Savings on Deutsche Bahn Trains
Cheap Tickets and Low Prices with the BahnCard on German Railways
The BahnCard allows for huge savings, cheaper tickets, and low fares on Deutsche Bahn (German Railways) train travel, including ICE and EuroCity, in Germany and Europe.
Germany has an extensive and reliable railway network but full-price tickets can be surprisingly expensive. However, for leisure travelers able to restrict travel to specific trains and willing to plough through the tariff details, huge savings are available on rail travel in Germany.
The easiest way to save on Deutsche Bahn (German Railways, commonly abbreviated to DB) trains is by using a BahnCard (Railway Card). It is available in both first and second class and comes in three versions: BahnCard 25, BahnCard 50, and BahnCard 100.
- The BahnCard basically allows for a percentage saving in accordance with the number in the card name on one-way or return journeys.
The BahnCard must be bought in advance of travel and is valid for a year. It is the size of a credit card and not transferable – both full name and a photo appear on the card. The BahnCard is best bought at any major station – a temporary card is issued immediately.
Save 25% and More on Train Fares in Germany with BahnCard 25
The BahnCard 25 is the most popular and generally most useful for travelers. It gives 25% discount on normal train fares (Normalpreise) but also on special savings fares (Sparpreise). The combined savings can be 62% off the normal train ticket price.
- The BahnCard 25 cost €55 for second class and €110 for first class travel. The card pays for itself on a single north to south Germany trip.
Further special deals are available for those who qualify:
- Youths between 7 and 20 years can buy the Jugend BahnCard 25. It costs €10 and remains valid until the bearer reach 20 years.
- Spouses and partners – one pays the full price but the spouse (proof of the same address required) pays only €6 for a full BahnCard 25, which can be used separately from the partner’s card or travels.
- Families – if one parent buys a BahnCard 25, children can obtain the Jugend BahnCard 25 for €6.
Children under 6 always travel for free on Deutsche Bahn trains and those under 14 usually free when traveling with parents or grandparents. The child’s name must be entered on the ticket of the adult at time of purchase.
Save 50% on Train Tickets in Germany with BahnCard 50
The BahnCard 50 gives 50% discounts on normal prices but in contrast to the BahnCard 25 cannot be combined with other savings.
- The BahnCard 50 cost €220 for second class and €440 for first class travel.
The following persons may buy the BahnCard 50 for half price:
- Spouses or partners with the same address,
- Children over 6 but younger than 18,
- Scholars, students, and trainees up to 26, and
- Seniors (60 years plus).
Limitless Travel on German Railways with the Mobility BahnCard 100
The Mobility BahnCard 100 is valid for unlimited travel on German Railways and many local buses for a year. It cost €3500 in second class and €5900 in first class.
Savings with RAILPLUS on European Train Tickets
For €15, RAILPLUS can be added to any BahnCard. It generally gives 25% discount on the foreign portion of a train ticket bought from or to Germany.
- Note that there are many exceptions to this general rule. The discount does not apply to all trains and occasionally the discounts may be even bigger.
Savings with BahnCard and City-Ticket
Owners of any BahnCard automatically receive the City-Ticket when buying a return ticket to over 100 German cities. This allows for free onward travel at the destination city only. From the station, the local bus, tram, U or S-Bahn may be used to complete a journey without the need to buy a further ticket.
- The destination city must be over 100 km from the departure city and travel to the station in the departure city is not included.
For non-German residents the German Rail Pass can be a huge fare saver but it is worth considering the other Deutsche Bahn tickets and fare deals to determine which pass, card, or discount ticket really produces the lowest fares.
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