First Day Abroad

Getting around Germany: transport and apps

Part of the Germany arrival guide.

This information may change. Always check the official source.Last verified: August 2026 by

Getting around the city, and which apps to install

One ticket covers train, S-Bahn, U-Bahn, tram and bus inside each regional network. The Deutschlandticket at EUR 63 a month covers all of them nationwide, but only as a subscription you must cancel by the 10th.

  • One local ticket covers regional train, S-Bahn, U-Bahn, tram and bus inside that region's network, at EUR 3.30 to EUR 4.40 for a single urban journey.
  • The Deutschlandticket is EUR 63 a month for unlimited local and regional transport nationwide - but not on ICE, IC, EC or FlixTrain.
  • The Deutschlandticket catch is that it is a rolling subscription. Cancel on or before the 10th of the month or you are charged for the next one.
  • Validate paper tickets in the platform stamping machine. Inspectors are frequent and plain-clothed, and "I bought it" is no defence if it is not stamped.
  • Watch the cycle lanes - red brick strips beside the pavement, with fast cyclists who have right of way. Stepping into one is the commonest way a visitor gets hurt in a German city.

Buy one ticket and it covers everything local - regional train, S-Bahn, U-Bahn, tram and bus - inside that region's network.

  • Regional transit authorities (Verkehrsverbuende) set the fares: VBB in Berlin, MVV in Munich, RMV in Frankfurt, HVV in Hamburg, VRR in Duesseldorf. A single urban ticket runs EUR 3.30 to EUR 4.40.
  • The Deutschlandticket costs EUR 63 per month and covers unlimited travel on all local and regional transport nationwide, second class, including Hamburg's harbour ferries. It is not valid on ICE, IC, EC or FlixTrain.
  • The Deutschlandticket catch: it is sold only as a rolling monthly subscription. Cancel on or before the 10th of the month or you are charged for the next one. For a stay of a week or more that crosses a month boundary, do the arithmetic before subscribing.
  • Validate paper tickets in the platform stamping machine. Inspectors are frequent and plain-clothed, and "I bought it" is not a defence if it is not stamped.
  • Ride-hailing: Uber, Bolt and FreeNow all operate. Under the Passenger Transportation Act they can only dispatch licensed private hire cars with professional drivers, or route you to a real taxi - so prices sit close to taxi fares rather than below them.
  • Long distance: Deutsche Bahn Sparpreis fares booked ahead are far cheaper than walk-up Flexpreis. FlixBus and FlixTrain undercut DB on the main routes.
  • Watch the cycle lanes. Red brick strips beside the pavement are bike lanes, cyclists move fast on them and they have right of way. Stepping into one is the most common way a visitor gets hurt in a German city.

Apps and platforms

DB Navigator for anything on rails, FreeNow for a real taxi, and the local transit app for the city you are actually in.

  • DB Navigator is the single most useful app in the country - timetables, live platform changes, delays and tickets for every regional and long-distance train.
  • FreeNow books official metered taxis in every large city; Uber here dispatches licensed private hire at close to taxi prices.
  • Each city has its own transit app: BVG Fahrinfo in Berlin, MVGO in Munich, RMVgo in Frankfurt, HVV Switch in Hamburg.
  • Citymapper gives better live routing than Google Maps in Berlin, Munich and Frankfurt.
  • Lieferando is the dominant food delivery service.
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Arriving by air?22

Each airport has its own page for the way into town - the operator, the fare and what still runs late.

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Sources (3)

What this guide was checked against. Rules and prices change — follow the official link before you rely on a detail.