German train tickets - ticket types & discounts
Rail Europe is directly connected to the German national rail operator, Deutsche Bahn (DB), so we offer a range of cheap tickets and special offers for trains in Germany.
Most German trains open for booking 180 days in advance and this is when you'll find the cheapest tickets. We always recommend booking as far in advance as possible to get the cheapest German train tickets. For more details on booking horizons, please see How far in advance can I book?
IN THIS ARTICLE
Train ticket types and discounts in Germany
Fare conditions vary, with cheap train tickets in Germany typically offering the least flexibility while more expensive tickets are usually a bit more flexible. You should always check the fare conditions associated with your tickets before buying, and if necessary read more general information about Ticket Types: Fares & Flexibility.
| Fare type | Details | Price/Discount |
| Super Sparpreis (Super Saver) | The lowest cost Deutsche Bahn tickets for journeys within Germany. These are bound to a specific train and are non-exchangeable and non-refundable. Book from 180 to one day in advance. | The entry-level price is EUR €19.90 (Standard) and €29.90 (First class). |
| Sparpreis (Saver) | Cheap Deutsche Bahn tickets for journeys within Germany. Saver tickets are available for most domestic trains in Germany including high-speed ICE. Book from 180 to one day in advance. These fares permit a refund in the form of a cancellation voucher (“Stornogutschein”) that can be redeemed on Deutsche Bahn's website. The voucher is valid for 3 years. | Up to 60% off full price fares. Standard Class from €23.90, First Class from €35.90 depending on distance. |
| Sparpreis Aktion (Saver) | Cheap Deutsche Bahn tickets for journeys within Germany. Aktion Saver tickets are promotional tickets occasionally available on domestic trains in Germany including high-speed. | Standard Class from €19.90, First Class from €29.90 depending on distance. |
| Sparpreis Europa London (London Saver) | Cheap train ticket from London to Berlin or another Germany city, including cross-border routes between the UK and Germany via Brussels using Eurostar and ICE services. Book at the latest three days before the date of travel. Available on specified services only. Book from 180 to three days in advance. First Class tickets include Standard Premier seats on the Eurostar. | Discount varies per route. From €59 in Standard Class or €109 in First Class. |
| Sparpreis Europa (Europe Saver) | Special offer for cross-border journeys between Germany and Belgium, the Netherlands, France and many more (see full list below). Book from 180 to one day in advance. | Price reduction varies per route. Standard Class from €39, FIrst class from €69. |
| Flexpreis (Standard Fare) | Full price Deutsche Bahn ticket, offering maximum ticket flexibility. | Full price tickets |
| Flexpreis Plus |
Valid on all Deutsche Bahn trains. With your ticket you can start your journey one day before and up to two days after the specified date of travel. In many cities it is valid for local public transport, both on the outward and return journeys. Departure and destination points must be within the tarif zone permitted by the City-Ticket. The ticket includes a free seat reservation. Free cancellation (exchange or refund) until the end of his validity, thereafter 19€ penalty. |
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| QUER-DURCHS-LAND-TICKET | The ticket with this fare allows you to make any number of journeys in one day on regional transport throughout Germany. Time restriction if any, shows up on the booked ticket. | |
| REGIO-TICKET FRANKEN-THÜRINGEN | Valid for any number of journeys on the selected date within the specified hours on the specified routes / trains. | In 2nd class on our local trains from DB Regio (RE, RB) within the area of validity on the routes:
- Lichtenfels - Saalfeld (Saale) - Würzburg - Schweinfurt - Bamberg - Saalfeld (Saale) - Jena Saalbahnhof
- On the route Schweinfurt Stadt - Schweinfurt Hbf of the Erfurter Bahn |
Cheap train tickets to Germany - Sparpreis/Saver fares
Previously known as Spezial fares, Saver tickets (Sparpreis in German) are available from major European cities on high-speed, long-distance trains to and from Germany.
Prices start at €19 in Standard Class, for one-way tickets purchased in advance. We don't maintain a full list of origin stations from which it's possible to buy Saver fares to Germany, but the table below outlines the most common routes.
