vlake na dolge razdalje, kupite posebne vozovnice (na primer varčnejše vozovnice) čim prej. Cena teh omejenih vozovnic za vlake na dolge razdalje narašča, bližje je datum odhoda, in bodo morda razprodane. Vendar večina Nemcev ne rezervira več kot en teden vnaprej, z izjemo mednarodnih vozovnic.

Cene običajnih vozovnic za kateri koli vlak in posebne vozovnice za regionalne in lokalne vlake običajno ostanejo enake skozi vse leto (in so neomejene), zato jih je mogoče kupiti tik pred potovanjem.

Integrirani sistemi javnega prevoza (Verkehrsverbund)

Pregled integriranih sistemov javnega prevoza (Verkehrsverbünde) v Nemčiji. Rumena območja (mit SPNV) vključujejo uporabo regionalnih in lokalnih vlakov, sive površine (ohne SPNV) ne.

V večjih mestnih območjih lokalna prevozna podjetja pogosto tvorijo integriran sistem javnega prevoza, imenovan Verkehrsverbund (VB) (ali Verkehrsverbünde v množinski obliki). V vsakem Verkehrsverbundu se lahko ves javni prevoz (to lahko vključuje podzemne železnice, mestne avtobuse, mestno železnico, lahke železnice in celo regionalne vlake) uporablja s skupnim sistemom vozovnic in vozovnic. Verkehrsverbund ponuja tudi skupen in usklajen urnik. Primeri vključujejo VBB okoli Berlin in Brandenburg (največji po površini), RMV okoli Frankfurt, MVV okoli München, ali Bodo za območje v Nemčiji tik ob Bodensko jezero.

Ta omrežja mestnega prometa so pogosto (vendar ne vedno) povezana z omrežjem DB in vozovnice Verkehrsverbund veljajo na lokalnih vlakih. Trend je bil večji Verkehrsverbünde z boljšo integracijo železnic se urniki lokalnih prevozov pogosto sestavljajo z upoštevanjem voznih redov. S-Bahn je običajno "srce" a Verkehrsverbund in širitev mestne železnice v preteklosti pogosto sovpadala z Verkehrsverbund širitev.

Vlaki za dolge razdalje (ki vključujejo npr. Flixtrain in vse "bele" vlake DB) so ne del Verkehrsverbunda, kar pomeni, da potnik ne sme uporabljati takih storitev za prevoz med dvema točkama na območju podzemne železnice samo z vozovnico Verkehrsverbund.

Aplikacija DB Navigator vam omogoča, da kupite večino vozovnic za Verkersverbund z debetno ali kreditno kartico VISA / Mastercard, tudi če v dneh, ko želite uporabljati lokalni mestni prevoz, nimate potovanja z vlakom na dolge razdalje.

Osnovne informacije

Nemčija ima več kot 40.000 km železniških prog (kar je šesto najdaljše železniško omrežje in eno najgostejših po vsem svetu), zato je neverjetno dobro povezana, kar omogoča povezavo z večine podeželskih območij v velike metropole. Nobeno nemško mesto z več kot 100 000 prebivalci nima železniškega prometa, večina mest z več kot 20 000 prebivalci pa ima redne železniške storitve.

Deutsche Bahn - glavni železniški operater v državi - je v nenavadnem položaju. Od leta 1994 je organiziran kot Aktiengesellschaft (delniška družba), za katero se običajno pričakuje, da bo vrnila dobiček. Vendar je država lastnica vseh delnic. To pomeni, da se DB istočasno vleče v dve smeri: deloval naj bi kot zasebno profitno podjetje in tudi kot državna institucija. Zato je izvršni direktor - in vsaj nekateri člani upravnega odbora - v Nemčiji kmalu po nastopu funkcije politično imenovanje in običajno gospodinjsko ime. Generalnega direktorja v medijih pogosto imenujejo in neformalno Bahnchef ("železniški šef"). Tako sedanjega izvršnega direktorja Richarda Lutza pogosto samo pokličejo Bahnchef Lutz.

Medtem ko vsi operaterji (vključno z DB) teoretično lahko vozijo vlake na dolge proge na kateri koli progi po kateri koli ceni, ki se jim zdi primerna - pod pogojem, da plačajo pristojbine za dostop do proge državni družbi DB Netz (sama hčerinska družba DB) - je situacija za lokalni vlaki so bolj zapleteni. Zvezna vlada državam dodeli določen znesek, ki naj bi ga porabila za lokalne železniške storitve. Nekatere države ta denar predajo lokalnim prebivalcem Verkehrsverbünde medtem ko imajo drugi en velik lonec na državni ravni. Država ali Verkehrsverbund, ki jo je država pooblastila za to, nato določi vozne rede in zahteve za vlake (na primer en vlak na uro z določenim številom sedežev prvega in drugega razreda, Wi-Fi in vkrcanjem na nivoju) in vpraša za ponudbe iz vse Evrope. Običajno bo med ponudniki tudi DB, pogosto pa bodo drugi operaterji zahtevali nižjo subvencijo in tako dobili pogodbo. Ponudbe za novo pogodbo se običajno začnejo pred potekom stare pogodbe. Pogoji pogodbe so ponavadi precej dolgi: na nekaterih progah DB še vedno deluje po pogodbah, za katere ni bilo odprtih ponudb ali kjer je bil DB edini ponudnik. To je eden glavnih razlogov, zakaj je Wi-Fi na lokalnih vlakih zelo redek: operaterji niso dolžni zagotoviti ničesar, kar ni določeno v prvotni pogodbi. Pogodbe so pogosto precej specifične in nekateri opazovalci se šalijo, da je železniški operater edina stvar pravzaprav izbira je barvna shema in plače zaposlenih - kar seveda vodi do trditev zasebne konkurence DB, ki niža plače sindikatov DB, na katere še vedno vplivajo pogodbe nekdanjih javnih uslužbencev.

Vrste vlakov

Vlaki na dolge razdalje

InterCity Express (ICE, 2. generacija) v berlinskem Hauptbahnhofu.
Led ICE: frekvence in omejitve hitrosti od leta 2018

Skoraj vse vlake na dolge razdalje vozi Deutsche Bahn. Vsa večja mesta povezujejo vlaki DB ICE (InterCity Express) in redni vlaki IC (InterCity).

