I’ll start a train trip from France going to Belgium, Netherlands and Germany very soon. I’ll leave from Avignon and my last stop abroad will be Berlin. The thing is I want to come back from Berlin to Avignon but stay for a night in Strasbourg on my way back.
Berlin → Strasbourg on the 18th of december. Then, Strasbourg → Avignon on the 19th.
The issue is, if I understood well, I can book only one return ticket to France. So if I stop in Strasbourg for one night, the train from Strasbourg to Avignon will not be included. Right ?
So, I was thinking: I can book Berlin → Karlsruhe (border with France) + Karlsruhe → Avignon…. But I’ll manage to go by myself from Karlsruhe to Strasbourg and take the train in Strasbourg, not in Karlsruhe. Is it possible ? To pick up the train in Strasbourg instead of Karlsruhe ? Like this, both trains are included in my pass.
Thanks, sorry in advance if it’s not comprehensible.
Best answer by rvdborgt
Don't book a normal ticket from Karlsruhe to Strasbourg because you'll pay too much.
Just click on the link I posted. If you fill in Berlin Hbf to Strasbourg, and choose the direct ICE at 7:06, then you'll see 3 options, of which 1 is called "Passzuschlag German Rail Pass”. That's the one you need:
Just enter Kehl there to see the options I meant. It seems however that the timetable on 18/12 is not complete yet (Kehl-Strasbourg is still missing). There should be options with just one change in Offenburg, with the same departures as in option 3. I do see the trains Offenburg-Strasbourg on www.sncf-connect.com, so I'd expect them to appear on bahn.com soon.
Just ask for Berlin to Kehl on bahn.com. Here also there should be options with just one change.
Reservations in Germany are optional, so you don't have to book for options 2 and 3.
You can book Strasbourg-Avignon as normal, even free of charge as "parcours d’approche”, since you live in France.
Indeed, you can only travel in France on 2 of your travel days.
If you want to stay overnight in Strasbourg, the best would be not to use your pass in France on your journey from Berlin to Strasbourg. Your pass will then still be valid until the German-French border (so much further than just Karlsruhe). I see at least 3 options:
Use a TGV or ICE across the border and use this page (do NOT select "Book seat only”) to book a "Passzuschlag German Rail Pass”, for the price of €13 in 2nd class (1st class €30). The name is in fact a bit misleading, since it's valid with any pass that is only valid in Germany and includes the price of a ticket from the border to Strasbourg, and of course the mandatory reservation.
Use a regional train to get across the border to Strasbourg. Find timetables on bahn.com (or the DB Navigator app) and add a stopover in Kehl. You then need a ticket from the border, which is only available from the DB ticket office for €3.10 (1st class €4.80). Online, you could use bahn.com and indicate you have a "BahnCard 100” (for the correct class), which will result in the same price.
Travel to Kehl and then use the tram D to Strasbourg. A single ticket should be €1.90 (plus maybe €0.20 for the chipcard). This tram travels through the centre of Strasbourg.
For options 1 and 2, you should add the train across the border manually, with destination Kehl(Gr), located in Germany.
Thanks for your answer but I don’t understand quite well…
Can you send me pictures of your 3 options ?
Going to Kehl by train from Berlin seems more complicated then booking a trip from Berlin to Karlsruhe with the pass + Karlsruhe - Strasbourg without the pass + from Karlsruhe to Avignon with the pass. But maybe it’s because I don’t understand what you said…
Don't book a normal ticket from Karlsruhe to Strasbourg because you'll pay too much.
Just click on the link I posted. If you fill in Berlin Hbf to Strasbourg, and choose the direct ICE at 7:06, then you'll see 3 options, of which 1 is called "Passzuschlag German Rail Pass”. That's the one you need:
Just enter Kehl there to see the options I meant. It seems however that the timetable on 18/12 is not complete yet (Kehl-Strasbourg is still missing). There should be options with just one change in Offenburg, with the same departures as in option 3. I do see the trains Offenburg-Strasbourg on www.sncf-connect.com, so I'd expect them to appear on bahn.com soon.
Just ask for Berlin to Kehl on bahn.com. Here also there should be options with just one change.
Reservations in Germany are optional, so you don't have to book for options 2 and 3.
You can book Strasbourg-Avignon as normal, even free of charge as "parcours d’approche”, since you live in France.
