Train rides in Germany have this sort of heavily complicated pricing and buying system. The only way you could save on train tickets in this country is to buy tickets in advance. But if you have company, they are required to pay only half of what you paid for. Thus, one good trick around this system so as for you to save more on train tickets is for you to be the actual company, and not them! Plus, kids also have discounts and all. But I think if you're with a kid, chances as you're gonna be the one who has to actually pay up in full.