GERMANY TRAIN TRAVEL GUIDE FOR FIRST TIMERS | How to Take Trains in Germany (Step by Step!)

New to taking trains in Germany? Not sure how to get the best deal on German train tickets or how to navigate the stress of German train stations? This comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to know so that you can conquer the German train system with confidence!
Be sure to read the written version of this guide for MANY more details & tips: happytowander.com/how-to-take...
00:00 INTRODUCTION
00:53 A BRIEF INTRO TO THE GERMAN RAIL SYSTEM
2:10 TYPES OF TRAINS IN GERMANY
4:41 STEP BY STEP HOW TO TAKE TRAINS IN GERMANY (INTRO)
4:46 1) DECIDE IF TRAINS ARE THE RIGHT CHOICE
5:31 2) BUY TRAIN TICKETS
7:44 WAYS TO SAVE MONEY ON GERMAN TRAINS
12:58 3) BUY SNACKS BEFORE YOUR TRIP
13:39 4) ARRIVE AT THE STATION
14:57 5) GET TO THE PLATFORM
15:36 6) FIND THE RIGHT CARRIAGE
15:57 7) FIND YOUR SEAT
17:48 8) GET COMFY & ENJOY THE JOURNEY
18:23 9) DISEMBARK
HELPFUL LINKS
➡️ (Best Price) Official Deutsche Bahn Booking Site: {Affiliate Link} int.bahn.de/en/buchung/start?...
➡️ Best Price Finder: {Affiliate Link} www.awin1.com/awclick.php?gid...
➡️ Super Sparpreis Tickets: {Affiliate Link} www.awin1.com/awclick.php?gid...
➡️ Deutschland-Ticket: int.bahn.de/en/offers/regiona...
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CHRISTINA'S TRAVEL GEAR
Note - many of the links below are affiliate links which means I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info on what this means, check out my website privacy policy and disclosure: happytowander.com/privacy/
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I hope you enjoy this guide on how to take trains in Germany! I cover lots of topics from how to get the best deals on German train tickets, how seat reservations work on German trains, how to find the right platform and train carriage, amenities and perks of German trains, 1st vs 2nd class on German trains, the difference between different types of German trains (including German ICE trains, IC Intercity Trains, EuroCity trains and more) along with German regional trains and German local trains like S-Bahn and U-Bahn.

[@HappytoWander]

Hi everyone, I hope you enjoy this week’s guide to German train travel! Believe it or not, there are MANY additional considerations and tips I left out of the video for time sake, so be sure to read the written version for the full scoop: happytowander.com/how-to-take-trains-in-germany/ PS: The titles for steps 6 & 7 went missing for some reason - oops! I've included them in the time stamps though for your reference.

[@jpaz390]

Thank you for the video! We are planning a trip to Oktoberfest and are hoping you can help with two questions. If we fly into Frankfurt, can we take a train to Augsburg from the Frankfurt airport? Also, for travel between Augsburg/Munich, should we purchase advance tickets or is it ok to buy group tickets when we arrive at the hbf? Thank you!

[@EILEENZ0122]

Detailed and clear expression🙏 Thx for ur devotion😘 I tried the app mentioned by comments section, amazingly it is 💥super save🤩

[@akhil6095]

I think this is one of the most comprehensive guide that I came across.... Awesome!

[@robertcummings7890]

Fantastic information, great video. We love traveling by rail, your tips are a blessing.😊

[@lisarmurphy]

Thank you, we're going to Germany in 3 weeks. These instructions will be a big help!!

[@HappytoWander]

Thanks for watching and commenting! Hope you have an amazing trip!

[@shychameleon]

Thank you so much for explaining the railway system😉🇺🇸

[@HappytoWander]

You’re very welcome!!! Thanks so much for watching and commenting so quickly haha

[@puddinheads1984]

Love your channel, using trains for Christmas markets this December, great tips, fellow b.c.er

[@HappytoWander]

Yay, hi fellow BCer! Hope this video helps make your trip as smooth as possible. Safe travels!

[@basrinak6372]

Super helpful- thanks!

[@durshi]

We used your amazing tips on a recent trip to Germany and I wanted to say thank you so much for making your channel and blog. It really made our planning so much easier and we had such a good trip.