  • Vlaki InterCity Express (ICE). Vlaki za visoke hitrosti zmožen hitrosti do 320 km / h (200 mph). Stanje tirov in signalov pa omogoča največjo hitrost le 160 km / h (99 mph) na nespremenjenih zapuščenih tirih in 200 km / h (120 mph) na progah s posebno elektronsko opremo, imenovano "Ausbaustrecke" (železniška proga Berlin Hamburg je Ausbaustrecke zgrajena za 230 km / h (140 mph)) ali 250 km / h (160 mph) do 300 km / h (190 mph) na označenih hitrih progah, imenovanih "Neubaustrecke". Najvišja hitrost 320 km / h (200 mph) je dosežena na poti od Frankfurta do Pariza v Franciji. Čeprav so bistveno hitrejši kot po cesti, so lahko z enournim potovanjem tudi dragi (Frankfurt do Köln, približno 180 km) in stanejo do 67 EUR v eno smer ("Flexpreis", tj. cena prehoda brez popusta). Ko pa vozovnico rezervirate vnaprej in ste nekoliko prilagodljivi glede na uro in datum potovanja, lahko dobite precejšen popust. Vsi domači ICE so električni. Obstaja več različnih vrst ICE, vendar so si vsi med seboj dokaj podobni in jih ne-navdušenci ločijo le po največji hitrosti in starosti. Pomembna razlika je ICE 4, ki je bil uveden v redno obratovanje decembra 2017 in je edini ICE, ki prevaža kolesa. Naročilo za ICE 4 je bilo eno največjih v zgodovini DB in bo trajalo sredi leta 2020, preden bodo vsi naročeni vlaki začeli obratovati.
  • ICE Sprinter. Vlaki enaki kot običajni ICE, vendar med večjimi mesti vozijo brez postankov ali imajo le eno vmesno postajo. Njihov čas potovanja je manj kot štiri ure, da se letalski prevozniki izenačijo ali premagajo čas potovanja od vrat do vrat. Za uporabo storitev ICE Sprinter ni več doplačila, vendar so poceni vstopnice za zgodnje ptice zanje redkejše. Na primer, potovanje ICE Sprinter med Berlinom in Münchnom traja približno 4 ure.
  • Vlaki InterCity (IC). Precej udobno, tudi če jim manjka visokotehnološki občutek ICE. Vlaki ICE so hitrejši od vlakov IC na posebej izdelanih tirih ali obstoječih tirih, ki so bili nadgrajeni. Starejše interoperabilne enote so enolokovne zaloge, ki jih vlečejo lokomotive iz sedemdesetih let prejšnjega stoletja, vendar je bila večina zgrajena ali prenovljena v devetdesetih ali pozneje. Stari IC imajo največjo hitrost do 200 km / h. Leta 2016 je DB predstavil množico novih dvostopenjskih delnic Intercity, imenovanih "Intercity 2". Imajo največjo hitrost 160 km / h (99 mph), so dokaj moderni in udobni z električnimi vtičnicami, ležečimi sedeži in prigrizki in pijačami na svojem mestu, vendar je prostor za prtljago precej omejen, zato se jim izogibajte, če veliko stvari imate za prevoz - vendar je pod sedeži običajno prostor, če vse drugo odpove. Na nekaterih progah vlake IC vlečejo lokomotive Diesel, vendar je to vse redkejše, saj je več prog elektrificiranih, več poti pa upravlja več enot, ki otežujejo izklop motivske moči.
  • Vlaki EuroCity (EC). Povežite večja evropska mesta in so skoraj enaka vlakom IC. Številne vlake ES zagotavljajo sosednji železniški prevozniki (na primer proga Praga-Hamburg, ki jo upravljajo češke železnice). Čeprav to ne vpliva na rezervacije in cene, se notranjost vlakov morda bistveno razlikuje od primerljivih nemških vlakov. Tudi vlaki ES, zlasti tisti, ki potujejo na zelo velike razdalje, so bolj nagnjeni k zamudam kot zgolj domače storitve.
  • Vlaki EuroCity Express. Predstavljeni decembra 2017, so samo služijo koridorju Frankfurt-Milano in koridorju München-Zürich s postankoma v Švici. Za razliko od vseh drugih kategorij vlakov obstaja obvezna (vendar brezplačna) rezervacija, vozovnice pa so vezane na določen vlak tudi za vozovnice "Flexpreis" (vendar lahko vozovnice Flexpreis brezplačno rezervirate na drug vlak, odvisno od razpoložljivosti). Vlaki so švicarski nagibni vlaki družine ETR 610 z največjo hitrostjo 250 km / h (160 mph). Za razliko od EC, IC in ICE druge železnice kategorije "EuroCity Express" še ne uporabljajo - niti švicarske in italijanske, zato bodo ti vlaki na švicarskem in italijanskem voznem redu prikazani kot redni EC.
Ja, ti so pravilno branje zaslona: prikazuje 299 km / h.

Na glavnih progah vlaki ICE ali IC vozijo čez dan vsak dan na uro in celo nekatera manjša mesta, priljubljena med turisti, kot so Tübingen ali Heringsdorf imajo dnevne ali tedenske storitve.

Glede na zgornja opozorila glede največje hitrosti nekaterih linij boste morda želeli preveriti, ali je ICE bistveno hitrejši od regionalnih in lokalnih vlakov, preden se odločite za ICE vozovnico. Kljub temu so cene za zgodnje ptice pogosto zelo skladne s pričakovanim povpraševanjem, hitrejša potovanja pa so ponavadi dražja kot potovanja z veliko spremembami ali po počasnejših linijah med istimi končnimi točkami.

Obstajajo tudi vlaki na dolge razdalje, ki jih vozijo druga podjetja kot Deutsche Bahn (glej spodaj), ki običajno potekajo po sekundarnih poteh s cenejšimi stroški dostopa do proge. Ti so običajno dovolj udobni (čeprav ne tako udobni kot ICE) in včasih bistveno cenejši, vendar je njihov vzorec ustavljanja lahko veliko pogostejši ali precej bolj redek kot primerljivi vlaki DB. Pred liberalizacijo Slovenije medkrajevni avtobusni trg konkurenca na vlakih na dolge proge se je povečevala. Ker pa so bili avtobusi na splošno celo cenejši od železniških storitev, ki tekmujejo z DB, je več podjetij zapustilo trg, odložilo načrte za vstop nanj ali močno zmanjšalo svoje storitve. Ker Flixbus zdaj dobro obvladuje severno od devetdeset odstotkov trga medkrajevnih avtobusov, so DB tudi glavna konkurenca na področju vlakov na dolge razdalje.

Rezervacije sedežev

Rezervacije sedežev niso obvezne, vendar so priporočljive, zlasti če potujete ob petkih, nedeljah ali praznikih, ko je verjetnost, da bodo vlaki polni. To pomeni, da z Interrail ali Eurail lahko uporabljate domače vlake ICE (vključno z vlaki Sprinter ICE, ne pa tudi mednarodne vlake ICE), ne da bi plačali dodatek.

Rezervacija sedeža stane 4 € v 2. razredu in je vključena v ceno vozovnic za 1. razred. Rezervacije sedežev veljajo 15 minut od odhoda vlaka. Po tem času lahko drugi potniki legitimno zasedejo vaš sedež, če ga niste zasedli.

Če nimate ali želite kupiti rezervacije sedeža, poiščite sedež, ki sploh ni bil rezerviran ali pa je rezerviran samo za del potovanja po izstopu z vlaka. Rezervacije sedežev so označene z elektronskim prikazovalnikom zgoraj ali na sedežu ali na majhnem papirnatem napisu na oknu.

Če vaš rezervirani vlak odpove ali zamuja, lahko svojo rezervacijo sedeža spremenite v drug vlak na okencu storitve DB ali ga vrnete prek Pravice potnikov terjatev.

Pripomočki

Tukaj je brezplačen brezžični internet na skoraj vseh ICE, ne pa tudi na IC. Ker se zagotavlja prek mobilnega signala, lahko včasih primanjkuje pasovne širine. Za dostop do Wi-Fi-ja preprosto izberite »Wi-Fi on ICE« in program vas bo vodil skozi naslednje korake. V drugem razredu se lahko hitrost zmanjša po 200 MB uporabe na napravo. Na nekaterih mednarodnih vlakih lahko omrežje Wi-Fi preneha delovati, ko vlak zapusti Nemčijo.

