Price Difference of Train from Aachen to Munich

One 20 kg bag and one handbag are no problem.

• Deutsche Bahn allows one larger item of luggage (box, etc.) per person in addition to briefcases, suitcases, etc. The limit is that one person must be able to carry it into the train and through the aisles.
• It may not be possible to stow this near the seat. There is an exclusion of liability for theft if the passenger lets the luggage out of his sight.
• Wheelchairs and strollers are free, bicycles require an extra fee and possibly a reservation.

DB runs several classes of trains.

• ICE (Intercity-Express)
  The fastest and most comfortable, but also the most expensive. There are special "Sprinter" ICEs between big cities, otherwise they stop in medium-sized cities as well.
• IC (Intercity)
  Slightly slower and less comfortable. The new trains are double deck trains, which leads to reduced headroom. Depending on the route and connections, they might be almost as fast as an ICE.
• RE (Regional-Express)
  Considerably slower, and stopping more often. Traveling long distances on a RE might make sense if you are on a tight budget and/or if you want to use special group tickets.

Usually a ticket for the more expensive train also allows travel on cheaper trains, and it might be necessary to use cheaper trains for part of the trip. The exception are tickets which are for a specific departure time, they are just for that train or list of trains.

There is a confusing array of fare schemes. It is cheaper to book one specific train. It is cheaper to book well in advance. It is more expensive to buy a ticket which allows you to take any train between the two stations.

• Connections around 6 hours (ICE) are €153 without a specific train. There is more than one per hour.
• Connections around 7 hours (ICE+RE) are €131 without a specific train.
• Connections over 7 hours (IC+RE, possibly EC) are €121 without a specific train.
• Connections over 8 hours (IC+EC+RE) are €29 if you book a specific departure time now.
• Connections around 10 hours (RE) are €101.

For €153, you can arrive at the station whenever you like and take the next train to Munich, including the fastest ones. For €29, you have one specific connection, and it takes two to three hours longer.

The Bahn website assumes that customers want the faster connections. To get connections without ICE, go to Further Options on their search form, then More means of transport, then uncheck the ICE box. To get connections with RE only, check the only local transport checkbox.

The website of Deutsche Bahn requires you to select a time of departure (of arrival) and then shows you the ticket prices for the connections around this departure time. If you have a look at your screenshot, you will see that your connections start quite early, which normally leads to lower prices.

However, the Deutsche Bahn website also has a page on which you can compare the prices for a whole day (called the "Sparpreisfinder"). This page will only find non-flexible tickets, which are normally cheaper. Also, it will only find connections that include at least one long-distance train, which is however reasonable to get from Aachen to Munich. Uncheck the "Prefer fast connections" option to find some more options.