Inter-City Trains (the ICE in Germany) are probably the most popular way for Americans to travel in Europe. Nothing beats an overnight train to Paris or Rome. Just make sure that you account for the extra fee for a sleeping car. It is a small price to pay for a good night’s sleep and a more enjoyable time in Europe. You also may need to reserve your seats online or at the train station a day or two before your journey.
Within the city is also a host of public transportation options. The best deals for the traveler are the day passes for a particular city. Munich has a single day pass priced at 9.60 Euros for all zones. If you are traveling in a group, purchase a Partner pass. The Partner ticket is good for up to 5 adults traveling together (the more the merrier!). Two kids count as one adult.
Both Munich and Stuttgart trains operate on a zone system. You only pay for the zones that you go through. For instance if you travel from one side of the city to the other, within one zone, you only pay for one zone. If you travel from one end of the network to the other, through 4 zones, then you have to pay for 4 zones. It is pretty simple. Stuttgart also offers a “Short Trip” option. If you are only traveling 3 stops, then you can pay one Euro for your trip.
The DB is the Deutsche Bahn, or the inter-city trains in Germany. They also do the ticketing for the inter-country, across Europe trains.
In the cities there is often a U-Bahn and a S-Bahn. Bahn means rail. The U-Bahn is the inner city train. It goes above and below ground, makes more stops, and is slower than the S-Bahn. The S-Bahn connects the center of the city with the outside areas. If you are commuting from a suburb of Munich to Munich, you would take the S-Bahn into the city.
Click below for more information on the German train systems. How to buy tickets. How to find out what train to take and when. Prices.
