5 Stunning German Train Trips at a Bargain Price

In Germany, a country with one of the world’s most extensive public transportation systems, traveling has gotten a whole lot simpler.

That’s thanks to the Deutschland-Ticket, or Germany-Ticket, a new type of (almost) all-inclusive travel pass. Priced at just 58 euros, or about $63, for a month of travel, it lets you crisscross the country using Germany’s vast network of regional trains. You don’t even need to organize tickets for your journeys; you can just show up at the train station and board. (The faster, longer-distance trains, like the Intercity or InterCity Express, are not included in the pass).

Once you’ve arrived at your destination, the Deutschland-Ticket lets you bypass the byzantine local German transportation ticketing systems that can stymie even locals. Instead, no matter where you are, you can hop on any type of local public transportation, from buses to trams to underground systems, 19th-century steam locomotives and ferries.

Since its introduction in 2023, the Deutschland-Ticket has sparked something of a post-pandemic renaissance in local travel. A raft of Deutschland-Ticket-themed travel books and websites have appeared, as cardholders use the opportunity to explore corners of the country using climate-friendly transportation, at a fixed price.

“This ticket is an innovation,” said Allister Loder, professor of mobility policy at the Technical University Munich. “It changes how we use public transportation.”

Especially beloved by retirees, families and students, the Deutschland-Ticket is also great for tourists. You can book your monthly pass from abroad, using an app. Just be sure to cancel it before it renews.

Here, some of the most scenic trips you can take with the Deutschland-Ticket:

Stuttgart to Konstanz

Regine Heue, the author of “On the Road With the Deutschland -Ticket” guide, loved all the early 40 trips she took to write it. But if she had to pick one, it might be traveling from Stuttgart, home of the Mercedes-Benz Museum, to the beautiful medieval city of Konstanz, on the shores of Lake Constance. After a ride along the stunning clear blue lake, you can stop in Konstanz to admire the Alpine scenery that forms the city’s backdrop, eat, drink or go shopping. Or you can keep going: via bus to the wine town of Meersberg; to Friedrichshafen, home of the Zeppelin; or to the garden island of Mainau, with its 150-year-old arboretum.

Starting from Cologne, with its…