Obstaja tudi zabavni portal s približno 50 serijami in brezplačnimi filmi. Celoten spekter približno 1000 oddaj in filmov je na voljo samo stranke maxdome. Ker je zabavni portal dostopen prek vgrajenih strežnikov, nanj ne vpliva pomanjkanje pasovne širine ali druge morebitne težave z Wi-Fi. Portal ICE ponuja tudi brezplačne avdio knjige in novice (večinoma v nemščini) ter nekaj informacij o potovanju in naslednjem cilju; na zemljevidu lahko vidite tudi, kje je vlak in kako hitro gre.

V vsakem vlaku je bistro ali restavracija, kjer lahko potniki naročijo pijačo ali prigrizke in jih uživajo za stoječo mizo ali sede. Te pijače včasih prinesejo tudi na vozičke, če želite ostati na svojem sedežu. Plačilo lahko opravite z gotovino ali kreditno kartico, čeprav je slednja včasih lahko počasna ali celo ne deluje, saj je terminal v celoti odvisen od sprejema mobilnega telefona. Cene so enake nekoliko dražjim kot na železniški postaji.

Vsa obvestila in znaki na vlakih, vključno s prihajajočo postajo in povezavami od tam, so v nemškem in angleškem jeziku. Dirigent lahko govori vsaj nekaj angleškega jezika, ki ga lahko vprašate, če zamudite povezavo ali potrebujete pomoč.

Izbrani avtomobili na vsakem vlaku so tihe kabine, ki ne dopuščajo hrupa ali celo zvonjenja mobilnih telefonov; rezervacija stane enako kot za sedeže v običajnem avtomobilu. Na voljo so tudi kabine za 6 oseb, vendar jih ni mogoče rezervirati zasebno, tj. 2 osebi v kabini za 6 oseb.

Prvi razred

Večina vlakov v Nemčiji ima poleg nekaterih lokalnih vlakov odseke prvega in drugega razreda. Potniki prvega razreda na vlakih na dolge razdalje dobijo več prostora (trije namesto štirje sedeži na daljavo, več prostora za noge, več sedežev) in - na vlakih ICE - lahko sprevodnika prosite, naj vam prinese pijače in hrano iz restavracijskega avtomobila. Pijače ali hrana so ne vključeno v ceno, rezervacija sedeža pa je. Potniki drugega razreda običajno ne smejo sedeti v oddelkih prvega razreda. Razlika v cenah med prvim in drugim razredom se zelo razlikuje in za prvi in ​​drugi razred obstajajo ločene kartice BahnCards, včasih pa lahko dobite vozovnico prvega razreda za nekaj evrov več kot vozovnico drugega razreda. Prvi razred je na zunanji strani oddelkov prvega razreda označen s številko 1 in (v skladu z evropskim standardom) rumeno črto barve. Potniki prvega razreda lahko uživajo tudi v salonih v izbranih salonih na glavnih nemških železniških postajah in v salonih partnerskih železniških družb zunaj Nemčije za mednarodne proge.

Spalni vlaki

DB je končal svoj spalni vlak leta 2016, ki jih je nadomestil z omejeno količino rednih ICE, ki vozijo ponoči, pa tudi z nekaterimi avtobusi.

Glavni upravljavec spalnih vlakov v Nemčiji je ÖBB, avstrijska državna železnica. Vstopnice za tisto, kar imenujejo Nightjet vlaki se začnejo pri 29 EUR za najcenejše sedeže in zgodnjo rezervacijo. Španije ali last minute rezervacije so seveda dražje. Vsaka spalna karta vključuje zajtrk in jo lahko rezervirate na spletni strani DB. Rezervirate lahko kar koli, od svojega predelka s posteljo in tušem do enega sedeža v šestsedežnem predelku. ÖBB posodablja svoj vozni park (nekatere od njih je kupil pri DB, ko je DB izstopil iz obratovanja nočnih vlakov) in napovedal namere za uporabo dodatnih poti, vendar težave pri pridobivanju regulativne odobritve in dejstvo, da namerava ÖBB popraviti in servisirati vse vlake v Avstriji omejijo obseg možne širitve.

Upravlja ÖBB

Sodelovanje z ÖBB in druge nacionalne železnice[prej mrtva povezava]

Drugi nočni vlaki

Avto vlaki

BahnTouristikExpress - podjetje, specializirano za oddajanje vlakov organizatorjem potovanj in zasebnim skupinam - vozi železniški prevoz (BTE AutoReiseZug) iz Lörrach na jugozahodu Nemčije, blizu Basel, Švicain Francozi Alzacija do Hamburg-Altona celo leto. ÖBB Nightjet tudi teče avtomobilski vlaki (Autoreisezug) iz Dunaj in Innsbruck do Hamburg Altona in Düsseldorf. DB je leta 2016 prenehal voziti lastne avtomobilske vlake (razen vlaka Sylt, ki je le 50-minutna vožnja).

Do in od Sylt

Sylt Shuttle

Redni avtomobilski vlaki povezujejo otok Sylt s celino, ki ga upravlja DB (pod blagovno znamko Sylt Shuttle) in zasebno podjetje Autozug Sylt, hčerinsko podjetje ameriškega Družba za razvoj železnic (RDC) (edina druga povezava s celino je trajekt z Danske.) Njihove cene so si na splošno podobne, čeprav - kot je novi udeleženec na trgu - Autozug Sylt poskušal spodkopati DB. V nasprotju z večino neregionalnih vlakov v Nemčiji popust za vnaprejšnji nakup vozovnic ni, obstajajo pa popusti, če kupite deset ali dvanajst vozovnic hkrati, za prebivalce Sylta pa obstaja še en popust. Dve podjetji uporabljata iste terminale v Syltu in 1 Niebüll.

Regionalni in lokalni vlaki

S-Bahn-Logo.svg Postaja mestne železnice Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof tief

Regionalne in lokalne vlake v Nemčiji prikladno imenujemo nemška beseda Nahverkehr. Ti vlaki imajo več okusov:

  • InterRegio-Express (IRE). Najhitrejši tip regionalnega vlaka, ki vozi le na nekaj postajah. Običajno prevozijo večje razdalje kot "običajni" RE.
  • Regional-Express (RE). Pol-ekspresni vlaki, ki preskočijo nekatere postaje. Na mnogih progah je to najvišja razpoložljiva kategorija vlakov.
  • Regional-Bahn (RB). Povsod se ustavi, razen da lahko preskoči nekaj postajališč mestne železnice.
  • S-Bahn. Vožnja do mestnega ali velemestnega območja, ki lahko kljub temu pokriva precej velike razdalje. Nekateri vlaki S-Bahn so edini vlaki v Nemčiji, ki običajno nimajo stranišča, čeprav je to deloma odvisno od natančne regije in proge in je vse redkejše.

Večina regionalnih in lokalnih vlakov vozi enkrat na uro ali enkrat na dve uri od 05:00 ali 06:00 do približno 23:00 ali celo pozneje. Proge mestne proge imajo pogosto 30 minut ali manj, kar lahko traja do 15 minut ali celo sedem minut in pol na progah, kjer se več prog prekriva. Med velikimi mesti v glavnem metropolitanskem območju se mestna železniška proga in regionalni vlaki lahko prekrivajo na svoji poti, kar daje več možnosti prevoza, če želite iti iz središča mesta v središče mesta.

