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How to travel from Munich to Berlin by train
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München / Munich to Berlin by train
Thanks to a relatively new high speed line in Germany the train journey from Munchen / Munich to Berlin has never been faster - and on the latest timetable yet more improvements have been made to the train service from Bavaria to the German capital.
It's a good idea to pay attention to the journey times when looking up a journey by train from München / Munich to Berlin.
Because there are multiple 'groups' of ICE services on this route:
- München - (Ingolstadt) - Nurnberg - Erfurt - Halle - Berlin: These are the faster 'Sprinter' services and they now depart hourly throughout the day
- Trains which divert off the direct route to also serve Leipzig, which adds around 20 - 25 mins to the journey time
3 Trains that divert off the most direct route before Nurnberg to serve Augsburg - which are best avoided as they are around 40mins slower than the 'Sprinter' services.
The cheaper tickets on the 'Sprinter' services inevitably tend to sell out faster, so if you won't be booking weeks ahead, the slower a particular departure is, the more likely it is that you'll save money by travelling by it.
But if you'll be using Eurail or Interrail passes you may as well target the faster trains.
Other trains that take a route via Frankfurt (Main) which is much longer, so it has been excluded from the options below.
Take care to avoid these trains if you will be travelling with a rail pass
Routes you can take to go from München / Munich to Berlin
When travelling between most cities by train there is only one logical option, though on other journeys there is a choice between different trains or alternative routes. If different options are available you can use the info to decide which is best for you.
Choose one of the following options:
Looking for connections?
Route Information
Option1: taking the 'Sprinter' services
Travel Time (approx)
4hr 10 mins (approx)
Frequency
Daily
Travel Info
1 x train per hour
Is the journey from Munich / München to Berlin direct?
Yes, there is no need to make a connection when taking this route.
Is this journey scenic?
Two sections of the route, München to Ingolstadt and Bamberg to Halle, are on a high-speed line, and the route north of Bamberg is the most scenic section of the journey.
The line uses a series of viaducts between tunnels to cross the Thuringian Highland.
What other tourist locations are along this route from Munich / München to Berlin?
These trains call in Nurnberg and Erfurt, some of these trains also call in Bamberg
When is the usual approximate earliest arrival at Berlin Hbf from München Hbf on this journey option?
Before 09:25 daily
Source = European Rail Timetable
How easy is it to travel on from the station in Berlin?
Berlin Hbf is linked to other areas of the city by
- frequent local (S-Bahn) trains
- trams
- the metro line, U5
See the Station Guide above for more info, plus easy access to multiple options for booking somewhere to stay in its neighbourhood.
When is the usual approximate latest departure from München Hbf to Berlin Hbf on this journey option
After 20:15 daily
Source = European Rail Timetable
How easy is it to get to the station in Munich / München?
Frequent local (S-Bahn) trains travel from stations in the city centre - and multiple tram and metro lines are also available.
See the Station Guide above for more info, plus easy access to multiple options for booking somewhere to stay in its neighbourhood.
Are tickets cheaper if booked in advance for these Munich / München to Berlin trains?
Yes, and they can be purchased from a choice of booking agents - see below.
Click on the 'Good to know info' to access guides to how rail tickets are managed in Germany, plus step-by-step guides on how to make a booking.
How soon ahead of travel are tickets typically placed on sale for these Munich / München to Berlin trains?
Tickets for travel on this route can now be booked up until a year ahead!
What are the child ticket terms for these Munich / München to Berlin trains?
Adults (aged 15 and over) purchasing discounted 'Sparschiene' tickets for travel in either First or Second class, can take up to four children (aged 14 and under) at no additional cost.
Does the ticket for these Munich / München to Berlin trains include assigned seats?
Only when booking the most expensive types of ticket = Flexpreise tickets for travel in 1st class.
So they are not included when booking tickets for travel in 2nd class, or any other type of ticket valid for travel in 1st class
They are available, so they can be added for an additional cost, when booking those types of ticket.
See the Train Guide in the Journey Information for insights on how to board the train.
Do rail pass users need to book reservations for these Munich / München to Berlin trains?
No they are available, but are not mandatory - Though they are recommended for this route, particularly at
- business hours,
- Fridays after midday
- Saturdays before midday
- Sundays after midday
See the rail pass guide for details of the booking options.
Is catering available on the Munich / München to Berlin trains on this journey option?
Yes, there is a bar/bistro car and a restaurant car.
See the Train Guide in the Journey Information.
What else is good to know about German rail travel?
Check out the guide to travelling by train in Germany
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