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Trains in Germany
Travel around Germany by train with an Interrail Pass and visit the enchanting Neuschwanstein Castle, soak up the lively atmosphere at Oktoberfest and admire areas of outstanding natural beauty like the Black Forest and the Rhine Valley.
Explore top cities Berlin, Munich, Hamburg, Cologne and Frankfurt by regional, high-speed or night train while enjoying Germany's picturesque scenery on the way.
Train types in Germany
The German railways are run by Deutsche Bahn. You can check train times on the Interrail train timetable or on the DB website.
- Route Map
- Domestic trains
- International trains
- Night trains
- Scenic trains
- Private
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Popular connections
- Domestic routes
- International routes
Compare train travel times for popular routes in Germany. We'll show you the travel times for high-speed ICE trains in Germany:
Route | ICE |
---|---|
Berlin to Cologne | 4h 30m |
Berlin to Frankfurt | 4h |
Berlin to Hamburg | 2h |
Berlin to Munich | 4h 30m |
Frankfurt to Cologne | 1h |
Frankfurt to Munich | 3h 30m |
Hamburg to Cologne | 4h |
Hamburg to Frankfurt | 4h |
Hamburg to Munich | 6h |
Munich to Cologne | 4h 30m |
Reservations
Interrail reservation self-service system
- Interrail
- IC, EC, ECE, ICE, TGV, RailJet, Eurostar, Nightjet, EuroNight, European Sleeper
Administration costs when booking through Interrail self-service
- € 2,- p.p.per train
- Additional € 9,- per order (for paper tickets)
With railway carriers
- DB (German railways): Domestic and international trains
- Toggle on ‘Book seat only’ for most trains
- Leave ‘Book seat only’ switched off for:
- ICE and TGV to France
- ‘Brenner’ EC/Railjet direct trains to Italy
- ÖBB (Austrian railways): Domestic and international trains
- RailJet, IC, EC, ICE, Nightjet, EuroNight
- ČD (Czech railways): Domestic and international trains
- RailJet, IC, EC, ICE, Nightjet, EuroNight
- RailJet, IC, EC, ICE, Nightjet, EuroNight
- DSB (via b-europe): Domestic and international trains
- IC, EC, ICE, RailJet
- SNCB (b-europe): Only international trains
- Eurostar, TGV to France, European sleeper and some Nightjet trains
- Westbahn (Private Railway): Only international Westbahn trains
- Snälltåget:
- Berlin – Copenhagen – Stockholm night train
- Also bookable by phone through Snälltåget's Customer Service
- SJ (Swedish Railways): Only Berlin – Stockholm Euro Night
- European Sleeper: Only European Sleeper trains, international
- ÖBB Nightjet: Only Nightjet and some Euro Night trains
Other platforms
- Rail Europe
- ICE to France, Eurostar and TGV
By calling Deutsche Bahn
- By clicking the link above you'll find yourself on the DB contact page. There are phone numbers for English, French, Danish, Italian, Dutch or German speaking customer service representatives.
An explanation of how each booking platform works can be found here: How do I book my reservations
Locally at the train station in Germany
- At the DB ticket machines at the station
Good to Know
Which trains in Germany require reservations?
No reservations: Regional (RE, RB, IR).
Optional (but highly recommended during busy periods): InterCity (IC) / ICE / EuroCity (EC) / ECE (Eurocity Express). €5,20 2nd class and €6,50 1st class.
- Required: All international IC, EC and ICE trains to and from Germany during summer season (1 June until 1 September).
- Exception: To Switzerland, only trains Munich-Zurich have mandatory reservations.
- Required: All night trains, fees depend on destination and type of seat/bed booked.
- Required: Supplement Eurocity (EC) trains to/from/within Italy. Optional for routes that don't start, end or run through Italy.
The ICE Paris-Frankfurt train has a limited amount of seats for Interrail Pass Holders. Our advice is to book this train well in advance, especially if you plan to travel in high season (May to September).
Eurostar trains are popular and therefore, usually sell out quickly. Make sure to get your seat reservation in time. Alternatively, find trains without seat reservations in our timetable by toggling on the ‘no reservation needed’ button.
Get your Pass for Germany
Interrail Germany Pass
Explore all of Germany by rail.
Youth discounts, as well as family and senior discounts.
Benefits include FREE travel on the S-Bahn in major cities and 50% off ferries to Finland and Sweden.
Prices from € 170
Interrail Global Pass
Travel by train in up to 33 countries in Europe including Germany.
Discounts available for youth, seniors and families.
Prices from € 212
Tips and tricks in Germany
The main German train stations
The main stations in Germany are very well connected to local and international cities. These stations are:
Berlin Hbf
Köln Hbf (Cologne)
München Hbf (Munich)
Frankfurt Hbf
German train stations are often well-maintained and have modern facilities:
Lockers
Cash machines and a foreign exchange desk
Restaurants and cafés
Restrooms
Tourist information offices
Elevators, escalators, and access for disabled passengers
Spelling of names in Germany
Sometimes the German spelling of cities is different to what you're used to. You'll see the local spelling when you arrive at the train stations or when you look up routes on the timetable.
Good to know:
Köln = Cologne
München = Munich
Nürnberg = Nuremberg
Ferry travel and other discounts
Free and discounted ferry travel is an extra benefit of the Interrail Germany Pass. Get discounted ferry travel between Germany and:
Denmark
Finland
Poland
Sweden
Get inspired
-
Germany Our local Interrail ambassadors and community members from Germany share their secret spots and favourite finds from past trips in their home country.
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Berlin The city of Berlin is a train travel wonderland mixed with history, culture and extraordinary landmarks. With the Interrail Pass, you can travel to the city of Berlin by train and see what Berlin has to offer. Don't miss out! Book your train ticket now #interrailberlin
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Want to visit a Volksfest during autumn? Our favourites in Germany Music, local cuisine, funfairs, libations for those over the legal drinking age, and – most importantly – community. You’ll find all of this and more at Germany’s beloved and time-honoured Volksfeste, a German word that translates to "people's festivals.”
Change of currency
You cannot change the currency once you have a Pass in your cart. Remove the Pass, and then change the currency on the website header.