Na regionalnih vlakih Wifi je še vedno prej izjema kot pravilo. Ocenjuje se, da bo WiFi do leta 2020 imelo le približno 10% vlakov. WiFi v večini sedanjih pogodb za regionalne vlake ni bil pogojen in na progah ni dovolj jamborov za mobilne telefone.

Na regionalnih vlakih prvi razred - če je sploh na voljo - je običajno precej podoben drugemu razredu, a takšen kot je ponavadi ni rezerviranih sedežev v obeh razredih boste bolj verjetno dobili sedež v prvem razredu na prometnih poteh. Nekateri operaterji pa poskušajo utemeljiti pribitek za prvi razred tako, da (na primer) zagotovijo boljše sedeže ali naklon sedeža ali rezervirajo zgornjo ploščad na dvonivojski zalogi za prvi razred.

Številna podjetja poleg Deutsche Bahna vozijo z regionalnimi vlaki. To se običajno opravi s pogodbo z Bundesland ki jim plača, da vozijo določeno število vlakov ob določenih urah in običajno te pogodbe tudi določajo, da vozovnice DB (kot npr. Ländertickets in Quer durchs Kopenska vozovnica) so sprejeti. V nekaterih regijah, kot npr Schleswig-Holstein na postaji so lahko dva, tri ali več različnih prodajnih avtomatov, po en za vsako podjetje. V dvomih vprašajte ljudi na platformi ali še bolje osebje DB. Z zelo redkimi izjemami lahko kupite vozovnice, ki veljajo na vlakih, ki niso DB, s standardnimi prodajnimi avtomati DB, ne pa tudi obratno.

Zemljevid železniških prog v Nemčiji - krepko pomeni "glavna črta", vitka pomeni "podružnica"

Rezervirano sedenje na lokalnih vlakih

Na splošno ti ne morem rezervirajte sedež na lokalnih vlakih. Vendar prvovrstno doplačilo v mnogih pogledih deluje kot dejanska "rezervacija sedežev", ker prvi razred skoraj nikoli ne postane tako poln, na voljo ni nobenih sedežev (in očitno vam prvovrstna vozovnica omogoča prav tako vožnjo v drugem razredu). Vendar pa so nekateri linijski vozniki eksperimentirali z rezerviranimi sedeži kot nadaljnjo spodbudo za nakup mesečnih ali letnih vozovnic. Nato so lahko sedeži, označeni s številkami, in pojasnilo v nemščini (in včasih tudi v angleščini), da naj se sedež preda nekomu, ki ima rezervacijo. V praksi je to običajno le težava med jutranjo in večerno prometno konico. Na peščici regionalnih vlakov lahko kupite tudi rezervacijo sedežev (samo pri avtomatih za prodajo vozovnic - ne prek spleta ali na okencu) za 1 €, ker pa so omejene, se lahko prodajo tudi za vlake, kjer so sicer na voljo.

Drugi upravljavci vlakov

Čeprav je nemški železniški trg že leta liberaliziran, je operaterjev vlakov, razen DB, razmeroma malo in vsi so majhni. Lahko jih je tudi težko uporabljati - v osrednjem načrtovalcu vlakov se ne prikažejo in vozovnice Eurail na njih ne veljajo. Vendar so lahko veliko cenejši od DB, zlasti v kratkem. Zdi se, da DB namerno združuje lastne vlake IC / ICE okoli odhodov konkurenčnih storitev na nekaterih progah, tako da boste imeli več časa kot običajno, če se čas odhoda tekmovanja strinja z vami.

Tu je nekaj primerov:

  • Alex. Vlaki Alex ponujajo (med drugimi povezavami) povezavo iz München, Nürnberg ali Regensburg do Praga od 23 € enosmerna ali 43 € povratna vozovnica (Prag Spezial). Vstopnice lahko kupite na vlaku. Na skoraj vseh njihovih vlakih lahko kupite prigrizke in pijače po zelo ugodnih cenah. Končno del italijanske nacionalne železnice (Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane) prek vrste nemških hčerinskih družb.
  • Flixbus / Flixtrain, skoraj monopolist v Ljubljani Medkrajevni avtobusi v Nemčiji je prevzel dva neodvisna operaterja na relacijah Hamburg-Köln in Berlin-Stuttgart. Kasneje so dodali še storitev Berlin-Köln. Pri rezervaciji obvezno rezervirajte vlak, saj tudi Flixbus prodaja avtobusne vozovnice po istih poteh. Načrtujejo razširitev svoje mreže, vključno z razširitvijo storitve Berlin-Köln na Aachen in Leipzig do decembra 2019.
    Prevoz FlixTrain

Poleg teh je še nekaj parnih ali dizelskih dediščine železnic, pogosto z uporabo ozkotirnih tirov. Običajno niso vključeni v izdajo vozovnic za DB ali v prodajo vozovnic Verkehrsverbund in so lahko bistveno dražji na kilometer kot operaterji glavnih linij. Lestvico vodijo od poletne sezone in konca tedna do dnevnih operacij, ki imajo pomembno prometno vrednost.

Avtobusi

DB ima tudi nekaj IC Bus poti. Popolnoma so integrirani v sistem vozovnic za vozovnice in vozovnice DB, sistem rezervacij pa jih obravnava kot vlak InterCity z obveznimi rezervacijami prostih sedežev. Avtobusi IC večinoma vozijo na progah, kjer železniška infrastruktura ne omogoča dovolj visokih hitrosti za hiter prevoz in imajo običajno manj postankov kot vzporedni vlaki.

Lokalni avtobusi so običajno vključeni v sistem vozovnic katerega koli od danih Verkehrsverbund in vozovnica DB City, ki je na voljo brezplačno za številne vozovnice na dolge razdalje s popustom BahnCard, vključuje vožnjo z avtobusi, tramvaji, lahkimi železnicami in podzemno železnico, kot je primerno do / od končnega cilja znotraj mesta odhoda / odhoda.

Flixbus, ki je predvsem avtobusno podjetje, ki prodaja vozovnice za svoje dve železniški progi, pa tudi prek vozovnic, ki svoje avtobuse kombinirajo z vlaki. Vendar ne prodajajo kombiniranih vozovnic z lokalnimi vlaki.

Sodelovanje z letalskimi prevozniki

Poglej tudi: Železniška letalska zavezništva

Lufthansa z DB v takšni ali drugačni obliki sodeluje že od osemdesetih let. Nekaj ​​časa so celo vozili lastne vlake, skupaj z Lufthansino livrejo. Danes AIRail omogoča rezerviranje nekaterih ICE-jev kot letalski sektor (lahko celo zaslužite milje) s prijavo na železniški postaji. (Kljub temu morate prtljago odložiti na letališču.) Skoraj vsa nemška letališča so povezana[mrtva povezava] do glavnega železniškega omrežja, lokalnega tramvaja ali omrežja podzemne železnice. Na peščici letališč imajo celo vlake, ki se tam ustavljajo, ni pa rednih letov. Običajno lahko prek DB kupite vse do letališča. Številne letalske družbe, ki letijo na / z nemških letališč, ponujajo vozovnice za letalske in letalske vozovnice[mrtva povezava]. Običajno jih je treba rezervirati skupaj s poletom. Takšne vozovnice so običajno cenejše od primerljivega notranjega leta ali celo popolnoma brezplačne, odvisno od letalskega prevoznika in vrste vozovnice. Rail & fly vam omogoča, da se s katerim koli vlakom s katere koli postaje v Nemčiji (in celo nekaterih v sosednjih državah) pripeljete na letališče (spet tudi nekatera nenemška letališča so del programa) s poljubnim številom sprememb do enega dne pred odhodom, in se z vlakom odpeljati z letališča do katere koli postaje na povratni poti. Rail & Fly je standardna funkcija za paketne počitnice z odhodom iz Nemčije, vendar če rezervirate le let, lahko nekaj letalskih družb, ki nominalno ponujajo rail & fly, nekoliko oteži rezervacijo.

