Harz Card

Evening folks.

Am helping a friend plan a trip to the Harz. I have found out about the Harz card, which gives three days travel for 18 euros. The ticket is available from the online shop.

I filled in the details and have received an email saying my order has gone through, but I didn't give them my card details, and it gives no details on how the tickets can be sent.

Has anyone used this ticket before?
Have you booked online?

If anyone can help, I would be eternally grateful.

It seems an excellent deal. The Harz railway sells a three day ticket for 78 euros, but this seems the same thing for 18.

Many thanks.

 

http://shop.wernigerode-tourismus.de/HarzTourCard

 

I note that you cannot go further than Schierke on the Brockenbahn so you'll need to buy an extra ticket if you want to go to the top.

 

Yes. But the railway sells a three day ticket for 78 Euros, and the local authority seems to sell the same thing, but we buses and mainline trains included for 18!!

I have had an email saying they wont post the tickets abroad, and they are only available from Wernigerode Tourist Office.

 

Not quite the same thing. The HSB ticket includes the Brockenbahn above Schierke, the local authority ticket does not. A return to the Brocken from any HSB station is €39 so make one trip up and you're still in pocket.
One thing you may not be aware of but when we stayed in Wernigerode in February, our hotel gave us a book of vouchers to be redeemed locally plus a free pass on all local buses. Not sure if it was valid on local train services though.

 

I think we are talking of the HarzTourCard here which is NOT the Harz Card (that offers discounts into tourist attractions etc). As already stated it is amazing value at Euro 18 for three days, but does NOT cover Schierke - Brocken. It does cover ALL other public transport in the region though.

Not sure why you need to buy online. All the HSB booking offices sell the ticket as do the tourist offices. It is NOT sold in DB ticket offices though.

HATIX is the free bus travel ticket you get in return for paying your tourist tax in Wernigerode, part of the book of vouchers mentioned above. HATIX does not cover any heavy rail services.

Having been to Brocken many times I'm content on most visits these days to stick with the TourCard. Some of the best thrash is staying all day on the Nordhausen duty, out of Eisfelder T. towards Drei Annen, although you need 99.7245 to be pointing the right way, which it often isn't i.e. bunker first out of ET, so you are on the front balcony next to the chimney.

David

 

I can't imagine going to the Harz without going up the Brocken more than once during the trip. Although I do concur that Drei Annen Hohne - Eisfelder T. is great, especially if the open coach (a wagon, basically) is on the train. I could also happily spend all day on the Gernrode section, though this is best done when there's a 2-train service running.

 

The Gernrode system became less exciting just over a year ago when they reversed the train sets for less than obvious reasons. Once you could stand on the front balcony next to the smokebox on the major climbs. This no longer happens as you have a van plus perhaps a truck in the way. I treat the HSB as a proper working railway, which it is, so they operate in their best/efficient way. But, they (or tourist industry here in general) depends on steam enthusiasts for quite a slice of income and some of the HSB actions are a little perverse, almost designed not to encourage enthusiasts.

 

Disagree. Nothing I've seen of the Harz has discouraged either me or my friends from visiting. It's always great fun.

 

Evening all.

I went last year and did the Brocken section a few times. This time I want to do the line to Nordhausen and the Quedlinburg section.

I was looking online, as to my knowledge there isn't a HSB ticket office at Quedlinburg, which is where my trip starts.

Has anyone bought the £18 ticket?
Can you get it on trains?

Many thanks.

Loved the whole experience last time and am.looking forward to going again.

 

Quedlinburg does have a booking office at the station for the local transport undertaking (not sure of hours) and I feel sure they do sell the Card.

I would have thought the machines the conductors have on HSB ought to include the Card, but not aware of anyone trying that option. The HEX ticket machines on the mainline might include?

 

The HSB shop in the rathaus square in Quedlinburg were selling them last time I was there (as does the HSB shop in Wernigerode).
Ray.

 

Evening all,

Just to let you know I purchased a family Harz Tour Card at Wernigerode booking office last week. Only comment was that we couldn't use the ticket to Brocken. Fantastic value at 34 Euro for a family of five and we only used it for two days...a single trip to DAH and a return run to ET. It was very enjoyable to do the Harz without a car and although a family holiday I managed some photography over the four days. Pics are here https://www.flickr.com/photos/64433281@N07/albums/72157678684605621

Circa 11 engines seen in steam and good to report no noticeable changes since by last visit in 2014. 99 222 was ex works on Wernigerode shed.

Cheers,

 

Check your timetable carefully as IIRC for steam haulage there is only 1 round trip Wernigerode - Eisfelder Tahlmuhle daily and 1 round trip Nordhausen - Brocken via Drei Annen Hohne hence you may not be able to travel to Nordhausen without an overnight stay. The same problem arises on the Selketalban where there is only 1 steam-hauled trip from Quedlinburg to Hasselfelde each day; whilst I wish you well for your trip see the current timetable at -

http://www.hsb-wr.de/mehr-erfahren/fahrplaene/winterfahrplan/brockenbahn/