[@HappytoWander]

This comment makes me so happy!!! Thank you so much for watching and I’m really happy to hear you had a great trip :)

[@EILEENZ0122]

Yessss! That is very elaborate👍 A tip is that some platforms have discount for Eu rails😂

[@OneRedFeatherStudios.]

Another wonderful video Christina. Full of pertinent and reliable information, and done in a friendly and open manner. Loved it. (Also....I see what you did with slowing down your cadence when narrating. It was never a concern of mine, but i know some of your viewers who wished it was slower, will be overjoyed at your effort. Such a class act.)

[@HappytoWander]

Thanks as usual for your kind comments :) I’m definitely hoping the change in pace will make my videos more inclusive. It can be a lot of info to take in!

[@OneRedFeatherStudios.]

@@HappytoWander - I hope so as well. You have a lot of amazing content here, and I wish more people will keep discovering it.

[@estefvazquez]

I will travel for the first time to Germany in a few days, and this video is amazing. Thank you!

[@HappytoWander]

So happy you found it helpful! Safe travels :)

[@Judy-zs4gz]

Metoo, i plan to have a rail trip too, because last time, my friends told me a way to get bigger discounts for rail trips

[@mccoy79productions66]

Great sharing!

[@MrRiley1210]

Very well-done and presented!

[@Wanyeee]

I’ve been getting cheap tickets on an app. Want a share?

[@user-kx4mb5pq9b]

Wow, so much useful information! Thank you!

[@Wanyeee]

I’ve been getting cheap tickets on an app. Want a share?

[@emilybeames3824]

You are a superstar! Your channel has been my favourite thing in the planning phase of my trip!! Any recommendations for things to do around Christmas time in Stuggart & Munich?

[@HappytoWander]

You are so sweet!!! Yes, I actually do. I used to live in Munich so here's my full guide to the Christmas markets there: - Video version: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gn-6ma1pd52hmMU - Written version: happytowander.com/munich-christmas-markets-guide/ And here's a guide I wrote for Stuttgart: happytowander.com/stuttgart-christmas-market-guide/ Hope those help! Safe travels :)

[@SusanaOSantos]

Thank you so much I'm traveling to german in 2 weeks and trying to understand how to get from one city to another. It helped a lot

[@Judy-zs4gz]

i plan to have a rail trip too, because last time, my friends told me a way to get bigger discounts for rail trips

[@Benson.BereTV]

Omggggg! You are a life saver. Just subscribe to your channel

[@josephpatrick3331]

It is very❤️useful... Thank you

[@Dulamanie-ed2te]

Thank you for sharing. Your vedios are very informative 👌. Can you please recommend one (or two) tour companies in Germany? ❤

[@LiljaStorm]

About that 49 Euro Ticket. It also includes local bus services and the use of subways and trams. Just one Ticket for everything.

[@yedabocaletto95]

Thanks!!

[@LyngJohn205]

Thanks for the advice on DB. I am a retired Canadian living in Strasbourg, so I often take DB. Oh, and you are absolutely correct about the Canadian train system: there are NO high-speed trains in Canada.

[@pauld7106]

great job

[@HappytoWander]

Thank you!

[@Frahamen]

I recently did a trip through Germany by train and the tip I would give people is get both a Interrail pass for the long distance trips (make sure to calculate how many days you'll be using ICE to get the best deal) and subscribe for a Deutschlandticket which gives you free range on all local and regional transit for just €49, just make sure you unsubscribe because it is a membership rather than a one month ticket. Note that reserving a seat with Interrail/Eurail isn't really convenient, but in my (short) experience I didn't had any issues even though I didn't reserve. Although I was alone and sometimes I had to search for a single spot, so if you're with a family or a large group, I would recommend it either way.

[@samanatharobinson]

This might be a dumb question but, it works in all regions? im doing a month long trip in germany next year…so lets say i buy this subscription, it would work while im in Munich, and in Berlin? (to make day trips to & from those cities which are in different regions)

[@samanatharobinson]

i guess what im asking is if it works throughout the country for inter region & local travel or just for a selected designated region

[@EILEENZ0122]

Oh really? I have already bought tickets on trainpal which gives me a discount😮

[@cartoons981]

your detailed explaination of travel sounds like a complex skill not many have . if someone wanna walk into unknown its more exciting and surprising . in eu travel seems costly experience . so most just travel digitally these days thru youtube without moving physically😁

[@EILEENZ0122]

Exactly😢 I love and hate Europe. I was fascinated by the stunning scenery and rich history, but I was overwhelmed by the high cost. I think trainpal's discount coupon saved me.

