[Skybird]

German rail is better than its reputation but by far not as good as Deutsche Bahn itself claims.

I had many business dates in other cities to run in the past three mionths, and did over 20 travels via rail for that reason. I cannot complain about how it was going.

Also, if you know ehere to look, you can find very cheap possibilities.

However, the busines is not healthy. Its beign run highly deficitary, the bridges and track network are aching under their age, and the German conception of "high speed trains" that nevertheless halt in every little cow village is totally counter-productive.

Beware with those ticket automats, however, and counters - and the option to use computer for booking. I have seen price differences of up to 80% when comparing station automat, station counter, phone app and comouter at home (for the same train, same day, same time). Their system does not work, or is intentionally fishing for the unaware, which in my book would be fraud. Their selling policy really is a deep, deep mess. And it is that since as long as I can rememeber. 15 years minimum.

Never trust their staff at selling counters. These are your worst options, by far. You even have to oay them a fee for that disastrous "service", and you get back an overpriced connection and a ticket that may be costing 150% more, or they stay silent on saving options you could take. It is not clear to me whether staff does that intentionally or is misled iztself by the disastrous siftware.

So, German rail in practice means better travelling than often is said - but be on your maxed-out guard when buying tickets. Ticket buying is a mess.