Frankfurt Travel Forum

I will arrive Frankfurt airport around 2:00pm on 19 Sept and will take the train from airport to Cologne. I have check the internet that there are some saving fare EUR29/39 will not available from now. If I do not book the ticket on line now to hold the saving fare, I need to pay the normal fare like EUR61/48 on the machine or counter for my trip?

Thanks

http://www.bahn.de/international/view/en/index.shtml

will give you correct information.

That is what I understand: the 'savings fares' shown on the site are those purchased in advance.

However, the 'normal' fare shown is either 38 or 58 euro, depending on train time. Are you, perhaps, looking at another website such as Raileurope, which adds commission?

You will pay 2 (3?)euro extra if you buy the ticket at the ticket office, so if you do not buy your ticket online beforehand try to get it from a ticket machine at the station.

I have a bit of trouble parsing your English, but here's the deal:

- The "normal fare" is always available, and entitles you to travel on any train of your choice on the route and day for which you train is valid. This normal fare you can buy on the internet, at the ticket counter and from ticket vending machines. It will cost the same in each case.
In principle you can just buy the ticket at the DB ticket counter as soon as you get of the plane and get on the first train to Cologne.
- The "savings fare" is available in limited quantities for each train. You need to book this in advance, and they come in different prices, with the cheapest ones selling out fast. This type of ticket is only valid for one particular train. If you miss that train (because your plane is late) you can take another train, but you will have to pay a surcharge of 15,- plus the price difference with a normal ticket to the ticket inspector on board.

The normal fare had a 2(?) euro 'service charge' (?) when I bought it at the airport ticket office, and I have also come across this when purchasing other tickets in Germany.

In travel agencies - not (yet) at DB ticket counters, at least not for full fare tickets. For Länder tickets and similar DB counters are already charging a 2 € service charge. And reservations cost more.
Full fare tickets are the same price at the ticket counter as online or at the ticket machine NOW. From December 2008 on, DB is introducing a 2.50 service charge on tickets bought from a ticket counter. (Germany is running amok at the moment since this and a 3.9% price rise has been announced.)

Back to the original question. Saving fares have to be booked well in advance. You're travelling on a Friday afternoon. If you want the savings fare book IMMEDIATELY - I'd be astonished if these tickets are still available less than 3 weeks in advance. They sell out extremely quickly because their number per train is limited. Even if bahn.de shows them on the timetable information this does not mean that they are still available. You won't find out until you actually book.

Keep in mind that these discount tickets are only valid on one specified train connection. If you miss that train you have to buy a new full-fare ticket. Allow enough time in case your plane is delayed.

There are 2 routes from Frankfurt Airport to Cologne. The fast and expensive highspeed route and the slower but cheaper Rhine Valley route. This is also by far the more scenic route.
http://www.welterbe-mittelrheintal.de/
You can enforce this route by giving Koblenz as a via station with the DB timetable.

Rail&Fly
http://www.bahn.de/international/view/en/prices/air_passangers/rail_fly.shtml
This is a discounted offer you can get from many airlines (however often only if you buy it with your flight ticket). Unlike other specials this ticket is flexible (valid on arrival day or day after).

Lufthansa AIRail
http://www.bahn.de/international/view/en/prices/air_passangers/airail.shtml
You're *flying* to Cologne Hbf (main railway station). By ICE trains from Frankfurt Airport. Your luggage is checked through to Cologne Hbf. To my knowledge free for intercontinental passengers to Frankfurt with Lufthansa (i.e. same price like to Frankfurt). Here the risk of a late plane is with the airline. These trains to Cologne have also flight numbers and are treated like any other connecting flight you may book.