[@VoloxTV]

Just stumbled across your channel and good, helpful content aside, I just wanted to say that the production quality of your videos is really nice. Good footage, nice editing, great lighting in the narration section, overall just great audio-visual presentation.

[@HappytoWander]

Wow that’s so kind of you to say!!! Thank you so much for watching :)

[@iggymach]

Can you make a video explaining how to go seat-hunting in a long distance train like IC or ICE if you haven't reserved a seat with your ticket? I heard there is an LCD on the seats that indicate which journey has that seat booked for. Cheers

[@MrCyclist]

Very helpful. You did not talk about baby carriages and bicycles on board storage. I plan to travel by train and bicycle this summer.

[@ThisCrystal]

Hi there! Enjoying your videos as I plan for my upcoming trip! Wondering which app I should use to book the train. You mentioned Omio and Deutsche Bahn in a video, and someone else recommended Trainline. All had more negative reviews than good. I wasn’t sure how to parse out user error and frustration from actual app issues. I kind of lost confidence in the one I set out to use. Any advice? TIA! 😊

[@HappytoWander]

Hi! Is this just for trains within Germany? If so, book direct with Deutsche Bahn for sure. Generally, I would say booking direct with the train operator (e.g Deutsche Bahn) is the best way to go when you know you’ll be taking the train for sure, and the booking interface of that company is simple (like with DB). The main benefit of Omio is it can search buses, trains AND flights at once, so if you are flexible re: type of transport or intend to use a mix, then searching and booking with Omio is great because it keeps all those tickets in one place. It can also be good if you’re booking lots of tickets from various operators (e.g Deutsche Bahn but also companies in other countries) because again, all the tickets can be held in one app. The other benefit of 3rd parties is they provide a simple and familiar experience which is nice when direct sites aren’t easy to use (I’ve had issues booking direct in Spain for instance). I exclusively use Trainline in the UK because it compares all the many train operators at once and has lots of helpful features I like. I’ve used both Omio and Trainline loads and never had issues. They do take a small service fee but I think it’s worth it for the convenience. In any case, Omio can be a really helpful search/comparison tool. You can always use it to search then book with the operators directly to save the service fee! Sorry for rambling but I hope that helps!

[@ThisCrystal]

@@HappytoWander Thank you so much for all the info! We’re only needing train tickets this time around, but will be booking in a few countries. Sounds like Omio is a good starting point to check rates at the very least. I appreciate your thoughtful response and have been really enjoying your content. I’m so glad I found your channel! Thanks again! Cheers!

[@EILEENZ0122]

Recommend trainpal 🎉 it really saves a lot!!!!

[@ronnco6707]

hello! this has been very helpful for first timers. thank you for the effort you've put in to make this video. Just a quick question. I need to get to Geneva from Munich. It has a transfer in Zurich Hbf but the transfer time is only 5 minutes. Will this work? In case I don't make it on time for the transfer, can I wait for the next train? Or will I have to buy another ticket for that? Thank you!

[@madjockmacsporran]

Great video, thanks for making this. I wonder if you could answer a couple of questions I have? I intend to travel from Amsterdam, Netherlands to Friedrichshafen, Germany this November. Can you recommend which booking service I should use for an international journey such as this? Secondly, I will have a large piece of luggage with me - what happens if your luggage won't fit in the standard luggage racks?

[@jessied4210]

I would say trainpal! I used it for European trips and got cheap prices✌

[@jessied4210]

Tip n+1: I just found out that buying train cards saves more!! There will be coupons available to drop😉

[@Judy-zs4gz]

i plan to have a rail trip too, because last time, my friends told me a way to get bigger discounts for rail trips

[@jclee1404]

Hi would you mind sharing the best train to travel from frankfurt to madrid?

[@missabelpoesia6679]

Hi. Can the tickets on the app be bought with a debit card? Thanks for the information.

