What do I have to know about public transport?

In Germany there are several public transportation vehicles which can be used by everybody after payment. This includes trains, buses and trams. If you want to use public transport, you need a valid ticket.A ticket can be purchased at the following locations:

• over the Internet
• Machine at the stop
• Machine in bus or tram
• At the bus driver
• In a service center

To buy a ticket you need cash or a debit card. On most machines, you can select target and start of your journey. Here the correct price of the trip is displayed directly to you. In addition there are special tickets for example for a state or for small groups as well as weekly, monthly and annual tickets. Ask for those directly at a service center.

Careful! The German railway has both local trains, as the RB (Regional Train) and the RE (Regional Express) as well as high-speed trains such as the IC (InterCity) or the ICE (InterCity Express). The express trains stop at fewer stops, are often more comfortable and go faster. But they usually cost significantly more. You can recognize the ICE by the white exterior color with a red stripe.

The Deutsche Bahn offers train tickets that are tied to a particular train and those you can use in the specified time with all trains on the selected route. In general you are not allowed to ride without additional charge with a fast train with a regional ticket. The tickets your regional transport provider sells generally also not include ICE or IC. Also, make sure to also care for which class you have bought a ticket. In all German trains there is always a first and second class. The numbers are usually outside of the wagon or on the doors. If you are controlled sitting on a first class place with a second class ticket you have to pay an extra fee for that.

Please note that tickets from the machine may have to be validated or stamped before the trip and may be limited in time or space. Ask someone for help if you feel unsure about buying the right tickets. For each mode of transport, there are timetables with an overview of the times at which it operates. In addition, most providers offer apps and websites where you can get recommendations about the optimal route.