Germany By Train Or Bus

Basic Discounts. Deutsche Bahn, the national German rail company, offers some terrific discounts to travelers. Groups of at least six can save up to 70% by reserving in advance, and children under 14 ride free with a guardian. Buyers who purchase tickets at least three days in advance are eligible for the Sparpreis25 or Sparpreis50 discounts: Sparpreis25 offers a 25% discount, while Sparpreis50 affords a 50% discount on trips that leave and return on a weekend.

Deutsche Bahn Pass. Designed for tourists, this pass allows unlimited travel for four to 10 days within one month. Non-Europeans can purchase Deutsche Bahn passes in their home countries and—with a passport—in major German train stations. A second-class railpass costs €160 for four days of unlimited travel and €20 per extra day. The German Rail Youth Pass, for tourists under 26, costs €130 for four days and €10 per extra day. The second-class Twin Pass, for two adults traveling together, is €240 for four days and €30 per extra day.

Bahncard. A great option for those making frequent and extensive use of German trains for more than one month, the Bahncard25 is valid for one year and entitles you to a 25% discount on all trains (even on already-discounted tickets). Passes are available at major train stations and require a passport-sized photo and mailing address in Germany. A second-class card costs €55. A newer Bahncard50, offering 50% discounts on tickets, now costs €220 (€110 for students up to 26 years old and seniors over 60). Bahncard holders can upgrade to Railplus and earn 25% rail discounts across Europe for an additional €15.

Regional Tickets. Deutsche Bahn offers two regional tickets: Happy Weekend Tickets enable up to five adults to travel together on local trains on any single Saturday or Sunday for €30, and Länder-Tickets grant up to five adults unlimited travel on a single day within any one of Germany’s provinces (€22-29).

Prague Excursion Pass. A useful purchase for holders of Eurail and German Rail passes—neither of which are valid in the Czech Republic—the Prague Excursion Pass covers round-trip travel from any Czech border to Prague and back out of the country within a period of seven days (2nd-class US$75, under 26 US$60). Available from RailEurope and from travel agencies.

Rail-And-Drive Passes. RailEurope offers rail-and-drive passes, which combine two days of car rental with two days of rail travel. Prices range from US$155-320 per person, depending on the type of pass, type of car, number of people traveling, and ticket vendor, so shop around. Additional second-class rail days cost US$51, while extra car rental days run US$49-95.

Bus Travel

The few parts of Germany that are inaccessible by train can often be reached by bus, which can be slightly more expensive than trains for comparable distances. Service between cities and outlying areas runs from the local main bus station, the Zentralomnibusbahnhof (ZOB), usually near the main train station.

Although Eurolines (see Getting to Germany: By Bus) mostly offers travel between countries, its German routes include Berlin-Hanover and Frankfurt-Munich, as well as routes covering the Romantic Road, Castle Road, and theBlack Forest, all through Deutsche Touring GmbH (www.deutsche-touring.de).