[@mazlinaazraf3174]

what's the best train to choose from frankfurt airport to mannheim city

[@stephenhampson1577]

Im staying in Munich with a day trip to Nuremberg. Trip to and from airport. Which os the best option? Bavaria travel seems best.

[@withadraco]

so, if we are taking trains on deustche bahn ICE, are we allowed to take two small piece of luggage as well as a backpack?

[@TheEmjay19]

Do you also have this kind of guide for buses?

[@iggymach]

0:40 is that landscape in Rüdesheim am Rhein?

[@ceciliamoreno1283]

If i purchase the eurail pass, do i purchase all my tickets on eurail or individual country train apps? And does eurail include ICE germany trains?

[@amyrogers3413]

Thanks for your video. I'm planning a trip to Dusseldorf, Germany in July. We are renting a car to drive to the Taylor Swift concert. I'll return the car at airport and we will be traveling by train to Bacharach. How will we get from car rental (Avis) to train station at airport? I'm also having a hard time getting train tickets for an overnight trip to Bruges from Dusseldorf. Can you help me?

[@nikkij55]

Is the signage in English in the major transit systems?

[@cantona222]

I bought the cheapest version of an ICE train from Frankfurt airport to Dusseldorf (ICE 820). The ticket says: "You can use all trains that are listed on your ticket. There is no train restriction for local trains (e.g. RE, RB, S)" What does that mean? If I missed my train, which next train can I take?

[@user-in1by8dg4q]

All your information is so helpful and organized. However, we are trying to find someone who can give a tutorial on how to make a seat reservation without buying a ticket, using the DB kiosks. Unfortunately our cell phones from the USA may be limited in Germany, especially with data, so reserving on the app can be problematic. We have both tried, and both failed. I have tried on the website as well, but my credit card company blocked my card usage from an international vendor. They reported my credit card as compromised, rendering my card useless. I now have to go to the bank in person to obtain a new credit card. We shall have Eurail Passes and only need the reservations for the IC, ICE and EC trains, just in case. Can you please show us step-by-step which buttons to press in order to reserve the seats without having to purchase the ticket as well? You can do it in German or English, as I speak/read both.

[@jessied4210]

Trainpal does it all. No need to worry about ticket validities and random coupon drops. Hope this helps:))

[@Jan-ci6tb]

I had not one single delay in Canada lmao

[@BeebeeBooboo161]

Am I the only German who just hadn’t travelled by train alone here 😭

[@EastUpperGooner]

Well I just watched the whole thing and I'm still confused. I think I'll just buy tickets and pray 😂

[@jessied4210]

Join me to buy trainpal ticket cards! Works and saves lol

[@Jan-ci6tb]

I Dont think its worse in Canada 🤣

[@Brusssss]

Exactly 💯

[@kessas.489]

Please make a video about woman safety in Europe...

[@Wanyeee]

I’ve been getting awesome deals on tickets through an app lately due to a special offer. Let me know if you want me to share it with you!

[@Familymultikulti]

Sprichst du noch Deutsch?

[@RinatRocks]

Chinese woman from Canada explaining the German train system in English! It cant get more cosmopolitan than that....

[@br7819]

Deutsche Bahn is crazy. My experiences have never been good. The U Bahn and Trams are great. And, no, you are wrong @14:18. That’s not where you find the information about the platform (Gleis).

[@masoodahmady8043]

I honestly did not understand the way you explained everything..

[@Brusssss]

Thumbs down for using Canada as a bad example 👎👎👎

[@Brusssss]

Bad in Canada? Come on, I m a Canadian and live in Vancouver. Our train system is excellent. Please don't feed others with wrong information just to get viral.

[@annsspace2600]

Travelled across Canada last year from Vancouver to Halifax with multiple stops. What an awesome trip and highly recommend. Very useful video for this years trip to Europe thanks 19:33

[@natik2136]

You don't go viral with information everyone already knows about. I lived in Vancouver too and compared to the German city I grew up in the train system in Vancouver is in its absolute infancy, but it's better than other Canadian cities, which isn't saying much. Sorry.

[@Judy-zs4gz]

This video helps me a lot!! Last time, my friends told me a way to get bigger discounts for rail trips.