How to travel from Berlin to Salzburg by train

Making the connection in Munchen /Munich

There are no direct trains between Berlin and Salzburg, but it's a straightforward journey.
Target the journey options with only 1 x change of train as there is no need to change trains more than once when travelling between these cities.

The connecting time at Munchen Hbf station between the arrival of the ICE train from Berlin and the EC or Railjet train on to Salzburg will be around 28 mins.

So it should be a straightforward transfer, but if need be tickets will be valid on any subsequent train and there are 2 x trains per hour on to Salzburg from Munchen.

If you have reservations on the train between Munchen and Salzburg and the train from Berlin does arrive too late in Munchen to make a booked connection; then these can be transferred free of charge to subsequent departures at the Reisezentrum desk in Munchen Hbf station.

Book in advance and save: Yes

Online bookings usually open: up to 6 months ahead of the travel date - but this period of time is shorter when looking up journeys in August to October.

Four types of tickets are available:
Two types of discounted tickets, which will be cheaper the further ahead you book - Sparpreis Europa and Super Sparpreis Europa
Two types of non-discounted ticket - Flexpreis Europa and Flexpreis Plus Europa

A key difference between these types of tickets is refunds:

• Super Sparpreis Europa tickets are cheapest, but they can't be refunded at all.
• Sparpreis Europa tickets can be refunded for a fee, but the refund will be in the form of travel vouchers to be used for alternative / future journeys.
• Flexpreis Europa and Flexpreis Plus Europa tickets can be refunded at no additional charge.

The other key difference is that both types of Sparpreis tickets are only valid on the specific departures selected when booking, but both types of Flexpreis tickets live up to their name, as they can be used on any departure on your travel date.

Note that none of the tickets can be exchanged to a different departure.
There's no need for this to be available for Flexpreis tickets, as they aren't train departure specific.
If you book a Sparpreis Europa ticket and want to travel by a different departure you can refund it and then use the travel voucher towards the cost of the new booking.
Super Sparpreis Europa tickets can't be exchanged or refunded.

The Sparpreis and Flexpreis tickets also include 'City tickets' for Berlin which can be used on public transport between locations in the city centre and Berlin hbf.

Seat reservations

Seat reservations are optional on the trains on this route - take note if you will be using a rail pass.
They cost €4.90 when travelling in 2nd Class and €5.90 when travelling in 1st class - and the fees will cover both ICE trains
Specific seats can be selected from seating plans - you don't have to accept the seat(s) that you will be automatically offered.

They are included within the cost of booking 1st class Flexpreis Europa tickets and both 1st and 2nd class Flexpreis Plus Europa tickets.
Though despite seats being automatically assigned when booking these three types of ticket - and these tickets being valid on any departure, you will need to pay to re-book the reservations, if you subsequently decide to travel on an alternative train.
So because you won't save by booking these types of tickets in advance, it can be a good idea to wait until you are sure when you will want to travel.

When booking Super Sparpreis Europa, Sparpreis Europa and 2nd class Flexpreis Europa tickets, you have the option of purchasing seat reservations later.
It can be worth re-looking up a journey a week or two ahead of travel, because the DB website will indicate how busy a departure will be.
Although if you do book your reservations later you will then have to pay for separate reservations per train.

Booking on the DB website

To see all the combinations of trains and journey options, some of which may be cheaper, take off the 'fastest connections' default.

Trains departing at different times can be cheaper than others leaving on the same day, so if you can be flexible with your departure time use the 'best prices' tool - at the top right on the list of journey options.