| Fare name/country | Details | Price |
| Sparpreis & Super Sparpreis Europa Austria | Cheap train tickets from Austria to Germany. Saver tickets are available on cross-border ICE or IC/EC services operated by Deutsche Bahn between Germany/Austria. Available from 180 days in advance. | From €39 in Standard Class or €69 in First Class. Journeys less than 250km from €19. |
| Sparpreis & Super Sparpreis Europa Belgium | Discount tickets available on cross-border trains between Germany and Belgium. Valid on ICE or IC/EC trains operated by Deutsche Bahn. Available from 180 days in advance. | As above |
| Sparpreis & Super Sparpreis Europa Croatia | Cheap tickets on cross-border trains between Germany and Croatia, via Austria and Slovenia. These tickets are currently unavailable to print at home, so can't be booked on Rail Europe. Visit bahn.com to buy postal tickets online. | As above |
| Sparpreis & Super Sparpreis Europa Czech Republic | Services start/end in Prague but are valid to or from virtually any city in Germany. Includes cross-border IC/EC trains or IC Bus. Available from 180 days in advance. | As above |
| Sparpreis Europa Denmark | Cheap tickets from Hamburg (and other German cities) to Copenhagen by train. Valid on cross-border routes between Germany and Denmark (primarily Copenhagen) that include ICE or IC/EC trains. | As above |
| Sparpreis& Super Sparpreis Europa France | Valid on journeys to/from France that include cross-border ICE or TGV services e.g. Munich-Paris and Frankfurt-Paris, and Frankfurt-Marseilles. Available from 180 days in advance. | As above |
| Sparpreis & Super Sparpreis Europa Netherlands | Discount tickets available on journeys to/from Amsterdam and other Dutch cities that include ICE or IC/EC cross-border services. Available from 180 days in advance. | As above |
| Sparpreis & Super Sparpreis Europa Hungary | Available on cross-border routes between Germany and Hungary (primarily Budapest). These tickets are currently unavailable to print at home, so cannot be booked on Rail Europe. Visit bahn.com to buy postal tickets online. | As above |
| Sparpreis & Super Sparpreis Europa Italy | Valid on cross-border trains between Germany and Italy, via Austria aboard ÖBB-DB EuroCity (via Kufstein and the Brenner Pass) to all stations on the route. Also available via Switzerland to all stations served by international trains to/from Milan. Available from 180 days in advance. Only DB or ÖBB EuroCity trains can be used to cross the Austrian-Italian border. | As above |
| Sparpreis & Super Sparpreis Europa Luxembourg | Cheap fares that are valid on cross-border trains between Germany and Luxembourg, including ICE or IC/EC trains. Available from 180 days in advance. | As above |
| Sparpreis Europa Poland | Available on cross-border routes between Germany and Poland. These tickets are currently unavailable to print at home. Visit bahn.com to buy postal tickets online. | As above |
| Sparpreis & Super Sparpreis Europa Slovakia | Cheap fares on international trains between Germany and cities in Slovakia (primarily Bratislava), including ICE or IC/EC cross-border trains. Available from 180 days in advance. | As above |
| Sparpreis & Super Sparpreis Europa Slovenia | Valid on international trains between Germany and cities in Slovenia (primarily Ljubljana), including ICE or IC/EC cross-border trains. Available from 180 days in advance. | As above |
| Sparpreis Europa Sweden | Cheap tickets from Hamburg (and other German cities) to Malmo by train. Valid on cross-border routes between Germany and Sweden that include ICE or IC/EC trains. Valid in Sweden aboard trains operated by SJ or Öresundtåg. Available from 180 days in advance. | As above |
| Sparpreis & Super Sparpreis Europa Switzerland | Saver tickets available for international trains to/from Swiss cities and Germany. Offer available to Basel, Bern, Interlaken, Zurich and Chur. Available from 180 days in advance. | As above |
Special offers on German trains
In addition to the everyday German train tickets explained above, Deutsche Bahn offers some special offers to obtain further discount.
| Special Offer | Details | Price/Discount |
| City Ticket | The "City Ticket" is automatically included with Flexpreis and Sparpreis fares for journeys of more than 100km. It offers free travel on public transport (bus, S-Bahn, subway and tram) to/from the departure or arrival station on the day of travel (126 cities participating). The Super Sparpreis does not include a city ticket. | Free travel to/from the station. Look for "+ City" on your ticket. |
| Small Group Saver | A solo traveller can obtain a Saver ticket (see above). Small groups travelling together can get a further discount: two people can travel together from €49.00 in Standard Class and up to three additional people may join the group by paying a €20.00 supplement each. | Discount applied automatically to eligible groups. Up to 60% off full price fares. |
| Children under 6 | Children younger than six years old travel for free and are not required to have a ticket. | Free for eligible searches, will be applied automatically. |
| Children under 15 | Up to four children travel for free with a person aged 15+ who is not required to be directly related to them. They can travel for free with other persons aged 15 and older if they are registered on the ticket (“Kind in Begleitung”/accompanied child). Children will be able to accompany their older siblings at no additional cost. |
Will be applied automatically to eligible searches. |
Railcard discounts in Germany
| Railcards | Details | Price/Discount |
| BahnCard 25 | Suitable for occasional travellers and families. 25% discount on flexible fares and all saver fares within Germany. | The BahnCard 25 costs €62.00 for Standard Class and €125.00 for First Class, valid for one year. Buy online in advance and apply via Railcard menu on Rail Europe. |
| BahnCard 50 | Suitable for frequent travellers. 50% discount on flexible fares and 25% on long-distance saver fares within Germany. | The BahnCard 50 costs €255.00 for Standard and €515.00 in First, valid for 1 year. Buy online in advance and apply via Railcard menu on Rail Europe. Half-price for children, students under 27 and senior citizens over 60. |
- All tickets and special offers are subject to availability.
- Please refer to the fare conditions for applicable terms.
- Tickets are available in Euros or converted in GBP
- We aim to keep this information up to date, but it should be referred to as a guide only. Please let us know if you think something needs updating.
