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 '''Deutsche Bahn AG''' (DB) is the [[Germany|German ]] national railway company. Virtually all active train stations, all long-distance trains and and many regional trains and ''S-Bahn'' city trains are run by them.

The normal fares are very expensive and usually not used by locals. The DB is actualy the 2nd most expensive railroad in europe Europe after the norwegian-Norwegian. There is a wide range of special offers and rebate systems, but they are rather difficult to use for single spontaneous trips. Some exceptions are the "[http://www.bahn.de/i/view/DEU/en/prices/germany/happy_weekend_ticket.shtml ''Schönes-Wochenende-Ticket" '' (Happy-Weekend-Ticket)], usually just called the [http://www.bahn.de/i/view/DEU/en/prices/germany/quer-durchs-land-ticket.shtml ''WochenendticketQuer-durchs-Land Ticket'' which is valid for a whole Saturday '''or''' Sunday for up to 5 persons in all regional trains in whole Germany] and the [http://www. They are 37 EURbahn. This means, you can actually get de/i/view/DEU/en/prices/germany/laender-ticket.e. from [[Munich]] to [[Hamburg]] for less than 8 EUR, but it will take you about 12 hours. On weekdays you can use the shtml regional day ticket ''Länderticket'', which is about 30 EUR and is valid for 5 persons in all regional trains from 9am till 3am the next day in a certain Federal State (sometimes several count as one)].

== The ''Schönes-Wochenende-Ticket'' is valid for a whole Saturday '''or''' Sunday for up to 5 persons in all regional trains in all of Germany. It used to be possible to "train hitchhikinghitchhike" ==You can travel with other people's group tickets (like the Wochenendticket) as these tickets are this ticket because it was valid for up to 5 people for a flat cost of 40 Euro. Because it was so cheap, many people bought it even though they were alone or in groups smaller than 5, so it was possible to join a group for free. Now, the ticket costs 40€ for one person and 4 Euro more for each additional person. Since you have to select the number of passengers is not specified on beforehand, joining existing groups isn't possible anymore, and you will likely have to pay a share of the ticketprice. Just ask people  The ''Quer-durchs-Land Ticket'' does the same on weekdays, but is slightly more expensive at 42 Euro for the platform if first person and 6 Euro more for each subsequent. On weekdays you can join their ticket before they enter use the train. You can also just get on ''Länderticket'', which is about 20 Euro for one person or 30 Euro for 5 persons in all regional trains from 9:00 unto 3:00 the train and hope to find people there but bear next day in mind that if you don't find anybody until a certain Federal State (sometimes several count as one). == Train hitchhiking ==The golden days of the weekend ticket inspector sees youare, sadly, over. The so-called ''Schönes-Wochenende-Ticket'' still exists, but you're a blackrider. Some inspectors now have also made a fuss because to select the people going with the ticket should be clear from number of passengers at the beginning time of the tripbuying, but that's rare. Some people might want you and each additional person (up to chip in some money5), costs 4 Euro. In This means that case you can try might still be able to spontaneously find somebody else as most people take to share a ticket with, but you for free will have to approach them before they buy the ticket (so no asking around when you're already in the train), andyou will likely have to pay at least 11 Euro (per-person price in a group of 5). Theoretically, if you ask themthough, even give people might let you join their ticket when they are at for 4 Euro, or even pay the end 4 Euro for you, but, arguably, neither of their journeythose possibilities could be called hitchhiking.

On long distance trains (IC and ICE) you can buy a ticket from the conductor(the fare being 10% higher), which makes can make blackriding almost impossibledifficult. The fare If you cannot pay on the spot (or at least say so), the conductor will print a fine if you present ID. Many conductors will issue a fine that serves as a valid ticket to your declared destination, and provided you're not a German citizen or resident, you can disregard this penalty. This is not a foolproof method, however, as certain conductors will only issue a fine valid as a ticket to the next station, and force you to get off the train there. For example, I myself went on an ICE from Siegburg/Bonn to Basel ticket-less, getting caught before Frankfurt airport. Showed the conductor my ID, provided a fake German address (I live elsewhere) and was given a fine valid as a ticket all the way to Basel. Another time I boarded a Hamburg-bound ICE in Freiburg wanting to go to Hamburg. Made the mistake of sitting in a compartment, where I was successfully identified as a new passenger. Despite insisting I could pay a fine all the way to Hamburg, the conductor only gave me a fine to the next stop, Baden-Baden, where I was then kicked off. Boarding a train at an intermediate stop ticket-less works well in busy long-distance trains. If there are many passengers on the train, your appearance is normal and you don't stick out in the eyes of the staff, you're unlikely to be 10% higher thoughidentified as a new passenger. They will walk through the train asking who is new ("Neu zugestiegene Fahrgäste?"), and if you don't react, they'll normally keep walking. For this purpose, however, always sit in the open salon, where you'll blend in much easier, and not in a compartment.  If you fall asleep (or pretend to), there is a chance that the conductor doesn't want to wake you up. Wearing headphones might help. Check the fares beforehand anyway, because they are pretty high. The short-distance ticket trick works well on long-distance trains, at least busy ones. Even if sitting in a compartment, once the staff has seen your ticket and stamped it, they will rarely remember the stated destination of each passenger.

In some regional trains (''S-Bahn'', ''RegionalBahn'' or ''RegionalExpress'') blackriding mostly doesn't make much sense, because chances that you reach your destination without getting into some kind of trouble such as from Singen to Schaffhausen (Switzerland) ticket checks are rather lowfairly common, while on others they're the exception and thus a great way to blackride across the country. The same instructions apply regarding fines. Try [[hitchhiking]] instead ;)

If there is, you could try checking if there actually is a conductor on the train before buying a ticket. Multi-wagon trains and conductors joining the train at a later stop make this quite somewhat risky though. You're obligated to posses a valid ticket as soon as you join the train so you can get fined even in the process of buying if you're considered a blackrider.

* if If you're a German citizen/resident and they get your ID, it means you'll be donating from 40 60 EUR to the full ticket price to the DB's shareholders (mostly the German state, if that makes you feel better) − if they don't, you might be tempted to give them a fake name and address, which is probably , while, illegal, will work.

* As a last line of defencedefense, conductors can call the police and legally keep you from leaving to prevent you from "illegally obtaining a service". Most commonly, however, you can get a fine printed that is valid as a ticket to your declared destination, or you may simply be kicked out at the next stop.* I have no idea if there are special rules For persons neither citizens nor residents of Germany, the penalty cannot and will not be enforced. As mentioned above, if given your ID, many conductors will print a fine valid as a ticket to your intended destination, making this a useful method for visitors to blackride. Beware, however, that not all conductors will agree to this, and they may insist that you don't possess a German IDget off at the next stop.