Running from June to August, you can buy a monthly ticket for just 9€. Germany is offering this service in response to rising oil prices and to motivate people to use more trains and less cars, which is also a plus for the environment. Use it as much as you want within this time frame and to get anywhere in Germany (and even outside of Germany).

Leave Early

As the entire country plus tourists can get these tickets, it’s a given that the trains are going to be full. We’ve been taking the train around 7/8am and have always managed to get a seat, while news has shown Munich train station at midday being completely full.

It’s Valid for Some Areas Outside of Germany

Yes, you read right, with just 9€ a month you can even go to the first stop outside of Germany. For example, Salzburg is the first stop in Austria so your ticket would be valid there. Other destinations include:

• Basel, Switzerland
• Kufstein, Austria
• Kelmis, Belgium
• Vaals, Netherlands

You Can Only Use Regional Trains

The IC and ICE trains (fast trains) are off limits to the 9€ ticket. This means that although you can go to from one end of the country to the other (or even outside of it), you will have to be patient and take a lot of time with you. For basically paying nothing though I think this is worth it!

When Planning, Read the Small Print Online

When we planned our trip to Salzburg (2 hours from Munich), the Deutsche Bahn website didn’t show the usual direct train, instead it showed a different way that extended the trip by an hour. However reading the small print in the trains schedule it stated that the normal train was running and you can take it. Why they made this so confusing I don’t know, but I’m so glad we read the small print and saved an hour each way!

It’s Also Valid For Not Just Trains

You can use this ticket for the U Bahn (underground), trams and busses (regional) in every village, town or city in Germany! Public transport isn’t super expensive anyway in Germany but it’s always nice to save some money.

We have already been to Bayerischer Wald and Salzburg using the 9€ ticket (so as of yet it was basically 2€ each way) and we plan to visit other towns and also lakes.

Where will you go?