Germany has the second most extensive railroad networks in the world. It is surpassed only by Switzerland. You can take a train anywhere in this country and connect to the rest of Europe. The national rail system here is the Deutsche Bundesbahn (DB) which actually is a private limited company with shares held by the German government. It is a modern, clean, quiet, comfortable, and efficient rail system that leaves and arrives right on time. Never be late for a German train. You will miss it.
In fact the DB points out that in many cases it is faster get to most German towns by train than by national air. This is because by the time you get to the airport on the outskirts of a German city, you could have already boarded a train from within the inner city. Take, for example, the Nuernberg Airport on the outskirts of the city that services the major towns of Erlangen and Furth. Driving from the Hauptbahnhof (Main Train Station) in downtown Nuernberg to the Flughafen (airport) takes quite some time but the underground metro train called the U-Bahn gets you there quickly, affordably, and efficiently.
Germany operates super-fast trains to get in between cities as well. These are known as the ICE Trains or Intercity Express. Traveling on these is very simple and quick. Most transfer points are merely walking from one side of the platform you disembarked on and boarding the connecting train on the other side of the platform.
The ICE Trains have all of the comforts such as air-conditioning, dining, bistro, and reclining seats. You can commute between Frankfurt and Cologne in a matter of 58 minutes (German trains are that exact). The ICE Trains are more expensive to ride but you will quickly see the value. And, the ICE Trains maintain the same quality standards as equivalent trains in connecting countries in Europe. They also have laptop connections and cell phone repeaters so you can even work on one if you so desire.
The sleeper trains in Germany are the CityNightLine (CNL) trains. They are on the routes Dresden-Munich, Hamburg-Munich, Dortmund-Vienna, Hamburg-Zurich, and others. There are 11 routes altogether. You can ride one of these and get to your destination probably before the first daily plane arrives.
It is reported that Germany is somewhat expensive when it comes to rail travel but there are discounted fares available. The Deutsche Bahn has a web site (www.bahn.de) where you can get ticket and pass details. You can find a German Rail pass for just about any holiday or business need.
The pass offered by Deutsche Bahn provides unlimited travel on all trains operated by Deutsche Bahn. You can get from 4 to 10 days of unlimited travel to be used within four weeks. These passes are also good on the high-speed ICE trains. You have options of purchasing a first or second class rail pass. If there are two persons in your party then you can buy a German Rail Twin Pass which is a very economical way to travel around Germany. There is also a German Rail Youth Pass that will benefit the young travelers.
With a German Rail Pass, you get bonuses such as:
* Free travel on the K”ln-Dsseldorf German Rhine Line which runs boats on the Rhine and Moselle Rivers. Take a look at their website, www.k-d.com, for more information.
* Discounts on the Europabus line fares. These lines are run by Deutsche Touring otherwise known as the Romantic Road and Castle Road. For more information you can look at their website at www.romantic-road-coach.de.
* And this is a really nice bonus: You get a discount on the fare for the Bayerische Zugspitzbahn Rack Railway which is a cogwheel train that climbs the famous Zugspitz Mountain. At the top you will find skiing for the skiers of the world.
You have to experience German trains. They are clean, modern, fast, and on-time. It will add to the overall enjoyable experience you will have visiting Germany.