Deutsche Bahn

Deutsche Bahn (DB) is Germany’s national railway company and one of the world’s largest transport and logistics groups. For expats in Germany, Deutsche Bahn is the primary operator for intercity and regional rail travel — connecting Germany’s cities, towns, and regions with an extensive network of high-speed ICE, inter-city IC, and regional RE/RB trains.

DB’s international booking portal (int.bahn.de) offers English-language ticket booking for domestic German journeys and international connections across Europe. The BahnCard loyalty programme provides 25% or 50% discounts on all DB rail fares — an excellent investment for expats who travel regularly by train in Germany.

For expats navigating Germany without a car, Deutsche Bahn connects all major cities at high speed: Berlin-Hamburg in under 2 hours, Frankfurt-Munich in 3 hours, Hamburg-Cologne in 4 hours. The network also integrates with regional public transport in most major cities, enabling seamless door-to-door journeys.

The DB Navigator app is the standard tool for journey planning and ticket purchase, and is available in English. The Deutschlandticket (€49/month) — valid on all regional DB trains and local public transport nationwide — is one of the best-value transport passes available to expats in Germany and covers most day-to-day commuting and regional travel needs.