sleeper train Berlin - Salzburg

Has anyone got experience of booking night sleeper trains from Berlin - Salzburg and getting a low fare? I'm looking at a holiday for next June, flying into Berlin for a few days then ideally getting a sleeper to Vienna or Salzburg, to visit both cities before flying out of Vienna. I have spent a few hours on rail sites and am still unsure about things - I realise I can only find out fares 90 days in advance, and that timetables change in June, but the tickets seem to range from 29 euros (which I've read you can usually get if you book as soon as the dates come into the system) to almost 200 euro which is showing for some trains when I did a search for the next 3 month period to give me an idea of times etc. That's a big difference - unless I can be fairly confident of getting a reasonable fare, I may have to cut Berlin and just do a rtn flight to Vienna... but I really want to visit Berlin too! I need to book the flights now so need to make a decision. I know there are no guarantees, but any advice would be appreciated! Thanks a million.

Book the flights. Then use http://www.timeanddate.com calculator to figure out the 90 days, then be online to book it immediately to lock in the lowest possible price. Don't get a seat though, cough up the extra for a flat bed cos seat's are a false economy, you'll never get a decent night's sleep in one of those things.

Thanks Fwoggies, that was pretty much my strategy, to mark it in my diary and be online ready... I guess my concern is whether those bargain fares apply to all trains, including cross-border ones... I'd be in trouble if I had to fork out 200 odd euro for a train ticket, but at that stage I'd have little choice. I'll just have to keep my fingers crossed... And I will def be going for a flat bed... I'll waste the while next day if I try and sleep sitting up, as I'll be knackered! Cheers, Lisa

200 Euro is usually a place in a sleeper cabin on a train where all special deals have already been booked. like fwoggie says, I recommend you take at least a couchette berth for basic comfort, avoid the seats. the special deals are indeed obtainable if you book well ahead - note that the (lesser important) summer timetable change is irrelevant for this, it's only the winter change in December has an impact on the booking period - so use the official 92 days to the max (sometimes there are ways to tweak an extra day if you use layovers). don't forget that discounted means: no changes, no reimbursement!