emmerse2891
TS Member
I have a Christmas trip double-header booked for early December - Phantasialand - then Europa, flying in and out of Frankfurt - and accessing each park by train (because I don't drive).
Now I've used German trains a couple of times - Europa via Baden last year and recently returned from movie park Germany via Netherlands.
on this recent trip i found myself getting 'told off' on almost every train trip I did, once for not having pre-booked a ticket, despite the station/platform I got on not having any office or machines, and another for getting a ticket but not 'stamping it'. I had another tricksy moment buying a ticket because the main machines didn't list the destination I wanted - and it transpired I needed to go to a separate counter at the back of a shop. Unrelated to tickets - I also got told off for not taking ALL my bags/belongings with me to the toilet on the train, despite being in motion between stations - terrorism?
Also found you had to get a separate ticket to take the monorail train at dusseldorf airport to the terminal from the train station. There just seems to be lots of different separate lines and systems, that only if your German or 'you know' you know!
Anyway as someone who is confrontation adverse - It sort of has my anxiety up about my future trip. I WANT to do it right etc.
So I'm really just asking for tips on using the German train (and bus) system
Is there a German equivalent of Netherlands OV-chipcard that you top up with funds and can use across the transport system?
How do you book ahead train trips when you're not sure what time or train you'll take? is it best to buy online - and have digital tickets? for example I don't think Ringsheim has machines/office - so how would i get tickets from there?
How do you buy bus tickets? i.e. the bus to Phantasialand from Bruhl? can you buy on bus? with card? or is it more a cash based system? can you get tickets that include trains and bus? should I always have Euros for bus usage etc?
So my journeys will Basically be Frankfurt airport to Cologne, Cologne to Phantasialand, Phantasialand-Cologne-Frankfurt, Frankfurt to Ringsheim, then Ringsheim back to Frankfurt airport
Thanks in advance for any tips, suggestions, knowledge etc.
Now I've used German trains a couple of times - Europa via Baden last year and recently returned from movie park Germany via Netherlands.
on this recent trip i found myself getting 'told off' on almost every train trip I did, once for not having pre-booked a ticket, despite the station/platform I got on not having any office or machines, and another for getting a ticket but not 'stamping it'. I had another tricksy moment buying a ticket because the main machines didn't list the destination I wanted - and it transpired I needed to go to a separate counter at the back of a shop. Unrelated to tickets - I also got told off for not taking ALL my bags/belongings with me to the toilet on the train, despite being in motion between stations - terrorism?
Also found you had to get a separate ticket to take the monorail train at dusseldorf airport to the terminal from the train station. There just seems to be lots of different separate lines and systems, that only if your German or 'you know' you know!
Anyway as someone who is confrontation adverse - It sort of has my anxiety up about my future trip. I WANT to do it right etc.
So I'm really just asking for tips on using the German train (and bus) system
Is there a German equivalent of Netherlands OV-chipcard that you top up with funds and can use across the transport system?
How do you book ahead train trips when you're not sure what time or train you'll take? is it best to buy online - and have digital tickets? for example I don't think Ringsheim has machines/office - so how would i get tickets from there?
How do you buy bus tickets? i.e. the bus to Phantasialand from Bruhl? can you buy on bus? with card? or is it more a cash based system? can you get tickets that include trains and bus? should I always have Euros for bus usage etc?
So my journeys will Basically be Frankfurt airport to Cologne, Cologne to Phantasialand, Phantasialand-Cologne-Frankfurt, Frankfurt to Ringsheim, then Ringsheim back to Frankfurt airport
Thanks in advance for any tips, suggestions, knowledge etc.