Red train crossing the Hohenzollern Bridge over the Rhine with Cologne Cathedral behind at sunset

Germany First Trip and Trains Guide (PDF checklist)

Red train crossing the Hohenzollern Bridge over the Rhine with Cologne Cathedral behind at sunset
Photo: Kadagan / Shutterstock. A train crosses the Hohenzollern Bridge in Cologne, with Cologne Cathedral behind.

Germany by train, one checklist

Deutsche Bahn’s page says the Deutschland-Ticket is valid on all local public transport throughout Germany, but not in ICE, IC or EC trains, and that you can cancel the subscription monthly.

We read the Deutsche Bahn pages in October 2026 and put what they say in a short PDF checklist, with a link to every page so you can check prices and times yourself.

In this guide

  • The Deutschland-Ticket, in Deutsche Bahn’s own words
  • Seat reservation and timetables on the official DB pages
  • Eight cities from DB’s destination pages, with our articles where we have them
  • A checklist to tick off before you book

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