Vstopnice

Kako kupiti vstopnice

Vstopnic lahko kupite na več načinov. Če ste ujeti brez veljavne vozovnice, morate plačati vsaj a 60 € vozovnice za kazen.

V internetu / mobilni aplikaciji

Tiskanje spletnih vstopnic

Dolgo ste morali natisniti svojo spletno vozovnico ali jo pokazati prek aplikacije DB Navigator. Vendar pa določila in pogoji DB (6.3.2 in 6.3.3) omogočajo preprosto prikaz dokumenta PDF (s črtno kodo) na mobilni napravi. Morda še vedno obstajajo vstopnice, ki jih morate natisniti (na primer rezervacije koles), ali pa kak neobveščen inšpektor za vozovnice ali voznik avtobusa zavrne sprejem dokumenta PDF. Če želite biti na varnem, morate natisniti vozovnico ali jo pokazati v aplikaciji.

Vstopnice lahko kupite na Spletno mesto DB ali prek Aplikacija DB Navigator. Načrtovalec potovanja bo samodejno prikazal najnižje možne cene, vključno s popusti za zgodnje rezervacije. Nekatere ponudbe za regionalne vlake pa se morda ne bodo prikazale, če ne odstranite kljukice za "raje hitre povezave" in / ali dodate kljukice za "samo regionalni vlaki".

Vstopnico morate natisniti ali jo predstaviti prek aplikacije. Prikazovanje vozovnice kot dokumenta PDF v mobilni napravi je morda sprejeto (glejte info polje).

Pri rezervaciji morate navesti svoje ime (kot tudi osebe, ki potujete) in vozovnica velja samo za vas in tiste, ki potujejo. Pri pregledu vozovnice boste morda morali pokazati neko obliko osebnega dokumenta (potni list ali osebno izkaznico EU, vozniška dovoljenja pa niso sprejeta) za obe vrsti vozovnic.

On the DB website, you can book tickets without an account, however for the app, you need to create one. If you use an account on the DB website, your tickets will automatically be available in the app. Otherwise, you can always input the ticket's confirmation number and your last name to retrieve your reservation in the app.

You can also buy tickets online and have them mailed anywhere in the world for €3.90. You don't need to show ID when travelling with such tickets, but if they are lost in the mail DB will not replace them.

Beware of travel agent sites that appear when searching for the DB website. They pay heavily to appear at the top of search results, and may overcharge significantly. Be sure to use the official site linked above.

In addition to long distance tickets, you may also use the DB Navigator app to purchase most kinds of tickets for most local transport associations even if you do not have a long distance train journey. This is handy if you do not prefer to use cash (which may be the only way to pay for some tickets) or do not have a German address (which may be required if you want to use the apps specific to each transport associations).

At a vending machine

New DB touchscreen ticket machine
Very old ticket machine with keypad (on the left) and older touchscreen DB ticket machines (on the right)

At a station, find a ticket machine with a touchscreen, choose your language, and then navigate through the menus. Like the online journey planner, it will automatically suggest the fastest routes. The machines sell all DB train tickets including some international tickets, special tickets (both for long-distance and regional and local trains) and tickets for local transport. Touchscreen machines accept credit cards, older ones do not.

Ticket machines for local Verkehrsverbund are yellow, white or grey. They can be used to buy tickets for local transport, including DB trains. On secondary routes, vending machines inside trains are becoming more common, usually leaving smaller stations without vending machines.

Many local machines and old DB machines require you to enter a four-digit code for your destination, found on a panel of densely packed print nearby. Press the flag button to switch to English, punch in the code for your destination station on the keypad, then hit the appropriate button in the left ("adult") row below to pick your ticket. The first button is always one-way single (Einzelfahrausweis). A price will be displayed: insert your money (quickly, since the timeout is quite fast), and the machine will spit out your tickets and change. Vending machines give max. €9.90 change in coins and will not accept larger notes. For new blue DB machines, select the local tariff union in the top menu, and the rest is easy.

If a station is not equipped with a vending machine or if all the machines are out of order, you have to buy your ticket from a manned ticket counter. If this isn't available either or it is closed, you are allowed to buy your ticket on the train. If there is no vending machine on the train, you have to approach the staff right away and ask them what to do. You should then be able to buy a ticket without paying a surcharge. However, it is usually much less hassle to just buy a ticket via the app.

At a manned ticket counter

Go to the Reisezentrum at any major train station. You might have to take a number and wait until it is called. It is becoming less common to buy tickets at the counter, but if your itinerary is unusual or you can't make heads or tails of the machines, talking to an actual human being can be a godsend. DB charges €2 extra for some special tickets (for regional and local trains) if bought at the ticket counter.

On the train

On long-distance trains, you can buy a ticket from the conductor, but it costs €19 extra. All "main conductors" (the Zugchef in German) speak English, as do most other conductors (though the quality of the English they speak is debatable).

On regional and local trains, tickets are usually ne sold so you need to buy them at the station. Signs on platforms or on trains saying Einstieg nur mit gültigem Fahrausweis mean that you have to have a ticket before you board. Drivers on buses and trams usually do sell tickets, though they might not have (or know about) all ticket types. Some regional trains do sell tickets on board either through machines or via conductors. This is usually also shown on the door upon entry. Of course you should buy a ticket as soon as you board in those cases.

Standard tickets

Standard tickets (Flexpreis; flexible fare) have the fewest restrictions, but can be quite expensive. The maximum price for a standard ticket (single rail journey within Germany) is €142 in 2nd class and €237 in first class. They are valid for 1 day (trips of up to 100 km) and for 2 days (trips more than 200 km) to travel between a specified departure and destination train station and are ne tied to a specific train. Sometimes the word "via" followed by either some cryptic code or a city name will appear on your ticket. That means the ticket is only valid for the specific route booked and not for a different route to the same destination.

Unlike in other countries, standard tickets do not get sold out for a specific train. If you don't have a seat reservation (which costs extra for 2nd class), then you might have to stand or sit on the floor if the train is very busy. When booking long-distance tickets on the DB website, the search results for a train journey will indicate how full/busy the train is likely going to be.

BahnCard discounts

BahnCard 25, entitling the holder to a 25% discount

BahnCard holders get discounts on all standard DB tickets. A BahnCard can be of great use if you plan to travel by train a lot or a long-term stay in Germany. BahnCards are typically valid for one year from the date of purchase and is renewed automatically unless cancelled in writing at least six weeks before the end of validity. They can be bought at train stations for immediate discounts. If you do that you'll get a temporary (paper) card and you will need to supply a European postal address to get the proper plastic card. Alternatively, one can purchase a 'digital' BahnCard on the DB Navigator app; upon completion, a barcode which contains important information about your subscription will be generated and you can retrieve it whenever you open the app. Ticket inspectors on trains will normally insist that you present not only your ticket, but also the BahnCard used to claim any discount and some form of official ID with a photo. You may present your 'digital' BahnCard in lieu of the physical one during inspection.

