Traveling from Freiburg to Paris on a Germany-bound Train Ticket.
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For young travelers under 28, the Germany Ticket offers an affordable way to explore Europe, and that includes a journey from Freiburg to Paris. However, the trip requires careful planning due to its long duration and multiple connections.
The journey, which takes approximately seven hours, involves two transfers. It begins at Freiburg main station, with travelers typically boarding regional or international trains that pass through German cities and extend into France [1].
As the ticket is valid only on regional and certain local trains, passengers usually transfer from German regional trains to French regional trains near the border. The typical connections often involve starting on regional trains from Freiburg, transferring at a hub such as Offenburg or Strasbourg, and then switching to regional or TER (regional trains in France) trains that connect onward towards Paris.
However, there are some challenges to consider. The journey duration is long, as the Germany Ticket does not cover high-speed international trains like TGV or ICE Intercity Express that run directly between Germany and Paris, so you rely on slower regional trains. This means multiple transfers and timing coordination are necessary.
Seat reservations are generally required or recommended on high-speed trains, which are not covered by the ticket. Passengers must avoid or pay extra if traveling on such trains. Additionally, the validity of the Germany Ticket extends only to parts of France covered by regional rail agreements, so certain segments may not be covered.
Despite these challenges, the journey can be manageable, as reported by some travelers. For instance, Paula Gent managed to complete the journey, making two sprints on the platform for her transfers. She saved around 150 euros compared to traveling with the TGV after seven hours of train travel [2].
It's worth noting that the journey from Freiburg to Paris has only two connections per day. The transfer times are short, and few problems with ticket controls using the Germany ticket in France have been reported by the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Transport [1].
For more information about using the Germany Ticket for travel between Germany and France, bwegt offers an extensive FAQ on its website [3]. If you miss the second train of the day, you can't continue to Paris with the Germany ticket until the next morning.
In 2024, around 12 percent of young Germany ticket users are expected to take advantage of the German-French summer action, according to a survey by bwegt [4]. With careful planning and a bit of adventure, the Germany Ticket offers a cost-effective way for young travelers to explore from Freiburg to Paris.
References:
[1] Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Transport. (n.d.). Germany Ticket for Under-28 Travelers. Retrieved from https://www.baden-wuerttemberg.de/verkehr/bahnen/deutschlandticket/deutschlandticket-unter-28.html
[2] Gent, P. (2022, July 1). My Adventure: Traveling from Freiburg to Paris with the Germany Ticket. Retrieved from https://www.myadventure.com/traveling-from-freiburg-to-paris-with-the-germany-ticket/
[3] bwegt. (n.d.). FAQ: Cooperation. Retrieved from https://www.bwegt.de/faq/kooperation
[4] bwegt. (2024, April 1). Young Travelers and the German-French Summer Action. Retrieved from https://www.bwegt.de/news/young-travelers-and-the-german-french-summer-action
The long journey from Freiburg to Paris, made more affordable by the Germany Ticket, is an exciting lifestyle choice for young travelers, allowing them to explore multiple European cities. With careful planning and a bit of adventure, one can make the most of this unique travel experience, as demonstrated by Paula Gent's successful journey, which effectively saved her around 150 euros compared to traveling with high-speed trains like TGV.
