When using rail passes in Germany, can I use it in "urban trains" as well? (U-bahn, S-bahn)
Take this german rail pass for example:
The German Rail Pass from Rail Europe gives you unlimited train travel from four to ten days
This pass gives you unlimited travel on the national rail network of Germany.
And the limitations:
The German Rail Pass is not valid for travel on DB Autozug (trains transporting cars), chartered trains, private steam trains, narrow-gauge railways and museum railways.
I know you can use the trains (and some without reservations) from one city to another, in central stations. But am I able to use it inside a single city, in an unlimited fashion? In all german cities? Or "national rail network" means only city to city? Where can I get more information?
More information from official bahn.de website: you can even have a printed version but it needs to be a consecutive days pass! How to calculate a day from an employee perspective and from official db bahn 2014 flyer.
Best Answer
It's a bit more complicated than both other answers let on. You can use trains operated by “DB Bahn”. This includes most long-distance, regional and urban trains but not necessarily all of them as some trains are operated by private companies.
The pass does also cover most “S-Bahn” within one city but, again, not all of them. In particular, the S-Bahn in Berlin is operated by a distinct company under its own brand and rail passes are not valid on the whole network there (but to make things even more complicated all train tickets including rail passes are valid on the Stadtbahn where regular trains and S-Bahn run parallel to each other, see this post on raileurope.com).
Underground trains called “U-Bahn” (e.g. in Berlin or Munich) are operated by other companies and not covered I think.
Note that I base this on the official website and my knowledge of the German train network but I never used such a pass. They never seemed to offer particularly good value for me.
Pictures about "When using rail passes in Germany, can I use it in "urban trains" as well? (U-bahn, S-bahn)"
Is German rail pass valid on S-Bahn?
Validity of the German Rail Pass The German Rail Pass is generally not valid on municipal buses or U-Bahn trains in cities (but S-Bahn trains are covered). Seat reservations are generally not required on German trains but a good idea on longer journeys.Does Eurail Pass cover S-Bahn?
A Eurail pass is also valid on the S-Bahn (suburban metro railways) networks that DB operates in major German cities. The S-Bahn can be recognized by its logo (a white S on a green background). How to get the offer: There are no gates you have to pass, so you can just get on the train.How does the German Rail Pass work?
The German Rail Pass comes in either 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10 or 15 travel days. You can opt for a German Rail Consecutive Pass or a German Rail FlexiPass. A travel day lasts from 12am (midnight) to 11:59 pm on the same calendar day. You're entitled to unlimited train travel within that 24 hours.Can Eurail Pass be used in Germany?
The ultimate train ticket for exploring Germany; the Eurail German Rail Pass gives you: Unlimited travel on Germany's trains, and additonal coverage on several routes in Italy, Belgium, and Austria.How to Model Rail Schedules
More answers regarding when using rail passes in Germany, can I use it in "urban trains" as well? (U-bahn, S-bahn)
Answer 2
Yes, you can travel inside all German cities as long as you use transport systems operated by the DB or others included in the Rail Pass. (list of services covered)
Most buses, trams and subways are not covered.
Taken from ACPRail:
The German Rail Pass is valid on all trains within Germany operated by Deutsche Bahn (DB). You can also travel to the border stations Basel Badischer Bahnhof (Switzerland) and Salzburg (Austria). Pass-holders have access to German high speed and quality day trains such as ICE*, IC or EC, however reservations are recommended during peak travel times.* Exception: supplements may be required for ICE Sprinter trains.
Check out both links for all the additional information you might need.
Answer 3
In the 2017 list of firms that participate in the German Rail Pass, S-Bahn Berlin Gmbh 'all lines' are listed as the area of ticket validity.
For normal DB Tickets that contains only the word 'Berlin' (i. e. NOT 'Berlin-Station name'), are also valid for the S-Bahn within the 'Ring-Bahn' that surrounds the city center. This also called Tarif area A.
The idea is that transferring from one Railway station to another is part of the fare.
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