The BahnCard discount doesn't necessarily apply to all regional transport day tickets, but some do offer their own discounts for BahnCard holders. BahnCard holders can also get discounts on international trains, as long as the journey originates or terminates somewhere in Germany.

There are three variations of BahnCard. The normal BahnCards are offered for passengers ages 27 and above:

  • BahnCard 25. Costs €55,70 (concessions €36,90) for 2nd class (€112/€72,90 for 1st class) and grants you a 25% discount on all standard tickets for a year. Spouses/partners and kids of BahnCard 25 holders can get additional cards for €5 each. The BahnCard 25 discount can be combined with any Sparpreis discounts. (In effect granting you a further 25% discount on an already discounted fare.)
  • BahnCard 50. Costs €229 (concessions €114) for 2nd class (€463/€226 for 1st class) and grants you a 50% discount on all standard tickets as well as a 25% discount on Sparpreis tickets for a year.
  • BahnCard 100. Costs €3952 for 2nd class (€6685 for 1st class). Unlimited travel for a year on all trains and in many cities even all public transportation. Night trains cost extra. You'll need to bring a photo to buy a BahnCard 100. Holders of 2nd class BahnCard 100 still have to pay for seat reservations; holders of first class ones do not, just like with normal tickets.

There are also variations of the BahnCard 25 and BahnCard 50:

  • Probe BahnCard 25 / Probe BahnCard 50. ("Probe" is the German word for test/trial/sample.) More suitable if you're not ready to commit, don't need a card for a whole year, or will be in Germany only for a short time (but will spend a lot of time commuting by train), these cards are valid for three months and entitle holders to the same discounts as the regular BahnCards listed above. A Probe BahnCard 25 costs €17,90 (2nd class) or €35,90 (1st class), and a Probe BahnCard 50 costs €71,90 (2nd class) or €143 (1st class). Probe BahnCards become regular ones unless cancelled at least six weeks before the end of their validity.
  • My BahnCard 25 / My BahnCard 50. These cards can be bought by anyone under the age of 27 and entitle the holder to the same discounts listed above. My BahnCard 25 costs €34,90 (2nd class) or €72,90 (1st class), and My BahnCard 50 costs €61,90 (2nd class) or €226 (1st class). As with other cards these get renewed automatically unless cancelled at least six weeks before the end of their validity.
  • Jugend BahnCard 25. Open to anyone aged 6 to 18, costs €9 and entitles the holder to a 25% discount, so it often pays off on the first trip. It's valid in 1st and 2nd class. Remember that under 14s travel for free with their parents or grandparents. Unlike other BahnCards, they are valid for up to five years, or until their 19th birthday, whichever comes first.

Special tickets (long-distance trains)

Standard fares are relatively expensive, but special promotions and prices exist. Your best course of action is to check the DB offers page, to ask at a train station, or call them for current details. If you search for a connection with the journey planner, it automatically offers you the most favourable discount for the journey in addition to the standard fare.

Saver fares

Saver fares (Sparpreis) are low-cost one-way tickets for journeys that include long-distance trains (ICE or IC/EC). Regional trains can be added to complete the journey. These tickets are limited, and the actual price varies according to demand. You should purchase them as far in advance as possible (up to 180 days before the departure date), though they can be available minutes before departure for some routes and times. Lahko uporabite saver fare finder to find the cheapest saver fare variant.

The following saver fares are offered:

  • Sparpreis (Saver fare). Prices start at €21.50 (second class) and €32.30 (first class). BahnCard customers get a 25% discount on top of those prices. The ticket includes a City-Ticket for trips longer than 100km. The ticket can be refunded up to one day before its validity at a cost of €10. The refund is given as a DB voucher. DB offers "insurance" on Sparpreis offers that covers cancellation and rebooking in case of major injury or illness, but it is not really worth it compared to other travel insurance. First class customers are entitled to use the DB Lounge.
  • Super Sparpreis (Super saver fare). Prices start at €17.90 (second class) or €26.90 (first class). BahnCard customers get a 25% discount on top of those prices. The ticket cannot be refunded (unlike "normal" Sparpreis tickets) and they do not include a City-Ticket. First class customers are ne entitled to use the DB Lounge in the stations.
  • Sparpreis Europa in Super Sparpreis Europa (Saver fare Europe in Super saver fare Europe). A Sparpreis variant for international connections. In Germany this is available for all trains, but abroad there may be restrictions on which trains can be used – if you cannot get a quote for a certain connection online, this may be the case. There are often some specific routes or start points near the border which can net you even cheaper fares.
  • Sparpreis Gruppe (Group saver fare). For groups of six or more people. Prices start at €9.90 (second class) or €27.90 (first class) per person, and include seat reservations. These tickets can be booked up to 12 months in advance at the ticket counter, or up to 6 months in advance online. For short journeys, the regional train day tickets can be cheaper.

Unlike standard tickets, any Sparpreis ticket is valid only on the train booked so you cannot use them on an earlier or later train. That restriction only applies to the long-distance trains of your journey. You can use different regional trains if your ticket includes both regional and long distance trains. If your train is delayed and you miss the follow-up train connection that restriction is lifted, however it is advisable to get a train conductor or some staff at the train station to confirm this on your ticket. If your expected arrival at the final destination is longer than 20 min, you are no longer bound by the restriction.

Other options

Deutsche Bahn also offers — usually without too much advance notice — some special offers on a semi-regular basis. Usually they are fixed-price tickets that can be used for pretty much any train (sometimes certain days of the week or hours of departure, e.g. Friday evening are excluded). Those tickets are often sold at supermarkets, other types of store or online. While they may be more expensive than the cheapest early bird tickets in some cases, they usually offer the benefit of being flexible until you board the train and fill them out.

L’TUR offers last-minute tickets for €25 (or €35 for an international trip) 1–7 days before departure.

If you need a network ticket for long-distance trains, get a European rail pass or a German Rail Pass.

Special tickets (regional and local trains)

On many shorter connections, local trains are not much slower than long-distance trains (IC, EC, ICE). Most of the special tickets for regional and local trains are automatically offered in addition to the standard fare if you use the DB journey planner and select the Only local transport možnost.

Almost all special offers for regional travel are available at all times and can be bought in advance or minutes before departure.

There are discounted tickets for trips with specific maximum lengths within a certain region (e.g. 150 km or less within Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia) either one way or round trip. There are also fixed prices for certain connections, e.g. Berlin-Hamburg in an InterRegio-Express.

Day tickets

Day tickets are valid for one day in all DB regional and local trains (S, RB, SE, RE and IRE), some private local trains and often include public transport (subway light rail and bus) in cities and allow for unlimited travel. They are often cheaper than single or return tickets. All day tickets can be purchased online and at ticket machines at railway stations. You cannot buy them from the conductor.

All of these tickets are group tickets, but can be used by a single traveller as well. There are few general rules to keep in mind:

  • The price of the ticket usually depends upon the number of travellers with a relatively high base price and a small supplement for every other member of the group up to five.
  • The ticket must bear the name of (at least) one member of the group. That person may be asked for ID. Sometimes all members of the group will have to be mentioned on the ticket.
  • Most Ländertickets are only valid for second class (although in some states they are also offered for first class for a higher price). The difference between first and second class on regional trains is small to non-existent, and some trains don't even have first class. On the other hand first class may be empty on an otherwise crowded train.

