Deutsche Bahn is abolishing the Partner Bahncard. From April 1, 2022, the reduced discount card will no longer be offered, a group spokeswoman confirmed Süddeutsche Zeitung on demand. The passenger association Pro Bahn criticizes the procedure and explains that the group is alienating more than “100,000 loyal customers”. The most important questions and answers at a glance.
What exactly is a partner rail card?
Partner Bahncards are tickets at a reduced price if someone living in the same household already has a Bahncard. So far, spouses and life partners have been able to enjoy the discount. Marriage or registered civil partnership or joint domicile had to be proven with the appropriate documents (e.g. with the marriage certificate or with identity cards in which the joint domicile was entered).
How much was the saving?
That depended on which (main) card the partner had: For example, if the partner had a Bahncard 50 as the main card, the saving was 50 percent. Then you paid only 117 euros a year for the partner rail card for the second class instead of 234 euros for the main card. With Bahncard 25, on the other hand, the partner card was only about a third cheaper than the comparable main Bahncard. In addition, the partner card had the same validity as the main card – even if the partner card was ordered later. You could order the partner card together with the main card on the Internet or in a travel center. However, if you already had a Bahncard and wanted to apply for a partner card afterwards, you could only do this at the travel center – and you had to present the relevant proof there.
Why is the group doing away with the partner rail card?
“The demand for the partner rail card has declined sharply in recent years,” explains a spokeswoman for Deutsche Bahn (DB) when asked by SZ. Only three percent of Bahncard customers are currently using the offer. However, according to calculations by the Pro Bahn passenger association, there are still “over 100,000 customers who travel with their partner in an environmentally and climate-friendly manner”, as stated in a statement. In December, DB advertised the purchase of a partner rail card in its “Inside Bahn” newsletter.
According to a statement from Pro Bahn, the group also cites the “complicated process” as the reason why the partner Bahncard is now being abolished – Allegedly, the DB had previously responded to corresponding customer inquiries on Twitter. “If a product doesn’t sell because of an unusable process, you should improve the process and not scrap the product,” criticizes Lukas Iffländer, Vice Chairman of Pro Bahn. For example, a simple online booking with just a few mouse clicks must be possible; in addition, the link to the runtime of the main card would have to be dispensed with.
What applies to customers who already have a partner rail card?
“Anyone who is currently traveling with a partner rail card can of course still use it,” explains the railway spokeswoman. “And if this partner rail card is still valid up to and including March 31, we’ll extend it for another year.” For so-called new purchases, however, the partner rail card will no longer be offered from April 1, 2022. So if you want to secure a partner Bahncard at the old conditions, you can do so until the end of the current month, says Jörg Bruchertseifer, tariff expert at the Pro Bahn passenger association.
Are there alternatives in the future?
Not really, at least there will be no more discounted partner solutions in the future. When asked, DB only refers to its offers of various Bahncards, which, for example, offer discounts for senior citizens. Younger people up to the age of 26 can also enjoy a discounted Bahncard. Anyone who can prove a full reduction in earning capacity or a severe disability with a degree of disability of at least 70 can also apply for a Bahncard at reduced rates.
What do the passenger representatives say about this?
Pro-Bahn tariff expert Jörg Bruchertseifer sharply criticizes the rail company’s approach: “After the price increase in December 2021, the abolition of the partner rail cards for the most loyal rail passengers represents another hidden price increase.” The offers mentioned by Deutsche Bahn as alternatives are “always more expensive than the previous solution”. The great advantage of the train, to travel carefree with partner and children, becomes more expensive and loses its attractiveness. In order to strengthen rail and get more people on the trains, those responsible at DB and in transport policy would have to rethink their tariff policy – and for example “create a comparable or a better solution for a mobility card”. This should apply to all public transport throughout Germany. There are similar offers in Austria and Switzerland, among others. This is exactly what you have to focus on, according to Pro Bahn.