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Flex Ticket, Group Tickets & School Trips Germany 2026: Complete Guide
Everything about flexible train tickets, group discounts and school excursions with Deutsche Bahn — prices, booking tips and money-saving strategies.
Up to 50% cheaper than single tickets
Free cancellation with Flex
School trips with special rates
In Brief
The Flex Ticket (Flexpreis) offers maximum flexibility: travel on any train, fully refundable, changeable at no extra cost. Group tickets for 6 or more people offer savings of up to 50% compared to individual Flex tickets. School trips benefit from special group rates and children’s discounts. This guide explains all options, current prices and booking strategies for 2026.
What is the Flex Ticket (Flexpreis)?
The Flexpreis is the most flexible ticket category at Deutsche Bahn. With a Flex ticket you can travel on any train on your chosen route on the booked day — without being tied to a specific departure time. If your plans change, you can rebook or get a full refund free of charge up to the day of travel.
Flex Ticket: Key Features at a Glance
| Feature | Flexpreis | Sparpreis | Super Sparpreis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Train binding | Any train | Specific train | Specific train |
| Cancellation | Free up to day of travel | €10 fee | Non-refundable |
| Rebooking | Free, anytime | €10 fee | Not possible |
| BahnCard discount | 25% / 50% | 25% | No |
| Seat reservation | Optional (+€4–€6) | Optional (+€4–€6) | Optional (+€4–€6) |
| Validity | Entire day + night | Specific journey | Specific journey |
Flex Ticket Prices 2026
Flex ticket prices depend on route, class and BahnCard status. Some typical examples for long-distance routes:
| Route | 2nd class Flex | 1st class Flex | With BahnCard 50 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Berlin – Munich | from €149 | from €249 | from €74.50 |
| Hamburg – Frankfurt | from €119 | from €199 | from €59.50 |
| Cologne – Berlin | from €129 | from €219 | from €64.50 |
| Munich – Hamburg | from €149 | from €249 | from €74.50 |
💡 Flex Ticket tip: BahnCard 50 pays off
Anyone travelling frequently by Flex ticket benefits most from the BahnCard 50: it halves the flex price and pays for itself after just a few journeys. At €244/year (2nd class), BahnCard 50 is worthwhile from around €488 in annual Flex ticket spending.
Group Tickets with Deutsche Bahn
Deutsche Bahn offers special group rates for groups of 6 or more people travelling together on the same route. There are two main group ticket options:
🎫 Sparpreis Gruppe
- 6 to 999 people
- Specific train binding
- Save 50% vs. individual Flex
- Non-refundable after booking
- Rebooking fee applies
- BahnCard 25% discount possible
- Must book at least 3 days ahead
🎫 Super Sparpreis Gruppe
- 6 to 999 people
- Specific train + seat binding
- Cheapest group option
- Non-refundable
- No rebooking possible
- No BahnCard discount
- Book as early as possible
How to Book Group Tickets
Group tickets cannot be booked online via the standard DB Navigator or website. They must be booked through dedicated channels:
- DB Group Travel Portal: groups.bahn.de — for groups from 6 people, available online
- DB Service Center: By phone or in-person at larger stations
- Travel agencies: Accredited DB travel agents can also book group tickets
For groups of 10 or more, Deutsche Bahn recommends contacting the group travel team directly for customised offers, especially for complex itineraries.
School Trips (Klassenfahrten) by Train
School excursions and class trips are a special category at Deutsche Bahn. Pupils aged 6–14 pay only 50% of the adult fare in 2nd class. Babies and toddlers under 6 travel free.
Children’s and Pupils’ Discounts
| Age group | Discount | Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Under 6 | Free | No ticket required, with accompanying adult |
| 6–14 years | 50% off adult fare | Travelling with an adult holding a valid ticket |
| 15–17 years | Full adult fare | Exception: BahnCard holders get their BahnCard discount |
Special Rates for School Trips
For organised school trips with teachers, Deutsche Bahn offers additional benefits through the group booking system:
- Teachers travel free: 1 teacher per 10 pupils travels free of charge
- Seat reservations included: Group reservations are often included in the group fare
- Flexible departure: With the Flex Group option, the group can catch any train on the booked day
📋 School trip planning checklist
✓ Book at least 4 weeks in advance for best availability | ✓ Apply for group rate at groups.bahn.de | ✓ Request teacher’s free ticket | ✓ Consider travel insurance for school trips | ✓ Check BahnCard for teachers if regular travel is planned
Quer-durchs-Land-Ticket (Regional Day Pass)
The Quer-durchs-Land-Ticket is an excellent option for groups on regional routes: one ticket, valid all day, for 1–5 people, covering all regional trains (RE, RB, S-Bahn) throughout Germany.
| Persons | Price (Mon–Fri) | Price (Weekend/Holiday) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 person | €44 | €44 |
| 2 persons | €50 (€25 each) | €50 |
| 3 persons | €56 (€18.67 each) | €56 |
| 4 persons | €62 (€15.50 each) | €62 |
| 5 persons | €68 (€13.60 each) | €68 |
Note: Valid from 9am on weekdays (Mon–Fri); from midnight on weekends and public holidays. Children under 15 travel free with a parent holding this ticket.
Ländertickets: Regional Day Passes by State
Each German state (Bundesland) offers its own regional day pass, valid on all regional trains within that state. These are especially popular for day trips and short group excursions:
| Ticket | 1 person | Each extra person | Max. persons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bayern-Ticket | €27 | +€7 | 5 |
| Niedersachsen-Ticket | €23 | +€4 | 5 |
| NRW-Ticket | €33.90 | +€7.50 | 5 |
| Brandenburg-Berlin-Ticket | €29 | +€6 | 5 |
| Baden-Württemberg-Ticket | €25 | +€6 | 5 |
| Sachsen-Ticket | €24 | +€5 | 5 |
Book Your Group Ticket Now
Get the best price for your group — book directly at Deutsche Bahn group travel portal.