The most common day tickets are:

  • Quer-durchs-Land-Ticket (QdL). Valid for one day on all regional trains in Germany from 09:00 until 03:00 the following day. The ticket costs €44 for one person and €8 for every additional person (there is a maximum of five people in total).
  • Länder-Ticket. This ticket is valid within one federal state (Bundesland) or a collective of them (usually, a few short links across the border are included). Specific Länder-Tickets cover more than one state: a Länder-Ticket bought in either Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt or Thüringen are valid in all of those three states together, the same holds for Rhineland-Palatinate in Saarland, while a Länder ticket bought in Schleswig-Holstein is also valid in Hamburg in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, but not the other way round. The Länder-Ticket is valid between 09:00 till 03:00 the next day on working days, or between 00:00 till 03:00 the next day on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. Tickets are priced differently, but expect to cash out at least €20 for one person. A few states still have flat-rate tickets that cost the same for one or groups of up to five people.
  • Cross border day tickets. In some areas a ticket is available for travel within the state or a part of it plus an adjacent region across an international border. Their conditions are often similar to the Ländertickets.

Verkehrsverbund tickets

Vsak Verkehrsverbund has a single integrated tariff system. Any travel within a single Verkehrsverbund is "local" and usually quite cheap. However any travel med different Verkehrsverbünde requires either a special fare (within North Rhine-Westphalia) or the full DB fare and will usually be considerably more expensive. The DB website often does not quote a price for trips entirely within one Verkehrsverbund. If you know the name of the relevant Verkehrsverbund, just go to its website and buy the ticket there. Ticket machines at train stations are usually equipped to sell tickets within a Verkehrsverbund and general DB tickets. Failing that, there are usually machines specifically for Verkehrsverbund tickets. Verkehrsverbund tickets cost the same no matter when you book.

Ticket validity varies from one Verkehrsverbund to another: usually, there is either a zone system (the further you travel, the more you pay), a time system (the longer you travel, the more you pay), or most commonly a combination of these two. Unlimited transfers between trains, buses, etc. are usually allowed as long as your ticket remains valid. Discounts may be given for return trips or groups, and one-day tickets (Tageskarte) are usually cheaper and much less hassle than single tickets, although zone limits apply to them as well. At local ticket offices ('Reisezentrum') you can often pick up brochures explaining all the details, usually with helpful maps, and occasionally even in English.

You will usually have to validate a Verkehrsverbund ticket by time stamping it at machines on platforms. If there is a stamping machine on the platform, chances are tickets need to be stamped prior to boarding. Unstamped tickets are not valid tickets. If you are caught without a valid ticket you will be fined €60 (even if you are a foreigner or first time offender). Fare inspectors won't take "I didn't have any time to buy a ticket" as an excuse.

DB trains often cross between VBs with at best a cryptic "three letter acronym (that being the Verkehrsverbund) only till X" (in German) on the display at the platform and sometimes no warning at all, and your "local" ticket stops being valid the instant you cross the invisible line. On some trains there is an announcement upon leaving a Verkehrsverbund, but don't count on it.

Ticket add-ons

All Sparpreis in Flexpreis tickets for long-distance trains covering a distance of more than 100km include a City-Ticket. That means your train ticket doubles as a ticket for local transport. It can though only be used to get to the station from which your train departs and from the station at your destination. (Travel within the city zone only.) City-tickets are valid in 126 cities in Germany. If your ticket mentions City, this option is included.

If your ticket is not eligible for the automatic free City-Ticket add-on you can add a similar option called City mobil at an extra charge. This only includes public transport at your destination in one of the about 100 participating cities. Price varies by city, and single or day tickets are available. This usually doesn't present a monetary saving, but you are spared the hassle of finding a ticket vending machine or small coins for the bus driver.

German Rail Pass

Interrail Pass
Poglej tudi: European rail passes

A German Rail Pass allows unlimited travel throughout Germany in all trains on 3–10 days within a month. There is an interesting "twin" discount for two people travelling together. The pass is available only for residents outside Europe, Turkey and Russia; you can purchase it on the DB website or from travel agencies outside Germany.

Eurail offers a pass for 3–10 days of travel (which do not have to be consecutive) throughout Germany.

Youth and child discounts

Children younger than 6 travel for free and don't need a ticket (but you might want to reserve seats in a Familienabteil; family compartment), children aged 6 to 14 (inclusive) can travel for free when travelling with their own parent or grandparent if that person pays a Flexpreis or Special price ticket. The number of children has to be specified when purchasing the ticket. There is also a discount for people aged below fifteen travelling in the company of someone who is not their parent or grandparent, but it is usually only 50%. Some special offers are explicitly limited to students or "young people" with a cutoff point usually in the mid twenties.

Postaje

Berlin Hauptbahnhof, the capital's main train station
DB Lounge in Munich

Train stations run the gamut from barely a shelter by the trackside to multilevel temples of transit with ample shopping (usually at least partially open on Sundays and public holidays) that are often architecturally stunning as well. In German there is a distinction between "Bahnhof" (Bhf.) and "Haltepunkt" (Hp.) with the former usually being major stations and the latter basically just a point along regular tracks where a train stops. As a rule of thumb you won't find many amenities at Haltepunkte.

Almost all major German cities have a main train station called Hauptbahnhof (Hbf). These are often in the centre of town and have accommodations, restaurants, and attractions nearby. Some larger German cities, such as Berlin and Hamburg, have more than one main line station. In some cities (most notably Kassel) long-distance trains like ICEs might stop at another station than local trains. If the city has public transit such as S-Bahn, U-Bahn, tram, or even buses, Hauptbahnhof will often be the main hub or an important secondary hub for local transit service. From major train stations you can usually hail a cab or rent a bike from a station.

Track layouts usually follow a logical pattern starting at track (Gleis) 1 with adjacent numbers corresponding to physically adjacent tracks. However, there are exceptions to this, especially at larger stations. Individual numbers may be skipped. For example in Ulm there are tracks 1-6, 25, 27 and 28, and Dortmund has tracks 2-8, 10-11, 16, 18, 20-21, 23, 26 and 31. In some cases S-Bahn tracks have high numbers and are "on the wrong side" of track 1. (e.g. Tracks 20 and 21 for S-Bahn then track 1, 2, 3 and so on). One track number will usually only be assigned once per station, even if there are multiple levels. In a complex (or unfamiliar) station allow some time for connections, especially if it says "tief" on your ticket, which can indicate an underground level on stations such as the main stations in Frankfurt or Berlin. Small towns usually have a single platform station and normally only regional and local trains stop there.

Not all train stations have toilets, especially the smaller ones including Haltepunkte. If toilets exist you usually have to pay a fee, so use the free toilets on trains while you can.

If you need to use elevators, plan additional time for that since they are often quite slow, busy, or broken (and you have to search a different one).

Bigger train stations usually have lockers where you can store your luggage. However, only coins are accepted (change machines are provided at the entrance). Prices depend on the size of your luggage and location, and most are flat-rate within the operating day. Most of the lockers are locked with a key. As with other locker stations elsewhere, make sure you have everything you will need for the duration of when you plan to part with your bag; your session will end once you unlock the door and you will need to pay again for a new rental session to lock the door.

While most train stations were built on what was then cheap land outside the historic staro mestno jedro, subsequent development has meant that train stations are usually very close to at least one major centre of business, retail and city life and often centre. "Sugar beet stations" as found along French high speed rail lines are very rare and even suburban stations surrounded by park & ride lots will usually have some bus service to get you to where you want to go.

Most train stations were built in the 19th century and some show very visible signs of their age. Rural stations can seem rather overbuilt for their current function and as such may sometimes be a bit sad, but there is just no likelihood of the need for gigantic coal ware houses and water tanks or for hundreds of railway workers ever coming back.

At 15 major stations across Germany, first class passengers and members of Deutsche Bahn's bahn.bonus loyalty programme who have reached comfort level (similar to frequent flyer programmes) can access DB lounges. They have comfortable seating, WiFi, free drinks, newspapers and work spaces. You're not allowed to take the newspapers with you. Berlin, Köln, Frankfurt, Hamburg in München main stations have lounges with special areas reserved for first class passengers only, where passengers are also served light snacks.

Passenger rights

Despite being fast, modern and highly profitable, German railways are known among Germans for delays on main lines. Long-distance trains usually do not wait for one another in case of delays, whereas most local trains normally wait for up to 5 minutes. You should not rely on connecting times of less than 15 minutes. However, if you think you might miss your connection because the train you are on is delayed, talk to a conductor on board. They may be able to arrange for the connecting train to wait a little, or give you information on other connections you can take to reach your destination.

If you miss your connection due to a delayed train, you may use another, under certain circumstances even better (e.g. ICE instead of IC) train. However, you have to speak to a member of staff before you do this.

EU Passenger Rights entitle you to a refund of 25% of the single ticket price if your train arrives at your destination an hour late, or 50% if arriving two or more hours late. However, for special day tickets for regional and local trains (for example Quer-durchs-Land-Ticket, Länder-Ticket), you only get a refund of €1.50 for delays of an hour or more. Refunds are only given if the refund value is more than €4, but you can claim a refund for multiple tickets at the same time. You can choose whether you want the refund in cash or as a voucher. It is best to get the delay confirmed by a conductor, so do so while still on the train, as they can also advise you on connections. To receive a refund you need to fill out a form (available in German and English here) and send the form and the ticket (mobile tickets need to be printed out) by mail or give it to the staff at any Reisezentrum. Your claim must be filled within one year after the delayed connection. There is no need to get the delay confirmed by the conductor, though confirmed delays may be paid out instantly at the Reisezentrum as opposed to approximately 1-2 weeks processing time otherwise.

If you miss the last train of the day due to a delay or a cancelled train and cannot continue your trip to your destination as a result, DB will either arrange an alternative way to complete the journey (like a taxi), or will arrange free overnight accommodation. However, the first step is always to contact DB (for example by speaking to the conductor on the delayed train, or personnel at the train station). Only if you cannot contact DB can you arrange for alternative transport or accommodation yourself. In such cases, a maximum of €80 is refunded. In some cases, you can also get transportation back to your initial point of departure, if the delay makes your journey otherwise pointless.

Passenger rights are laid out by European legislation and even apply in many cases of "acts of god" (e.g. bad weather, or suicides). If there is a dispute, SÖP can arbitrate between you and the railway company to find a mutually satisfactory solution (usually a reimbursement).

Accessible travel

DB has an overview of information on accessible travel(in German). Information about accessible travel is available daily from 06:00-22:00 on ☏0180 6512512 (in country only). Calls cost €0.20 per call from a German landline, and a maximum of €1 per call from a mobile phone. You can book assistance with boarding or changing trains up to 20:00 on the day before your trip by calling the same phone number.

DB's journey planner lists which platforms are wheelchair accessible. (In the detailed view: click on show details, then station information.) Information for individual train stations is on this webpage (in German). Newer train station platforms often provide level access to trains. However, some trains (especially older ones) still have stairs.

DB is required to make an effort to make newly-built stations and newly-purchased rolling stock accessible. Existing stations are modernised and upgraded with elevators and the like whenever possible. Unfortunately, there is an exemption for small stations that don't have elevators. Local or state government sometimes pays for such modernisation. One big issue keeping full accessibility and level boarding from happening are the different platform heights. Unlike most of Europe, two platform heights have historically been common in Germany and both are still used, even with new platforms.

Bicycles

Average-sized bicycle compartment on a regional train. Wheelchairs and strollers have priority.

DB's journey planner has an option (in "advanced") to toggle on "search for connections which can carry bikes".

On IC and EC trains bikes cost €9 extra for a day (€6 if you have a BahnCard) and you must reserve a space in advance. On international routes the cost is €10 for one journey. Long-distance trains have a special section with bike holders. Follow the bike symbols near the carriage door. Bikes are not allowed on the majority of high-speed trains (ICE, Thalys, TGV). The new fourth generation ICE, introduced in December 2017, has some bike spaces.

On regional and local trains you do not need a reservation and you can usually put your bike in the open area near doors. In some Verkehrsverbünde, if you have a valid ticket for yourself you can bring your bike for free at off-peak hours. For short journeys outside the Verkehrsverbund you have to buy a bike supplement ticket for €5, valid on all regional and local trains for one day. If there is no space for bicycles on the train, staff might refuse to let you on, even if you have a valid ticket. At peak times, you might have to wait for the next train. Remove any bags attached to your bicycle to reduce the space it takes up (to allow other travellers to bring their bicycle aboard too). Secure your bike so that it does not fall over, or stay close to it and hold on it. If there are folding seats at the designated bike space and people are sitting there, politely ask them to make space, which is what they are supposed to do.

DB also has a luggage service which can send your bags to any address in Germany, including islands, cruise ships and major airports. Bags can also be delivered to Austria, Switzerland and Italy. Allow at least two working days for delivery. The service also transports bikes on most routes, which may be less hassle than taking it on the train. The service itself is provided by Hermes, a German parcel delivery company.

Ostani varen

An emergency brake (Notbremse).

Train travel in Germany is very safe for train passengers. Most fatalities and serious injuries involving trains in Germany are the results of accidents at level crossings or people being on the tracks. In 2015, only around 2% of fatalities relating to train accidents were actually train passengers. There are however some security concerns:

Kot luggage isn't checked in you should always have a watchful eye on it as luggage theft in pickpocketing occur on trains from time to time. If you notice that your bag isn't where you put it, notify a conductor as they may be able to find it if it has just been put elsewhere by someone storing his/her own luggage.

The window on a German ICE. Note the red dot at the top left of the picture

There are usually emergency brakes in every car of the train and they are clearly marked in (at least) German and English as such. While pulling them without justification incurs a heavy fine (often more than €1000 for first time offenders), you are not charged if you can plausibly explain why you thought the train was in danger. Most conductors have the same right as you to pull the emergency brake and there is thus nothing gained (but maybe valuable time lost) if you ask a conductor before pulling the brake.

If for some reason the door doesn't open there is usually some mechanism to open it manually. If you can, ask a conductor before doing so, or let him/her do it for you, as sometimes these systems have to be disabled manually before the train can drive on, thus causing delays when done incorrectly.

In the unlikely event of an accident the doors may be impassable or not within reach. You can create other escape routes by breaking the windows. This is usually done by hitting the small red dot on top of the window with the red hammer. You can then safely remove the broken window. Make sure that the drop is not too deep before you exit the train.

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Medkrajevni avtobusi v Nemčiji — frequently a competitor worth checking out

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